You are here:
Comparative Study on the Implication of Three Nanoparticles on the Removal of Trichloroethylene by Adsorption - The Pilot and Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests
Citation:
Salih, H. H., C. L. PATTERSON, AND G. A. SORIAL. Comparative Study on the Implication of Three Nanoparticles on the Removal of Trichloroethylene by Adsorption - The Pilot and Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests. WATER, AIR, AND SOIL POLLUTION. Springer, New York, NY, 224(2):1402, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
A comparative study to inform the public on removal of trichloroethylene by adsorption.
Description:
The impact of three commercially-available nanoparticles (NPs) on trichloroethylene (TCE) adsorption onto granular activated carbon (GAC) was investigated. TCE Adsorption isotherm and column breakthrough experiments were conducted in the presence and absence of silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles. A rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) was assessed for its ability to predict TCE adsorption in pilot-scale GAC in the presence and absence of NPs. Zeta potential of the three NPs and the GAC were measured. Particle size distribution of the NP dispersions was analyzed as a function of time. The surface area and the pore size distribution of the virgin and the exhausted GAC were obtained along with TEM and FTIR analysis. The effect of NPs is a function of their zeta potential, concentration and particle size distribution. Due to their electrical charge, NPs get attached to the GAC and block the pores and thus reduce surface area. However, due to the fast adsorption kinetics of TCE, no effect from the three NPs was observed in the isotherm and kinetic studies. The RSSCT, on the other hand, accurately predicted the TCE breakthrough in the presence of NPs. Thus, the RSSCT can be considered as the best method to study the simultaneous adsorption of heterogeneous contaminant systems.
