Chemistry Weekly Seminar - Inimfon Udoetok
PhD student Inimfon Udoetok will present a seminar on his PhD research.
Title: Modified Biopolymer Sorbents for the Uptake of Naphthenic Acids from Aqueous Solutions
The uncontrolled release of contaminants into the aquatic environment relates to industrial activities such as the extraction of bitumen from oil sands. This is a key challenge facing global water security due to reports on the toxicity of naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). The objective of my research concerns the development of biopolymer sorbent materials for the removal of NAFCs from aqueous solution. The aim of this presentation is to describe research progress on synthesis, characterization and adsorption properties of chitosan and cellulose based biosorbents, and the effects of their self-assembly on the sorption properties of the composite materials. The results obtained from these studies reveal that synthetic modification of biopolymers via covalent cross-linking, grafting, and self-assembly of components yield biosorbents with unique adsorption properties, especially for the uptake of organic anions such as NAFCs. This research contributes to the development of biopolymer materials and the feasibility of adsorption-based technology for the contolled removal of NAFCs and related waterborne contaminants.