Using ZnO Nanorods Coated Porous Ceramic Monolith to Remove Arsenic from Groundwater

Abstract:

Arsenic contaminants in drinking water pose a threat to human health. In this study, we report the use of nanotechnology to enhance the efficiency of arsenic removal. In here, zinc oxide (ZnO) has been selected for this application due to its environmentally friendly to human being. One-dimensional ZnO nanorods were grown on porous ceramic substrate by hydrothermal technique. The monolith nano-adsorbents were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM, Hitachi, SE-8030), while phase compositions and specific surface area were examined by x-ray diffractometer (XRD, PAnalitical, X’Pert PRO). Experiments of arsenic adsorption were conducted by using 200 ppb arsenic concentration solution with a continuously stirring system. After the adsorption, each water sample was then measured the arsenic content by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscope (ICP-OES) as compare to the original water sample to calculate the percentage of arsenic removal. We found that morphology of nano-adsorbent on using the growth solution concentration of 20mM of growth solution concentration and 20 hours of growth time showed the highest density of ZnO hexagonal nanorods with about 100 nm in diameter. The optimization studies obtained 30 minute of adsorption time, pH as 7. This nano-adsorbent exhibited about 98% of arsenic removal. For the comparison with commercial adsorbent (As600), ZnO nano-adsorbent has a better efficiency. The strong competitive ion on the arsenic removal was PO₄^3-. Moreover, the real groundwater after treatment doesn’t have any toxic residue. Therefore, ZnO nanorods coated on porous ceramic can be the candidate material for arsenic removal from groundwater.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 751)
• Pages: 756-765
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.751.756
• Online since: August 2017
• Authors: Kannika Khwamsawat, Jukkrit Mahujchariyawong, Supamas Danwittayakul*
• Keywords: Adsorption, Arsenic Removal, Porous Ceramic, ZnO Nanorod

References

[1] Richard Buamah, Adsorptive Removal of Manganese, Arsenic and Iron from Groundwater (Wageningen University, 2009).

[2] L. Feng, M. Cao, X. Ma, Y. Zhu, and C. Hu. Superparamagnetic High-Surface-Area Fe3O4 Nanoparticles as Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal, J Hazard Mater 218 (2012) 439-46.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.05.056

[3] P. Nakseedee, V. Taboonchuy, N. Pimpha, P. Khemthong, C. H. Liao, and N. Grisdanurak. Arsenic Removal by Nanoiron Coupled with Gas Bubbling System, J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 47 (2015) 182-89.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2014.10.006

[4] N. Singh, S.P. Singh, Vinay Gupta, Harish Kumar Yadav, Tarushee Ahuja, S. Swarupa Tripathy, and Rashmia. A Process for the Selective Removal of Arsenic from Contaminated Water Using Acetate Functionalized Zinc Oxide Nanomaterials, Environ Prog Sustain Energy 32 (2013).

DOI: 10.1002/ep.11698

[5] M.A. Hashim, S. Mukhopadhyay, and J.S. Sengupta. Remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated groundwater. J Environmental Manage 92 (2011) 2355-2388.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.06.009

[6] S. Bang, M. Patel, L. Lippincott, and X. Meng. Removal of Arsenic from Groundwater by Granular Titanium Dioxide Adsorbent, Chemosphere 60 (2005) 389-397.

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.12.008

[7] R.T. Nickson, J. M Mcarthur, P. Ravenscroft, W.G. Burges, and K.M. Ahmed. Mechanism of Arsenic Release to Groundwater, Bangladesh and West Bengal, Appl Geochem 15 (2000) 403-413.

DOI: 10.1016/s0883-2927(99)00086-4

[8] M. Grassi, G. Kaykioglu, V. Belgiorno, and G. Lofrano. Removal of Emerging Contaminants from Water and Wastewater by Adsorption Process 2012; Available from: http: /dx. doi. org/10. 1007/978-94-007-3916-1_2.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-3916-1_2

[9] T.M.S. Attia, X. L Hu, and D.Q. Yin. Synthesised magnetic nanoparticles coated zeolite (MNCZ) for the removal of arsenic (As) from aqueous solution, J Exp Nanosci 9 (2012) 1-10.

DOI: 10.1080/17458080.2012.677549

[10] Sneh Lata and S.R. Samadder, Removal of arsenic from water using nano adsorbents and challenges: A review. J Environ Manage 166 (2016) 387-406.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.10.039

[11] S. Danwittayakula, M. Jaisaib, and J. Dutta. Efficient solar photocatalytic degradation of textile wastewater using ZnO/ZTO composites, Appl. Catal., B 163 (2015) 1-8.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2014.07.042

[12] S. Baruah and J. Dutta. Hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanostructures, Sci Tech AdvMate 10 (2009) 1-18.

[13] S. Thanawatpoontawee, A. Imyim, and N. Praphairaksit. Iron-loaded zein beads as a biocompatible adsorbent for arsenic(V) removal, J Ind EngChem 43 (2016) 127-132.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2016.07.058

[14] K.Y. Foo and B.H. Hameed. Insights into the modeling of adsorption isotherm systems. Chem Eng J 156 (2010) 2-10.

[15] G. Limousin, J.P. Gaudet, L. Charlet, S. Szenknect, V. Barthes, and M. Krimissa. Sorption Isotherms: A Review on Physical Bases, Modeling and Measurement, Appl Geochem 22 (2007) 249-75.

DOI: 10.1002/chin.200744267