Performance and mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by zero-valent iron loaded onto expanded graphite

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) was loaded on expanded graphite (EG) to produce a composite material (EG-ZVI) for efficient removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). EG and EG-ZVI were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. EG-ZVI had a high specific surface area and contained sub-micron sized particles of zero-valent iron. Batch experiments were employed to evaluate the Cr(VI) removal performance. The results showed that the Cr(VI) removal rate was 98.80% for EG-ZVI, which was higher than that for both EG (10.00%) and ZVI (29.80%). Furthermore, the removal rate of Cr(VI) by EG-ZVI showed little dependence on solution pH within a pH range of 1–9. Even at pH 11, a Cr(VI) removal rate of 62.44% was obtained after reaction for 1 hr. EG-ZVI could enhance the removal of Cr(VI) via chemical reduction and physical adsorption, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to analyze the mechanisms of Cr(VI) removal, which indicated that the ZVI loaded on the surface was oxidized, and the removed Cr(VI) was immobilized via the formation of Cr(III) hydroxide and Cr(III)–Fe(III) hydroxide/oxyhydroxide on the surface of EG-ZVI.     

Nanoencapsulation of hexavalent chromium with nanoscale zero-valent iron: High resolution chemical mapping of the passivation layer

Solid phase reactions of Cr(Ⅵ) with Fe(0) were investigated with spherical-aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy(Cs-STEM) integrated with X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy(XEDS). Near-atomic resolution elemental mappings of Cr(Ⅵ)–Fe(0) reactions were acquired. Experimental results show that rate and extent of Cr(Ⅵ) encapsulation are strongly dependent on the initial concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) in solution. Low Cr loading in nZⅥ(1.0 wt%) promotes the electrochemical oxidation and continuous corrosion of n ZⅥ while high Cr loading(1.0 wt%) can quickly shut down the Cr uptake. With the progress of iron oxidation and dissolution, elements of Cr and O counter-diffuse into the nanoparticles and accumulate in the core region at low levels of Cr(Ⅵ)(e.g., 10 mg/L). Whereas the reacted n ZⅥ is quickly coated with a newly-formed layer of 2–4 nm in the presence of concentrated Cr(Ⅵ)(e.g., 100 mg/L). The passivation structure is stable over a wide range of pH unless pH is low enough to dissolve the passivation layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) depth profiling reconfirms that the composition of the newly-formed surface layer consists of Fe(Ⅲ)–Cr(Ⅲ)(oxy)hydroxides with Cr(Ⅵ) adsorbed on the outside surface. The insoluble and insulating Fe(Ⅲ)–Cr(Ⅲ)(oxy)hydroxide layer can completely cover the n ZⅥ surface above the critical Cr loading and shield the electron transfer. Thus, the fast passivation of nZⅥ in high Cr(Ⅵ) solution is detrimental to the performance of nZⅥ for Cr(Ⅵ) treatment and remediation.     

Investigation of adsorption/desorption behavior of Cr(Ⅵ) at the presence of inorganic and organic substance in membrane capacitive deionization(MCDI)

The adsorption and desorption behavior of Cr(Ⅵ) in membrane capacitive deionization(MCDI) was investigated systematically in the presence of bovine serum albumin(BSA) and KCl with different concentrations, respectively. Results revealed that Cr(Ⅵ) absorption was enhanced and the adsorption amount for Cr(Ⅵ) increased from 155.7 to 190.8 mg/g when KCl concentration increased from 100 to 200 mg/L in the adsorption process, which was attributed to the stronger driving force. However, the adsorption amount sharply decreased to 90.2 mg/g when KCl concentration reached up to 1000 mg/L suggesting the negative effect for Cr(Ⅵ) removal that high KCl concentration had. As for the effect of BSA on ion adsorption, the amount for Cr(Ⅵ) significantly declined to 78.3 mg/g and p H was found to be an important factor contributing to this significant reduction. Then, the desorption performance was also conducted and it was obtained that the presence of KCl had negligible effect on Cr(Ⅵ) desorption, while promoted by the addition of BSA. The incomplete desorption was obtained and the residual chromium ions onto the electrode after desorption was detected via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS). Based on above analysis, the enhanced removal mechanism for Cr(Ⅵ) in MCDI was found to be consisted of ion adsorption onto electrode surface, the redox reaction of Cr(Ⅵ) into Cr(III)and precipitation, which was demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and scanning electron microscope(SEM).     

