Simultaneous Removal of Both As(III) and As(V) Ions in Water by Ternary Hybrid Nanofiber Webs Electrospun from Polyacrylonitrile/(Activated Alumina)/(Photocatalytic ZnO) under UV Irradiation

Abstract

Organic-inorganic hybrid nanofiber webs were prepared through electrospinning of binary polyacrylonitrile/AA for the removal of A(V) and ternary PAN/AA/(photocatalytic ZnO) solutions in DMF for the simultaneous removal of both As(III) and As(V) in water utilizing photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) to As(V). The sorption properties of the hybrid nanofiber webs were evaluated using batch and continuous process. AA was found to be effective not for sorption of As(III) but for As(V) by showing the rejection rates up to 95 % for As(V) and 20 % for As(III). However, As(III) could be effectively removed by using of the ternary hybrid nanofiber web due to photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) to As(V) by ZnO nanoparticles under UV irradiation. Q(max)(mg/g sorbent) obtained in the continuous sorption process 3.5 which is higher than 2.4 reported in the other reference. Thus, it was concluded that the ternary hybrid nanowebs were very effective in simultaneous removing both As(V) and more harmful As(III) through photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) to As(V).