Comparative performance evaluation of Aspergillus lentulus for dye removal through bioaccumulation and biosorption

Dyes used in various industries are discharged into the environment and pose major environmental concern. In the present study, fungal isolate Aspergillus lentulus was utilized for the treatment of various dyes, dye mixtures and dye containing effluent in dual modes, bioaccumulation (employing growing biomass) and biosorption (employing pre-cultivated biomass). The effect of dye toxicity on the growth of the fungal isolate was studied through phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy. Dye biosorption was studied using first and second-order kinetic models. Effects of factors influencing adsorption and isotherm studies were also conducted. During bioaccumulation, good removal was obtained for anionic dyes (100 mg/l), viz. Acid Navy Blue, Fast Red A and Orange-HF dye (99.4 %, 98.8 % and 98.7 %, respectively) in 48 h. Cationic dyes (10 mg/l), viz. Rhodamine B and Methylene Blue, had low removal efficiency (80.3 % [48 h] and 92.7 % [144 h], respectively) as compared to anionic dyes. In addition to this, fungal isolate showed toxicity response towards Methylene Blue by producing larger aggregates of fungal pellets. To overcome the limitations of bioaccumulation, dye removal in biosorption mode was studied. In this mode, significant removal was observed for anionic (96.7–94.3 %) and cationic (35.4–90.9 %) dyes in 24 h. The removal of three anionic dyes and Rhodamine B followed first-order kinetic model whereas removal of Methylene Blue followed second-order kinetic model. Overall, fungal isolate could remove more than 90 % dye from different dye mixtures in bioaccumulation mode and more than 70 % dye in biosorption mode. Moreover, significant color removal from handmade paper unit effluent in bioaccumulation mode (86.4 %) as well as in biosorption mode (77.1 %) was obtained within 24 h. This study validates the potential of fungal isolate, A. lentulus, to be used as the primary organism for treating dye containing wastewater.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic studies of As(V) removal from water by zirconium oxide-coated marine sand

Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a major threat to human beings globally. Among various methods available for arsenic removal, adsorption is fast, inexpensive, selective, accurate, reproducible and eco-friendly in nature. The present paper describes removal of arsenate from water on zirconium oxide-coated sand (novel adsorbent). In the present work, zirconium oxide-coated sand was prepared and characterised by infrared and X-ray diffraction techniques. Batch experiments were performed to optimise different adsorption parameters such as initial arsenate concentration (100–1,000 μg/L), dose (1–8 g/L), pH of the solution (2–14), contact time (15–150 min.), and temperature (20, 30, 35 and 40 °C). The experimental data were analysed by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models. Furthermore, thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were evaluated to know the mode of adsorption between ZrOCMS and As(V). The maximum removal of arsenic, 97 %, was achieved at initial arsenic concentration of 200 μg/L, after 75 min at dosage of 5.0 g/L, pH?7.0 and 27?±?2 °C. For 600 μg/L concentration, the maximum Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity was found to be 270 μg/g at 35 °C. Kinetic modelling data indicated that adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The mechanism is controlled by liquid film diffusion model. Thermodynamic parameter, ΔH°, was ?57.782, while the values of ΔG° were ?9.460, ?12.183, ?13.343 and ?13.905 kJ/mol at 20, 30, 35 and 40 °C, respectively, suggesting exothermic and spontaneous nature of the process. The change in entropy, ΔS°?=??0.23 kJ/mol indicated that the entropy decreased due to adsorption of arsenate ion onto the solid adsorbent. The results indicated that the reported zirconium oxide-coated marine sand (ZrOCMS) was good adsorbent with 97 % removal capacity at 200 μg/L concentration. It is interesting to note that the permissible limit of arsenic as per World Health Organization is 10 μg/L, and in real situation, this low concentration can be achieved through this adsorbent. Besides, the adsorption capacity showed that this adsorbent may be used for the removal of arsenic from any natural water resource.     

