Aluminum (III) Ions Removal From Drinking Water Samples by Flower Like ZnO Nanoparticles with Solid Phase Extraction

Abstract

The growing inadequacy of conventional water treatment techniques has prompted the search for novel approaches. Consequently, scientists are exploring alternative solutions. In this study, environmentally friendly flower-like nanoparticles synthesized by the hydrothermal method were investigated for their potential as adsorbents for heavy metal removal. To this end, flower-like ZnO nanostructures with varying morphology were synthesized, and the recovery of aluminum (Al) ions in water samples was investigated. The nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and Scanning Electron Microscopy- Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX). Then, parameters such as pH, eluent type/concentration, sonication time, and initial volume were optimized to obtain the highest efficiency for Al enrichment with NPs, and Al content was determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). In the developed method, high analytical performance was achieved in the FAAS system under optimum conditions. Optimum conditions for ZnO-1 recovery were determined to be pH 7.0, 1 M HNO₃ and 2.5 mL, 10 mg, 2.5 min, while they were found for ZnO-2 recovery to be pH 6.0, 1.0 M HNO₃ and 2.5 mL, 10 mg, 10 min. The applicability and accuracy of the method were tested with standard reference material (SRM), and satisfactory recovery results were obtained. The optimum recovery values for ZnO-1 and ZnO-2 were determined as 99.8% and 99.4%, respectively. Significant enrichment was achieved with an EF factor of 23 for ZnO-1 nanoflowers, and moderate enrichment was achieved with an EF factor of 5 for ZnO-2.