Weak magnetic field accelerates chromate removal by zero-valent iron

Weak magnetic field(WMF) was employed to improve the removal of Cr(VI) by zero-valent iron(ZVI) for the first time. The removal rate of Cr(VI) was elevated by a factor of 1.12–5.89 due to the application of a WMF, and the WMF-induced improvement was more remarkable at higher Cr(VI) concentration and higher p H. Fe2+was not detected until Cr(VI) was exhausted, and there was a positive correlation between the WMF-induced promotion factor of Cr(VI) removal rate and that of Fe2+release rate in the absence of Cr(VI) at pH 4.0–5.5. These phenomena imply that ZVI corrosion with Fe2+release was the limiting step in the process of Cr(VI) removal. The superimposed WMF had negligible influence on the apparent activation energy of Cr(VI) removal by ZVI, indicating that WMF accelerated Cr(VI)removal by ZVI but did not change the mechanism. The passive layer formed with WMF was much more porous than without WMF, thereby facilitating mass transport. Therefore,WMF could accelerate ZVI corrosion and alleviate the detrimental effects of the passive layer, resulting in more rapid removal of Cr(VI) by ZVI. Exploiting the magnetic memory of ZVI, a two-stage process consisting of a small reactor with WMF for ZVI magnetization and a large reactor for removing contaminants by magnetized ZVI can be employed as a new method of ZVI-mediated remediation.     

Intensification of adsorption process by using the pyrolytic char from waste tires to remove chromium(Ⅵ) from wastewater

Pyrolysis has the potential of transforming waste into valuable recyclable products. Pyrolytic char (PC) is one of the most important products from the pyrolysis of used tires. One of the most significant applications for pyrolytic char recovered is used for the removal of Cr( Ⅵ ) in the wastewater effluent to control waste by waste. The surface chemistry properties of surface element distribution/concentration and chemical structure were examined for the pyrolytic char and the commercial activated carbon(CAC) respectively. The results showed that surfaces of PC possesses a large amount of ester and hydrocarbon graft, whereas there are mainly carbon functional components of C-OH, C=O and COOH on the surface of CAC. Therefore the surface electronegativity of PC is lower than that of CAC in the water. The repulsive interactions between the surfaces of PC and the negatively charged Cr（Ⅵ ) ion are weaker than that of CAC,which results in an intensification of the adsorption process by the utilization of PC. The adsorption isotherms of Cr( Ⅵ ) ion on the two kinds of carbons were determined experimentally. The larger adsorption amount on the PC in the case of Cr( Ⅵ ) may be attributed mainly to its special surface micro-chemical environment. The mechanism of the removal Cr( Ⅵ ) from aqueous solution was assumed to be the integration of adsorption and redox reaction. The adsorption was the rate-controlled step for Cr( Ⅵ ) removal. The adsorption of Cr( Ⅵ )was identified as pseudo-second-order kinetics. The rate constants of adsorption were evaluated.     

Synthesis of a novel illite@carbon nanocomposite adsorbent for removal of Cr(Ⅵ) from wastewater

