Department of Chemistry

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 - 11:00am
Chemistry, Room 400 - "SEMINAR CANCELED"

 Arsenic, mercury and other heavy metals can be completed removed from water using the synthetic dithiol, N,N’-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)isophthalamide), BDTH₂ (commonly known as “B9”). For example, aqueous concentrations of As(III) or Hg(II) in the ppm to ppb range can be reduced to low ppb levels by precipitation as BDT-As(OH) or BDT-Hg (Water Res. 42 (2008) 2025).  B9 is unique among thiol compounds in that it has no odor and does not form disulfide (-S-S-) bonds (which would make it inactive towards contaminant capture). In order to address water filtration applications, a derivative of B9, called “AB9”, was synthesized and attached to silica (see figure below). The new solid-supported reagent completely removes arsenite (As(III)) from water at low flow rates, and an appreciable fraction of arsenite at home water filter flow rates. This presentation will provide details on the structure and bonding of B9 and AB9 metal and metalloid compounds, background information on the environmental problems associated with arsenic and mercury, and demonstrate how fundamental inorganic concepts are used in the research.