Date of Award

3-18-2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Tito Viswanathan

Abstract

Water pollution by dissolved phosphorous (P) is a serious water related issue being faced by mankind during the past two decades. Several technologies already exist to remove P from contaminated water but each has its own drawbacks. This project provides a novel microwave assisted synthesis of reduced iron oxide containing renewable resource-based media for P removal from contaminated waters. It provides a fast, easy, and economical way to produce reduced iron oxide nanocomposites without requiring the need for hydrogen or inert gas during the transformation. A wide range of other metal/ carbon nanocomposites can also be synthesized using this technology and therefore holds tremendous economic promise. The prepared media were highly effective and efficient in removing P. A 100 % P removal efficiency was attained using a 1 mg/ L standard P stock solution and a maximum capacity of 43.7 mg P/ g of composite was achieved using 500 mg/ L standard P stock solution employing 0.3 g sample of the prepared media (media 3). The present technology is highly economical as the carbon source employed is a renewable resource media with a high regeneration capacity. The present technology may also be useful for arsenic removal from similarly contaminated waters.

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