Chemistry Proposal Defense – Nabil Ashraf Shuvo

About the event

Speaker: Nabil Ashraf Shuvo

Group: Dr. John McCloy

Title: Iron Sulfide Particles for Capture of Volatile Contaminants

Abstract: Iron sulfide (Fe-S) particles are gaining significant attention for their potential use in environmental remediation, particularly in the capture of heavy metals and ions from aqueous environments. The physicochemical properties of the iron sulfides, including the redox nature, magnetic properties, and surface activity of the particles, stemming from the varying chemical compositions, make the particles good candidates for their application in waste remediation processes. The proposed project aims to explore the synthesis and application of iron sulfide particles in radioactive liquid waste. The research plan includes the investigation of different Fe-S particles, synthesis techniques, efficiency, and economy, as well as the interaction between the synthesized particles and the target contaminants (Tc, I, and Hg) in their aqueous ionic forms. We discuss the influence of particle size, surface modification, and structural properties on the sorption capacity and sequestration efficiency of the sorbent particles based on preliminary observations. Comprehensive characterization techniques will be employed to understand the crystal structure, phase identification, surface and morphological analyses, magnetic measurements, as well as the chemical interaction between the sorbent Fe-S particles and select contaminants. The research work will further investigate the reusability of the sorbent particles, the fate of the immobilized waste form, and the benefit of this process for incorporation into the existing technology.