A Study Aimed at Understanding the Use
of Nanomaterial-Treated Filters
for the Uptake of Heavy Metals
from Water Sources
Simona E. Hunyadi Murph and Alexandra Goriounova
Abstract We describe the synthesis and optical properties of ligand-modified gold
nanoparticles in solution and grown on stainless-steel wool filters. Their efficiency
with regard to heavy metal uptake from water found at or near DOE facilities was
also tested. Two different sequestration technologies for heavy metals were developed based on the surface functionalization of gold nanoparticles with either citrate or
L-cysteine. Citrate-capped gold nanoparticles in solution show a greater heavy metal
loading capacity than L-cysteine-functionalized gold nanoparticles. It was also found
that the citrate-capped gold nanoparticles have a greater sensitivity for copper (II)
than zinc (II) ions. L-cysteine-capped gold nanoparticles are more sensitive toward
gradual uptake of zinc (II) ions making them valuable for sensing and sequestration
applications. L-cysteine-capped gold nanoparticle stainless-steel wool filters are also
efficient at the uptake of heavy metal ions. The nanomaterial-treated stainless-steel
wool filters are advantageous because they serve as inactive supports allowing efficient flow of the contaminated water and can be easily replaced after heavy metal
uptake. They are also comparable to nanomaterials free in solution with regard to
the effectiveness of remediation of contaminated water resources.
Keywords Nanomaterials · Stainless-steel wool filters · Environmental
stewardship · Heavy metals
Introduction
The industrial revolution and the advent of new innovations in fields such as engineering, and manufacturing have led to outstanding technologies that improved the
standard of living and the life expectancy of our society. One of the drawbacks
associated with these advancements is the potential release of contaminates and
S. E. H. Murph (B) · A. Goriounova
Savannah River National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences, Aiken, SC, USA
e-mail: Simona.Murph@srnl.doe.gov
S. E. H. Murph
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2021
T. S. Srivatsan et al. (eds.), Metal-Matrix Composites, The Minerals, Metals
& Materials Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65249-4_6
93
of Nanomaterial-Treated Filters
for the Uptake of Heavy Metals
from Water Sources
Simona E. Hunyadi Murph and Alexandra Goriounova
Abstract We describe the synthesis and optical properties of ligand-modified gold
nanoparticles in solution and grown on stainless-steel wool filters. Their efficiency
with regard to heavy metal uptake from water found at or near DOE facilities was
also tested. Two different sequestration technologies for heavy metals were developed based on the surface functionalization of gold nanoparticles with either citrate or
L-cysteine. Citrate-capped gold nanoparticles in solution show a greater heavy metal
loading capacity than L-cysteine-functionalized gold nanoparticles. It was also found
that the citrate-capped gold nanoparticles have a greater sensitivity for copper (II)
than zinc (II) ions. L-cysteine-capped gold nanoparticles are more sensitive toward
gradual uptake of zinc (II) ions making them valuable for sensing and sequestration
applications. L-cysteine-capped gold nanoparticle stainless-steel wool filters are also
efficient at the uptake of heavy metal ions. The nanomaterial-treated stainless-steel
wool filters are advantageous because they serve as inactive supports allowing efficient flow of the contaminated water and can be easily replaced after heavy metal
uptake. They are also comparable to nanomaterials free in solution with regard to
the effectiveness of remediation of contaminated water resources.
Keywords Nanomaterials · Stainless-steel wool filters · Environmental
stewardship · Heavy metals
Introduction
The industrial revolution and the advent of new innovations in fields such as engineering, and manufacturing have led to outstanding technologies that improved the
standard of living and the life expectancy of our society. One of the drawbacks
associated with these advancements is the potential release of contaminates and
S. E. H. Murph (B) · A. Goriounova
Savannah River National Laboratory, Environmental Sciences, Aiken, SC, USA
e-mail: Simona.Murph@srnl.doe.gov
S. E. H. Murph
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2021
T. S. Srivatsan et al. (eds.), Metal-Matrix Composites, The Minerals, Metals
& Materials Series, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65249-4_6
93