Dirty magnetite nanoparticles keep cleaning up dyes
Synthesizing magnetite nanoparticles directly in dye-polluted water gives them new surface chemistry that lets them adsorb different pollutants The post Dirty magnetite nanoparticles keep cleaning up dyes appeared first on Physics World .
Each year, approximately 5000 tonnes of dyes are discharged into industrial wastewater, causing environmental and health issues. Congo red and methyl orange are problematic dyes that are hard to remove with conventional treatments. Researchers from The American University in Cairo and the US have developed a new method to clean up such contamination using magnetite nanoparticles.
These nanoparticles, which have magnetic properties, can adsorb dye molecules from water and be removed using a magnet. The process involves synthesizing the nanoparticles directly in dye-polluted water, allowing them to pull dye molecules onto their surfaces. The "dirty" nanoparticles can then be reused multiple times without significant performance loss.
This method is more efficient, simpler, and greener than traditional approaches, which require multiple washing and drying cycles. The researchers also found that the nanoparticles' removal efficiency is higher in saline water compared to tap water, due to the presence of other substances in the latter.
Written by urgent.news from Physics World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
