Tailoring the porous properties of iron containing mixed oxides for As (V) removal from aqueous solutions

Iron containing mixed oxides with tailored porous properties derived from substituted layered double hydroxides are synthesized, characterized and tested for the first time in the process of As (V) removal from aqueous solutions. The X-ray diffraction analysis points out the modification of the lattice parameters when iron is introduced in the brucite-like layer. The results of N2 adsorption-desorption process, SEM and TEM analysis reveal new and specific porous properties (e.g., the presence of the tensile strength effect phenomena, increased contribution of microporosity, higher values of the surface area and pore volume) for the samples synthesized under high flow (700 ml/min) of nitrogen. The specific porous properties and the iron content of the sample both contribute in establishing the high values of the arsenate removal capacity from the aqueous solutions reaching a maximum value equaling to 97.7% for cHT2Fe. These results can open new perspectives for removing As (V) from aqueous solutions (e.g., contaminated water, contaminated organisms) by using as precursors cheap and human health friendly materials type iron substituted layered double hydroxides.