Characterization of the minerals, metal oxides and trace elements content on diatomite enhanced termite mounds as viable removal material of pollutants

The study's objective was to produce a potentially useful substance for eliminating impurities from aqueous solutions. The physicochemical, morphological, and mineralogical properties of Ethiopian termite mounds and diatomite clay are described in this study. The study demonstrates that diatomite-enhanced termite mounds are effective materials for pollutant removal. This conclusion is based on comprehensive evaluations of their mineral composition, metal oxides, crystallite size, surface area, pore volume, and trace elements, utilizing techniques such as XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM, BET, DSC, TGA, and pHPZC. For example, the data and information discovered showed that the natural termite mound (NTM) had a surface area of only 186.4 m²/g, but the modified termite mound (MTM) has a high surface area of 496.4 m²/g. The diatomite-blended mesoporous termite mound in the DMTM (1:9) and DMTM (2:3) ratios, on the other hand, had a greater surface area of 501.1 m²/g and 575.4 m²/g, respectively. The intrinsic high porosity and distinctive pore structures of diatomite, along with thermal treatment that modifies silica phases and shifts pore diameters, frequently decreasing them, are the main causes of changes in the surface area of a diatomite-based termite mound composite. It might be due to arise in kaolinite content from natural mounds (15%) to (34%) in modified termite mounds. The study indicates that the modified mounds will be more valuable in pollutant remediation, maybe by increasing the formation of clay aggregates for pollutant removal. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to combine mounds using a diatomite clay blending technique in order to describe the promising characteristics of the blended locally accessible material.