Asst. Prof. Shahla Ismail Ibrahim, a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Engineering at the College of Engineering – University of Baghdad, has been granted a patent issued by the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control / Ministry of Planning for her invention entitled:
“A Method for Utilizing Fly Ash in the Fabrication of a Novel Heterogeneous and Reusable Magnetic Nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@Fly Ash@GO@BiOCl) for Highly Efficient Removal of Methyl Orange Dye Using Visible-Light Photocatalysis and Bacterial Inactivation in Wastewater.”
The patent represents part of the PhD dissertation of doctoral student Russul Hussein Jaber. The research falls within modern trends in the development of environmental nanomaterials through the utilization of industrial waste to produce efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly photocatalysts.
The work involved the preparation of a novel heterogeneous magnetic nanocomposite for the first time in Iraq and globally, using fly ash generated from thermal power plants that rely on crude oil for electricity generation. The composite was prepared through simple washing and calcination techniques, aiming to utilize this industrial by-product, which is considered one of the most abundantly produced wastes worldwide, with global quantities estimated at approximately 750 million tons annually, often disposed of without treatment, posing significant environmental challenges.
The study successfully transformed this waste material into a functional nanomaterial with added value for environmental applications. The prepared composite was characterized using several analytical techniques, including SEM, TEM, XRD, DRS, BET, UV–Vis, and VSM.
The results demonstrated the superior performance of the synthesized composite in removing Methyl Orange dye under visible light irradiation, achieving 100% removal within 105 minutes under natural conditions, along with 92.4% removal of total organic carbon (TOC). In addition, the composite showed high efficiency in inactivating Klebsiella bacteria within 90 minutes. The material also proved to be reusable for three consecutive cycles without loss of efficiency.
This achievement represents a significant scientific contribution that supports applied scientific research and strengthens sustainable environmental treatment efforts through the use of nanotechnology in water pollution remediation.
