Abstract
M.Sc.
Millions of inhabitants worldwide are exposed to arsenic contaminated drinking water as a result of natural and man-made processes. Arsenic especially its inorganic forms, arsenic (III) and arsenic (V) have negative effects on human health especially in developing countries. Therefore fabricating low cost and efficient adsorbents for arsenic (III) removal is of great importance. The aim of this study is to use magnetite (Fe3O4) as filler, incorporated into a polymer blend forming composites as adsorbents for arsenic (III) removal. This work presents the fabrication, characterization and application of Fe3O4-EVA/PCL composites for arsenic (III) removal from water. Fe3O4/Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/polyaniline (PANI) and Fe3O4/Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/polycaprolactone (PCL) nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized by melt blending technique using a laboratory mixer (Thermo Scientific Haake Rheomex OS). The composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Thermal analysis was done by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical properties using INSTRON 4443 mechanical Tester. Ability of [EVA (70%) PCL (15%) Fe3O4 (15%)] composites to adsorbed As(III) from water has been investigated through batch experiments. The maximum adsorption was 2.83 mg/g of As(III) ions at 26 ±1°C and pH 8.6. Adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. The process fits well with the Langmuir isotherm. As(III) obeyed pseudo-second order kinetics. The nanocomposites investigated in this study showed good potential for As(III) removal from contaminated water may be due to the dispersion of the magnetite nanoparticles into the polymer blend composites which increases the surface area for the adsorption.