Nano-Adsorbent for Arsenates: Iron Oxyhydroxide Impregnated Microporous Activated Carbon

Impregnation of activated carbon or oxidized activated carbon was carried out using iron(III) nitrate as starting solution and ammonia as precipitating agent, intending the removal from aqueous solution of arsenates. The high affinity of iron oxyhydroxide nanocrystals towards inorganic arsenic species (pollutant) is widely known. Activated carbon can provide high surface area for adsorption. The role of carbon surface chemistry and structural heterogeneity on iron oxyhydroxide, and thus on the adsorption of arsenate, was investigated. The results suggest that a microporous carbon surface can adsorb arsenates. The higher arsenate adsorption of C1Na sample (iron impregnated with Fe(III) nitrate as starting material and ammonia solution as precipitating agent) than the other samples. The study of the microporous materials was carried out by adsorption of nitrogen, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM images, XRD patterns, thermal analysis, and examination of typical laboratory adsorption isotherms.