Adsorption of thallium(I) on rutile nano-titanium dioxide and environmental implications

Weilong Zhang; Yang Wu; Jin Wang; Juan Liu; Haifeng Lu; Shuijing Zhai; Qiaohui Zhong; Siyu Liu; Wanying Zhong; Chunling Huang; Xiaoxiang Yu; Wenhui Zhang; Yongheng Chen

doi:10.7717/peerj.6820

PeerJ (May 2019)

Adsorption of thallium(I) on rutile nano-titanium dioxide and environmental implications

Weilong Zhang,
Yang Wu,
Jin Wang,
Juan Liu,
Haifeng Lu,
Shuijing Zhai,
Qiaohui Zhong,
Siyu Liu,
Wanying Zhong,
Chunling Huang,
Xiaoxiang Yu,
Wenhui Zhang,
Yongheng Chen

Affiliations

Weilong Zhang: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Yang Wu: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Jin Wang: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Juan Liu: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Haifeng Lu: Wuhan Digital Engineering Institute, Wuhan, China
Shuijing Zhai: Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes, Ministry of Education, College of Geography Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
Qiaohui Zhong: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Siyu Liu: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Wanying Zhong: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Chunling Huang: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Xiaoxiang Yu: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Wenhui Zhang: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
Yongheng Chen: Innovation Center and Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6820
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7
p. e6820

Abstract

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Rutile nano-titanium dioxide (RNTD) characterized by loose particles with diameter in 20–50 nm has a very large surface area for adsorption of Tl, a typical trace metal that has severe toxicity. The increasing application of RNTD and widespread discharge of Tl-bearing effluents from various industrial activities would increase the risk of their co-exposure in aquatic environments. The adsorption behavior of Tl(I) (a prevalent form of Tl in nature) on RNTD was studied as a function of solution pH, temperature, and ion strength. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics for Tl(I) were also investigated. The adsorption of Tl(I) on RNTD started at very low pH values and increased abruptly, then maintained at high level with increasing pH >9. Uptake of Tl(I) was very fast on RNTD in the first 15 min then slowed down. The adsorption of Tl(I) on RNTD was an exothermic process; and the adsorption isotherm of Tl(I) followed the Langmuir model, with the maximum adsorption amount of 51.2 mg/g at room temperature. The kinetics of Tl adsorption can be described by a pseudo-second-order equation. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that -OH and -TiOO-H play an important role in the adsorption. All these results indicate that RNTD has a fast adsorption rate and excellent adsorption amount for Tl(I), which can thus alter the transport, bioavailability and fate of Tl(I) in aqueous environment.

Published in PeerJ

ISSN: 2167-8359 (Online)
Publisher: PeerJ Inc.
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine; Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://peerj.com/

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