Preparation and Utilization of Aspilia africana Stabilized Fe-nanoparticles in Removal of Metal Pollutants from an Industrial Waste Water

Chukwudi Chidozie Aguomba¹, Remy Ukachukwu Duru^1, and Gloria Ukalina Obuzor¹

¹Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Chukwudi Chidozie Aguomba, Remy Ukachukwu Duru and Gloria Ukalina Obuzor. Preparation and Utilization of Aspilia africana Stabilized Fe-nanoparticles in Removal of Metal Pollutants from an Industrial Waste Water. American Journal of Nanomaterials. 2022; 10(1):1-8. doi: 10.12691/ajn-10-1-1

Abstract

Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles (nZVI) and Aspilia africana-Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles (Aa-nZVI) were synthesized and used to treat an industrial wastewater containing mercury, cadmium, cobalt, chromium copper, manganese, iron, zinc and lead metal pollutants. Concentrations of the metals present in the wastewater samples before and after treatment were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) while Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the presence of organic compounds in the Aspilia africana leaf and Aspilia africana Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles (Aa-nZVI). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles. The results after treatment of the wastewater with different ratios (Aa-nZVI:wastewater - 1:1, 1:3, 1:6) of stabilized nanoparticle (Aa-nZVI) showed 100% removal of mercury. Removal of cadmium, chromium and copper were 100, 69 and 15% respectively by 1:1 ratio of the wastewater with the stabilized nanoparticle (Aa-nZVI). Manganese, iron, zinc and lead metals were either poorly removed, not removed or increased in concentration after treatment of the wastewater. This work presents a new and cheap method of wastewater treatment and also reveals a new usage for the Aspilia africana.

Keywords:
Aspilia africana wastewater treatment metal pollutants nanoparticles

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