<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This research specifically focused on the development of a novel methodology to reduce excess nitrate in drinking water utilizing zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI)-stabilized radiation-grafted copolymer matrix. nZVI was synthesized by borohydrate reduction of FeCl<sub>3</sub> and stabilized on acrylic acid (AAc)-grafted non-woven polyethylene/polypropylene (NWPE/PP-g-AAc) copolymer matrix, which was grafted using gamma radiation. The use of nZVI for environmental applications is challenging because of the formation of an oxide layer rapidly in the presence of oxygen. Therefore, radiation-grafted NWPE/PP synthetic fabric was used as the functional carrier to anchor nZVI and enhance its spreading and stability. The chemical reduction of nitrate by nZVI-adsorbed NWPE/PP-g-AAc (nZVI-Ads-NWP) fabric was examined in batch experiments at different pH values. At low pH values, the protective layers on nZVI particles can be readily dissolved, exposing the pure iron particles for efficient chemical reduction of nitrate. After about 24 h, at pH 3, almost 96% of nitrate was degraded, suggesting that this reduction process is an acid-driven, surface-mediated process. The nZVI-water interface has been characterized by the 1-pK Basic Stern Model (BSM). An Eley-Rideal like mechanism well described the nitrate reduction kinetics. In accordance with green technology, the newly synthesized nZVI-Ads-NWP has great potential for improving nitrate reduction processes required for the drinking water industry.</p></abstract>

This research specifically focused on the development of a novel methodology to reduce excess nitrate in drinking water utilizing zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI)-stabilized radiation-grafted copolymer matrix. nZVI was synthesized by borohydrate reduction of FeCl3 and stabilized on acrylic acid (AAc)-grafted non-woven polyethylene/polypropylene (NWPE/PP-g-AAc) copolymer matrix, which was grafted using gamma radiation. The use of nZVI for environmental applications is challenging because of the formation of an oxide layer rapidly in the presence of oxygen. Therefore, radiation-grafted NWPE/PP synthetic fabric was used as the functional carrier to anchor nZVI and enhance its spreading and stability. The chemical reduction of nitrate by nZVI-adsorbed NWPE/PP-g-AAc (nZVI-Ads-NWP) fabric was examined in batch experiments at different pH values. At low pH values, the protective layers on nZVI particles can be readily dissolved, exposing the pure iron particles for efficient chemical reduction of nitrate. After about 24 h, at pH 3, almost 96% of nitrate was degraded, suggesting that this reduction process is an acid-driven, surface-mediated process. The nZVI-water interface has been characterized by the 1-pK Basic Stern Model (BSM). An Eley-Rideal like mechanism well described the nitrate reduction kinetics. In accordance with green technology, the newly synthesized nZVI-Ads-NWP has great potential for improving nitrate reduction processes required for the drinking water industry.

Chemical reduction of nitrate by zerovalent iron nanoparticles adsorbed radiation-grafted copolymer matrix

Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

National Institute of Fundamental Studies

Nukleonika

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This research specifically focused on the development of a novel methodology to reduce excess nitrate in drinking water utilizing zerovalent iron nanoparticles...

Chemical reduction of nitrate by zerovalent iron nanoparticles adsorbed radiation-grafted copolymer matrix

Published Online: Feb 16, 2018

Page range: 269 - 275

Received: Apr 21, 2017

Accepted: Dec 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nuka-2017-0039

Keywords
1-pK Basic Stern Model, acid-driven surface-mediated process, Eley-Rideal like mechanism, priority contaminant, zerovalent iron nanoparticles

© 2017 Sanduni Y. Ratnayake et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Chemical reduction of nitrate by zerovalent iron nanoparticles adsorbed radiation-grafted copolymer matrix

Published Online: Feb 16, 2018

Page range: 269 - 275

Received: Apr 21, 2017

Accepted: Dec 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nuka-2017-0039

Keywords1-pK Basic Stern Model, acid-driven surface-mediated process, Eley-Rideal like mechanism, priority contaminant, zerovalent iron nanoparticles

© 2017 Sanduni Y. Ratnayake et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
1-pK Basic Stern Model, acid-driven surface-mediated process, Eley-Rideal like mechanism, priority contaminant, zerovalent iron nanoparticles