Abstract
Batch experiments were conducted on ground water samples collected from a site contaminated with Cr(VI) to evaluate the redox potential of zero-valent iron (Fe0) nanoparticles for remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated ground water. For this, various samples of contaminated ground water were allowed to react with various loadings of Fe0 nanoparticles for a reaction period of 60 min. Data showed 100% reduction of Cr(VI) in all the contaminated ground water samples after treatment with 0.20 gL−1 of Fe0 nanoparticles. An increase in the reduction of Cr(VI) from 45% to 100% was noticed with the increase in the loading of Fe0 nanoparticles from 0.05 to 0.20 gL−1. Reaction kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction showed pseudo first-order kinetics with rate constant in the range of 1.1 × 10−3 to 3.9 × 10−3 min−1. This work demonstrates the potential utility of Fe0 nanoparticles in treatment and remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated water source.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
APHA. (2005). Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water (21st ed.). Washington: American Public Health Association.
BIS. (2003). Indian standard: Drinking water specifications. First revision IS 10500:1991 (22nd ed.). New Delhi: Bureau of Indian Standards. 2003–2009.
Cao, J., & Zhang, W. X. (2006). Stabilization of chromium ore processing residue (COPR) with nanoscale iron particles. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 132, 213–219.
Cheryl, P., & Susan, M. B. (2000). Reflections on hexavalent chromium: Health hazards of an industrial heavyweight. Environmental Health Perspectives, 108, 48–58.
Elliott, D. W., & Zhang, W. X. (2001). Field assessment of nano-scale bimetallic particles for groundwater treatment. Environmental Science and Technology, 35, 4922–4926.
Elliott, D. W., Lien, H. L., & Zhang, W. X. (2009). Degradation of lindane by zerovalent iron nanoparticles. J Envir Engrg, 135, 317–324.
Franco, D. V., Da Silva, L. M., & Jardim, W. F. (2009). Reduction of hexavalent chromium in soil and ground water using zero-valent iron under batch and semi-batch conditions. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 197, 49–60.
Keane, E. (2009). Fate, transport, and toxicity of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) used during superfund remediation. Washington: USEPA.
Keenan, C. R., Goldstein, R. G., Lucas, D., & Sedlak, D. L. (2009). Oxidative stress induced by zero-valent iron nanoparticles and Fe(II) in human bronchial epithelial cells. Environmental Science and Technology, 43, 4555–4560.
Lai, K. C. K., & Lo, I. M. C. (2008). Removal of Cr(VI) by acid washed zero-valent iron under various groundwater geochemistry conditions. Environmental Science and Technology, 42, 1238–1244.
Lee, T., Lim, H., Lee, Y., & Park, J. W. (2003). Use of waste iron metal for removal of Cr(VI) from water. Chemosphere, 53, 479–485.
Li, X. Q., & Zhang, W. X. (2007). Sequestration of metal cations with zerovalent iron nanoparticles—A study with high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS). J Phys Chem C, 111, 699–6946.
Li, X. Q., Elliott, D. W., & Zhang, W. X. (2006). Zero-valent iron nanoparticles for abatement of environmental pollutants: Materials and engineering aspects. Crit Rev Solid State Mater Sci, 31, 111–122.
Li, X. Q., Cao, J., & Zhang, W. X. (2008). Stoichiometry of Cr(VI) immobilization using nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI): A study with high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS). Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 47, 2131–2139.
Lien, H. L., & Zhang, W. X. (2005). Hydrodechlorination of chlorinated ethanes by nanoscale Pd/Fe bimetallic particles. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 131, 4–10.
Liou, Y. H., Lo, S. L., Lin, C. J., Kuan, W. H., & Weng, S. C. (2005). Chemical reduction of an unbuffered nitrate solution using catalyzed and uncatalyzed nanoscale iron particles. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 127, 102–110.
Liu, Y., Majetich, S. A., Tilton, R. D., Sholl, D. S., & Lowry, G. V. (2005). TCE dechlorinated rates, pathways, and efficiency of nanoscale iron particles with different properties. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 1338–1345.