A novel illite@carbon(I@C) nanocomposite adsorbent has been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal carbonization process(HTC) using glucose as carbonaceous source and illite as the carrier.The morphology,microstructure and surface properties of the prepared nanocomposite adsorbent were analyzed by FESEM,TGA,XRD,FT-IR and Zeta potential measurements.Batch experiments were carried out on the adsorption of Cr(Ⅵ) to determine the adsorption properties of the composite.The adsorption of Cr(Ⅵ) onto the I@C nanocomposite was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm.Compared with the illite and carbon material(SC) separately,the prepared I@C nanocomposite adsorbent exhibited enhanced adsorption performance for Cr(Ⅵ) with a maximum adsorption capacity of 149.25 mg/g,which was higher than that of most reported adsorbents.In addition,the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic based on the adsorption thermodynamics study.The adsorption of Cr(Ⅵ) by I@C was highly p H-dependent and the optimum adsorption occurred at p H 2.0.The Zeta potential analysis results indicated that the electrostatic interactions between anionic Cr(Ⅵ) and the positively charged surface of the adsorbent might be critical to the adsorption mechanism.This study demonstrated that the I@C nanocomposite should be a promising candidate for a low-cost,environmental friendly and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of toxic Cr(Ⅵ) from wastewater.     

Novel synthesis of aluminum hydroxide gel-coated nano zero-valent iron and studies of its activity in flocculation-enhanced removal of tetracycline

A newly designed aluminum hydroxide gel-coated nanoscale zero-valent iron(AHG@NZVI)with enhanced activity and dispersibility of NZVI was successfully synthesized.The AHG@NZVI composite was synthesized via control of the surface AHG content.AHG@NZVI-1,AHG@NZVI-2 and AHG@NZVI-3 were prepared under centrifugal mixing speeds of 1000,2000 and 4000 r/min,respectively.The activity of AHG@NZVI was evaluated by its tetracycline(TC) removal efficiency.The effects of AHG content,pH value,reaction temperature,and presence of competitive anions on TC removal were investigated.TC could be removed by both adsorption and chemical reduction on AHG@NZVI-2(centrifugal speed 2000 r/min) in a short time with high removal efficiency(≥98.1%) at the optimal conditions.Such excellent performance can be attributed to a synergistic interaction between aluminum hydroxide gel and NZVI:(1) AHG could enhance the stability and dispersity of NZVI;(2) aluminum hydroxide gel could absorb a certain amount of TC and Fe~(2+)/Fe~(3+),which facilitated the mass transfer of TC onto the NZVI surface,resulting in acceleration of the reduction rate of TC by the AHG@NZVI composite;and(3) AHG-Fe~(2+)/Fe~(3+)could absorb a certain amount of TC by flocculation.The kinetics of TC removal by AHG@NZVI composite was found to follow a two-parameter pseudo-first-order model.The presence of competitive anions slightly inhibited the activity of AHG@NZVI systems for TC removal.Overall,this study provides a promising alternative material and environmental pollution management option for antibiotic wastewater treatment.     

Hg0 removal from flue gas over different zeolites modified by FeCl3

The elemental mercury removal abilities of three different zeolites(Na A, Na X, HZSM-5)impregnated with iron(Ⅲ) chloride were studied on a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor. X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature programmed desorption(TPD) analyses were used to investigate the physicochemical properties. Results indicated that the pore structure and active chloride species on the surface of the samples are the key factors for physisorption and oxidation of Hg0, respectively. Relatively high surface area and micropore volume are beneficial to efficient mercury adsorption. The active Cl species generated on the surface of the samples were effective oxidants able to convert elemental mercury(Hg0)into oxidized mercury(Hg2+). The crystallization of Na Cl due to the ion exchange effect during the impregnation of Na A and Na X reduced the number of active Cl species on the surface, and restricted the physisorption of Hg0. Therefore, the Hg0 removal efficiencies of the samples were inhibited. The TPD analysis revealed that the species of mercury on the surface of Fe Cl3–HZSM-5 was mainly in the form of mercuric chloride(Hg Cl2), while on Fe Cl3–Na X and Fe Cl3–Na A it was mainly mercuric oxide(Hg O).     

