Comparative Analysis of Low Cost Nanomaterials for Removal of Arsenic and Microbial Contamination from Potable Water

摘要

Emergence of water pollution as a global threat demands the development of low-cost and reliable materials for effective waste water remediation. Nanotechnology based products have proved to be efficient methods for purification of water contaminated with microbes and heavy metals like arsenic; that cause severe infections in skin and other visceral organs. In this study, iron, iron oxide, zinc oxide and polymers like chitosan have been used to remove the arsenic and microbial contamination from potable water. A complete analysis of the efficiency of nanoparticles of zinc oxide and nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) have been studied and compared. Nanoparticles of nZVI and ZnO, and beads of iron oxide-chitosan (Fe-Ch) have been synthesized and compared with each other for the arsenic and microbial removal efficiency from drinking water. The materials have been characterized with X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for determining crystal structure. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) has been done to analyse the size, structural morphology and elemental composition. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) analysis has been done to observe magnetic properties of the synthesized materials. Modelling using Fuzzy logic has also been performed to predict the practical efficiency of the samples. These materials are low cost products for purification of water and have the ability to remove arsenic and microbial contamination from water in a short span of time. The products offer more than 90% removal of arsenic from the sample and make water suitable for drinking.