Liu, T., Tsang, D. C. W., & Lo, I. M. C. (2008). Chromium(VI) reduction kinetics by zero-valent iron in moderately hard water with humic acid: Iron dissolution and humic acid adsorption. Environmental Science and Technology, 42, 2092–2098.
Liu, X., Wazne, M., Christodoulatos, C., & Jasinkiewicz, K. L. (2009). Aggregation and deposition behaviour of boron nanoparticles in porous media. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 330, 90–96.
Martin, J. E., Herzing, A. A., Yan, W., Li, X. Q., Koel, B. E., Kiely, C. J., et al. (2008). Determination of the oxide layer thickness in core-shell zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Langmuir, 24, 4329–4334.
Morgada, M. E., Levy, I. K., Salomone, V., Farias, S. S., Lopez, G., & Litter, M. I. (2009). Arsenic (V) removal with nanoparticulate zerovalent iron: Effect of UV light and humic acids. Catal Today, 143, 261–268.
Ponder, S. M., Darab, J. G., & Mallouk, T. E. (2000). Remediation of Cr (VI) and Pb (II) aqueous solutions using supported, nano-scale zero-valent iron. Environmental Science and Technology, 34, 2564–2569.
Powell, R. M., Puls, R. W., Hightower, S. K., & Sabatini, D. A. (1995). Coupled iron corrosion and chromate reduction: mechanism of subsurface remediation. Environmental Science and Technology, 29, 1913–1922
Pratt, A. R., Blowes, D. W., & Ptacek, C. J. (1997). Products of chromate reduction on proposed subsurface remediation material. Environmental Science and Technology, 31, 2492–2498
Puls, R. W., Paul, C. J., & Powell, R. M. (1999). The application of in situ permeable reactive (Zero-valent iron) barrier technology for the remediation of chromate contaminated ground water. A field test. App Geochem, 14, 989–1000.
Singh, I. B., & Singh, D. R. (2003). Effect of pH on Cr-Fe interaction during Cr(VI) removal by metallic iron. Environmental Technology, 24, 1041–1047.
Strigul, N., Vaccari, L., Galdun, C., Wazne, M., Liu, X., Christodoulatos, C., et al. (2009). Acute toxicity of boron, titanium dioxide, and aluminium nanoparticles to Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri. Desalination, 248, 771–782.
Sun, Y. P., Li, X. Q., Cao, J., Zhang, W. X., & Wang, H. P. (2006). Characterization of zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 120, 47–56.
Tsang, D. C. W., Graham, N. J. D., & Lo, I. M. C. (2009). Humic acid aggregation in zerovalent iron systems and its effect on trichloroethylene removal. Chemosphere, 75, 1338–1343.
Varanasi, P., Fullana, A., & Sidhu, S. (2007). Remediation of PCB contaminated soils using iron nano-particles. Chemosphere, 66, 1031–1038.
Wilkin, R. T., Su, C., Ford, R. G., & Paul, C. J. (2005). Chromium removal processes during groundwater remediation by a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 4599–4605.
Xiong, Z., Zhao, D., & Pan, G. (2007). Rapid and complete destruction of perchlorate in water and ion exchange brine using stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Water Research, 41, 3497–3505.
Xu, Y., & Zhao, D. (2007). Reductive immobilization of chromate in soils and groundwater by stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Water Research, 41, 2101–2108.
Zhang, W. X. (2003). Nanoscale iron particles for environmental remediation: An overview. J Nanopart Res, 5, 323–332.
Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to the Director, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, for providing all necessary facilities for this work. Financial support from University Grant Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India, and Uttar Pradesh Council of Science and Technology is duly acknowledged. This is IITR publication no. 2952.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, R., Misra, V. & Singh, R.P. Removal of hexavalent chromium from contaminated ground water using zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Environ Monit Assess 184, 3643–3651 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2213-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2213-5