article · Heliyon
Iron oxide waste powder produced during the steel pickling process can be repurposed into functional iron oxide nanoparticles using a solution gelation synthesis method. Characterisation shows that the resulting nanoparticles have a cubic spinel structure, particle sizes between 20 and 30 nanometres, and a high surface area rich in hydroxyl groups. When tested on both synthetic solutions and real industrial wastewater, these nanoparticles achieved up to 99.9 percent removal of lead and chromium metal ions. Adsorption analysis confirmed maximum capacities of 417 for lead and 326.80 for chromium. Kinetic and isotherm analyses demonstrated that the uptake aligns with the Freundlich model and proceeds via pseudo-second-order chemisorption. The findings demonstrate a practical method for converting industrial rolling mill waste into an effective material for heavy metal extraction from contaminated water.
Discharging untreated industrial wastewater containing toxic heavy metals like lead and chromium harms ecosystems and restricts access to safe water. Simultaneously, steel manufacturing creates substantial hazardous waste. Transforming industrial steel pickling by-products into high-performance water treatment materials addresses both environmental challenges at once, supporting water recycling while reducing industrial solid waste.
This work enables the reuse of steel mill by-products to manufacture low-cost adsorbents for industrial wastewater remediation. Potential users include steel plants seeking waste valorisation and industrial facilities needing to clean heavy metals from effluent. Tested on actual industrial wastewater at laboratory scale, the process represents applied research that requires pilot-scale validation and system engineering before commercial adoption.
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Water treatment and reuse can avail more clean and safe water for human use. In this study, iron oxide waste powder generated from the steel pickling process was used to develop iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) using solution gelation synthesis process. The powder and developed IONPs were characterized by X-ray fluorescence and diffraction (XRF, XRD), scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. Adsorption experiments were carried out on synthetic water with lead and chromium metal ions. The adsorption data were analysed with Langmuir and Freundlich models. Adsorption kinetics were also analysed with Pseudo-First-Order and Pseudo-Second-Order models using non-linear regression. The synthesized IONPs were porous with active surface functional groups of hydroxyl bonds, with BET specific surface area of 325.02 m<sup>2</sup>/g. XRD results confirmed the cubic spinel structure of IONPs with particle sizes of 20-30 nm. The nanoparticles at a dosage of 0.35 g in 10 mL for 50 min effectively removed Pb(II) and Cr(VI) metal ions up to 99.9% from both synthetic water and industrial wastewater. The adsorption capacity (q<sub>max</sub>) of IONPs was found to be 417 and 326.80 for Pb(II) and Cr(VI) respectively. Freundlich isotherm model data fitted best for the removal of both metal ions. The regression values for kinetic models confirmed that pseudo-second-order best fit the adsorption of both Pb(II) and Cr(VI) confirming chemisorption processes. This study contributes to elucidating alternative application of pickling waste from the steel rolling mills for the benefit of heavy metal removal in industrial wastewater.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28153
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