Adsorption of Bacillus subtilis on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates, activated carbon and NanoCeram

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 148 - 156
• Main Authors: Upadhyayula, Venkata K.K., Deng, Shuguang, Smith, Geoffrey B., Mitchell, Martha C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: activated carbon; adsorbents; Adsorption; Adsorption equilibrium; Adsorption kinetics; animal pathogens; Applied sciences; Bacillus subtilis; Bacillus subtilis - metabolism; Bacillus subtilis - ultrastructure; bacterial spores; Biosensor; biosensors; carbon nanotubes; Charcoal - metabolism; drinking water; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Exact sciences and technology; human health; Kinetics; microbial contamination; Nanoparticles - microbiology; nanotechnology; Nanotubes, Carbon - microbiology; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; Pollution; Porosity; simulation models; Single-walled carbon nanotubes; Spores, Bacterial - metabolism; Spores, Bacterial - ultrastructure; Surface Properties; Temperature; Wastes; water treatment; Water treatment and pollution; Adsorption kinetics; Bacillus subtilis; Single-walled carbon nanotubes; Biosensor; Adsorption equilibrium; Equilibrium constant; Microbiology; Porous medium; Bacillaceae; Modeling; Spores; Bacillales; Bioaerosol; Batchwise; Activated carbon; Pathogenic; Surface properties; Bacteria; Phase partition; Biological contamination; Water resources; Pollutant behavior; Henry constant; Adsorption; Aerosols; Air pollution; Water pollution; Kinetics
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2008.09.023

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of Bacillus subtilis spores on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates were investigated to explore the possibility of using single-walled carbon nanotubes for concentration, detection and removal of pathogens from contaminated water sources. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to determine adsorption kinetics and adsorption equilibrium of B. subtilis spores on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates, activated carbon and NanoCeram™. The adsorption kinetics data were analyzed with both the Lagergren pseudo first order and a pseudo second order models. The adsorption equilibrium data on three porous media were quantified by the Henry's law constant. It was observed that both the Lagergren first order rate model and the pseudo second order model correlate the adsorption kinetic data well although the calculated adsorption rate constants vary with adsorbate concentrations. The Henry's law adsorption equilibrium constant of B. subtilis spores on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates is about 27–37 times higher than those on activated carbon and NanoCeram™. The high adsorption affinity of carbon nanotubes towards the B. subtilis spores is due to the mesoporous structure and unique surface properties of carbon nanotubes. These results suggest that single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates are good candidates as biosensors and adsorbent media for concentrating, detecting and removal of pathogens from contaminated water resources.