Synthesis and impregnation of copper oxide nanoparticles on activated carbon through green synthesis for water pollutant removal

Abstract

In this article was developed a green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles on vegetal activated carbon (VAC), using pomegranate leaf extract as reducing and stabilizing agent in the removal of multiple pollutants. The impregnated carbons with CuO nanoparticles were characterized morphologically and structurally. The SEM and XRD analysis, after carbons modification, showed that the surface structure remained porous with CuO nanoparticles sizes between 40 and 78 nm. As concern to the contaminants atrazine, caffeine and diclofenac, it is observed that the maximum adsorption capacities practically did not suffer interference by the presence of 1.5% Cu nanoparticles, keeping their values very close to those obtained with pure carbon. The nitrate removal was favored by the impregnation of CuO nanoparticles, from 0.93 mg g-1 to 4.09 mg g-1. The results are promising and demonstrate that it is possible to obtain VAC impregnated whit nanoparticles of CuO by a non-polluting and low cost method.