Pre-concentration of toxic metals using electrospun amino-functionalized nylon-6 nanofibre sorbent

- Darko, G, Sobola, A, Adewuyi, Sheriff, Okonkwo, J O, Torto, N

Title
Pre-concentration of toxic metals using electrospun amino-functionalized nylon-6 nanofibre sorbent
Creator
Darko, G
Creator
Sobola, A
Creator
Adewuyi, Sheriff
Creator
Okonkwo, J O
Creator
Torto, N
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Type
Article
Identifier
vital:6571
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004134
Description
This paper presents a new approach for pre-concentrating toxic metals (As, Cd, Ni and Pb) in aqueous environments using an amino-functionalized electrospun nanofibre sorbent. The sorbent, composed of nanofibres of average diameter 80 ± 10 nm and specific surface area of 58m2 g–1, exhibited fast adsorption kinetics (<20 min) for As, Cd, Ni and Pb. The optimalpHfor the uptake of As, Cd, Ni and Pb were 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 and 11, respectively. The adsorption process best fitted the Freundlich isothermand followed the first-order kinetics. The highest pre-concentration achieved using the sorbent was 41.99 (Ni in treated wastewater). The capacity of the sorbent to pre-concentrate the toxic metals was compared with those of aqua regia and HNO3+H2O2 digestions. The pre-concentration factors achieved for Cd in river water samples can be ranked as aqua regia digestion (0.73) > adsorption (0.34)>HNO3+H2O2 (0.23) digestion.Asimilar trend was observed for Ni in river water as well as Ni andCdin tap water samples. Pb ions in the river water samples were pre-concentrated slightly better using the two digestion methods pre-concentration factors ~22) compared to adsorption method (pre-concentration factor ~21). The use of the electrospun amino-functionalized nanofibre sorbent presentsanefficientand cost-effective alternative for pre-concentration of toxic metals inaqueousenvironments.
Format
9 pages
Format
pdf
Language
English
Relation
Darko, G. and Sobola, A. and Adewuyi, S. and Okonkwo, J.O. and Torto, N. (2012) Pre-concentration of toxic metals using electrospun amino-functionalized nylon-6 nanofibre sorbent. South African Journal of Chemistry, 65 . pp. 14-29.
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Torto, Nelson (Prof)
RU Department of Chemistry
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