Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2008ND164B

Modification of Iron Nanoparticles by Amphiphilic Polysiloxane Graft Copolymer for Arsenic, TCE, and RDX Remediation

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2008 Start Date: 2008-03-01 End Date: 2009-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $9,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $18,000

Principal Investigators: Achintya Bezbaruah, Bret Chisholm

Project Summary: An increasing number of laboratory and field studies illustrate the potential of metal particles for degrading organic and inorganic species susceptible to reduction reactions. Nanoparticles are attractive for remediation of various contaminants because of their unique physiochemical properties. Various chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons and toxic metals can be remediated using metal nanoparticles such as zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI). Metal particles/nanoparticles have also been used for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chemicals used in explosives and arsenic. The effectiveness of nZVI for groundwater remediation depends upon the effective delivery of the nanoparticles to the water/contaminate interface without flocculation and severe oxidation. To accomplish effective delivery of nZVI, a delivery system that provides for dispersability and colloidal stability of individual nanoparticles in water is required. In addition, the delivery system should protect the nZVI from severe oxidation by dissolved oxygen and water and provide an affinity for the water/contaminate interface. Maximum efficiency of the remediation approach will only be realized if the metal nanoparticles effectively migrate to the contaminant or the water/contaminant interface. The objective of this study is to modify the iron nanoparticle surfaces using amphiphilic polysiloxane graft copolymers (APGCs) for effective groundwater remediation. The study has the potential to develop a new polymeric delivery vehicle for iron nanoparticles for groundwater Aresnic, TCE, and RDX remediation. The synthesis, characterization, and analysis phases of the polymeric delivery vehicle development process will result in fundamental knowledge on the behavior of the polymer coated nanoparticles.