Highly efficient inactivation of bacteria found in drinking water using chitosan-bentonite composites: Modelling and breakthrough curve analysis.

Disinfection of bacterially-contaminated drinking water requires a robust and effective technique and can be achieved by using an appropriate disinfectant material. The advanced use of nanomaterials is observed as an alternative and effective way for the disinfection process and water treatment as a whole. Hence, the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) using chitosan-Bentonite (Cts-Bent) composites was studied in a fixed bed column. Cts-Bent composites were synthesized using in situ cross-linking method using Bent-supported silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles. These composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The effect of the composite bed mass, initial concentration of bacteria, and flow rate on the bacterial inactivation was investigated. The characterization results revealed that the composites were successfully prepared and confirmed the presence of both silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles in the chitosan matrix. The growth curves of E. coli were expressed as breakthrough curves, based on the logistic, Gompertz, and Boltzmann models. The breakthrough time and processed volume of treated water at breakthrough were used as performance indicators, which revealed that the composites performed best at low bacterial concentration and flow rate and with substantial bed mass. The chitosan composites were found to be highly effective, which was demonstrated when no bacteria were observed in the effluent sample within the first 27 h of analysing river water. All the models were suitable for adequately describing and reproducing the experimental data with a sigmoidal pattern. Therefore, the prepared composite is showing potential to work as a disinfectant and provide an alternative solution for water disinfection; hence this study should propel further research of the same or similar materials.

Microwave-assisted synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of Ag/ZnO nanoparticles supported bentonite clay.

Composites of silver-zinc oxide nanoparticles supported on bentonite clay were synthesized by the microwave-assisted synthesis method for use as an antibacterial material. Silver nitrate was used as the precursor of silver nanoparticles while zinc oxide nanoparticles were commercially sourced. The composites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and BET surface area measurements. XRD spectra showed peaks of silver confirming the formation of the silver and not of the silver nitrate or any other impurity of the metal. Meanwhile TEM confirmed the formation of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles on the clay layers, with particle sizes ranging from 9-30 nm and 15-70 nm, respectively. The antibacterial activities of the composites were evaluated against Gram negative Escherichia coli bacteria and Gram positive Enterococcus faecalis bacteria by the disc diffusion method. Whereas both composites of Ag-clay and ZnO-clay showed good antibacterial activity against bacteria, a better antibacterial activity was observed with Ag/ZnO-clay composite. The results therefore reveal that Ag/ZnO-clay composite is a promising bactericide that can be used for deactivating microbes in water.