Porous Hydrogels Embedded with Hydrated Ferric Oxide Nanoparticles for Arsenate Removal

The aim of this work is to assess the capabilities of porous hydrogels functionalized with hydrated ferric oxide nanoparticles to remove arsenate from aqueous media. Iron oxide nanoparticles can effectively remove arsenic through ionic interactions, binding the arsenic species to the nanoparticle. The use of polymeric hosts to these nanoparticles enhances the recovery of adsorbent after removal. The hydrogels were synthesized by high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) as the base monomer. The porous hydrogel has a pore diameter range of 9-30 mu m and a maximum water holding capacity of over 4000 wt %. The removal efficiency of the material is up to 60% for high concentrations of 4.5 ppm in a batch removal process.