Synthesis of Iron on Carbon Foam for Use in the Removal of Phenol from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

The potential use of magnetic nanopowder for phenol adsorption mobilised on natural grain carbon foam from an aqueous solution was studied. Phenolic compounds are priority pollutants with high toxicity even at low concentrations. A magnetic nanopowder was synthesised by dissolving an iron sponge in nitric acid to produce iron nitrate, which was added to a natural grain mixture with flour as the main ingredient. The synthesised carbon foam was investigated for the effects of initial concentration, time, and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) characterisation. The phenol adsorption increased as the iron content of the carbon foam and the initial concentration increased. A kinetic study showed that the phenol adsorption data adequately covered all the carbon foam samples tested using an equation corresponding to a pseudo-first order chemical reaction. The Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin equations were tested for modelling the adsorption isotherms at equilibrium, and it was concluded that the Temkin model fit the experimental data adequately. Due to its exceptional physical and chemical properties, carbon magnetic nanopowder is regarded as an outstanding pollutant absorber in environmental investigations. R2 values derived from the pseudo-first-order model exceed 0.99. R2 > 0.94 indicates that the Freundlich isotherm provides the best fit to the equilibrium data.

Preparation and Use of Iron on Carbon Foam for Removal of Organic Dye from Water: Batch Studies

“…The material's surface exhibited geometric characteristics, including an uneven shape, significant agglomerations, and a coarse texture, thereby offering additional sites for adsorption [13]. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs of the natural grain carbon foam are presented in [14], which is part of our prior study. The results provide light on the pore structure of the carbon foam made from natural grains.…”

“…The carbon foam has an increased surface area and micropore volume. The presence of iron enhances the action of the yeast, i.e., the consumption of sugars in the grain mixture and the production of carbon dioxide, which is responsible for developing the pore structure in the carbonized material [14].…”