Pereira-Almao, PedroNafie, Ghada Hamdy2023-02-112020-10-06Nafie, G. H. (2020). Customizing Nanoparticles for Environmental Applications - Wastewater Treatment and Valuable Metals Extraction (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/115854This thesis focuses on two related objectives: the remediation of the environmental footprint of oil sands mining and increasing the efficiency of new energy technologies. Both aim to design and develop nanoparticles for energy and environment applications in order to ensure the sustainability of the global energy resources. Canada produces large volumes of wastewater as a result of mining and other industrial operations. This water contains significant amounts of oil and fines consisting of silt and clays that form a stable colloidal suspension, which presents a challenge to settling. Classical flocculants were proven to be ineffective or costly in the treatment of this water. Tailor-made grafted acrylamide monomer pyroxene nanoparticles (GAM) were prepared and characterized using FTIR, TGA, BET, XRD and SEM. The prepared nanoparticles were then employed as efficient environmentally friendly flocculants for enhanced particle settling. After settling, the turbidity of the supernatant and the capillary suction time of the subnatent were measured. GAM was compared to the commonly used flocculants and were found to enhance particle settling and solid dewaterability. Thus, presenting one material that serves as a practical wastewater treatment solution.The second part of this thesis focuses on the selective recovery of metals present in water sources. Advances in lithium extraction technologies are creating alternative energy possibilities with the goal to exploit the various natural resources, while lowering the carbon and other environmental footprints. However, efficiency and effective extraction remains an ongoing challenge. A lithium titanate nanomaterial was designed and prepared to recover lithium from water sources. Lithium titanate was prepared in the nano range using a hydrothermal method followed by thermal treatment. The material was characterized using XRD, TGA and BET. Experiments were conducted to test the ability of lithium to exit the prepared selective nanostructure. After exposing the nanomaterial to acids for ionic exchange, the supernatant was recovered and tested using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic spectroscopy (ICP). The solids were dried and tested using the XRD to confirm their crystalline structure. This research presents promising applications for the past and future energy market that ensures the sustainability of our natural resources while reducing environmental impacts.enUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.OSPWWastewater treatmentNanoparticlesFlocculantsPolyacrylamidesFlocculant thickeningAcrylamidesSettlingISRCSTTailing pondsSuspended particlesNanopyroxenesGraftingLithium extractionLithium productionBrinesEngineering--ChemicalEngineering--Environmentaldoctoral thesis