Fixing silver nanoparticles in porous ceramic for point - of -use technology drinking water treatment

Abstract

Porous ceramic (PC) samples after being treated with a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (AS) were impregnated in colloidial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) solution to load AgNPs through coordination bonds between –NH₂ groups of the aminosilan and the silver atoms. The AgNPs content in porous ceramic (AgNPs/PC) was about  200-250 mg/kg. Silver contents was released from AgNPs/PC into filtrated water at the rate of approximately 5 litters/h is less than 10 mg/L, it is satisfactory to WHO guideline (< 100mg/L) for drinking water. Results on antibacterial activity showed that the contamination of E. coli in filtrated water was <1 CFU/100 ml which is in accordance with WHO standards and TCVN 6096-2004 for drinking water. 

Key words: silver nanoparticles, porous ceramic, antibacterial, water