Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2017ND328B

Application of Green Iron Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Barley Polyphenols to Combat Lake Eutrophication Problem

Institute: North Dakota
Year Established: 2017 Start Date: 2017-03-01 End Date: 2018-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $10,080 Total Non-Federal Funds: $20,160

Principal Investigators: Achintya Bezbaruah

Abstract: Iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) are typically synthesized using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. However, the process is not environment friendly. The recent trend is to use green synthesis methods. In this projects plant-based polyphenols will be used as the reducing agent to synthesize Fe-NPs. Polyphenols not only act as reducing agents but also as stabilizing agents. Polyphenols extracted from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the oldest domesticated grain cultivated in North Dakota, will be used for synthesizing Fe-NPs. The main objectives of the project are to elucidate mechanisms involved polyphenol-Fe-NPs synthesis through advanced characterization and to assess the efficacy of produced Fe-NPs for aqueous phosphate removal under different environmental conditions. To evaluate the phosphate removal efficiency, both synthetic and actual wastewater will be used. The expected results of the project include: (1) optimization of the polyphenol extraction process, (2) optimization of polyphenol-Fe-NPs synthesis method, and (3) elucidation of mechanisms of aqueous phosphate removal by polyphenol-Fe-NPs.