Adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution by jackfruit (Artocarpus heteropyllus) leaf powder: A fixed-bed column study

Continuous fixed-bed studies were undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of jackfruit leaf powder (JLP) as an adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution under the effect of various process parameters like bed depth (5–10 cm), flow rate (30–50 mL/min) and initial MB concentrations (100–300 mg/L). The pH at point of zero charge (pH_PZC) of the adsorbent was determined by the titration method and a value of 3.9 was obtained. A FTIR of the adsorbent was done before and after the adsorption to find the potential adsorption sites for interaction with methylene blue molecules. The results showed that the total adsorbed quantities and equilibrium uptake decreased with increasing flow rate and increased with increasing initial MB concentration. The longest breakthrough time and maximum MB adsorption were obtained at pH 10. The results showed that the column performed well at low flow rate. Also, breakthrough time and exhaustion time increased with increasing bed depth. The bed-depth service time (BDST) model and the Thomas model were applied to the adsorption of MB at different bed depths, flow rates, influent concentrations and pH to predict the breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic parameters of the column that are useful for process design. The two model predictions were in very good agreement with the experimental results at all the process parameters studied indicating that they were very suitable for JLP column design.     

Biosorption of Reactive Black 5 from aqueous solutions by chitosan: Column studies

Fixed-bed column studies were carried out to investigate the dynamic sorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) onto chitosan. The effect of operating parameters such as initial dye concentration, superficial flow velocity, bed height and particle size on the sorption of RB5 onto chitosan was studied. Column regeneration, dye recovery and the possibility of reusing the regenerated chitosan were also investigated. The results show that both the breakthrough curves and the adsorption parameters of the column were strongly affected by the operating parameters studied. An analysis of the breakthrough curves indicated that adsorption was affected by mass transfer limitations, probably due to intraparticle diffusion. An empirical model was applied to describe the breakthrough curves, while the Bohart–Adams and BDST models were used to determine the operating parameters useful in the process design. Elution of the column with 0.01 mol L^?1 NaOH allowed the chitosan to be regenerated and the dye to be recovered and concentrated. The concentration factor was 10. Several cycles of adsorption–elution showed that the regenerated chitosan retained good adsorption efficiency and the elution efficiency was always higher than 80%.     

活性炭纤维对Cu2＋吸附性能的研究

研究了pH值、吸附接触时间、铜离子的初始浓度及活性炭纤维（ACF）的投加量对活性炭纤维吸附Cu2＋的影响，并选取了最佳的实验条件。用Langmuir方程和Freundlich方程拟合活性炭纤维对Cu2＋吸附等温线，结果表明：活性炭纤维吸附Cu2＋更符合Langmuir等温式，其相关系数为0．9995，以单分子层吸附为主。对活性炭纤维改性能明显提高对Cu2＋的吸附，其中效果最佳的吸附量从4．8mg／g增加到17．32mg／g，提高了3．6倍。     

Summer cover crops reduce atrazine leaching to shallow groundwater in southern Florida

At Florida's southeastern tip, sweet corn (Zea Mays) is grown commercially during winter months. Most fields are treated with atrazine (6-chloro-N-ethyl-N'-[1-methylethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine). Hydrogeologic conditions indicate a potential for shallow groundwater contamination. This was investigated by measuring the parent compound and three degradates--DEA (6-chloro-N-[1-methylethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine), DIA (6-chloro-N-ethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine, and HA (6-hydroxy-N-[1-methylethyl]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine)--in water samples collected beneath sweet corn plots treated annually with the herbicide. During the study, a potential mitigation measure (i.e., the use of a cover crop, Sunn Hemp [Crotalaria juncea L.], during summer fallow periods followed by chopping and turning the crop into soil before planting the next crop) was evaluated. Over 3.5 yr and production of four corn crops, groundwater monitoring indicated leaching of atrazine, DIA, and DEA, with DEA accounting for more than half of all residues in most samples. Predominance of DEA, which increased after the second atrazine application, was interpreted as an indication of rapid and extensive atrazine degradation in soil and indicated that an adapted community of atrazine degrading organisms had developed. A companion laboratory study found a sixfold increase in atrazine degradation rate in soil after three applications. Groundwater data also revealed that atrazine and degradates concentrations were significantly lower in samples collected beneath cover crop plots when compared with concentrations below fallow plots. Together, these findings demonstrated a relatively small although potentially significant risk for leaching of atrazine and its dealkylated degradates to groundwater and that the use of a cover crop like Sunn Hemp during summer months may be an effective mitigation measure.     

