Potential of Syntesized Silica Nanoparticles (Si-NPs) using Corn Cob for Arsenic Heavy Metal Removal

According to recent studies, millions of people are suffering from Arsenic (As) toxicity contamination. Arsenic is one of the most toxic and carcinogenic chemical elements and its contamination in paddy field has become a chronic problem. In the agricultural sector, arsenic-contaminated water irrigation has a higher level of arsenic contamination on the top soil, which can affect the quality of crop production such as rice plants. Rice plant requires a considerable amount of water to complete its lifecycle. In Asean countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, Arsenic intake from rice is significantly higher, as rice plants have a special ability to take up arsenic from the soil and water used for irrigation. The transfer of arsenic from soil to plant systems is a serious issue that leads to considerable human exposure. Nanotechnology application plays vital role for any field work and research. In this research, the implementation of nanotechnology approach such as silica nanoparticles are able to remove the Arsenic heavy metal contamination. This paper focused on arsenic heavy metal removal using silica nanoparticles analaysed using spectrophotometric method.