Title: Fe-MCM-41 synthesis using mining sludge from Mariana-MG Brazil environmental disaster and its application for potentially toxic elements sorption
Description
The data and algorithms of mathematical modeling refer to a study of the reuse of a highly abundant waste, mining sludge, which causes a negative environmental impact on water, soil, and sediments due to the high charge of potentially toxic elements (PTE). The aim was to produce a material capable of decontaminating affected areas, mainly by PTE. Fe-MCM-41 was obtained from silicon and iron simultaneous extraction from mining sludge by a simple process, incorporating Fe in the structure without using reagents for iron source. In addition, contrary to previously published, uncalcined Fe-MCM-41 made its production more straightforward and environmentally friendly, reducing energy costs. Although without calcining, the material presented PTE sorption capabilities comparable and even superior to the results found in the literature for calcined materials and functionalized with organic molecules, showing that it is possible to reduce the number of reagents and processes during synthesis and obtain a metal sorption efficient material. Our proposal seeks compatibility with the Principles of Green Chemistry. Incorporating Fe into the structure improved the sorption characteristics of the material. Given its sorptive characteristics, the material could, for example, be incorporated into geological barriers for environmental control in situations of release of waste contaminated by potentially toxic metals.