活性炭纤维在油田采出废水处理中的应用

针对油田采出废水的特点,以粘胶基活性炭纤维为原料,经二次炭化和二次活化方式处理制得ACF样品。以ACF为过滤材料,对延长某采油厂经过沉降、分离处理后的采油废水进行动态吸附实验,实验结果表明:经水蒸汽二次活化得到的ACF样品对选用的油田废水处理效果最佳,其悬浮物颗粒粒径中值0.496μm(<1.0μm)、悬浮物含量为0.77mg/L(<1.0mg/L)。     

Performance and modeling studies of rotating biological contactor for treatment of vegetable oil wastewater

This study focuses on a lab-scale rotating biological contactor (RBC) treating vegetable oil wastewater with high BOD and COD. The fabricated RBC was checked for efficiency in degrading polluted wastewater under different operating conditions. The maximum removal efficiencies for BOD and COD were 95.75% and 89%, respectively. This high removal percentage was obtained with 30% submergence of 10 discs rotating at 8 rpm. For the first time, bio-kinetic models were applied to the experimental results for vegetable oil wastewater. The best fit was obtained with the modified Stover-Kincannon and Grau model. The saturation constant (K_s) values were 1.872 and 3.024 g/L/d for BOD and COD, respectively, for the modified Stover-Kincannon and Grau model. For the Grau second-order model, the saturation constant was 1.416 and 3.744 g/L/d for BOD and COD, respectively. The predicted effluent BOD and COD values of the modified Stover–Kincannon model fitted almost exactly with the experimental values. This clearly predicts that this model can be best used to predict effluent BOD and COD concentration in a Rotating Biological contactor treating vegetable oil wastewater. The kinetic parameters determined in this study can be used to improve the design and operation of continuous mode RBC systems.     

A SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION AND WATER QUALITY MODEL OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE1

ABSTRACT: The influence of sediment resuspension on the water quality of shallow lakes is well documented. However, a search of the literature reveals no deterministic mass-balance eutrophication models that explicitly include resuspension. We modified the Lake Okeechobee water quality model - which uses the Water Analysis Simulation Package (WASP) to simulate algal dynamics and phosphorus, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles - to include inorganic suspend. ed solids and algorithms that: (1) define changes in depth with changes in volume; (2) compute sediment resuspension based on bottom shear stress; (3) compute partition coefficients for ammonia and ortho-phosphorus to solids; and (4) relate light attenuation to solids concentrations. The model calibration and validation were successful with the exception of dissolved inorganic nitrogen species which did not correspond well to observed data in the validation phase. This could be attributed to an inaccurate formulation of algal nitrogen preference and/or the absence of nitrogen fixation in the model. The model correctly predicted that the lake is light-limited from resuspended solids, and algae are primarily nitrogen limited. The model simulation suggested that biological fluxes greatly exceed external loads of dissolved nutrients; and sediment-water interactions of organic nitrogen and phosphorus far exceed external loads. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that parameters affecting resuspension, settling, sediment nutrient and solids concentrations, mineralization, algal productivity, and algal stoichiometry are factors requiring further study to improve our understanding of the Lake Okeechobee ecosystem.     

树脂固定床吸附含酚废水预测模型研究

针对应用于实际工业化的树脂固定床吸附研究较少,而与之相关的固定床吸附穿透曲线可以用来确定固定床吸附操作参数,为固定床的设计和实际操作提供指导。通过对恒定波振荡理论和吸附等温方程的联合,来预测固定床吸附穿透曲线;并研究了不同操作条件对大孔弱碱树脂吸附对硝基酚穿透曲线预测模型的影响。以期望为树脂固定床的设计和实际工业应用产生指导意义。     

Effects of bed materials on the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor treating domestic sewage

