Untitled Document

Can we use Nanotechnology to clean up our water samples?

May 26, 2006

Objective

The goal of this experiment is:

to see whether a nanotechnological material such as titanium dioxide, titania, will improve the dissolved oxygen of our water samples by leaving your water samples, treated with titanium dioxide out in the sun for 4 days and another set of samples under UV light for a day..
to compare the effectiveness of using titanium dioxide to using Fenton's reagent (acidified iron (II) sulfate with hydrogen peroxide) on the water samples.

Procedure for Determining the effectiveness of Titanium Dioxide versus Fenton's reagent in improving the quality of the water samples

Chemicals:

FeSO₄ iron (II) sulfate hydrate, 450 mg solution dissolved in 1 L water.

Acidify with concentrated sulfuric acid or nitric acid in order to bring the solution to a pH between 2 and 4. CAUTION

30 % hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂

Titanium dioxide, TiO₂

Fenton's reagent.

1. Collect 100 mL of sampled water in 100 mL erlenmeyer flask - each pair will be assigned one sampling point..

2. Add 10 mL of Fenton's reagent and 10- 20 mL of 30 % hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂.

3. Wait approximately an hour until the bubbling stops before testing for dissolved oxygen. Note: If there are no bubbles, first add some more concentrated acid and then more Fenton's reagent.

Titanium Dioxide

1. Collect 100 mL of sampled water in 100 mL capped storage flask - again each pair will be assigned one sampling point..

2. Add a covering of titanium dioxide to the bottom of the storage flask - approximate weight to be determined..

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2. The first sample will be left out in the sun in the amphitheater until Monday and the second sample will be placed under a UV light for a day.