Synthesis and characterization of Nano-iron based materials and their application for the removal of anionic and cationic dyes

Other Title(s)

تحضير و تشخيص مواد مستندة للحديد بمقياس النانو و استخدامها لإزالة الأصباغ السالبة و الموجبة

Dissertant

Nairat, Muadh

Thesis advisor

Shahwan, Talal

Comitee Members

Hasan, Zaki
Awad, Hani

University

Birzeit University

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Department

Department of Chemistry

University Country

Palestine (West Bank)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2013

English Abstract

The scientific and research studies concerned with the removal of pollutants from both groundwater and surface water are distinguished by its vital importance and unrivaled scientific concern throughout the whole world.

This is so not only because they are considered among the most essential environmental fields, but also because they focus on one of the most vital natural resources upon which all aspects of life do depend.

It is water through which Almighty God hath made everything live, and without it life will no more exist.

Iron nanomaterials are emerging as very effective tools for the removal of a wide spectrum of pollutants from water.

These materials are based on iron nanoparticles, the effectiveness of which is attributed to large surface area and enhanced surface activity.

In addition to extensive laboratory-scale research that is being carried out internationally, field studies are also being performed in many countries to assess the feasibility of iron nanotechnology in environmental remediation.

In this context, in-situ and ex-situ treatment methodologies are being investigated.

In-situ treatment involves direct injection of iron nanoparticles into underground water bodies, while ex-situ treatment involves deploying slurries of iron nanoparticles into large tanks containing polluted water or soil.

Moreover, iron nanomaterials are being proposed to replace iron powder in modern water treatment facilities known as permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) In this study, iron nanoparticles along with nano iron supported on natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) and alumina have been produced via reduction of iron ions using sodium borohydride.

The composite materials demonstrated high dye removal capabilities.

The usage of the given substrates contributed to decreasing the aggregation of iron nanoparticles, thus enhancing their surface activity and, as such, increasing their uptake capacity allowing for better reusability.

Iron nanoparticles and their based materials were characterized using XRD, XPS, FTIR, SEM, TEM, EDX and BET-N2.

The produced iron nanomaterials were then used in the removal of aqueous methylene blue and methyl orange as two models of cationic and anionic dyes, the dye removal was monitored using UV-visible and GC-MS.

The experiments investigated the effects of contact time and dyes concentrations, in order to assess the kinetic behavior of the dye removal process and the extent of dye removal using iron nanoparticles and compare it with the nano iron based materials.

The results indicate that the composite of iron nanoparticles supported on zeolite has the fastest dye removal kinetics which can be adequately described using 2nd order kinetics for the removal of methylene blue with k2 values of 8.8±1.5x10-2 – 9.9±4.9x10-1 L mg-1 min-1 followed by 1st order kinetics for the removal of methyl orange at low initial concentrations with k1 value of 1.9±2.7x10-1 min-1 and 2nd order kinetics at high initial concentrations with k2 value of 9.8±4.8x10-3 L mg-1 min-1.

Moreover, the same composite demonstrated applicability in dyes removal over a wide range of concentrations and high reusability of five successive cycles with stable dye removal percentages.

Main Subjects

Chemistry

No. of Pages

130

Table of Contents

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Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-706437