Metal Coated Porous Material for Phosphorus Removal from Water
Mentor 1
Dr. Marcia R Silva
Location
Union 240
Start Date
29-4-2016 12:20 PM
Description
Phosphorus is one of the most common pollutants in the Great Lakes, and the cause for concern is due to the role phosphorus has as an aquatic plant nutrient. Nutrient overloads have negative impacts on a water body, causing overgrowth of algae. This fundamental change to the ecosystem, means that desirable aquatic plants may be replaced by less desirable plants that are capable of competing more effectively in nutrient-laden water. Excessive algal growth and the decomposition of algae can reduce the oxygen in the water body to the point where aerobic aquatic life cannot be sustained. A novel metal coated porous material engineered for the purpose of removing phosphorus from water was tested. Adsorption experiments to evaluate the ability of this novel material to uptake phosphorus from water were undertaken. Phosphorus standards were prepared and spiked with a reagent utilizing the molybdenum blue method. Ammonium molybdate and antimony potassium tartrate in acid medium reacted with phosphorus standards to form an intensely colored antimony-phospho-molybdate complex in the presence of ascorbic acid. A UV-Visible Spectrometer was utilized to create a standard curve and thence to measure absorbance/concentration of these various phosphorus concentrations. Adsorption experiments were performed using a column elution experiment. The column containing the novel porous material was spiked with several concentrations of phosphorus, and the absorbance of the phosphorus in the eluent was read. It was concluded that phosphorus was removed 100 % when the column was spiked with 1 mL of 1mg/L and 5mg/L of Phosphorus and 98% when spiked with 1 mL of 50 mg/L of Phosphorus.
Metal Coated Porous Material for Phosphorus Removal from Water
Union 240
Phosphorus is one of the most common pollutants in the Great Lakes, and the cause for concern is due to the role phosphorus has as an aquatic plant nutrient. Nutrient overloads have negative impacts on a water body, causing overgrowth of algae. This fundamental change to the ecosystem, means that desirable aquatic plants may be replaced by less desirable plants that are capable of competing more effectively in nutrient-laden water. Excessive algal growth and the decomposition of algae can reduce the oxygen in the water body to the point where aerobic aquatic life cannot be sustained. A novel metal coated porous material engineered for the purpose of removing phosphorus from water was tested. Adsorption experiments to evaluate the ability of this novel material to uptake phosphorus from water were undertaken. Phosphorus standards were prepared and spiked with a reagent utilizing the molybdenum blue method. Ammonium molybdate and antimony potassium tartrate in acid medium reacted with phosphorus standards to form an intensely colored antimony-phospho-molybdate complex in the presence of ascorbic acid. A UV-Visible Spectrometer was utilized to create a standard curve and thence to measure absorbance/concentration of these various phosphorus concentrations. Adsorption experiments were performed using a column elution experiment. The column containing the novel porous material was spiked with several concentrations of phosphorus, and the absorbance of the phosphorus in the eluent was read. It was concluded that phosphorus was removed 100 % when the column was spiked with 1 mL of 1mg/L and 5mg/L of Phosphorus and 98% when spiked with 1 mL of 50 mg/L of Phosphorus.