The objective of this study was to determine the best performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (AnSBBR) based on the use of four different bed materials as support for biomass immobilization. The bed materials utilized were polyurethane foam (PU), vegetal carbon (VC), synthetic pumice (SP), and recycled low-density polyethylene (PE). The AnSBBR, with a total volume of 7.2L, was operated in 8-h batch cycles over 10 months, and fed with domestic sewage with an average influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 358+/-110mg/L. The average effluent COD values were 121+/-31, 208+/-54, 233+/-52, and 227+/-51mg/L, for PU, VC, SP, and PE, respectively. A modified first-order kinetic model was adjusted to temporal profiles of COD during a batch cycle, and the apparent kinetic constants were 0.52+/-0.05, 0.37+/-0.05, 0.80+/-0.04, and 0.30+/-0.02h(-1) for PU, VC, SP, and PE, respectively. Specific substrate utilization rates of 1.08, 0.11, and 0.86mg COD/mgVS day were obtained for PU, VC, and PE, respectively. Although SP yielded the highest kinetic coefficient, PU was considered the best support, since SP presented loss of chemical constituents during the reactor's operational phase. In addition, findings on the microbial community were associated with the reactor's performance data. Although PE did not show a satisfactory performance, an interesting microbial diversity was found on its surface. Based on the morphology and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) results, PE showed the best capacity for promoting the attachment of methanogenic organisms, and is therefore a material that merits further analysis. PU was considered the most suitable material showing the best performance in terms of efficiency of solids and COD removal.     

Effects of soil phosphorus status on environmental risk assessment of glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium

The increased use of herbicides poses a risk to the aquatic environment. Easy and economical methods are needed to identify the fields where specific environment protection measures are needed. Phosphorus (P) and organophosphorus herbicides compete for the same adsorption sites in soil. In this study the relationship between P obtained in routine Finnish agronomic tests (acid ammonium acetate [P(AC)]) and adsorption of glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium was investigated to determine whether P(AC) values could be used in the risk assessment. The adsorption of glyphosate ((N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) and glufosinate-ammonium (2-amino-4-(hydroxymethylphosphinyl)butanoic acid) was studied in a clay and a sandy loam soil enriched with increasing amounts of P added as potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Desorption was also determined for some P-enriched soil samples. The adsorption of both herbicides diminished with increasing P(AC) value. The correlations between Freundlich adsorption coefficients obtained in the adsorption tests and P(AC) were nonlinear but significant (r > 0.98) in both soils. The exponential models of the relationship between soil P(AC) values and glyphosate adsorption were found to fit well to an independent Finnish soil data set (P < 0.1 for glyphosate and P < 0.01 for glufosinate-ammonium). The desorption results showed that glufosinate-ammonium sorption is not inversely related to soil P status, and the high correlation coefficients obtained in the test of the model were thus artifacts caused by an abnormal concentration of exchangeable potassium in soil. The solved equations are a useful tool in assessing the leaching risks of glyphosate, but their use for glufosinate-ammonium is questionable.     

Cadmium leaching from micro-lysimeters planted with the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens: experimental findings and modeling

The use of heavy metal hyperaccumulating plants has the potential to become a promising new technique to remediate contaminated sites. We investigated the role of metal mobilization in the Cd hyperaccumulation of Thlaspi caerulescens (J. & C. Presl, 'Ganges'). In a micro-lysimeter experiment we investigated the dynamics of Cd concentration of leachate as well as Cd removal by plant uptake in four treatments: (i) Control (bare soil), (ii) T. caerulescens, (iii) nonhyperaccumulator Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. ('PI 426308'), and (iv) co-cropping of the hyperaccumulator and nonhyperaccumulator. The experimental findings were analyzed using one- and two-site rate-limited desorption models. Co-cropping of T. caerulescens and B. juncea did not enhance metal uptake by B. juncea. Although Cd uptake of T. caerulescens was 10 times higher than that of B. juncea, the Cd concentration of leachate of the T. caerulescens treatment did not decrease below that of the B. juncea treatment. The Cd depletion in leachate was well reproduced by the two-site rate-limited desorption model. The optimized desorption coefficient was three orders of magnitude higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil. Our results indicate that T. caerulescens accelerates the resupply of Cd from soil pointing to an important role of kinetic desorption in the hyperaccumulation by T. caerulescens.     