Preparation, characterization and performance of an electrospun carbon nanofiber mat applied in hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous solution

Hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), a highly toxic oxyanion known as a carcinogen and mutagen,is an issue of concern due to its adverse impact on human health. Therefore, development of effective technologies and/or materials for Cr(VI) removal from water has been of great interest for researchers. In this study, an electrospun carbon nanofiber(CNF) mat was prepared via electrospinning polyacrylonitrile(PAN), followed by thermal pre-oxidation and carbonization. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) observation showed that the fiber diameter of the CNF with carbonization temperature of 950°C(CNF_(950)) was about 266 nm.Potentiometric titration analysis demonstrated that the point of zero charge p H(pHpzc) of CNF_(950) was around 7.93. CNF_(950) demonstrated high adsorption capacity and fast adsorption kinetics for Cr(VI) at pH 3. Langmuir isotherm calculations showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) on CNF_(950) was 118.8 mg/g at pH 2. The adsorption isotherm of Cr(VI) on CNF_(950) was well described by the Redlich–Peterson model, revealing that Cr(VI)adsorption was the result of a combination of monolayer and multilayer adsorption,depending on the initial Cr(VI) concentration. Solution pH greatly affected Cr(VI) adsorption onto CNF_(950) due to the electrostatic interaction, and the adsorption capacity was relatively high when pH was below 3. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) analysis revealed that the removal of Cr(VI) might be the result of a combination of redox reaction and electrostatic adsorption. The adsorption-saturated CNF_(950) could be regenerated by NaOH solution. This study extends the potential applicability of electrospun CNF mats for Cr(VI)-contaminated water purification.     

Removal and desorption of chromium in synthetic effluent by a mixed culture in a bioreactor with a magnetic field

Two chromium removal experiments were performed in bioreactors with and without a magnetic field under the same conditions.The release of the chromium present in the biomass was tested in two experiments one with the initial pH of the medium and one with pH 4.0.The objective was to remove Cr(Ⅵ) and total Cr from the effluent,this was carried out by placing biological treatments of synthetic effluent contaminated with 100 mg/L of Cr(Ⅵ) in a bioreactor with neodymium magnets that applied a magnetic field(intensity85.4 mT) to the mixed culture.The removal of Cr(Ⅵ) was approximately 100.0% for the bioreactor with a magnetic field and 93,3% for the bioreactor without a magnetic field for9 hr of recirculation of the synthetic effluent by the bioreactor.The removal of total Cr was61.6% and 48.4%,with and without a magnetic field,respectively;for 24 hr.The desorption of Cr(VI) in the synthetic effluent was 0.05 mg/L,which is below the limit established by Brazilian legislation(0.1 mg/L) for the discharge of effluent containing Cr(Ⅵ) into bodies of water.The results obtained for the removal of chromium in synthetic effluent suggested that there was no significant influence on the viable cell count of the mixed culture.The desorption of Cr(Ⅵ) in synthetic effluent after bioadsorption of chromium by the mixed culture in the process of removal of chromium in bioreactors with and without a magnetic field was not significant in either of the experiments with different initial pHs.     

Influence of moderate pre-oxidation treatment on the physical, chemical and phosphate adsorption properties of iron-containing activated carbon

A novel adsorbent based on iron oxide dispersed over activated carbon(AC) were prepared, and used for phosphate removal from aqueous solutions. The influence of pre-oxidation treatment on the physical, chemical and phosphate adsorption properties of iron-containing AC were determined. Two series of ACs, non-oxidized and oxidized carbon modified by iron(denoted as AC-Fe and AC/OFe), resulted in a maximum impregnated iron of 4.03% and 7.56%, respectively. AC/O-Fe showed 34.0%–46.6% higher phosphate removal efficiency than the AC-Fe did. This was first attributed to the moderate pre-oxidation of raw AC by nitric acid, achieved by dosing Fe(II) after a pre-oxidation, to obtain higher iron loading, which is favorable for phosphate adsorption. Additionally, the in-situ formed active site on the surface of carbon, which was derived from the oxidation of Fe(II) by nitric acid dominated the remarkably high efficiency with respect to the removal of phosphate. The activation energy for adsorption was calculated to be 10.53 and 18.88 kJ/mol for AC-Fe and AC/OFe, respectively. The results showed that the surface mass transfer and intra-particle diffusion were simultaneously occurring during the process and contribute to the adsorption mechanism.     

Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic activity of porous La–N–co-doped TiO2 nanotubes for gaseous chlorobenzene oxidation

The photocatalytic oxidation of gaseous chlorobenzene(CB) by the 365 nm-induced photocatalyst La/N–Ti O2, synthesized via a sol–gel and hydrothermal method, was evaluated. Response surface methodology(RSM) was used to model and optimize the conditions for synthesis of the photocatalyst. The optimal photocatalyst was 1.2La/0.5N–Ti O2(0.5) and the effects of La/N on crystalline structure, particle morphology, surface element content, and other structural characteristics were investigated by XRD(X-ray diffraction), TEM(Transmission Electron Microscopy), FTIR(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), UV–vis(Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy), and BET(Brunauer Emmett Teller). Greater surface area and smaller particle size were produced with the co-doped Ti O2 nanotubes than with reference Ti O2. The removal of CB was effective when performed using the synthesized photocatalyst,though it was less efficient at higher initial CB concentrations. Various modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic models involving the adsorption of chlorobenzene and water on different active sites were evaluated. Fitting results suggested that competitive adsorption caused by water molecules could not be neglected, especially for environments with high relative humidity. The reaction intermediates found after GC–MS(Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) analysis indicated that most were soluble, low-toxicity, or both. The results demonstrated that the prepared photocatalyst had high activity for VOC(volatile organic compounds) conversion and may be used as a pretreatment prior to biopurification.     

Influence of the structure and composition of Fe–Mn binary oxides on rGO on As(III) removal from aquifers

Fe–Mn binary oxide (FMBO) possesses high efficiency for As(III) abatement based on the good adsorption affinity of iron oxide and the oxidizing capacity of Mn(IV), and the composition and structure of FMBO play important roles in this process. To compare the removal performance and determine the optimum formula for FMBO, magnetic graphene oxide (MRGO)–FMBO and MRGO–MnO₂ were synthesized with MRGO as a carrier to improve the dispersity of the adsorbents in aquifers and achieve magnetic recycling. Results indicated that MRGO–FMBO had higher As(III) removal than that of MRGO–MnO₂, although the ratios of Fe and Mn were similar, because the binary oxide of Fe and Mn facilitated electron transfer from Mn(IV) to As(III), while the separation of Mn and Fe on MRGO–MnO₂ restricted the process. The optimal stoichiometry x for MRGO–FMBO (Mn_xFe_3-xO₄) was 0.46, and an extraordinary adsorption capacity of 24.38 mg/g for As(III) was achieved. MRGO–FMBO showed stable dispersive properties in aquifers, and exhibited excellent practicability and reusability, with a saturation magnetization of 7.6 emu/g and high conservation of magnetic properties after 5 cycles of regeneration and reuse. In addition, the presence of coexisting ions would not restrict the practical application of MRGO–FMBO in groundwater remediation. The redox reactions of As(III) and Mn(IV) on MRGO–FMBO were also described. The deprotonated aqueous As(III) on the surface of MRGO–FMBO transferred electrons to Mn(IV), and the formed As(V) oxyanions were bound to ferric oxide as inner-sphere complexes by coordinating their “–OH” groups with Mn(IV) oxides at the surface of MRGO–FMBO. This work could provide new insights into high-performance removal of As(III) in aquifers.     

Kappaphycus alvarezii waste biomass: A potential biosorbent for chromium ions removal

The Cr(III) sorption experiments onto Kappaphycus alvarezii waste biomass were conducted at different pH values (2–6) under the conditions of initial metal concentration of 10–50 mg/L and the chemical compositions of Cr-Cu and Cr-Cd. The Cr(III) sorption capacities were slightly dependent on pH, and the maximum sorption capacity was 0.86 mg/g at pH 3. The sorption capacities increased with increase in the initial metal concentration, whereas it was suppressed by the presence of Cu(II) and Cd(III) in the solution. The Cr(III) sorption equilibrium was evaluated using Langmuir, Freundlich and BET isotherms. The sorption mechanisms were characterised using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The main mechanisms were ion exchange coupled with a complexation mechanism. Kappaphycus alvarezii waste biomass represents a potential for Cr(III) ion removal from aqueous solution.     

