A novel technique is presented to explore and investigate the solid phase extraction of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using a microwave-enforced sorption heating system. A microwave-assisted surface protected and coated nano-magnetic iron oxide with nano-silica layer [Nano-Fe3O4@Nano-SiO2] was used as the sorbent. The metal sorption characteristics of Nano-Fe3O4@Nano-SiO2 toward Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd (II) and Hg(II) were evaluated and the sorption capacity values were found as 1100, 300, 150 and 100 mu mol g(-1), respectively upon microwave heating for 5.0 s. These values were slightly changed to 1150, 500, 400 and 100 upon heating to 20.0 s, respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.