Use of activated dry flowers (ADF) of Alstonia Scholaris for chromium (Vl) removal: equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics studies

In this study, a natural adsorbent (activated dry flowers (ADF)) was prepared from plant-derived waste biomass by chemical activation and employed for chromium (VI) removal from aqueous medium using experimental batch technique. Experiments were carried out as function of adsorbent dosage, pH, and contact time. The maximum chromium (Vl) removal was observed at initial pH 3 (~94 % removal). The equilibrium data was fitted well to Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption capacity of ADF was found to be 4.40 (mg chromium (Vl)/g) which was comparable to the adsorption capacity of some other adsorbents documented. Among various kinetic models applied, pseudo second-order model was found to explain the kinetics of chromium (VI) adsorption most effectively (R ² >0.99). Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG, ΔS, and ΔH shows that adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic at all the concentration ranges studied. Desorption of chromium (Vl) with 2 N NaOH was effective (~71 %) and, hence, there exists the possibility of recycling the ADF. The major advantages of using ADF as an adsorbent are due to its effectiveness in reducing the concentration of chromium (Vl) to very low levels. It requires little processing and is reversible as well as eco-friendly in contrast to traditional methods.     

Biosorption characteristics of Bacillus gibsonii S-2 waste biomass for removal of lead (II) from aqueous solution

Lead (II) has been as one of the most toxic heavy metals because it is associated with many health hazards. Therefore, people are increasingly interested in discovering new methods for effectively and economically scavenging lead (II) from the aquatic system. Recent studies demonstrate biosorption is a promising technology for the treatment of pollutant streams. To apply these techniques, suitable adsorbents with high efficiency and low cost are demanded. The waste biomass of Bacillus gibsonii S-2 biosorbent was used as low-cost biosorbent to remove metallic cations lead (II) from aqueous solution. To optimize the maximum removal efficiency, the effect of pH and temperature on the adsorption process was studied. The isotherm models, kinetic models and thermodynamic parameters were analysed to describe the adsorptive behaviour of B. gibsonii S-2 biosorbent. The mechanisms of lead (II) biosorption were also analysed by FTIR and EDX. The results showed that the optimum pH values for the biosorption at three different temperatures, i.e. 20, 30 and 40 °C, were determined as 4. The equilibrium data were well fitted to Langmuir model, with the maximum lead (II) uptake capacities of 333.3 mg?g^?1. The kinetics for lead (II) biosorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. The thermodynamic data showed that the biosorption process were endothermic (?G?<?0), spontaneous (?H?>?0) and irreversible (?S?>?0). The mechanism of lead (II) biosorption by the waste biomass of B. gibsonii S-2 biosorbent could be a combination of ion exchange and complexation with the functional groups present on the biosorbent surface. The application of the waste biomass of B. gibsonii S-2 for lead (II) adsorption, characterized with higher lead (II) sorption capacity and lower cost, may find potential application in industrial wastewater treatment.     

Removal of arsenic species from water by batch and column operations on bagasse fly ash

Bagasse fly ash (BFA, a sugar industrial waste) was used as low-cost adsorbent for the uptake of arsenate and arsenite species from water. The optimum conditions for the removal of both species of arsenic were as follows: pH 7.0, concentration 50.0 μg/L, contact time 50.0 min, adsorbent dose 3.0 g/L, and temperature 20.0 °C, with 95.0 and 89.5 % removal of arsenate and arsenite, respectively. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption isotherms were used to analyze the results. The results of these models indicated single-layer uniform adsorption on heterogeneous surface. Thermodynamic parameters, i.e., ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°, were also calculated. At 20.0 to 30.0 °C, the values of ΔG° lie in the range of ?4,722.75 to ?4,878.82 and ?4,308.80 to ?4,451.73 while the values of ΔH° and ΔS° were ?149.90 and ?121.07, and 15.61 and 14.29 for arsenate and arsenite, respectively, indicating that adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic. Pseudo-first-order kinetics was followed. In column experiments, the adsorption decreased as the flow rate increased with the maximum removal of 98.9 and 95.6 % for arsenate and arsenite, respectively. The bed depth service time and Yoon and Nelson models were used to analyze the experimental data. The adsorption capacity (N _o) of BFA on column was 3.65 and 2.98 mg/cm³ for arsenate and arsenite, respectively. The developed system for the removal of arsenate and arsenite species is economic, rapid, and capable of working under natural conditions. It may be used for the removal of arsenic species from any contaminated water resources.     

