Biology and Medicine

Abstract

Optimized Synthesis of Multicomponent Nanoparticles for Removing Heavy Metals from Artificial Mine Tailings

Carina Stael and Luis Cumbal

Treatment of artificial mine tailings with multicomponent nanoparticles (MCNPs) has reached removals higher than 99.00% for Pb, Zn, Ag, Cu, As and Ni using a standardized laboratory procedure. However, it is believed that the amount of reactants can be optimized and make it a profitable technique. In this study, the amount of NaBH4 and FeCl3 was reduced in 90.00% and in 99.50%, respectively, without affecting the removal of heavy metals from the artificial mine tailings. This new procedure utilized only 25 mL of 1.0 mM FeCl3, 25 mL of 0.7 mM Na2SO4 and 3 mL of 0.8M NaBH4 prepared with nitrogenized water. Size and spherical shape of nanoparticles obtained with Transmission Electron Microscopy showed no difference compared to the particles prepared with the former procedure. Also, removals of Cu, Zn, Ni in 5 minutes were higher than 99.50%. Thus an enhanced procedure for fabrication of the multicomponent nanoparticles was developed. This procedure moreover of achieving an excellent removal of heavy metals may end up as a profitable remediation technique.