Arsenic removal from water using iron-modified nanoclinoptilolite: inspired by iron plaque mechanisms in rice roots

Access to clean drinking water is a global challenge, with over 600 million people lacking safe water sources. Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a serious health hazard, making it essential to develop efficient removal methods. Inspired by natural mechanisms of arsenic reduction in rice plant root plaques, an iron-modified nanoclinoptilolite zeolite adsorbent was investigated to explore the feasibility of removing arsenic from water. Comprehensive characterization of the synthesized adsorbent was performed using dynamic light scattering to determine nanoparticle size distribution, X-ray diffraction to assess crystallinity and phase composition, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to analyze elemental composition, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis to evaluate surface area and porosity, and zeta potential measurements to investigate surface charge and stability. The effects of surface modification, adsorbent dose, initial arsenic concentration, contact time, and nanoparticle size on adsorption efficiency were systematically examined. Colorimetric analysis showed that iron modification improved arsenic removal efficiency by 25% compared to unmodified clinoptilolite, removing arsenic from solutions with initial concentrations below 100 mu g/L. The iron-modified clinoptilolite nanozeolite appears to be a promising adsorbent for removing trace arsenic amounts from water, making it a useful option for improving water treatment methods.