ARSENIX Project – “Portuguese rice fields as a laboratory modelling for water decontamination by iron chelatin type nanoparticles” is a FCT – Exploratory Project. It is focused on the study of the release of toxic metals, particularly Arsenium, into water systems during the rice growth, which is of great importance. Different methods based on the use of magnetic iron oxide chelating type nanoparticles will be tested in the rice fields for the removal of toxic metals present in the water systems. In this line, Arsenium remediation will be tested with: extraction, adsorption regeneration and reuse of the nanoparticles, aiming the determination of the best conditions for the adsorption of As(III) ions. The rice fields will be used as a Test Site: the C2TN team will conduct preliminary tests of the methodologies in their laboratories, after which the most effective ones will be transferred and improved in the rice fields. The final reuse of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles will contribute to a significative reduction of the economic burden associated with the water treatment processes.
The project is led by C2TN with team from 3 Research Groups, with funding from FCT and in collaboration with researchers from the University of Messina and the University of Sassari, Italy.
