Development of Potassium Polytitanates Nanoadsorbents for the Removal of Lead Ions from Water - Dynamic Processes

Abstract

Centre for research and advanced studies of national polytechnic. Cinvestav Saltillo México 1. Introduction Lead (Pb) is a toxic element that accumulates in the body by inhaled air or ingested in food or water. Lead has been used for centuries to make water pipes and cooking utensils. In fact, lead is a very rare element in the lithosphere. Lead is one of the heavy metal that has a great number of applications in industrial activities that are necessary to life and its contact effects have been studied by some of researchers. Lead is present in applications such as: manufacture of accumulators, centralized waste landfill, copper smelter, electric-electronic components, electrowinning, inorganic chemicals, cast iron and steel, metal finishing, fusion and metal forming, powder metallurgy ferrous and non-ferrous, non-ferrous metal casting, organic chemicals plastics and synthetic fibers, chemical pesticides, storage batteries, antiknock gasoline, pigments porcelain enamel, plastics manufacturing, electricity generating by steam, transportation of cleaning equipment and combustion wastes. All these applications are due to its physicochemical properties than allows it to be compatible and shape easily to others materials with modified properties. It can be mixed with other metals to form useful materials. Most of these materials can be largely recovered, so that lead can be recycled. The environmental threat comes from the one used in chemical compounds. Its asymptomatic presence is one of the most important aspects in different diseases and also of environment caused by its contact or consumption of waters with low contents of this element (Naicker et al, 2010, Albalak et al, 2003 & Noona et al, 2001). There is great concern in cities of underdeveloped countries on five continents by the fact that lead influence in the human body can develop: anemia, kidney disease, brain damage, impaired nervous system function peripheral, high blood pressure, reproductive abnormalities, developmental defects, abnormal metabolism of vitamins, low intelligence quotient and sometimes death, (Hrudey et al., 1995 USEPA, 1992). The greatest concern that its presence there affects mainly children under 6 years and unborn babies (Zhang et al., 2005, Naicker et al., 2010, & Riddell et al., 2007). On the other hand, lead plays an important role in the food chain and is of vital environmental importance because it alters the ecosystems and natural soils(Tong et al, 2000). The lethal dose of lead absorbed is estimated at 0.5 mg. The accumulation and toxicity appear if was adsorbed more than 0.5 mg per day. The half life of lead in bone is 32 years and in the kidney of 7 years. The exposure limit for lead in air is 0.15 mg/m 3. The exposure www.intechopen.com Advances in Ceramics-Electric and Magnetic Ceramics, Bioceramics, Ceramics and Environment Advances in Ceramics-Electric and Magnetic Ceramics, Bioceramics, Ceramics and Environment 490 are mixed homogeneously to form a precursor powder and then put into a furnace. The heat treatment is ba...