Investigating the potential of functionalized MCM-41 on adsorption of Remazol Red dye

The modification of MCM-41 was performed with 3-aminopropropyltrimethoxysilane. The structural order and textural properties of the synthesized materials were studied by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetry, nitrogen adsorption, and desorption analysis. The adsorption capacity of NH₂-MCM-41 was studied with Remazol Red dye. The following parameters were studied in the adsorption process: pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage, and initial concentration. The desorption process was studied in different concentrations of NaOH solutions. The Freundlich isotherm model was found to be fit with the equilibrium isotherm data. Kinetics of adsorption follows the modified Avrami rate equation. The maximum adsorption capacity was estimated to be 45.9 mg?g^?1, with removal of the dye of 99.1 %. The NH₂-MCM-41 material exhibited high desorption capacity with 98.1 %.     

Preparation of activated carbon from dried pods of Prosopis cineraria with zinc chloride activation for the removal of phenol

Utilization of agrowaste materials for the production of activated carbon, as an excellent adsorbent with large surface area, is well established industrially, for dephenolation of wastewater. In the present work, dried pods of Prosopis cineraria—a novel and low-cost agrowaste material—were used to prepare activated carbons by zinc chloride activation. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the effects of various physicochemical parameters such as initial phenol concentration, adsorbent dose, initial solution pH, and temperature. Pseudo-first-order second-order and diffusion kinetic models were used to identify the possible mechanisms of such adsorption process. The Langmuir and Freundlich equations were used to analyze the adsorption equilibrium. Maximum removal efficiency of 86 % was obtained with 25 mg?L^?1 of initial phenol concentration. The favorable pH for maximum phenol adsorption was 4.0. Freundlich equation represented the adsorption equilibrium data more ideally than the Langmuir. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained was 78.32 mg?g^?1 at a temperature of 30 °C and 25 mg?L^?1 initial phenol concentration. The adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic. The pseudo-second-order model, an indication of chemisorption mechanism, fitted the experimental data better than the pseudo-first-order Lagergren model. Regeneration of spent activated carbon was carried out using Pseudomonas putida MTCC 2252 as the phenol-degrading microorganism. Maximum regeneration up to 57.5 % was recorded, when loaded phenol concentration was 25 mg?L^?1. The data obtained in this study would be useful in designing and fabricating an efficient treatment plant for phenol-rich effluents.     

Removal mechanisms and kinetics of trace tetracycline by two types of activated sludge treating freshwater sewage and saline sewage

Understanding the removal mechanisms and kinetics of trace tetracycline by activated sludge is critical to both evaluation of tetracycline elimination in sewage treatment plants and risk assessment/management of tetracycline released to soil environment due to the application of biosolids as fertilizer. Adsorption is found to be the primary removal mechanism while biodegradation, volatilization, and hydrolysis can be ignored in this study. Adsorption kinetics was well described by pseudo-second-order model. Faster adsorption rate (k ₂?=?2.04?×?10^?2?g?min^?1?μg^?1) and greater adsorption capacity (q _e?=?38.8 μg?g^?1) were found in activated sludge treating freshwater sewage. Different adsorption rate and adsorption capacity resulted from chemical properties of sewage matrix rather than activated sludge surface characteristics. The decrease of tetracycline adsorption in saline sewage was mainly due to Mg²⁺ which significantly reduced adsorption distribution coefficient (K _d) from 12,990?±?260 to 4,690?±?180 L?kg^?1. Species-specific adsorption distribution coefficients followed the order of $ K_{\mathrm{d}}^{{ + 00}} \gg K_{\mathrm{d}}^{{ + - 0}} > K_{\mathrm{d}}^{{ + - - }} $ . Contribution of zwitterionic tetracycline to the overall adsorption was >90 % in the actual pH range in aeration tank. Adsorption of tetracycline in a wide range of temperature (10 to 35 °C) followed the Freundlich adsorption isotherm well.     

