Removal of nitrobenzene from water is of current interest due to its toxicity (1) as a mutagen and carcinogen. Water sample with initial known concentration of nitrobenzene (4mM) was taken and treated with adsorbent: spent tea leaves (2). After treatment with adsorbent nitrobenzene was analyzed using such electrochemical techniques (3) as differential pulse, Figure 1, and square wave voltammetry (curve not shown) to obtain a calibration curve for quantitative estimation of nitrobenzene.

Cyclic voltammetry was employed for preliminary work (4). A calculated amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was added to a specific volume of all nitrobenzene solutions as the supporting electrolyte. All analyses were carried out in 0.1 M aqueous CTAB at a platinum cathode using EG&G VersaStat II.

This study shows that spent tea leaves can be effectively used for the removal of nitrobenzene from aqueous solutions. A substantial decrease in the concentration of nitrobenzene was observed after treating 100 mL of 4mM nitrobenzene solution with different weighed amounts of adsorbent (spent tea leaves) when a contact time of one hour was allowed, Figure 1.

References

(1) A. Hartwig, The MAK-Collection for Occupational Health and Safety, pp.1473-1544 (2017)

DOI: 10.1002/3527600418.mb33341e5917

(2) E. Heraldy, R. R. Osa and V. Suryanti, AIP Conference Proceedings, 1710, 030025 (2016)

(3) S. Manivannan, J. Jeong, D.-K. Kang, and K. Kim, Electroanalysis (2017) DOI:10.1002/elan.201700451

(4) I. U. Haque, AASCIT Journal of Materials (2017)