Discipline:
Subcategory: Pollution/Toxic Substances/Waste
Naomi Adams - Howard University
The magnetic removal of Pb2+ from water has been assessed using functionalized silica coated magnetite particles (Fe3O4@SiO2-TEPA). The magnetite particles were first prepared by hydrolysis of FeSO4 and their surfaces were modified with amorphous silica shells that were then functionalized with tetraethylenepentamine. These magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The adsorption properties of Fe3O4@SiO2-TEPA nanoparticles for the removal of Pb2+ in wastewater were deeply studied. Therefore, these nanomagnetic particles show great potential for the removal of heavy metal ions of polluted water, via magnetic separation.
References: P. Girginova, A. Daniel-da-Silva, C. Lopes, P. Figueira, M. Otero, V. Amaral, E. Pereira, T. Trindade, ‘Silica coated magnetite particles for magnetic removal of Hg2+ from water,’ Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, vol. 345, 2010. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2010.01.087
Wang, Jiahong, Shourong Zheng, Yun Shao, Jingliang Liu, Zhaoyi Xu, and Dongqiang Zhu. ‘Amino-functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2 Core-shell Magnetic Nanomaterial as a Novel Adsorbent for Aqueous Heavy Metals Removal.’ Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 349.1 (2010): 293-99. Web.
Lee, J., Lee, Y., Young, J. K., Na, H. B., Yu, T., Kim, H., Lee, S.-M., Koo, Y.-M., Kwak, J. H., Park, H. G., Chang, H. N., Hwang, M., Park, J.-G., Kim, J. and Hyeon, T. (2008), Simple Synthesis of Functionalized Superparamagnetic Magnetite/Silica Core/Shell Nanoparticles and their Application as Magnetically Separable High-Performance Biocatalysts. Small, 4: 143-152. doi:10.1002/smll.200700456
Funder Acknowledgement(s): This study was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to Lorraine Fleming, Wayne Patterson, and Mohamed Chouikha, Principal and Co-Principal Investigators of the Global Education, Awareness and Research Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP), Howard University, Washington, DC. Thank you to Hanna Abbo and Salam Titinchi along with the University of the Western Cape for all of your help and guidance throughout the duration of this project. Thank you Stacie LeSure, Lessley-Ann Gumbs and Teneisha Mcintyre and the other GEAR UP office personnel for your assistance as well.
Faculty Advisor: Stacie LeSure, stacie.lesure@howard.edu
Role: I synthesized the final product, characterized the product, and conducted the absorption experiments.