Removal of Cr(VI) onto Ficus carica biosorbent from water

The utilization of sustainable and biodegradable lignocellulosic fiber to detoxify the noxious Cr(VI) from wastewater is considered a versatile approach to clean up a contaminated aquatic environment. The aim of the present research is to assess the proficiency and mechanism of biosorption on Ficus carica bast fiber via isotherm models (Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Harkin’s–Jura, and Dubinin–Radushkevich), kinetic models, and thermodynamic parameters. The biomass extracted from fig plant was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. To optimize the maximum removal efficiency, different parameters like effect of initial concentration, effect of temperature, pH, and contact time were studied by batch method. The equilibrium data were best represented by the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) onto biosorbent was found to be 19.68 mg/g. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model adequately described the kinetic data. The calculated values of thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy change (?H ⁰), entropy change (?S ⁰), and free energy change (?G ⁰) were 21.55 kJ/mol, 76.24 J/mol?K, and ?1.55 kJ/mol, respectively, at 30 °C which accounted for spontaneous and endothermic processes. The study of adsorbent capacity for Cr(VI) removal in the presence of Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, SO ₄ ^2? , HCO ₃ ^? and Cl^? illustrated that the removal of Cr(VI) increased in the presence of HCO^3? ions; the presence of Na⁺, SO ₄ ^2? or Cl^? showed no significant influence on Cr(VI) adsorption, while Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions led to an insignificant decrease in Cr(VI) adsorption. Further, the desorption studies illustrated that 31.10 % of metal ions can be removed from an aqueous system, out of which 26.63 % of metal ions can be recovered by desorption in first cycle and the adsorbent can be reused. The results of the scale-up study show that the ecofriendly detoxification of Cr(VI) from aqueous systems was technologically feasible.     

Multi-component adsorption of copper,nickel and zinc from aqueous solutions onto activated carbon prepared from date stones

The removal of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions from their multi-component aqueous mixture by sorption on activated carbon prepared from date stones was investigated. In the batch tests, experimental parameters were studied, including solution pH, contact time, initial metal ions concentration, and temperature. Adsorption efficiency of the heavy metals was pH-dependent and the maximum adsorption was found to occur at around 5.5 for Cu, Zn, and Ni. The maximum sorption capacities calculated by applying the Langmuir isotherm were 18.68 mg/g for Cu, 16.12 mg/g for Ni, and 12.19 mg/g for Zn. The competitive adsorption studies showed that the adsorption affinity order of the three heavy metals was Cu²⁺?>?Ni²⁺?>?Zn²⁺. The test results using real wastewater indicated that the prepared activated carbon could be used as a cheap adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals in aqueous solutions.     

Synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanofibers for applications in removal and recovery of Cr(VI) from wastewater

Purpose

Nanomaterials such as iron oxides and ferrites have been intensively investigated for water treatment and environmental remediation applications. The purpose of this work is to synthesize α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers for potential applications in removal and recovery of noxious Cr(VI) from wastewater.

Methods

α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal route followed by calcination. The crystallographic structure and the morphology of the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, and Fourier transform infrared spectra were recorded before and after adsorption to investigate the Cr(VI) removal performance and adsorption mechanism. Langmuir and Freundlich modes were employed to analyze the adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) on the α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers.

Results

Very thin and porous α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers have been successfully synthesized for investigation of Cr(VI) removal capability from synthetic wastewater. Batch experiments revealed that the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers exhibited excellent Cr(VI) removal performance with a maximum adsorption capacity of 16.17 mg g^?1. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity almost kept unchanged after recycling and reusing. The Cr(VI) adsorption process was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS° at 298 K were calculated to be ?26.60 kJ?mol^?1, ?3.32 kJ?mol^?1, and 78.12 J?mol^?1 K^?1, respectively.

Conclusions

The as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃ nanofibers can be utilized as efficient low-cost nano-absorbents for removal and recovery of Cr(VI) from wastewater.     

Modelling the adsorption of mercury onto natural and aluminium pillared clays

Introduction

The removal of heavy metals by natural adsorbent has become one of the most attractive solutions for environmental remediation. Natural clay collected from the Late Cretaceous Aleg formation, Tunisia was used as a natural adsorbent for the removal of Hg(II) in aqueous system.

Methods

Physicochemical characterization of the adsorbent was carried out with the aid of various techniques, including chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron micrograph. Batch sorption technique was selected as an appropriate technique in the current study. Method parameters, including pH, temperature, initial metal concentration and contact time, were varied in order to quantitatively evaluate their effects on Hg(II) adsorption onto the original and pillared clay samples. Adsorption kinetic was studied by fitting the experimental results to the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The adsorption data were also simulated with Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms.

