Use of iron nanomaterials for the treatment of metals, metalloids and emergent contaminants in water

Title : Use of iron nanomaterials for the treatment of metals, metalloids and emergent contaminants in water

Abstract:

Iron-based nanomaterials are increasingly used in environmental applications. Different types of iron-based nanomaterials, namely, zerovalent iron nanoparticles, nanoparticles of iron oxides, and nanoparticles prepared from iron salts and natural extracts by green procedures, are briefly mentioned in this presentation, together with their preparation, characterization, and applications on the treatment of pollutants in water, with emphasis on works performed in the last 10 years. In terms of preparation, top-down procedures such as mechanical milling, nanolithography, laser ablation, sputtering, and thermal decomposition, and bottom-up methods such as chemical synthesis, sol-gel, spinning, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), pyrolysis, and biosynthesis are possible for nanoparticle production. The most commonly used nanomaterials are inorganic nanoparticles based on metals and metal oxides and, among them, iron-based materials have been widely used in the removal of pollutants in water. Among pollutants, heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., Hg, Pb, Cr, Cu, As, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Ag), halogenated organics, nitroaromatics, pesticides, dyes, antibiotics, halogenated aromatics, phenolic compounds, PCBs, nitrate, and some radioisotopes have been successfully treated; antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and negative bacteria is also reported. In some cases, iron-based nanoparticles have been combined with H₂O₂ in Fenton processes. In this presentation, examples of treatment of metals and metalloids and other emergent contaminants are specially discussed. The advantages of using these materials and the need for their improvement to extend their deployment are remarked.

Biography:

Orchidea Maria Lecian graduated in Theoretical Physics at Sapienza University of Rome and ICRA- International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics in 2005 ad completed her International Relativistic Astrophysics Phd at Sapienza University and ICRA. She was post-doctoral Fellow at IHES (Bures-sur-Yvette, France), AEI-MPI (Potsdam-Golm, Germany) and Sapienza University of Rome. She has taken part in intensive research prorammes at AEI-MPI (Potsdam-Golm, Germany) and The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences (Toronto, Canada). She has been researcher for SAIA- NS'P (The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic- National S'tipendium Program) as Research grantee and appointed Erasmus Lecturer at Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Theoretical Physics and Physics Education- KTFDF. She has been Assistant Professor at Sapienza University of Rome and is Professor at Sapienza University of Rome. She is was Visiting Professor at Kursk State University, Chair of Algebra, Geometry and Didactics of Mathematics Theory within the Programme Education in Russia for Foreign Nationals of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in 2022-2023. She has contributed in national conferences and international conferences. She is member of several Research Consortia. She is author of research papers, conference papers, review papers, invited papers and two books. She is reviewer and editorial-board member of several international Journals.