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For efficient and environmentally friendly removal of nitrate from groundwater, biochar-based nanoscale zerovalent iron composites were prepared, where biochar was derived from pine sawdust at 4 different pyrolysis temperatures. The results show that biochar with different pyrolysis temperatures played a great role in both nitrate removal efficiency and nitrate conversion rate to nitrogen gas for the prepared composites. Specifically, the composite with biochar pyrolyzed at 500 °C, ZB12-500, showed the best performance in both nitrate removal and conversion to nitrogen gas. With an initial solution pH from 5 to 10, ZB12-500 maintained high removal efficiencies varying from 97.29% to 89.04%. Moreover, the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas increased with the initial nitrate concentration, and it reached 31.66% with an initial nitrate concentration of 100 mg/L. Kinetics analysis showed that the nitrate removal process fit well with a two-compartment first-order kinetic model. Meanwhile, the test of nitrate removal by ZB12-500 in synthetic groundwater showed that HCO3− and SO42− limited nitrate removal but improved nitrate conversion to nitrogen gas. Furthermore, the nitrate removal mechanism suggested that biochar could facilitate electron transfer from zero valent iron to nitrate, which led to high nitrate removal efficiency. In addition, the interaction of ferrous ions and the quinone group of biochar could increase the nitrate conversion to nitrogen gas. Therefore, this study suggests that ZB12-500 is a promising alternative for the remediation of nitrate-contaminated groundwater.

This research investigates the adsorption capacity of a novel composite material, namely nano zero-valent iron coated coffee grounds (nZVI-CG), for removal of zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni). nZVI particles were synthesized and immobilized to the surface of waste coffee grounds (CG) using the ultrasonic-assisted liquid phase method. Characterization of synthesized nZVI-CG composite and bare CG showed that nZVI coating has increased the surface area significantly. Batch tests were conducted to examine the effects of pH, reaction time and initial metal concentrations on Zn2+ and Ni2+ removal. At an initial metal concentration of 10 mg-Ni/L and 10 mg-Zn/L, nZVI-CG removal rates for Zn2+ and Ni2+ were observed as 98.89% and 97.29%, respectively; while removal rates of bare CG have remained at 51% (Zn2+) and 48.1% (Ni2+). Moreover, acidic conditions were observed to deteriorate Ni2+ and Zn2+ adsorption since most functional groups of the metals were protonated. Increasing initial nickel and zinc concentrations decreased removal rates. While the model fittings improved with increasing pH, in the case of nZVI-CG, Langmuir isotherm gave the best fits for Ni2+ and Zn2+ at pH 5 and 7. Also, our experimental results followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, regardless of the used adsorbent. Consequently, our results showed that nZVI-CG composite material is a promising alternative adsorbent for pilot scale metal removal/recovery applications.

The overuse of chromium (Cr) has significantly negatively impacted human life and environmental sustainability. Recently, the employment of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) for Cr(VI) removal is becoming an emerging approach. In this study, carbonized melamine foam-supported nZVI composites, prepared by a simple impregnation–carbonization–reduction method, were assessed for efficient Cr(VI) removal. The prepared composites were characterized by XPS, SEM, TEM, BET and XRD. Batch experiments at different conditions revealed that the amount of iron added, the temperature of carbonization and the initial Cr(VI) concentration were critical factors. Fe@MF-12.5-800 exhibited the highest removal efficiency of 99% Cr(VI) (10 mg/L) at neutral pH among the carbonized melamine foam-supported nZVI composites. Its iron particles were effectively soldered onto the carbonaceous surfaces within the pore networks. Moreover, Fe@MF-12.5-800 demonstrated remarkable stability (60%, 7 days) in an open environment compared with nZVI particles.

WOS: 000494953200042, Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) products are highly applicable in groundwater, industrial water, and wastewater treatment due to the high reduction properties, the small size of particles in the range of nanometers, large surface area, and high reactivity on most toxic contaminants. The ultimate aim of this study is to evaluate the removal performance of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by nanoscaled ZVI particles. Synthesized nanoscale iron particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). According to SEM images of nZVI, the particle size was under 100 nm in diameter. The specific surface area was measured by the N-2/BET method and determined as 44.7 +/- 0.4 m(2)/g. The influences of nZVI dosage, initial pH and effects of different processes were examined by batch experiments. Results were compared with Fenton and photo-Fenton processes and they showed that under optimized conditions, degradation by nZVI is more effective than Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions and a promising candidate for 2,4-D remediation., Academic and Research Projects Unit of Cukurova University (BAP Project) [FEF2010YL13], This research was funded by the Academic and Research Projects Unit of Cukurova University (BAP Project No. FEF2010YL13), authors gratefully appreciate this support.

Prolonged exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) via drinking water is a major concern as it poses significant human health risks. Removal of As is crucial but requires effective and environment-friendly clean-up technology to avoid any additional risk to the environment. In this study, we developed Australian smectite (smec)-supported nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) composite for arsenate i.e., As(V) sorption. We used a range of tools, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and energy dispersion X-ray (EDS) spectroscopy to characterise the material. SEM and TEM images and elemental mapping of the composite reflect that the smectite layer was surrounded by a chain of iron nanobeads evenly distributed on clay particles, which is quite exceptional among currently available nZVIs. The maximum As(V) sorption capacity of this composite was 23.12 mg/g in the ambient conditions. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we unveiled chemical states of As and Fe before and after the sorption process. Additionally, the release of iron nanoparticles from the composite at various pHs (3−10) were found negligible, which demonstrates the effectiveness of smec-nZVI to remove As(V) from contaminated water without posing any secondary pollutant. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The effect of initial salt composition on characteristics of zero-valent iron nanopowders produced via borohydride reduction was studied. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The efficiency of Pb2+ ions removal from aqueous media was evaluated. The use of ferric salts led to enhanced reduction kinetics and, consequently, to a smaller size of iron particles in comparison with ferrous salts. A decrease in the ionic strength of the synthesis solutions resulted in a decrease in iron particles. The formation of small highly-reactive iron particles during synthesis led to their oxidation during washing and drying steps with the formation of a ferrihydrite phase. The lead ions removal efficiency was improved by simultaneous action of zero-valent iron and ferrihydrite phases of the sample produced from iron sulphate.

Iron sulphate (FeSO4) and colloidal nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) as reducing agents were compared, with the aim of assessing their effectiveness in hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] removal from a contaminated industrial soil. Experiments were performed on soil samples collected from an industrial site where a nickel contamination, caused by a long-term productive activity, was also verified. The influence of reducing agents amount with respect to chromium content and the effectiveness of deoxygenation of the slurry were discussed. The soil was fully characterized before and after each test, and sequential extractions were performed to assess chemico-physical modifications and evaluate metals mobility induced by washing. Results show that both the reducing agents successfully lowered the amount of Cr(VI) in the soil below the threshold allowed by Italian Environmental Regulation for industrial reuse. Cr(VI) reduction by colloidal nZVI proved to be faster and more effective: the civil reuse of soil [Cr(VI)