Efficiency of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Magnetic Field on Pollutants Removal from Synthetic Urban Runoff

Road surfaces accumulate significant quantities of pollutants so their runoff is considered a major source of the pollution for the environment. Directly discharging storm water into natural water bodies or ecosystem may exert acute or chronic adverse effects on the receiving soil or aquatic ecosystem and human life. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of nano iron oxide column in presence of magnetic field on pollutant removal from synthetic urban runoff. Downflow columns contained a Stainless Steel Wool with a pair of magnets installed around the column providing 1.5 T magnetic charge density. The size of the iron oxide particles was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, DR 5000, turbidimeter and pH meter were used for quantifying heavy metals, nitrate and phosphate, turbidity, and pH, respectively. Result of XRD analysis revealed the average size of particles to be 32 nm. The average removal efficiencies for the column were determined as; 41.5% for turbidity, 93.9% for Pb, 96.2% for Zn, 88.4% for Cd, 87.4% for phosphate and 0.0% for nitrate. Iron oxide nanoparticle column with magnetic field can be used to remove heavy metals from urban runoff although it has less efficiency on turbidity and inefficient on nitrate removal.