Taguchi optimization design of diameter-controlled synthesis of multi walled carbon nanotubes for the adsorption of Pb(II) and Ni(II) from chemical industry wastewater

Titus Chinedu Egbosiuba; Ambali Saka Abdulkareem; Jimoh Oladejo Tijani; Jacinta Ijeoma Ani; Vida Krikstolaityte; Madhavi Srinivasan; Andrei Veksha; Grzegorz Lisak

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128937

Taguchi optimization design of diameter-controlled synthesis of multi walled carbon nanotubes for the adsorption of Pb(II) and Ni(II) from chemical industry wastewater

Chemosphere. 2021 Mar:266:128937. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128937. Epub 2020 Nov 16.

Authors

Titus Chinedu Egbosiuba¹, Ambali Saka Abdulkareem², Jimoh Oladejo Tijani³, Jacinta Ijeoma Ani⁴, Vida Krikstolaityte⁵, Madhavi Srinivasan⁶, Andrei Veksha⁷, Grzegorz Lisak⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB.65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria; Department of Chemical Engineering, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, PMB 02, Uli, Anambra State, Nigeria; Nanotechnology Research Group, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Electronic address: ct.egbosiuba@coou.edu.ng.
² Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB.65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria; Nanotechnology Research Group, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
³ Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, PMB.65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria; Nanotechnology Research Group, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB.65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
⁵ Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Clean Tech One, 637141, Singapore; Energy Research Institute @NTU (ERI@N), SCARCE Laboratory, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
⁶ Energy Research Institute @NTU (ERI@N), SCARCE Laboratory, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
⁷ Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Clean Tech One, 637141, Singapore.
⁸ Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, Clean Tech One, 637141, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore. Electronic address: g.lisak@ntu.edu.sg.

PMID: 33280844
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128937

Abstract

Herein, Taguchi L₉ orthogonal array was used for the first time to optimize synthesis of diameter-controlled multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The nanoadsorbents, MWCNTs_{5-15 nm} and MWCNTs_{16-25 nm} were applied for Pb(II) and Ni(II) ion removal from paint, battery and electroplating wastewater. The results indicated successful synthesis of MWCNTs with diameter distribution ranges of 5-15 nm and 16-25 nm. The synthetized smaller diameter MWCNTs_{5-15 nm} revealed higher Brunauer-Emett-Teller (BET) surface area of 1306 ± 5 m²/g compared to larger diameter MWCNTs_{16-25 nm}with the surface area of 1245 ± 4 m²/g. They demonstrated excellent adsorption of Pb(II) and Ni(II) ions within the permissible concentration proposed by WHO at pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and temperature of 5, 60 min, 30 mg/L and 50 °C, respectively. Particularly, MWCNTs_{5-15 nm} possessed high adsorption capacity of 215.38 ± 0.03 mg/g for Pb(II) and 230.78 ± 0.01 mg/g for Ni(II). Again, the maximum adsorption capacity of 201.35 ± 0.02 and 206.40 ± 0.02 mg/g was achieved for Pb(II) and Ni(II) using MWCNTs_{16-25 nm}. All in all, the adsorption capacity of the nanoadsorbents at the investigated diameter range showed higher efficiency compared to other materials for heavy metals elimination from chemical industrial wastewater.

Keywords: Adsorption; Diameter-controlled carbon nanotubes; Heavy metal ions; Nanoadsorbent; Taguchi optimization.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Chemical Industry
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Kinetics
Lead
Nanotubes, Carbon*
Wastewater
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Nanotubes, Carbon
Waste Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Lead