Water defluoridation using a nanostructured diatom-ZrO₂ composite synthesized from algal biomass

Megha Thakkar; Zheqiong Wu; Liping Wei; Somenath Mitra

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2015.03.017

Water defluoridation using a nanostructured diatom-ZrO₂ composite synthesized from algal biomass

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2015 Jul 15:450:239-245. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.03.017. Epub 2015 Mar 17.

Authors

Megha Thakkar¹, Zheqiong Wu¹, Liping Wei¹, Somenath Mitra²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States.
² Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States. Electronic address: somenath.mitra@njit.edu.

PMID: 25823727
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.03.017

Abstract

Frustules or the rigid amorphous silica cell wall of unicellular, photosynthetic microalgae with unique porous architecture has been used to synthesize a composite by immobilizing ZrO2 on its surface and in the pores. This was effective in water defluoridation. The average diameter of the composite was 80±2 nm and surface area was 140 m(2)/g. The adsorption isotherms followed both Langmuir and Freundlich models, and the composite was regenerable. Adsorption kinetics followed second order model and the adsorption capacity was as high as 11.32 mg/g, while the Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity (q(m)) reached 15.53 mg/g. The research findings highlight the potential of diatoms as hosts for nanomaterials for use in water treatment.

Keywords: Adsorption; Composite; Defluoridation; Diatom; ZrO(2).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomass*
Diatoms / chemistry*
Fluorine / chemistry*
Models, Chemical
Water / chemistry*
Water Purification*
Zirconium / chemistry*

Substances

Water
Fluorine
Zirconium
zirconium oxide