Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Natural Sciences
First Advisor
Shipman, Steven
Area of Concentration
Chemistry
Abstract
The pH of soils can become more acidic when organic wastes are added to fertilize them. Copper-based nanoparticles have been found in organic wastes such as pig slurry and sewage sludge. The dissolution of copper compounds in acidic conditions could present an environmental risk by increasing the bioavailable fraction of Cu2+, which can be toxic to animals and plants. In this study, copper-based particles were synthesized via a solvothermal method, and characterized via TEM, EDS, XRD, and IR. The majority of the particles were determined to be antlerite (Cu3(SO4)(OH)4) and were larger than nano-sized, but some CuS nanoparticles were also present. The dissolution of Cu2+ from synthesized particles and from bulk CuS particles in neutral and acidic conditions was analyzed by UV-vis spectroscopy over 48 hours, but there were no statistically significant differences between any of the samples. However, copper-based nanoparticles may still be more toxic compared to their bulk counterparts under acidic and neutral conditions. Future work should include quantification of Cu2+ release at lower concentrations.
Recommended Citation
Swerdloff, Margaret, "ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF COPPER-BASED PARTICLES: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND DISSOLUTION OF Cu2+" (2017). Theses & ETDs. 5436.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/5436