The focus of the project addresses the environmental technological requirement to develop advanced methods for removing pollutants. The interest and efforts to develop new technologies aimed at more efficient treatment in detention and revaluation of hazardous waste is increasing in R & D plans. It is in this scenario where this project should be framed and in particular in the framework of the management of heavy metal cations, issue of high public interest in this decade.
Since the second half of the twentieth century, humanity has faced a huge scientific and technological development that is responsible for increased environmental pollution. As an example, we can mention two problems that are currently of concern and action of the Andalusian: Andalusian coastal pollution and urban wastewater. Therefore, this is a complex problem that pollutants sources are varied of origin and routes followed by various pollutants are diverse and, frequently, it is beyond the control necessary to avoid urban undesirable effects on the natural environment and. Therefore, a basic level research is demaned to implement the necessary mechanisms for the immobilization of such harmful cations.
The objectives and scope of this project are based on advances made by other research groups in the management of these types of contaminants and the latest research conducted by the research team that allowed design expandable high-charged layered silicates with special properties as precursors for the retention of harmful residues. Therefore, it is proposed in this project the organofunzionalization of such synthetic micas with thiol groups or alkylammonium cations of varying chain length and evaluation of its adsorption capacity and irreversible retention of heavy metals.