Crystalline and chemical studies on diatomite combined with cadmium sulfide nanocrystals for using in wastewater treatment

Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles as semiconducting compounds have a wide application in photocatalytic degradation of wastewaters and dyes. Also, diatomite, as a porous siliceous material, has a good potential for the adsorption of water contaminants. So, to combine these advantages, CdS nanoparticles were chemically and biologically synthesized using cadmium sulfate and sodium sulfide as precursors and the extracellular polymeric substances of Bacillus licheniformis as a stabilizing agent in the presence of chemically purified diatomite powder. The biosynthesized nanoparticles, diatomite powder, and the final product was characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The performed analysis indicated the successful fixation of the cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on the purified and unpurified diatomite powder.