Selective formation of copper nanoparticles from acid mine drainage using nanoscale zerovalent iron particles.

Title Selective formation of copper nanoparticles from acid mine drainage using nanoscale zerovalent iron particles.
Authors R.A. Crane; D.J. Sapsford
Journal J Hazard Mater
DOI 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.12.014
Abstract

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has been investigated for the selective formation of Cu nanoparticles from acid mine drainage (AMD) taken from a legacy mine site in the UK. Batch experiments were conducted containing unbuffered (pH 2.67 at t?=?0) and pH buffered (pH?99.9% removal of all metals within 1?h when nZVI???1.0?g/L) from unbuffered AMD despite the coexistent of numerous other metals in the AMD, namely: Na, Ca, Mg, K, Mn and Zn. An acidic pH buffer enabled similarly high Cu removal but maximum removal of only <1.5% and <0.5% Cd and Al respectively. HRTEM-EDS confirmed the formation of discrete spherical nanoparticles comprised of up to 68% wt. Cu, with a relatively narrow size distribution (typically 20-100?nm diameter). XPS confirmed such nanoparticles as containing Cu°, with the Cu removal mechanism therefore likely via cementation with Fe°. Overall the results demonstrate nZVI as effective for the one-pot and selective formation of Cu°-bearing nanoparticles from acidic wastewater, with the technique therefore potentially highly useful for the selective upcycling of dissolved Cu in wastewater into high value nanomaterials.

Citation R.A. Crane; D.J. Sapsford.Selective formation of copper nanoparticles from acid mine drainage using nanoscale zerovalent iron particles.. J Hazard Mater. 2018;347:252265. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.12.014

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