A new “turn-off” adsorption probe based on modified coconut shell activated carbon for the optical sensing of mercury in waste water Vishal Bharati Jaryal 1 , Dilbag Singh 2 , Neeraj Gupta 1 1 Department of Chemistry and Chemical Sciences, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India, 2 Department of Environmental Sciences, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India Mercury pollution in aquatic ecosystems poses a severe threat to human health and the environment. Developing highly sensitive and selective sensors for the rapid detection of mercury in polluted water is of paramount importance. This study presents an innovative approach to develop highly efficient and environmentally friendly mercury sensors utilizing sulfur-doped carbon sheets (g-SFCSs) derived from waste coconut biomass. The synthesis of sulfur-doped carbon sheets involves a simple, cost-effective, and sustainable process, offering a solution to both waste management and water quality monitoring challenges. Waste coconut shells were collected and converted into high-surface-area activated carbon through chemical activation and thermal annealing at 800 o C. Subsequently, sulfur doping was achieved by impregnating the carbon sheets with a sulfur-containing precursor (Thiourea). This material has been further used for the detection of mercury (Hg 2+ ) ions in water. The prepared material has been characterized by various analytical techniques. With increasing regularity of crystalline structure, X-ray examination revealed the amorphous nature of the g-SFCSs sample. The BET-specific surface area of the g-SFCSs sample with mesoporous structure was found to be 659.41 m 2 g. The material obtained had a carbon content of 90.44 percent, according to XPS analysis. The material was then tested for Hg 2+ ion selectivity, and UV spectroscopy results revealed a high absorption peak at 237 nm in the absence of Hg 2+ . On the other hand, the presence of Hg 2+ reduced the absorption intensity significantly, and a linear fluctuation was seen for increasing concentrations of with a LOD of 10.4 mM. The above findings clearly show that the husk of the Cocos nucifera (Coconut palm) can be used as a precursor material for the production of highly efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly g-SFCSs. As a result, this carbon material can be used as a superior adsorbent for removing hazardous and highly poisonous heavy metals from water sources, making it safe for humans and other living organisms. References 1. Wang, Y. Zhang, Q. Yang, M. Sun, X. Fei, Y. Song, Y. Zhang and Y. Li, Nanoscale, 2013, 5, 4958–4965. Qiu, J. G. Yang, X. J. Bai and Y. L. Wang, RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 12737–12746. 2. di Natale, A. Erto, A. Lancia and D. Musmarra, J. Hazard. Mater., 2011, 192, 1842–1850. A. Krishnan and T. S. Anirudhan, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2002, 41, 5085–5093. 3. Bala, K., Sharma, D., & Gupta, N. (2019). Carbon-Nanotube-Based Materials for Electrochemical Sensing of the Neurotransmitter Dopamine. ChemElectroChem, 6(2), 274–288. 4. Gupta, N., Khavryuchenko, O., Wen, G., Wu, K. H., & Su, D. (2018). Carbocatalysing the preparation of N-Rich heterocycles with an unprecedented mechanism. Carbon, 130, 714–723. 5. Suriyaprakash, J., Gupta, N., Shan, L., & Wu, L. (2022). Immobilized Molecules’ Impact on the Efficacy of Nanocarbon Organic Sensors for Ultralow Dopamine Detection in Biofluids. Advanced Materials Technologies, 7(9), 2200099.
P25
© The Author(s), 2023
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog