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Removal of Silver Nanoparticles from Water Environment: Experimental, Mathematical Formulation, and Cost Analysis

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Abstract

This paper deals with the comprehensive analysis for the removal of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from water environment. A new activated carbon derived from an agricultural waste, water lily mango seed shells, was proposed as a low-cost adsorbent to remove AgNPs. In addition, a new simple kinetic model was mathematically formulated and then tested using primary and secondary experimental AgNP adsorption data on different adsorbents. Moreover, cost analysis for the activated carbon production and removal of AgNPs was also estimated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) analyses were employed for the characterization. The proposed model evaluation was carried out using six statistical indicators, which are the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE), percentage of error in maximum estimated value (Emax), percentage of error in minimum estimated value (Emin), mean absolute percent error (MAPE), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). This study found that the proposed activated carbon performed a rapid removal with a maximum percentage of up to 97%. It was also interesting to note that the proposed model outperformed existing kinetic models having the same number of parameters. Cost analysis carried out in this study exhibited that the activated carbon was highly economical compared with other water treatment technologies reported elsewhere.

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Funding

This project was funded by the COE (Q.J130000.2422.04G06) and GUP (Q.J130000.2522.18H92) grant schemes from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Achmad Syafiuddin, Salmiati Salmiati & Mohd Razman Salim

  2. Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Research Institute for Sustainable Environment (RISE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Salmiati Salmiati & Mohd Razman Salim

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, 98009, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Tony Hadibarata

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Ahmad Beng Hong Kueh

  5. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics, Computation and Data Science, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, 60111, Indonesia

    Suhartono Suhartono

Authors
  1. Achmad Syafiuddin
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  2. Salmiati Salmiati
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  3. Tony Hadibarata
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  4. Mohd Razman Salim
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  5. Ahmad Beng Hong Kueh
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  6. Suhartono Suhartono
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Correspondence to Salmiati Salmiati or Tony Hadibarata.

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Syafiuddin, A., Salmiati, S., Hadibarata, T. et al. Removal of Silver Nanoparticles from Water Environment: Experimental, Mathematical Formulation, and Cost Analysis. Water Air Soil Pollut 230, 102 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4143-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4143-8

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