Remediation of Wastewater for Nickel Using Copper Nanoflowers with Detection by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS)

A new and simple treatment was developed to remove nickel (Ni) ions from aqueous solution using a flower-shaped nanomaterial. Copper nanoflowers (CuNFs) with a high surface area and a petal-like morphology were synthesized. The optimum conditions were determined by one-step optimization measurements to maximize the removal efficiency. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was utilized for the detection of Ni. Spiking experiments were performed on synthetic wastewater samples. Satisfactory results for the removal of Ni in the wastewater were obtained equal to 82.6 ± 1.8, 91.4 ± 2.0, and 94.8 ± 3.6% following spiking by 50, 25, and 10 mg/L Ni, respectively. These results indicate the applicability and accuracy of the developed method in removing Ni from wastewater.