Leaching characteristics of heavy metals from sewage sludge by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans MET

An acidophilic, sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans MET bacterium was isolated from anaerobically digested, dewatered sewage sludge. This bacterium showed sulfur-oxidizing ability at both acidic and neutral conditions, and allowed metal leaching even at a high (130 g L(-1)) sludge solids concentration. We found that low metal leaching efficiency at high solids concentration was mainly due to an increase in buffering capacity resulting in retardation of pH reduction. Therefore, metal leaching was mainly influenced not by sludge solids concentration, but by the pH (or sulfate concentration per unit sludge mass) of the sludge solutions. The relationship between the pH of the sludge solution and the efficiency of metal leaching was obtained by quantitatively investigating the effect of pH reduction or the amount of sulfate produced per unit sludge mass on leaching of each metal. Furthermore, the relationship between total metal content in the sludge and metal leached to the solution was obtained for each metal. Such a relationship allowed estimation of leachable metal at various amounts of total metal content in sludge.     

温度对吸油毡吸油性影响试验研究

分别利用低温和高温环境试验箱严格模拟环境温度,在不同温度环境下测试四种常用吸油毡对三种渤海原油的吸油性。试验同时测定三种原油的凝点,用于探索油品凝点对吸油毡吸油性的影响。试验结果表明:被测试的十二组吸油过程均属于物理过程,提出的关于吸油毡表面黏附和渗透作用的数学模式能较好描述这些过程;对于这三种原油而言,渗透吸油作用在冬季只适合于绥中原油;另外,吸油毡对三种原油,即使在夏秋季也无法达到最大吸油性;黏附和渗透吸油倍数同原油凝点以及吸油毡类型有关。四种吸油毡中,MXU1000系列的吸油性最好,羊毛毡的吸油性最低。     

The leaching characteristics of selenium from coal fly ashes

The leaching characteristics of selenium from several bituminous and subbituminous coal fly ashes under different pH conditions were investigated using batch methods. Results indicated that pH had a significant effect on selenium leaching from bituminous coal ash. The minimum selenium leaching occurred in the pH range between 3 and 4, while the maximum selenium leaching occurred at pH 12. The release of selenium from subbituminous coal ashes was very low for the entire experimental pH range, possibly due to the high content of calcium which can form hydration or precipitation products as a sink for selenium. The adsorption results for different selenium species indicated that Se(VI) was hardly adsorbable on either bituminous coal ashes or subbituminous coal ashes at any pH. However, Se(IV) was highly adsorbed by bituminous coal ashes under acidic pH conditions and was mostly removed by subbituminous coal ashes across the entire pH range. This result suggests that the majority of selenium released from the tested fly ashes was Se(IV). A speciation-based model was developed to simulate the adsorption of Se(IV) on bituminous coal fly ash, and the pH-independent adsorption constants of HSeO3* and SeO3 2* were determined. The modeling approach is useful for understanding and predicting the release process of selenium from fly ash.     

两种模型模拟重金属离子在二氧化锰上吸附行为的比较

本文通过实验考查了Cu2＋、Co2＋、Cd2＋、Zn2＋和Ni25种重金属离子在二氧化锰上的吸附边.在改良型金属分配模型（MMP模型）的基础上,作者考虑了水解态重金属离子吸附的贡献,构建了MMP-1模型,并分别利用这两种模型去模拟了重金属离子在二氧化锰上的吸附边.两个模型模拟各金属吸附边效果很好且相关系数均达到0.99以上.在pH4.0～6.0范围内,MMP-1模型模拟Cu2＋、Co2＋吸附边效果要明显优于MMP模型.     

Enzyme catalyzed biodiesel production from rubber seed oil containing high free fatty acid

Unrefined rubber seed oil contains high levels of free fatty acids and moisture, which make the conventional chemical catalyzed transesterification unsuitable. The method of enzyme catalyzed transesterification is well suited for biodiesel production from rubber seed oil as the enzymes are insensitive to the free fatty acids. In the present work, rubber seed oil was extracted from preserved rubber seed cake by mechanical means. The extraction process was designed and optimized through 2⁴ full factorial design. Extracted oil was subjected to enzymatic transesterification using four different lipases to identify the best one for the purpose. Transesterification process was optimized by considering three influencing variables for biodiesel production viz. methanol/oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration (% w/v) and solvent content (% v/v). A 2³ full factorial design was applied to design the experiments and optimize the biodiesel production. The interactive effects of the independent variables on biodiesel yield were analyzed and regression models were developed for each set of enzyme reactions. Among the four lipases, Thermomysis Lanugonosus Lipase was found to be the most suitable for the transesterification of rubber seed oil with a biodiesel conversion of 92.83% at a molar ratio of 4% and 5% (w/v) enzyme concentration in solvent free reaction medium.     

