(132e) Effect of Metallic Nanoparticles Supported on Polymeric Matrix on Water Contaminants Adsorption

There are several places where the drinking water is naturally rich in fluoride and/or arsenic with high concentrations of such contaminants, usually the content is higher than the allowed limit by health organizations. The presence of such contaminants, at high concentrations, can cause negative effects on human health.

In order to remove fluoride or arsenic from drinking water, it is used adsorption methods. However, studies looking for new and effective adsorbents continue. Nanosilver or nano zinc oxide dispersions are used, conventionally, for medical applications and the studies regarding their use for water treatment are incipient. The key point in the use of such dispersions is their immobilization or supporting into materials with mechanical resistance to water treatment conditions and capable to interact with such dispersions without affecting the adsorption characteristics.

Polyurethane prepolymers were polymerized using metallic nanoparticles dispersions. Such dispersions are silver and oxide zinc based, and are effective to catalyst such prepolymers. Variables like initial polymerization temperature, nanoparticles dispersion quantity and nanoparticles dispersion types, were evaluated. The dispersion content affects both the polymerization rate and also the foaming of the final product. The results show that nanocomposites based on silver nanoparticles were able to adsorb water contaminants like fluoride.

As the silver content increases into polymeric matrix the adsorption capacity increases for the fluoride.