Cr(VI) removal with green iron-based nanoparticles

LÓPEZ, I.E.; NEIS, E.R.; SCIPIONI, G.P.; TRAID, H.D.; VERA, M.L.; LITTER, M.I.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 11th World Congress of Chemical Engineering; 2023

Asociación Argentina de Ingenieros Químicos

Chromium is a heavy metal used in many industrial processes, mainly in the metallurgical industry for metal finishing and in the forestry industry for wood preservation. The most abundant chromium species in water are Cr(III) and Cr(VI), the latter being the most dangerous, as it is a well-known human carcinogen. The most widely used process for the treatment of Cr(VI) in water is its reduction to less toxic and mobile Cr(III) species.A promising alternative for Cr(VI) removal from water is the use of iron (Fe)-based nanoparticles (NPs), such as nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) NPs, or Fe nano-oxides such as nanomagnetite (nFe3O4) or nanomaghemite (nγ-Fe2O3), which promote oxidation-reduction reactions combined with adsorption and coprecipitation processes.The most commonly used method for the synthesis of nZVI is the chemical reduction of Fe(II) or Fe(III) salts with sodium borohydride (NaBH4), a toxic and flammable compound. However, in recent times, safer and environmentally friendly methods have been reported to obtain Fe-based nanoparticles by a green chemistry method (g-FeNPs) from natural plant extracts with high polyphenol content. In the present work, g-FeNPs were synthesized using Yerba Mate (YM) extract and FeCl3 at acid pH.