The importance of water purification especially removal of both organic and inorganic contaminants cannot be overemphasized, hence the need to develop water purification materials that are cheap, easily available and efficient. This would ensure realization of the Clean Water and Sanitation Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). The current study involves isolation of clay nanoparticles (CNP) and functionalizing them with Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC) and Tetradecyltrimethylammonium Bromide (TTAB) to form C-CPC and C-TTAB respectively, so as to increase efficiency in removal of lead, cadmium and pentachlorophenol (PCP) through batch process. Clay was acquired locally, purified and CNP isolated by sedimentation and centrifugation. The CNP, C-CPC and C-TTAB were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). HRTEM revealed a particle size of 12-15 nm for the three adsorbents. CNP had a lead removal efficiency of 88% at initial concentration of 80 ppm and 94% for Cadmium at initial concentration of 50 ppm, while C-CPC and C-TTAB had lead removal efficiencies of 98%. For cadmium removal, C-CPC and C-TTAB had 98.2% and 98.6% efficiencies respectively. In pentachlorophenol (PCP) adsorption, CNP, C-CPC and C-TTAB had removal efficiencies of 85.6%, 87.7% and 84.6% respectively. The findings suggest that isolation of CNP and consequent modification with the surfactants increases adsorption efficiency of clay against the water pollutants. 1. Egbuchunam T. O., Obi G., Okieimen, F. E., and Tihminlioglu F. (2015). Effect of exchanged surfactant cation on the structure of kaolinitic clay.

Phospholipids are among the many components of algae bio oil, and they harbor the trans-esterification process by poisoning the catalyst, hence the need for they removal prior to this process is crucial. Mesoporous silica materials are feasible and viable candidates for the selective removal of phospholipids by tailoring their surface morphology using different surfactants (templates) for specific and selective adsorption. In this study, the adsorption of phospholipids using lecithin template mesoporous silica microparticles (Leci-MSM) was investigated. Comparative studies using cetyltriammoniumbromide mesoporous microparticles (CTAB-MSM) were also carried out. Both Leci-MSM and CTAB-MSM were synthesized via sol-gel process, packed into mini columns and used for column breakthrough adsorption studies. Scanning electron micrographs revealed a particle size of 5.0 µm for Leci-MSM and 2.95 µm for CTAB-MSM. Textural analysis by BET and BJH exhibited a surface area of 425 and 1210 m2/g for Leci-MSM and CTAB-MSM, respectively. A pore volume of 1.59 and 2.77 cc/g for Leci-MSM and CTAB-MSM, respectively, were also obtained. In addition, Leci-MSM revealed a column breakthrough volume of 28 mL at 41 min, while for the CTAB-MSM was 46 mL at 53 min. The actual adsorption capacity recorded by Leci-MSM was 11.34 mg/g and 8.71 mg/g for CTAB-MSM.

Polyethylene glycol-based polymeric monolithic stationary phases (capillary columns of 0.32 mm I.D.) were successfully prepared via one-pot-single-step reaction and were use in ion chromatography for the separation of several common inorganic anions. It should be noted that the prepared polyethylene glycol-monoliths were able to retain and separate the anions even though there were no ion-exchange sites. The retention mechanism was found to be based on the eluent cations trapped among the polyethylene glycol chains and worked as the anion-exchange sites. Several parameters such as the reaction conditions, monomer:porogen ratios, type of eluents, etc., were investigated. The relative standard deviations obtained for the retention times and signal intensities were less than 5 and 10% respectively. Theoretical plate numbers obtained for the separation of these anions were calculated to be in the range of 700-4300 plates for capillary columns of 10 cm in length.