title: Reactivity characteristics of nanoscale zerovalent iron--silica composites for trichloroethylene remediation.
abstract: Spherical silica particles containing nanoscale zerovalent iron were synthesized through an aerosol-assisted process. These particles are effective for groundwater remediation, with the environmentally benign silica particles serving as effective carriers for nanoiron transport. Incorporation of iron into porous sub-micrometer silica particles protects ferromagnetic iron nanoparticles from aggregation and may increase their subsurface mobility. Additionally, the presence of surface silanol groups on silica particles allows control of surface properties via silanol modification using organic functional groups. Aerosolized silica particles with functional alkyl moieties, such as ethyl groups on the surface, clearly adsorb solubilized trichloroethylene (TCE) in water. These materials may therefore act as adsorbents which have coupled reactivity characteristics. The nanoscale iron/silica composite particles with controlled surface properties have the potential to be efficiently applied for in situ source depletion and in the design of permeable reactive barriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA.
authors.forename: Tonghua
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Jibao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: McPherson
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piringer
authors.forename: Vijay T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010316:Particle Size; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D014241:Trichloroethylene; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D007501:Iron