Characterization of Ecuadorian native clays for the absorption of contaminants in water
The natural clay found in San Sucre, Ecuador, is a resource unknown even by its inhabitants. Still, it has economic and environmental potential, especially for being useful for applications related to filtration and water treatment systems. However, given the lack of detailed knowledge about their c...
Bewaard in:
| Hoofdauteur: | |
|---|---|
| Formaat: | bachelorThesis |
| Taal: | eng |
| Gepubliceerd in: |
2024
|
| Onderwerpen: | |
| Online toegang: | http://repositorio.yachaytech.edu.ec/handle/123456789/796 |
| Tags: |
Voeg label toe
Geen labels, Wees de eerste die dit record labelt!
|
Voeg label toe | Samenvatting: | The natural clay found in San Sucre, Ecuador, is a resource unknown even by its inhabitants. Still, it has economic and environmental potential, especially for being useful for applications related to filtration and water treatment systems. However, given the lack of detailed knowledge about their composition and properties, a thorough characterization of clays is essential. Despite originating from the same source, the clays were separated into two types: "Clay A" and "Clay B," internal identifiers based on slight color variation. They were then subjected to five characterization methods crucial for their complete description. Firstly (i) X-ray diffraction (XRD) was employed to identify the clay minerals present in the samples and therefore their crystalline structure. Subsequently with (ii) Raman spectroscopy, the vibrational modes inherent to the molecular structure of the clay were analyzed. With (iii) Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, the vibrational modes of the functional groups that clay possesses were found; With (iv) X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the surface chemical composition and bondings were studied; and (v) the morphology was explored with the scanning electron microscopic technique (SEM-XPS), using Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) mode. Through the study, several subtle structural and compositional distinctions have been discerned between Clay A and Clay B. Specifically, Clay A demonstrated a compact structure with a heightened presence of the clay mineral kaolinite, while Clay B manifested a more porous structure characterized by a greater prevalence of dolomite. These findings have culminated in the proposal of a filtration system integrating native clays, activated carbon, alginate, and chitosan to effectively eliminate Escherichia coli (E. coli) from contaminated water sources. The microbiological analysis was conducted in collaboration with the University of ESPE to evaluate the effectiveness of this system. However, the analysis performed on Clay A demonstrated its inability to filter E. coli. This may be primarily due to the pore size and composition of Clays A and B, which makes them effective cationic adsorbents but not suitable for anionic contaminants like E. coli. |
|---|