Innovative utilization of quartz: creating nanosilica adsorbents for dye removal and norfloxacin sensing applications

Abstract

This article describes the synthesis of silica nanoparticles from a quartz-based mineral, which was sequentially subjected to thermal and acid treatments to remove impurities, followed by alkaline treatment to obtain a sodium silicate solution. As a result of precipitation of sodium silicate with nitric acid, followed by washing and drying, silica nanoparticles were obtained. These nanoparticles exhibited spherical morphology, amorphous nature, and chemical purity, as confirmed by SEM, XRD, and chemical-elemental analysis. Through the modification of nanosized silica using N-containing silanes, a series of monofunctional materials containing amino-, diamino-, and secondary amino groups, as well as a bifunctional material with amino and phenyl groups, were synthesised. It was established that the synthesised particles exhibit nanoscale dimensions and surface amino groups, indicating their potential for efficient removal of pollutants from aqueous solutions. The adsorption properties of the obtained functional materials were investigated concerning the fluorescent textile dye disperse yellow 82, which may be present in wastewater from textile industries. It was demonstrated that the dye-loaded materials can serve as potential sensors for the fluorescent detection of norfloxacin in aqueous solutions.