Results

Results showed that the natural clay samples are mainly composed of silica, alumina, iron, calcium and magnesium oxides. The sorbents are mainly mesoporous materials with specific surface area of <250 m² g^?1. From the adsorption of Hg(II) studies, experimental data demonstrated a high degree of fitness to the pseudo-second-order kinetics with an equilibration time of 240 min. The equilibrium data showed the best model fit to Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacities of 9.70 and 49.75 mg g^?1 for the original and aluminium pillared clays, respectively. The maximum adsorption of Hg(II) on the aluminium pillared clay was observed to occur at pH 3.2. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (?G°, ?H° and ?S°) showed an exothermic adsorption process. The entropy values varied between 60.77 and 117.59 J?mol^?1 K^?1, and those of enthalpy ranged from 16.31 to 30.77 kJ mol^?1. The equilibrium parameter (R _L) indicated that the adsorption of Hg(II) on Tunisian smectitic clays was favourable under the experimental conditions of this study.

Conclusion

The clay of the Aleg formation, Tunisia was found to be an efficient adsorbent for Hg(II) removal in aqueous systems.     

Treatment of industrial wastewater containing Congo Red and Naphthol Green B using low-cost adsorbent

The present work investigates the potential use of metal hydroxides sludge (MHS) generated from hot dipping galvanizing plant for adsorption of Congo Red and Naphthol Green B dyes from aqueous solutions. Characterization of MHS included infrared and X-ray fluorescence analysis. The effect of shaking time, initial dye concentration, temperature, adsorbent dosage and pH has been investigated. The results of adsorption experiments indicate that the maximum capacity of Congo Red and Naphthol Green B dyes at equilibrium (q _e) and percentage of removal at pH 6 are 40 mg/g, 93 %, and 10 mg/g, 52 %, respectively. Some kinetic models were used to illustrate the adsorption process of Congo Red and Naphthol Green B dyes using MHS waste. Thermodynamic parameters such as (ΔG, ΔS, and ΔH) were also determined.     

Dynamic behaviour of Cd2+ adsorption in equilibrium batch studies by CaCO3 −-rich Corbicula fluminea shell

This work presents the structural and adsorption properties of the CaCO₃ ^?-rich Corbicula fluminea shell as a natural and economic adsorbent to remove Cd ions from aqueous solutions under batch studies. Experiments were conducted with different contact times, various initial concentrations, initial solution pH and serial biosorbent dosage to examine the dynamic characterization of the adsorption and its influence on Cd uptake capacity. The characterization of the C. fluminea shell using SEM/EDX revealed that the adsorbent surface is mostly impregnated by small particles of potentially calcium salts. The dominant Cd adsorption mechanism is strongly pH and concentration dependent. A maximum Cd removal efficiency of 96.20 % was obtained at pH 7 while the optimum adsorbent dosage was observed as 5 g/L. The Langmuir isotherm was discovered to be more suitable to represent the experimental equilibrium isotherm results with higher correlation coefficients (R ²?>?0.98) than Freundlich (R ²?<?0.97).The correlation coefficient values (p?<?0.01) indicated the superiority of the Langmuir isotherm over the Freundlich isotherm.     

Biosorption of arsenic in drinking water by submerged plant: Hydrilla verticilata

To evaluate the biosorption efficacy of submerged aquatic plant Hydrilla verticilata for arsenic uptake from drinking water. H. verticillata, a submerged aquatic plant was utilized successfully for arsenic uptake from aqueous solution. Batch studies with various parameters viz. pH, sorbent dose, contact time, initial metal ion concentration, and temperature were carried out. Data were utilized to plot Lagergren graph along with pseudo-second-order graphs for kinetic studies to estimate the removal efficacy and to determine the nature of reaction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have been performed for characterization of metals on biomass. The study showed 96.35 % maximum absorption of arsenic by H. verticilata at initial concentration of 100 ppb with 0.5 g of biomass/100 ml for 5 h contact time at pH?6.0 with 150 rpm agitation rate. Data followed Langmuir isotherm showing sorption to be monolayer on homogeneous surface of biosorbent. The negative values of ΔG° indicated spontaneous nature; whereas ΔH° indicates exothermic nature of system and negative value of ?S° entropy change correspond to a decrease in the degree of freedom to the adsorbed species followed by pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics. FTIR and SEM results showed apparent changes in functional group regions after metal chelation and the changes in surface morphology of biosorbent. This is a comparatively more effective, economic, easily available, and environmentally safe source for arsenic uptake from solution due to its high biosorption efficacy than other biosorbents already used.     

