Enhancing water quality at the point of use through fabrication of silver nanoparticles impregnated ceramic water filters

In this study, we present the successful synthesis of ceramic filtration systems impregnated with silver nanoparticles, designed specifically for effective water purification. The materials obtained underwent extensive characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Ultra Violet-Spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. XRD analysis detected the crystallite size of the materials ranged from 16 to 22 nm. Furthermore, XRF analysis revealed that the predominant component in the materials was SiO₂ (94 %), which originated from the high silica content found in sand and rice husks. SEM analyses demonstrated the formation of spherical aggregates as the primary structure of the materials. The UV–Vis analysis confirmed the presence of optical plasmon oscillation of Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), observed around 420 nm. Moreover, SEM-EDX analysis showed a uniform distribution of Si, O, and Ag⁰ within the systems, while TEM images revealed smooth patterns and arrangements of Ag⁰ in the materials. Out of the different ratios tested, the sample treated with a mixture of sand, rice husk ashes, and wheat flour in a 60:40:7.5 ratio displayed the highest performance, achieving a remarkable >99 % removal of E. coli and other water contaminants including heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Pb), BOD, turbidity, and total dissolved solids. These results underscore the potential of the systems in effectively removing a variety of pollutants, with a particular emphasis on E. coli, making them highly promising for water treatment and purification applications.