Low-Cost Synthesis of Alumina Nanoparticles and Their Usage for Bisphenol-A Removal from Aqueous Solutions

Ollé Rodrigue Kam,Corneille Bakouan,Issaka Garikoe,Boubié Guel

doi:10.3390/pr9101709

Abstract

Gamma-alumina nanoparticles (γANPs) were obtained from a low-cost process by using natural bauxites. The γANPs materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) theory, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and were functionalized with N-cetyl-N, N, N, trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), leading to CTAB modified γ-alumina nanoparticles (γANPs-CTAB). These novel functionalized γANPs-CTAB were characterized by XRPD, FTIR, and were used as an adsorbent for bisphenol-A (BPA) removal from water. Batch investigations were conducted under different experimental conditions (e.g., adsorbent dose, agitation time, initial concentration, and pH and surfactant loading) in order to optimize BPA adsorption and to identify the adsorption mechanisms in the system γANPs-CTAB-BPA. The effect of pH on the adsorption showed that the quantity of BPA removed increased remarkably until the pH value was 4, then remained almost constant until the pH value was up to 10, and then decreased for pH values greater than 10. For an initial BPA concentration of 20 mg/L and an adsorbent dose of 12.5 g/L at a pH value of 10, the removal efficiency achieved was 91.80 ± 0.21%. The adsorption mechanism was perfectly described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm. γANPs-CTAB materials were found to be effective adsorbents for BPA removal from water.

Highlights

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an organic compound widely used as a monomer in the production of polycarbonates and epoxy resins [1,2,3], which are used primarily in food plastic containers, surface coatings for food and water containers, baby bottles, cans, appliances, dyes, and coatings
ΓANPs with a crystallite size of 4.1 nm were synthesized from boehmite derived from natural local bauxite sources by calcination
This work showed that the modification of the synthesized γ-alumina using CTAB leads to a better adsorption performance of BPA with a high adsorption rate

Summary

Introduction

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an organic compound widely used as a monomer in the production of polycarbonates and epoxy resins [1,2,3], which are used primarily in food plastic containers, surface coatings for food and water containers, baby bottles, cans, appliances, dyes, and coatings. Pop et al reported that BPA can act with the lipids in the tissue of vegetal organisms, and this induces cell membrane modification, or its damage, and eventually apoptosis [6] This compound is dangerous for pregnant women, infants, young children, and adolescents during puberty [7,8]. Several local industries are currently using BPA in their production (plastic bottle production, dyes and coatings, etc.), the release of BPA into the environment is not regulated In this context, there is an urgent need to find cost-effective and reliable methods for BPA removal from groundwater and wastewater

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Methods

Conclusion