Application of FT-IR Spectroscopy for Investigation of Pink Water Remediation by Pine Bark

This study demonstrates the application of FT-IR spectroscopy for investigating the remediation of pink water with the low cost adsorbent pine bark. The removal of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from pink water by adsorption to pine bark was accompanied by a reduction in intensities of peaks at 1544 and 1347 cm in the spectra of acetonitrile extracts of the pine bark. Hierarchial cluster analysis differentiated samples with high (30-180 mg/L) and low (0-4 mg/L) TNT concentrations, demonstrating the potential of this approach as a quick screening method for the control of the removal of TNT from pink water. The amount of lignin in pine bark was inversely proportional to the size of the pine bark particles, while the concentration of phenolic hydroxyl groups increases with increasing size of pine bark particles. FT-IR spectra showed that as well as TNT, pine bark can also adsorb nitramine explosives such as RDX and HMX.