• Login
    View Item 
    •   DSpace@RPI Home
    • Rensselaer Libraries
    • RPI Theses Online (Complete)
    • View Item
    •   DSpace@RPI Home
    • Rensselaer Libraries
    • RPI Theses Online (Complete)
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Metal ion adsorption using silk fibroin-coated polypropylene filters

    Author
    Catten, Tahira A.
    View/Open
    Catten_rpi_0185N_12008.pdf (1.156Mb)
    Other Contributors
    Zha, R. Helen; Przybycien, Todd M.; Karande, Pankaj;
    Date Issued
    2022-05
    Subject
    Chemical engineering
    Degree
    MS;
    Terms of Use
    This electronic version is a licensed copy owned by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY. Copyright of original work retained by author.;
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    URI
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13015/5921
    Abstract
    Heavy metals from industrial manufacturing wastewater can contaminate ground and surface water sources. Current wastewater treatment methods to remove these metals involve liquid separation processes which are energy intensive and expensive. Removal of these heavy metals though adsorption processes provides an alternative processing method which is less labor and energy intensive. In this thesis, adsorption of Cu (II) and Zn (II) metal ions were investigated using silk fibroin-coated nonwoven polypropylene filters. As a strong biopolymer that can be utilized as a coating for any substrate, silk fibroin contains electron-rich functional groups that serve as potential active sites for metal cation adsorption. Batch adsorption studies were conducted for the initial metal ion concentration and time effects on adsorption for a metal ion concentration range of 200-2400 ppm in aqueous solution. Filter adsorption followed a Langmuir model, with uncoated filter adsorption capacities changing from 67.5 to 50.8 mg/g and 66.8 to 83.5 mg/g for silk fibroin coated filters with Cu (II) and Zn (II) adsorption, respectively. Silk-coated filters exhibit an adsorption efficiency below 10% for copper and zinc, suggesting this silk fibroin coating requires further functionalization to remove metals down to the ppb range concentration required for wastewater discharge into the environment.;
    Description
    May 2022; School of Engineering
    Department
    Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering;
    Publisher
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
    Relationships
    Rensselaer Theses and Dissertations Online Collection;
    Access
    Restricted to current Rensselaer faculty, staff and students in accordance with the Rensselaer Standard license. Access inquiries may be directed to the Rensselaer Libraries.;
    Collections
    • RPI Theses Online (Complete)

    Browse

    All of DSpace@RPICommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Login

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2023  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV