Dimercaprol-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles for efficient removal of toxic mercury ions from aqueous solution

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health 2024-10, Vol.46 (10), p.401, Article 401
• Main Authors: Santhamoorthy, Madhappan, Ranganathan, Suresh, Fathima Arul Sigamani, Lesly, Kim, Seong-Cheol, Pandiaraj, Saravanan, Manoharadas, Salim, Lin, Mei-Ching, Kumarasamy, Keerthika, Phan, Thi Tuong Vy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorbents; Adsorption; Aqueous solutions; Condensates; Condensation; Dimercaprol; Earth and Environmental Science; Electron microscopy; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Gels; Geochemistry; Heavy metals; Hydroxyl groups; Lead; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - chemistry; Metal ions; Microscopy; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Monomers; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Original Paper; Poloxamers; Porosity; Public Health; Ring opening; Scanning electron microscopy; Silica; Silica gel; Silicon dioxide; Silicon Dioxide - chemistry; Soil Science & Conservation; Sol-gel processes; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Terrestrial Pollution; Tetraethoxysilane; Tetraethyl orthosilicate; Transmission electron microscopy; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Purification - methods; X-Ray Diffraction; Zeta potential; Zinc
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02169-y

A surface-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle containing dimercaprol monomers was created utilizing the sol–gel condensation process, using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica source and poloxamer as the structure directing agent. To accomplish this synthesis, 3-glycidoxypropyl triethoxysilane (GPTS, 20 mol%) was incorporated into the silica walls during the sol–gel condensation process, along with TEOS. Furthermore, dimercaprol (DM) monomers were incorporated onto silica surfaces by a ring-opening reaction between GPTS epoxy groups, and dimercaprol hydroxyl groups. The prepared dimercaprol-modified silica adsorbent (MSN-DT NPs) material has been studied using a variety of instruments, including XRD, FT-IR, N 2 adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and zeta potential analysis. The MSN-DT NPs material selectively adsorbs mercury ions, with a high adsorption amount of 125 mg/g and a removal capability of roughly ~ 90% from the original metal ion mixture comprising other competing metals such as Pb 2+ , Ni 2+ , Fe 2+ , and Zn 2+ . The MSN-DT NPs adsorbent shows recyclable qualities for up to five cycles when treated with an acidic aqueous solution (0.1 M HCl). As a result, the MSN-DT NPs adsorbent may be regenerated and reused up to five times without losing its adsorption effectiveness. The experimental findings showed that the MSN-DT NPs adsorbent may be employed to selectively remove hazardous Hg 2+ ions from an aqueous solution.