Nano Zero-Valent Iron and Cyclodextrins – Their Synergistic Action for Water Purification

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) is one of the most important nanostructure for degradative remediation of environmental pollutants. In the project NZVI will be for the first time functionalized with cyclodextrins (CD), which are considered as excellent, environmental friendly and cheap sorbents of toxic contaminants. Functionalization of the nano zero-valent iron by CD, their derivatives and polymers, can not only enhance the stability and dispersibility of ZVI nanoparticles, but also can complex toxic contaminants inside the CD cavities that will be further reduced by NZVI to less toxic products. By this, one of the largest obstacle of NZVI, i.e. lack of NZVI selectivity, can be overcome. Moreover, reactivity towards several recalcitrant organic compounds (POPs), that under standard conditions are not very reactive with the NZVI (e.g. perfluorooctanoic acid), can be enhanced. In addition, CD might act as a carbon source for bioremedial microorganisms, which can lead to a further synergistic effect between NZVI, CD and microbes involved in the water purification process