Preparation of Fe–Co based MOF-74 and its effective adsorption of arsenic from aqueous solution

To obtain a cost-effective adsorbent for the removal of arsenic in water,a novel nanostructured Fe–Co based metal organic framework(MOF-74)adsorbent was successfully prepared via a simple solvothermal method.The adsorption experiments showed that the optimal molar ratio of Fe/Co in the adsorbent was 2:1.The Fe_2Co_1MOF-74 was characterized by various techniques and the results showed that the nanoparticle diameter ranged from60 to 80 nm and the specific surface area was 147.82 m~2/g.The isotherm and kinetic parameters of arsenic removal on Fe_2Co_1MOF-74 were well-fitted by the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models.The maximum adsorption capacities toward As(III)and As(V)were 266.52 and 292.29 mg/g,respectively.The presence of sulfate,carbonate and humic acid had no obvious effect on arsenic adsorption.However,coexisting phosphate significantly hindered the removal of arsenic,especially at high concentrations(10 mmol/L).Electrostatic interaction and hydroxyl and metal–oxygen groups played important roles in the adsorption of arsenic.Furthermore,the prepared adsorbent had stable adsorption ability after regeneration and when used in a real-water matrix.The excellent adsorption performance of Fe_2Co_1MOF-74 material makes it a potentially promising adsorbent for the removal of arsenic.     

Investigation of adsorption/desorption behavior of Cr(VI) at the presence of inorganic and organic substance in membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI)

The adsorption and desorption behavior of Cr(VI) in membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) was investigated systematically in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and KCl with different concentrations, respectively. Results revealed that Cr(VI) absorption was enhanced and the adsorption amount for Cr(VI) increased from 155.7 to 190.8?mg/g when KCl concentration increased from 100 to 200?mg/L in the adsorption process, which was attributed to the stronger driving force. However, the adsorption amount sharply decreased to 90.2?mg/g when KCl concentration reached up to 1000?mg/L suggesting the negative effect for Cr(VI) removal that high KCl concentration had. As for the effect of BSA on ion adsorption, the amount for Cr (VI) significantly declined to 78.3?mg/g and pH was found to be an important factor contributing to this significant reduction. Then, the desorption performance was also conducted and it was obtained that the presence of KCl had negligible effect on Cr(VI) desorption, while promoted by the addition of BSA. The incomplete desorption was obtained and the residual chromium ions onto the electrode after desorption was detected via energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Based on above analysis, the enhanced removal mechanism for Cr(VI) in MCDI was found to be consisted of ion adsorption onto electrode surface, the redox reaction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III) and precipitation, which was demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).     

Rapid synthesis of Ti-MCM-41 by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method towards photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline

This study employed microwave-assisted hydrothermal method to synthesize Ti-MCM-41,which are mesoporous materials with a high surface area and excellent photocatalytic ability. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy(UV–Vis) were employed. The XRD findings showed that Ti-MCM-41 exhibited a peak at 2θ of 2.2°, which was attributed to the hexagonal MCM-41 structure. The BET(Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) results agreed with the TEM findings that Ti-MCM-41 has a pore size of about 3–5 nm and a high surface area of 883 m~2/g. FTIR results illustrated the existence of Si–O–Si and Si–O–Ti bonds in Ti-MCM-41. The appearance of Ti2 p peaks in the XPS results confirmed the FTIR findings that the Ti was successfully doped into the MCM-41 structure. Zeta(ζ)-potential results indicated that the iso-electric point(IEP) of Ti-MCM-41 was at about pH 3.02. In this study, the photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline(OTC) at different pH was investigated under Hg lamp irradiation(wavelength 365 nm). The rate constant(K′_(obs)) for OTC degradation was 0.012 min-1at pH 3. Furthermore, TOC(total organic carbon) and high resolution LC–MS(liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) analyses were conducted to elucidate the possible intermediate products and degradation pathway for OTC. The TOC removal efficiency of OTC degradation was 87.0%, 74.4% and 50.9% at pH 3, 7 and 10, respectively. LC–MS analysis results showed that the degradation products from OTC resulted from the removal of functional groups from the OTC ring.     

