Green synthesis and utility of nano Fe for Cr (VI) treatment

Abstract

Zero valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles have been considered as effective materials for environmental remediation because of their strong reducing ability, high reaction activity, and excellent absorption properties. In this study, we synthesized iron nanoparticles using an environmentally friendly method in order to treat Cr(VI) ions in an aqueous medium. Polyphenols from green tea leaf extracts were used as both the reducing agent and the stabilizer for ZVI nanoparticles. Modern techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confirmed that ZVI nanoparticles were successfully prepared and surrounded by polyphenol molecules. Cr(VI) ion treatment of the nanoparticles was most favorable at pH 2.0, and 0.04 g ZVI nanoparticles for a 50 mg L-1 Cr(VI) solution. Under some treatment conditions, removal efficiency was 100%, suggesting that the synthesized ZVI nanoparticles can be used as materials for Cr(VI) ion removal.