2, 4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) removal kinetics and degradation mechanism using zero valent iron-silica nanocomposite

Publication date: Available online 8 August 2018Source: Journal of Environmental Chemical EngineeringAuthor(s): Nivedita Shukla, Vatsana Gupta, Ashok Singh Rawat, Vikas Kumar Gahlot, Sarita Shrivastava, Pramod Kumar RaiAbstractMagnetic zero valent iron – silica nanocomposite (Fe/SiO2) was synthesized using sol – gel technique followed by in-situ hydrogen reduction. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized by Nitrogen-Brunner Emmett Teller (N2-BET) isotherm studies, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) techniques. The Fe/SiO2 nanocomposite demonstrated great adsorption potential against different explosives viz. 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and 2,4,6- trinitrotoluene (TNT) with maximum adsorption capacity of 12.32 and 13.56 mg/g, respectively. Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model fitted well with the experimental data indicating a heterogenous adsorption of these explosives by the nanocomposite. The magnetic Fe/SiO2 nanocomposite could be easily separated after adsorption process with the help of a magnet. A plausible reduction pathway of both the explosives using nanocomposite has also been discussed.
Source: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research