Sodium citrate and biochar synergistic improvement of nanoscale zero-valent iron composite for the removal of chromium (Ⅵ) in aqueous solutions

Sodium citrate (SC) is a widely-used food and industrial additive with the properties of complexation and microbial degradation. In the present study, nano-zero-valent iron reaction system ([email protected]) was successfully established by modifying nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) with SC and biochar (BC), and was employed to remove Cr(Ⅵ) from aqueous solutions. The nZVI, SC-nZVI and [email protected] were characterized and compared using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that nZVI was successfully loaded on the biochar, and both the agglomeration and surface passivation problems of nanoparticles were well resolved. The dosage of SC, C:Fe, initial pH and Cr(Ⅵ) concentration demonstrated direct effects on the removal efficiency. The maximum Cr(Ⅵ) removal rate and the removal capacity within 60 min were 99.7% and 199.46 mg/g, respectively (C:Fe was 1:1, SC dosage was 1.12 mol.%, temperature was 25°C, pH = 7, and the original concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) was 20 mg/L). The reaction confirmed to follow the pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics, and the order of the reaction rate constant k was as follows: [email protected] > [email protected] > SC-nZVI > nZVI. In addition, the mechanism of Cr(Ⅵ) removal by [email protected] mainly involved adsorption, reduction and co-precipitation, and the reduction of Cr(Ⅵ) to Cr(Ⅲ) by nano Fe⁰ played a vital role. Findings from the present study demonstrated that the [email protected] exhibited excellent removal efficiency toward Cr(Ⅵ) with an improved synergistic characteristic by SC and BC.     

Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution with bamboo charcoal chemically modified by iron and cobalt with the assistance of microwave

Bamboo charcoal (BC) was used as starting material to prepare Co-Fe binary oxideloaded adsorbent (Co-Fe-MBC) through its impregnation in Co(NO3)2 , FeCl3 and HNO3 solutions simultaneously, followed by microwave heating. The low-cost composite was characterized and used as an adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal from water. The results showed that a cobalt and iron binary oxide (CoFe2O4 ) was uniformly formed on the BC through redox reactions. The composite exhibited higher surface area (331 m2/g) than that of BC or BC loaded with Fe alone (Fe-MBC). The adsorption of Cr(VI) strongly depended on solution pH, temperature and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherms followed the Langmuir isotherm model well, and the maximum adsorption capacities for Cr(VI) at 288 K and pH 5.0 were 35.7 and 51.7 mg/g for Fe-MBC and Co-Fe-MBC, respectively. The adsorption processes were well fitted by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto both adsorbents was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic under the studied conditions. The spent Co-Fe-MBC could be readily regenerated for reuse.     

A nanofilter composed of carbon nanotube-silver composites for virus removal and antibacterial activity improvement

We have developed a new nanofilter using a carbon nanotube-silver composite material that is capable of efficiently removing waterborne viruses and bacteria.The nanofilter was subjected to plasma surface treatment to enhance its flow rate,which was improved by approximately 62%.Nanoscale pores were obtained by fabricating a carbon nanotube network and using nanoparticle fixation technology for the removal of viruses.The pore size of the nanofilter was approximately 38 nm and the measured flow rate ranged from 21.0 to 97.2 L/(min·m~2)under a pressure of 1–6 kgf/cm~2 when the amount of loaded carbon nanotube-silver composite was 1.0 mg/cm~2.The nanofilter was tested against Polio-,Noro-,and Coxsackie viruses using a sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to detect the presence of viral particles within the outflow.No trace of viruses was found to flow through the nanofilter with carbon nanotube-silver composite loaded above 0.8 mg/cm~2.Moreover,the surface of the filter has antibacterial properties to prevent bacterial clogging due to the presence of 20-nm silver nanoparticles,which were synthesized on the carbon nanotube surface.