Kinetic and equilibrium isotherm studies for the adsorptive removal of Brilliant Green dye from aqueous solution by rice husk ash

The present study deals with the adsorption of Brilliant Green (BG) on rice husk ash (RHA). RHA is a solid waste obtained from the particulate collection equipment attached to the flue gas lines of rice husk fired boilers. Batch studies were performed to evaluate the influences of various experimental parameters like initial pH (pH0), contact time, adsorbent dose and initial concentration (C0) on the removal of BG. Optimum conditions for BG removal were found to be pH0 approximately 3.0, adsorbent dose approximately 6 g L(-1) of solution and equilibrium time approximately 5 h for the C0 range of 50-300 mg L(-1). Adsorption of BG followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Intra-particle diffusion does not seem to control the BG removal process. Equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of BG on RHA were analyzed by Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson (R-P), Dubnin-Radushkevich (D-R), and Temkin isotherm models using a non-linear regression technique. Langmuir and R-P isotherms were found to best represent the data for BG adsorption onto RHA. Adsorption of BG on RHA is favourably influenced by an increase in the temperature of the operation. Values of the change in entropy (DeltaS0) and heat of adsorption (DeltaH0) for BG adsorption on RHA were positive. The high negative value of change in Gibbs free energy (DeltaG0) indicates the feasible and spontaneous adsorption of BG on RHA.     

Removal of phosphorus from aqueous solutions using chemically modified sawdust of Aleppo pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus halepensis Miller</Emphasis>): kinetics and isotherm studies

In the present study, chemically modified Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Miller) sawdust was used for the removal of phosphate from water. Biosorbent preparation process included size fractionation, extraction for surface activation, acid prehydrolysis, and treatment with urea. Sorption of phosphate ions onto biosorbent was studied using the batch technique. The effect of different parameters such as contact time, adsorbate concentration, and temperature was investigated. The adsorption kinetics data were best described by the pseudo-second-order rate equation, and equilibrium was achieved after 40 and 80 min for modified and unmodified sawdust, respectively. The Langmuir and Freundlich equations for describing adsorption equilibrium were applied to data. The constants and correlation coefficients of these isotherm models were calculated and compared. The adsorption isotherms obey the Freundlich equation. The thermodynamic parameters like free energy, enthalpy, and entropy changes for the adsorption of phosphate ions have been evaluated, and it has been found that the reaction was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The low value of activated energy of adsorption, 3.088–3.540 kJ mol⁻¹, indicates that the phosphate ions are easily adsorbed on the sawdust. Results suggest that the prepared chemically modified Aleppo pine sawdust has potential in remediation of contaminated waters by phosphate.     

Application of cupuassu shell as biosorbent for the removal of textile dyes from aqueous solution

The cupuassu shell (Theobroma grandiflorum) which is a food residue was used in its natural form as biosorbent for the removal of C.I. Reactive Red 194 and C.I. Direct Blue 53 dyes from aqueous solutions. This biosorbent was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption curves. The effects of pH, biosorbent dosage and shaking time on biosorption capacities were studied. In acidic pH region (pH 2.0) the biosorption of the dyes were favorable. The contact time required to obtain the equilibrium was 8 and 18 h at 298 K, for Reactive Red 194 and Direct Blue 53, respectively. The Avrami fractionary-order kinetic model provided the best fit to experimental data compared with pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and chemisorption kinetic adsorption models. The equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips and Radke-Prausnitz isotherm models. For both dyes the equilibrium data were best fitted to the Sips isotherm model.     

Quaternized agricultural by-products as anion exchange resins

The objectives of this study were the chemical modification of readily available, low-cost agricultural by-products to anion exchange resins and the selection of the best modified by-product for further use in anion removal. Resins were prepared through the quaternization of a series of 12 agricultural by-products with N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CHMAC). Phosphate ion adsorption assays were conducted at pH 7 in order to compare adsorption properties among the by-products. Quaternized corn stover showed the highest phosphorus adsorption at 0.66 mmole/g. Since corn stover exhibited the best uptake of phosphate ion, it was compared to a commercially available, cellulose-based anion exchange resin. Additionally, adsorption capacities of quaternized corn stover for arsenate, chromate, and selenate were evaluated and adsorption efficiencies were determined in simulated wastewater samples. Our results indicate that modified corn stover demonstrates good adsorption uptake for arsenate and selenate and especially for chromate.