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Kinetic Study of Nitrate Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Copper-Coated Iron Nanoparticles

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Abstract

Nitrates are considered hazard compounds for human health due to their tendency to be reduced to nitrites, in particular in reducing environment. Nano zero valent iron (nZVI) represents an efficient and low-cost adsorbent/reductive agent for nitrate removal from groundwater and wastewaters and a little addition of a second metal species (Cu, Pd, Ni, Ag) has proven to increase process effectiveness, by enhancing stability and oxidation resistance of nanoparticles. In this work Cu/Fe nanoparticles were loaded in a NO3 − solution (100 mg L−1) and the removal efficiency was tested by monitoring nitrate concentration at selected time intervals. Results showed that the nitrate removal process involves both reduction and adsorption processes: the removal mechanism has been investigated, and the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order-adsorption kinetic models were successfully tested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica Materiali Ambiente, Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Giorgio Vilardi & Luca Di Palma

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  1. Giorgio Vilardi
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  2. Luca Di Palma
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Correspondence to Luca Di Palma.

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Vilardi, G., Di Palma, L. Kinetic Study of Nitrate Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Copper-Coated Iron Nanoparticles. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 98, 359–365 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1865-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1865-9

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