Treatment and Transport Study of the Problematic Pollutants: Application of Iron Oxide Based Humic Acid Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles and Natural Amendments

Authors

Anahita Esmaeilian, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Chemistry

First Advisor's Name

Kevin O'Shea

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Yong Cai

Second Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Berrin Tansel

Third Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Jeffrey A. Joens

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Fifth Advisor's Name

Jaroslava Miksovska

Fifth Advisor's Committee Title

committee member

Keywords

magnetic nano sorbent, glyphosate, 2-ASP dye, PFAS, dimensional analysis, soil immobilization, contaminant transport modeling, HYDRUS 1D

Date of Defense

8-26-2022

Abstract

Adsorption has emerged as a common water treatment method and as an effective strategy for immobilization of chemical contaminants. Identification of an efficient economical adsorbent/immobilizer and understanding the fate and transport of the chemical contaminants continue to be a critical challenge for researchers and engineers. Herein is reported the study and application of specific sorbents for adsorption of problematic pollutants. Initial studies involved the synthesis and study of humic acid coated magnetic nanomaterials (HA-MNPs) for the remediation of a model cationic dye and glyphosate from water. Adsorption studies were also conducted on the effect of natural soil amendments (activated charcoal (AC) and food waste compost) on adsorption, immobilization, and migration of the Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in two distinct soils.

The results demonstrate synthesized HA-MNPs are a promising sorbent with high adsorption capacity and can be readily regenerated for model cationic dye and glyphosate (roundup), the most extensively used herbicide in the world. The adsorption is relatively rapid and occurs primarily through an electrostatic attraction. A new approach employing dimensional analyses was employed and generalized empirical models for isothermal study and removal efficiency prediction were accurately deduced.

The presence of PFAS in natural water bodies and soils is a global problem. The most common adsorbent for removal of PFAS from drinking water is activated carbon (AC). With this in mind, AC was employed as an amendment for PFOS mitigation in two soils, Florida topsoil and Hanford site sediment. The results demonstrate amendment by AC is promising leading to an increase in the soil/water partition coefficients by 80 % in Florida topsoil and 99 % in Hanford site sediment. However, amendment by additive food waste compost has no impact on PFOS uptake or mitigation. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with PFOS, and possibly hemi-micelle and micelle formation in pores of AC are proposed as the primary interactions leading to mitigation. A one-dimensional model was employed to simulate the influence of adding AC in Florida topsoil on leaching of PFOS from soil to the groundwater. While column experiments demonstrated no or minimal PFOS (≤ 1 %) was retained by native Florida topsoil, significant enhancement of PFOS retention was achieved (~ 40%) with simple amendment with 0.1 wt % AC. This enhancement is attributed to the larger specific surface area of AC and increased hydrophobic interactions between PFOS and organic carbon in amended soil. A two-site kinetic attachment-detachment retention model in HYDRUS 1D was proposed and tested for observed PFOS breakthrough and retention behaviors. The model can effectively simulate the long-term migration of PFOS in contaminated sites.

Identifier

FIDC010991

ORCID

0000-0002-1819-8479

Previously Published In

1- Esmaeilian, A., Dionysiou, D. D., & O'Shea, K. E. (2022). Incorporating simultaneous effect of initial concentration and sorbent dose into removal prediction model using glyphosate experimental data and theoretical analysis. Chemical Engineering Journal, 445, 136667.

2- Esmaeilian, A., & O'Shea, K. E. (2022). Application of dimensional analysis in sorption modeling of the styryl pyridinium cationic dyes on reusable iron based humic acid coated magnetic nanoparticles. Chemosphere, 286, 131699.

Recommended Citation

Esmaeilian, Anahita, "Treatment and Transport Study of the Problematic Pollutants: Application of Iron Oxide Based Humic Acid Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles and Natural Amendments" (2022). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5231.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5231