Abstract
AbstractThe utilization of nanotechnology is expected to rise greatly within the next decade. The increasing ubiquity of nanotechnology, coupled with the fact that the toxicity of a nanomaterial is partially dependent on its adsorbed components, emphasizes the general importance, and environmental significance, of nanomaterial adsorption studies. Using nanoparticle titania (and microparticle titania for comparison), a series of adsorption experiments were performed. The antimony, lead, and cadmium adsorption capacity of nanoparticle titania was compared to that of microparticle titania. During a typical adsorption experiment, a known amount of nanomaterial was shaken with a solution containing a known concentration of antimony, lead, and cadmium. Following an equilibration period, the solutions were filtered, centrifuged, and analyzed using either inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), or inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The effect of light and adsorption on antimony speciation was also investigated by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in conjunction with ICP-MS. Adsorption experiments indicate that nanoparticle titania has a higher adsorption affinity for antimony, cadmium, and lead species when compared to microparticle titania. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm plots were created, and it was determined that both isotherms provided a good fit for the data. Results of the antimony speciation studies indicate that Sb(III) was oxidized to Sb(V) and adsorbed by microparticle titania; Sb(III) oxidation cannot be confirmed when nanoparticle titania is used as the adsorbent, as complete antimony adsorption always occurred at the concentrations studied. The presence of ambient light had only a small effect on adsorption and oxidation; antimony adsorption by microparticle titania was more complete in the absence of light.
Highlights
The utilization of nanotechnology is expected to rise greatly within the decade
Results indicate that, of the adsorbents studied, nanoparticle titania is the better adsorbent of cadmium, lead, and antimony, when compared to microparticle titania
The calculated Langmuir parameters suggest that the cadmium monolayer adsorption capacity is higher than that of antimony or lead, for both micro- and nanoparticle titania
Summary
The utilization of nanotechnology is expected to rise greatly within the decade. Nanoparticle titania is a nanomaterial that has been increasingly used in consumer products. Because of the increased utilization of nanoparticle titania, the interaction of the toxic trace elements lead, cadmium, and antimony with nanoparticle titania was investigated. Because arsenic speciation has been shown to be affected by adsorption to nanoparticle titania, the effects of nanoparticle titania adsorption on antimony adsorption were investigated.
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