IR and SEM-EDX Studies on Polymer Matrix-Mixed Metal (Fe-Mn-Zn) Oxides Nanocomposite Adsorbent for Removing Zn(II) Ions from Contaminated Water

Abstract

The contamination of fresh water due to heavy metal is a serious problem of the present. The presence of heavy metals can cause the serious damage to our central nervous system and can harm kidney, liver, pancreas, and lungs, etc. So, the removal of such type of contamination from water is highly required. Various methods are adopted by researchers to overcome this difficulty. The adsorption technique is one of the most widely used to eliminate the heavy metals from the contaminated water. In the present study we have synthesized nanocomposites if mixed metal oxides of Fe-Mn-Zn in the copolymer matrix of aniline-formaldehyde. The material has been used to adsorb Zn (II) ions from the aqueous medium. IR and SEM-EDX studies have been used to study the adsorption characteristics of the material. From the IR studies the shift in IR peak positions and variation in the intensities of peaks after adsorption has been observed. This variation suggests the interaction of Zn ions with the copolymer backbone. Further, the SEM-EDX study confirmed the formation of nanosized particle of the materials and weight percentage increase of the Zn after adsorption.