Fabrication of Macadamia Nutshell Powder-AI/Fe Metal Oxide Modified Diatomaceous Earth Composite Beads for Fluoride and Pathogen Removal Groundwater
type: CreativeWork
description: Contamination of drinking water due to fluoride and pathogens is a severe health hazard problem. Excess of fluoride (>1.5 mg/L) in drinking water leads to dental and skeletal fluorosis whereas the presence of pathogens in water can lead to adverse health effects, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. This study aims to fabricate macadamia nutshell powder-Al/Fe metal oxide modified DE composite beads for removal of fluoride, pathogen from groundwater. The physicochemical compositions of the material were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Brunauer Emmett Teller and X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Diffraction. The fluoride removal was evaluated using batch and column experiment and the pathogen removal was done using Well disc diffusion assay method. First chapter of results focused on physiochemical characterization of macadamia nutshell powder and further evaluates its efficiency in fluoride and pathogens removal from water. Physicochemical characterization revealed that MNS mainly consist of O, C, H and N as the main elements. This was further confirmed by FTIR which showed OH, C-H, C=O, C-C, C-OH together with the band of C-O. The XRD revealed that MNS is crystalline. The batch experiments showed a maximum fluoride sorption capacity of 1.26 mg/g which was achieved at initial fluoride concentration of 5 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g/100 mL, pH 6 and shaking time of 120 min agitation time. The adsorption isotherm data fitted well to Langmuir than to Freundlich isotherm indicating adsorption occurred on monolayer surface. The value ΔG0 was found to be negative indicating that adsorption of fluoride onto MNS was spontaneous and favourable. The regeneration studies of MNS demonstrated that the adsorbent can be regenerated for up to 7 cycles using 0.01 M HCl and this clearly indicates the reuse potential of the adsorbent. MNS show no zone of inhibition (bacterial acti…
abstract: Contamination of drinking water due to fluoride and pathogens is a severe health hazard problem. Excess of fluoride (>1.5 mg/L) in drinking water leads to dental and skeletal fluorosis whereas the presence of pathogens in water can lead to adverse health effects, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. This study aims to fabricate macadamia nutshell powder-Al/Fe metal oxide modified DE composite beads for removal of fluoride, pathogen from groundwater. The physicochemical compositions of the material were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Brunauer Emmett Teller and X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Diffraction. The fluoride removal was evaluated using batch and column experiment and the pathogen removal was done using Well disc diffusion assay method. First chapter of results focused on physiochemical characterization of macadamia nutshell powder and further evaluates its efficiency in fluoride and pathogens removal from water. Physicochemical characterization revealed that MNS mainly consist of O, C, H and N as the main elements. This was further confirmed by FTIR which showed OH, C-H, C=O, C-C, C-OH together with the band of C-O. The XRD revealed that MNS is crystalline. The batch experiments showed a maximum fluoride sorption capacity of 1.26 mg/g which was achieved at initial fluoride concentration of 5 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g/100 mL, pH 6 and shaking time of 120 min agitation time. The adsorption isotherm data fitted well to Langmuir than to Freundlich isotherm indicating adsorption occurred on monolayer surface. The value ΔG0 was found to be negative indicating that adsorption of fluoride onto MNS was spontaneous and favourable. The regeneration studies of MNS demonstrated that the adsorbent can be regenerated for up to 7 cycles using 0.01 M HCl and this clearly indicates the reuse potential of the adsorbent. MNS show no zone of inhibition (bacterial acti…
author: Nekhavhambe, Humbelani Helga
language: en
keywords: Contamination, Drinking water, Fluoride, Pathogens, Macadamia
date published: 2021-04
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:57:42Z
provider: University of Venda
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Venda

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11602/1804