title: Water defluoridation using a nanostructured diatom-ZrO₂ composite synthesized from algal biomass.
abstract: Frustules or the rigid amorphous silica cell wall of unicellular, photosynthetic microalgae with unique porous architecture has been used to synthesize a composite by immobilizing ZrO2 on its surface and in the pores. This was effective in water defluoridation. The average diameter of the composite was 80±2 nm and surface area was 140 m(2)/g. The adsorption isotherms followed both Langmuir and Freundlich models, and the composite was regenerable. Adsorption kinetics followed second order model and the adsorption capacity was as high as 11.32 mg/g, while the Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity (q(m)) reached 15.53 mg/g. The research findings highlight the potential of diatoms as hosts for nanomaterials for use in water treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States.
authors.forename: Megha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thakkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States.
authors.forename: Zheqiong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, United States. Electronic address: somenath.mitra@njit.edu.
authors.forename: Somenath
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitra
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D005461:Fluorine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D005461:Fluorine; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide
keywords: Adsorption; Composite; Defluoridation; Diatom; ZrO(2)