Sorption kinetic study of selenite and selenate onto a high and low pressure aged iron oxide nanomaterial.

The sorption of selenite (SeO(3)(2-)) and selenate (SeO(4)(2-)) onto Fe(3)O(4) nanomaterials produced by non microwave-assisted or microwave-assisted synthetic techniques was investigated through use of the batch technique. The phase of both synthetic nanomaterials was determined to be magnetite by X-ray diffraction. The average grain sizes of non microwave-assisted and microwave-assisted synthetic Fe(3)O(4) were determined to be 27 and 25 nm, respectively through use of the Scherrer's equation. Sorption of selenite was pH independent in the pH range of 2-6, while sorption of selenate decreased at pH 5 and 6. The addition of Cl(-) had no significant effect on selenite or selenate binding, while the addition of NO(3)(-) only affected selenate binding to the microwave assisted Fe(3)O(4). A decrease of selenate binding to both synthetic particles was observed after the addition of SO(4)(2-) while selenite binding was not affected. The addition of PO(4)(3-) beginning at concentrations of 0.1 ppm had the most prominent effect on the binding of both selenite and selenate. The capacities of binding, determined through the use of Langmuir isotherm, were found to be 1923 and 1428 mg Se/kg of non microwave-assisted Fe(3)O(4) and 2380 and 2369 mg Se/kg of microwave-assisted Fe(3)O(4) for selenite and selenate, respectively.