US 12,121,875 B2
Method for removing MTBE from a contaminated aqueous solution
Bassam Shafiq Tawabini, Dhahran (SA); Muataz Ali Atieh, Dhahran (SA); Faraj Ahmad Abuilaiwi, Hafr Al Batin (SA); and Segun Biodun Adebayo, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA); and King Adbulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh (SA)
Filed by KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA); and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh (SA)
Filed on Aug. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/403,957.
Application 15/836,186 is a division of application No. 14/473,702, filed on Aug. 29, 2014, abandoned.
Application 17/403,957 is a continuation of application No. 16/787,691, filed on Feb. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,305,255.
Application 16/787,691 is a continuation of application No. 15/836,186, filed on Dec. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,596,546, issued on Mar. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370264 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01J 20/20 (2006.01); B01J 20/02 (2006.01); B01J 20/28 (2006.01); C02F 1/28 (2023.01); C02F 101/34 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 20/20 (2013.01) [B01J 20/02 (2013.01); B01J 20/0233 (2013.01); B01J 20/28059 (2013.01); C02F 1/288 (2013.01); C02F 1/281 (2013.01); C02F 1/283 (2013.01); C02F 2101/34 (2013.01); C02F 2305/08 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for removing MTBE from an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution, comprising:
forming acid-treated fly ash particles by stirring a raw fly ash with nitric acid to form a slurry; and
washing the slurry to produce the acid-treated fly ash particles which consist of carbon, oxygen, and sulfur;
doping the acid-treated fly ash particles with AgNO3 and calcining to form a a composition comprising the acid-treated fly ash particles and silver oxide nanoparticles; the silver oxide nanoparticles having diameters in a range of 1-10 nm;
wherein the silver oxide nanoparticles are present on the surface and in pore spaces of the acid-treated fly ash particles;
wherein the composition is in the form of particles having sizes in a range of 100 nm to 2.5 μm and a BET surface area of at least 16.789 m2/g,
wherein the acid-treated fly ash particles and the silver oxide nanoparticles are present in the composition at mass percentages of 50-90% and 10-50%, respectively, based on the total weight of the composition;
contacting the MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution with the composition to adsorb the MTBE and form a purified aqueous phase; then
separating the purified aqueous phase from the composition.