Sains Malaysiana 46(4)(2017): 655–665

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4604-19

Synthesis of Silica-supported Nanoiron for Cr(VI) Removal: Application of Box-Behnken Statistical Design (BBD)

(Sintesis Besi Nano Disokong Silika untuk Penyingkiran Cr(VI): Aplikasi Reka Bentuk Statistik Box-Behnken (BBD))

PRAEWPATRA ARCHARIYAPANYAKUL¹, BHUCKCHANYA PANGKUMHANG²,

PUMMARIN KHAMDAHSAG^3,4,5 & VISANU TANBOONCHUY^2,5,6*

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

²Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002 Thailand

³Environmental Research Institute, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management

Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

⁴Research Unit of Site Remediation on Metals Management from Industry and Mining, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330

Thailand

⁵Research Program of Toxic Substance Management in Mining Industry, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

⁶Research Center for Environmental and Hazardous Substance Management (EHSM)

Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

Received: 25 April 2016/Accepted: 7 September 2016

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to optimize the condition of silica-supported nanoscale zero valent iron (NZVI/SiO₂) synthesis by colloidal impregnation method. Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used as a tool to create and analyze the 17 synthesized conditions of NZVI/SiO₂ samples. The independent variables included ethanol concentration (0-100 vol%), amount of silica (0.025-0.125 g) and agitation speed (100-400 rpm). In addition, analysis of variance (ANOVA) for a response surface quadratic model was used to approximate statistical relationship of independent variables. The reducing performance of the synthesized NZVI/SiO₂ was examined through removal of Cr(VI) contaminated in water. The optimum of NZVI/SiO₂ synthesis was validated with 100 vol% of ethanol concentration, 0.075 g of silica amount, and 100 rpm of agitation speed. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption which showed the existence of NZVI phase, composition, and morphology. The Cr(VI) removal efficiency of the NZVI/SiO₂ was tested further at the solution pH 4, 7 and 10 in comparison with that by pristine NZVI and silica-unsupported NZVI (NZVI + SiO₂). Among the three materials, NZVI/SiO₂ presented the highest Cr(VI) removal, especially at pH 7 and 10 with 98 and 94.41%, within 60 min. This was due to the adsorption of Cr(OH)₃ and Fe(OH)₃ precipitates over SiO₂ resulting in availibilty of NZVI/SiO₂’s active sites. The proposed mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by NZVI/SiO₂ was also described.

Keywords: Box-Behnken design; chromium; NZVI; silica-supported nanoiron

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengoptimumkan keadaan sintesis besi skala nano disokong silika bervalensi sifar (NZVI/SiO₂) melalui kaedah pemadatan koloid. Reka bentuk Box-Behnken (BBD) telah digunakan sebagai alat untuk mencipta dan menganalisis sampel 17 keadaan sintesis NZVI/SiO₂. Pemboleh ubah bebas termasuk kepekatan etanol (0-100 vol%), silika (0.025-0.125 g) dan kelajuan goncangan (100-400 rpm). Selain itu, analisis varians (ANOVA) untuk model quadratik tindak balas permukaan telah digunakan untuk menganggar hubungan statistik pemboleh ubah bebas. Pengurangan prestasi sintesis NZVI/SiO₂ telah disemak melalui penyingkiran Cr(VI) tercemar dalam air. Sintesis NZVI/SiO₂ optimum telah disahkan dengan 100 vol% kepekatan etanol, 0.075 g silika dan 100 rpm kelajuan goncangan. Bahan ini telah dicirikan menggunakan pembelauan sinar-x (XRD), mikroskop elektron imbasan dengan spektroskopi tenaga serakan sinar-x (SEM-EDX) dan nitrogen penjerapan/penyahjerapan yang menunjukkan kewujudan fasa NZVI, komposisi dan morfologi. Kecekapan penyingkiran Cr(VI) NZVI/SiO₂ telah diuji selanjutnya pada larutan pH 4, 7 dan 10 berbanding dengan NZVI asli dan NZVI tidak disokong silika (NZVI/SiO₂). Antara ketiga-tiga bahan, NZVI/SiO₂ menunjukkan penyingkiran Cr(VI) tertinggi, terutamanya pada pH 7 dan 10 dengan 98 dan 94.41% dalam masa 60 minit. Ini disebabkan penjerapan Cr(OH)₃ dan mendakan Fe(OH)3 ke atas SiO₂ yang mengakibatkan ketersediaan tapak aktif NZVI/SiO₂. Mekanisme cadangan penyingkiran Cr(VI) oleh NZVI/SiO₂ turut dibincangkan.

Kata kunci: Besi nano disokong silika; kromium; NZVI; reka bentuk Box-Behnken

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*Corresponding author; email: visanu@kku.ac.th