Cost-effective method of simultaneous removal of copper and phosphate on environmentally friendly nanomaterial

Abstract

Environmentally friendly and economically viable methods are essential in the selection of materials and techniques for the synthesis of nano- -zero-valent iron. Plants, with their high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, have found application in eco-friendly synthesis processes. The defi-nitive screening design (DSD) monitored four key process parameters for the concurrent removal of copper and phosphate: copper concentration (ranging from 1 to 9 mg L-1), phosphate concentration (ranging from 1 to 9 mg L-1), initial pH values (ranging from 2 to 10), and the dosage of nano-zero-valent iron (ranging from 2 to 16 mL). The analysis results provide valuable insights into the significant individual factors influencing the process, along with the potential for their interactions. The model also proposes process optimization to attain maximum removal efficiency, and subsequent verification confirmed its superiority among the alternatives. Mechanisms such as sorption, reduction, complexation, electrostatic attraction, and ligand exchange play pivotal roles in the effective removal of copper and phosphate using nano-zero-valent iron. In summary, this research yields several benefits: the utilization of environment-ally sustainable materials, a substantial reduction in experimental complexity, coupled with the ease of the entire procedure, simultaneous and highly efficient copper and phosphate removal, favorable pH levels and, notably, no require-ment for additional treatment.