Groundwater heavy metal pollution remediation using phycosynthetically produced iron and silver nanoparticles
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Date
2019-01
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Heavy metal (Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe, As, Cd and Cu) concentrations in groundwater from seven selected locations in and around the industrial city of Rudrapur in the Terai area of Uttarakhand during different seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon) were determined. Important physico-chemical water quality parameters were also assessed. The HPI value was found higher during premonsoon season followed by monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, indicating that groundwater of the study area is critically polluted and not fit for drinking purpose. In the current study green synthesis of iron and silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of freshwater microalga, Tetradesmus sp., and their application in Pb and Cd remediation were also investigated. Morphological characterization of nanoparticles confirmed the synthesis of spherical nano iron and silver with average size of 4.75 and 15 nm respectively. FTIR confirmed the involvement of polysaccharide, protein and lipid biomolecules in the bioreduction as well as capping of nanoparticles. Batch study was carried out to determine the heavy metal removal efficiency of phycosynthesized iron and silver nanoparticles and adsorption parameters were optimized using univariate procedures. The adsorption parameters such as contact time, pH, adsorbate dose, adsorbent dose and temperature showed significant interaction (p<0.05) with metal ion and nanoparticles. The results showed 98-99 % removal of metal ions from synthetic as well as natural groundwater. No significant difference (p>0.05) in the removal efficiency of iron and silver nanoparticles was observed. Hence it can be concluded that both the nanoparticles are equally efficient in removal of heavy metals from water or wastewater. Thus, iron and silver nanoparticles with high reactivity and greater stability can be synthesized using green “nanofactories” like Tetradesmus sp.
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