Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 12, 2025
Author Spotlight: Standardizing the Development of Amine-Based Silica Composites as CO2 Adsorbents for Direct Air Capture
Published on: September 29, 2023
New silica based adsorbent material from rice straw and its in-flow application to nitrate reduction in waters:
H R Robles-Jimarez1, L Sanjuan-Navarro1, N Jornet-Martínez1
1MINTOTA Research Group, Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
Abstract:
This paper shows a particular example to move to a sustainable circular economical process from valorization of rice straw ashes by developing a green synthesis for obtaining a useful sub-product. This strategy can palliate negative effects of the agriculture waste practices on the environment and also the obtained silica reduced nitrate content in waters. It is demonstrated that the silica synthesis developed at lab was scalable more than a hundred times with good results. Adsorption studies of nitrate in standards and real well waters at lab scale and scaling-up provided similar results. Adsorption values near to 15 mg/g for nitrate standards and 8.5 mg/g for well water were obtained until achieving the initial nitrate concentration. Experimental breakthrough curves fitted to Thomas model, which gave similar results for adsorption capacities. The adsorption capacity was checked with that obtained by a commercial resin, providing improved results. The method at large scale was compared with industrial traditional methods and green adsorbents.