A comparative investigation on the biosorption of lead by filamentous fungal biomass

The removal of lead from aqueous solutions by adsorption on filamentous fungal biomass was studied. Batch biosorption experiments were performed to screen a series of selected fungal strains for effective lead removal at different metal and biomass concentrations. Biosorption of the Pb²⁺ ions was strongly affected by pH. The fungal biomass exhibited the highest lead adsorption capacity at pH 6. Isotherms for the biosorption of lead on fungal biomass were developed and the equilibrium data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model. At pH 6, the maximum lead biosorption capacity of Mucor rouxii estimated with the Langmuir model was 769 mg/g dry biomass, significantly higher than that of most microorganisms. Biomass of Mucor rouxii showed specific selectivity for Pb²⁺ over other metals ions such as Zn²⁺. Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺. This fungal strain may be applied to develop potentially cost-effective biosorbent for removing lead from effluents. The technique of scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray dispersion analysis shows that Pb²⁺ has exchanged with K⁺ and Ca²⁺ on the cell wall of Mucor rouxii, thereby suggesting ion exchange as one of the dominant mechanisms of metal biosorption for this fungal strain.     

Kinetics and isotherm analysis of Tropaeoline 000 adsorption onto unsaturated polyester resin (UPR): a non-carbon adsorbent

The presence of dyes in water is undesirable due to the toxicological impact of their entrance into the food chain. Owing to the recalcitrant nature of dyes to biological oxidation, a tertiary treatment like adsorption is required. In the present study, unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) has been used as a sorbent in the treatment of dye-contaminated water. Different concentrations of Tropaeoline 000 containing water were treated with UPR. The preliminary investigations were carried out by batch adsorption to examine the effects of pH, adsorbate concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature. A plausible mechanism for the ongoing adsorption process and thermodynamic parameters have also been obtained from Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. Thermodynamic parameter showed that the sorption process of Tropaeoline 000 onto activated carbon (AC) and UPR were feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic under studied conditions. The estimated values for (ΔG) are ?10.48?×?10³ and ?6.098?×?10³ kJ mol^?1 over AC and UPR at 303 K (30 °C), indicating towards a spontaneous process. The adsorption process followed pseudo-first-order model. The mass transfer property of the sorption process was studied using Lagergren pseudo-first-order kinetic models. The values of % removal and k _ad for dye systems were calculated at different temperatures (303–323 K). The mechanism of the adsorption process was determined from the intraparticle diffusion model.     

The dust retention capacities of urban vegetation—a case study of Guangzhou, South China

Urban vegetation increasingly plays an important role in the improvement of the urban atmospheric environment. This paper deals with the dust retention capacities of four urban tree species (Ficus virens var. sublanceolata, Ficus microcarpa, Bauhinia blakeana, and Mangifera indica Linn) in Guangzhou. The dust-retaining capacities of four tree species are studied under different pollution intensities and for different seasons. Remote sensing imagery was used to estimate the total aboveground urban vegetation biomass in different functional areas of urban Guangzhou, information that was then used to estimate the dust-retaining capacities of the different functional areas and the total removal of airborne particulates in urban Guangzhou by foliage. The results showed that urban vegetation can remove dust from the atmosphere thereby improving air quality. The major findings are that dust retention, or capture, vary between the four species of tree studied; it also varied between season and between types of urban functional area, namely industrial, commercial/road traffic, residential, and clean areas. Dust accumulation over time was also studied and reached a maximum, and saturation, after about 24 days. The overall aboveground biomass of urban vegetation in Guangzhou was estimated to be 52.0?×?10⁵ t, its total leaf area 459.01 km², and the dust-retaining capacity was calculated at 8012.89 t per year. The present study demonstrated that the foliage of tree species used in urban greening make a substantial contribution to atmospheric dust removal and retention in urban Guangzhou.