Partial characterization of the exopolysaccharide from Oscillatoria trichoides Szafer and the role of released polysaccharide in sequestration of Cr6+

The structural investigation and the chromium adsorptive potential of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) released during the growth of an indigenous cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria trichoides Szafer, were investigated in a laboratory‐scale study. The results showed that, of the total EPS produced, 410.53 milligrams/gram (mg g^?1) were released polysaccharides (RPS) and 11.36 mg g^?1 were capsular polysaccharides (CPS). The sorption of hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) by the RPS achieved a maximum amount of metal removal (q_max) value of 76.92 mg g^?1 of polysaccharide dry weight. The highest coefficient of determination (0.9742) for the Langmuir adsorption model indicates best fitness of the model in explaining the sorption as a unilayer process. Equilibrium studies indicated that 30 to 40 milligrams per liter initial chromium concentration and a pH of 2 were optimal for biosorption of chromium by the RPS. Scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis of Cr⁶⁺‐treated RPS showed the presence of 3.76% bound chromium. Compositional analysis of the EPS showed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, pyruvic acid, and hexosamines. High‐performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated the presence of hexoses, as neutral sugars and glucuronic acid as an acidic sugar. The presence of carboxylic groups was also detected by infrared spectroscopy. The presence of these chemical constituents may serve as binding sites for the metal ions; therefore, the RPS of this species appears to be a promising biosorbent for Cr⁶⁺.     

甲苯对土壤芳基硫酸酯酶活性的影响

甲苯作为土壤酶测定的前处理试剂及许多有机污染物在环境中降解的中间产物,有关其对土壤酶的影响研究在土壤酶学和环境科学领域具有重要意义.因此,采用模拟方法,较系统地研究了不同剂量甲苯和处理时间下芳基硫酸酯酶活性的变化规律.结果表明,甲苯对纯酶具有明显的抑制作用,酶活性降幅最大达到45.5%;灭菌土壤对溶液中的纯酶有很强的吸附能力;极微量的甲苯即可完成对土壤中酶活性的激活作用,酶活性增幅为109%～298%;随着甲苯剂量的增加,土壤酶活性的变化幅度逐渐趋缓,并可用Langmuir模型较好地拟合,由此获得了最大表观酶活性Umax,发现其与土壤性质显著相关,说明甲苯主要是通过杀死土壤中的微生物来影响土壤酶活性的.此外,初步探讨了不同土壤中胞外酶量与胞内酶量的关系,发现在供试土样中土壤芳香硫酸酯酶胞外酶和胞内酶分别占54.4%和45.6%.本研究可为后续土壤酶测定质量的完善和提高提供依据.     

西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为研究

采用小型回填式土柱淋溶实验方法研究了西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为。结果表明,西辽河流域沙土的氨氮解吸行为符合Langmuir和Freundlich解吸等温式;沙土氨氮解吸比率Dr在0.44～0.99之间,平均为0.75,解吸迟滞性指数TⅡ在0.05～0.65之间,平均为0.29,沙土对氨氮的解吸迟滞性较强,解吸可逆性较弱。被吸附的氨氮解吸淋失的环境风险较小;沙土氨氮解吸比率Dr与土壤有机质含量、粘粒含量和粗粘粒含量呈极显著负相关,影响程度顺序为:有机质含量>粗粘粒含量>粘粒含量;解吸分配系数k和解吸迟滞性指数与土壤有机质含量分别呈极显著和显著正相关,与粘粒含量和粗粘粒含量没有相关性;草地、农田和林地结构由于土壤有机质和团聚体含量较高,氨氮解吸迟滞性较强,氨氮流失的环境风险较小,沙荒地结构氨氮流失的环境风险较大。     

Effect of particle size on CO adsorption and thermodynamic analysis

The liquid nitrogen adsorption method was used to characterize the pore structure of non-cohesive coal in the 061,404 working face of the Lingxin coal mine. The amount of specific surface area of micropores in the sample continuously rose as particle sizes reduced. The volumetric method was used to measure the CO isothermal adsorption curves of three samples (sample I, 0.425–0.25 mm, sample II, 0.18–0.25 mm, and sample III, 0.15–0.18 mm). The experimental results were fitted by the Langmuir model. According to the experimental results, it was conducive to CO adsorption with the conditions of high pressure and low-temperature. The decrease in grain diameter increased the number and volume of micropores in the sample, which improved the adsorption capacity of the sample. In addition, according to the adsorption data, the CO adsorption thermodynamics of three samples were analyzed, including surface potential (Ω), Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) and entropy change (ΔS). The results demonstrated that CO adsorption by coal was a spontaneous process. Sample III has the most substantial adsorption capacity, whereas the sample I has the weakest adsorption capacity.     

Adsorption of glyphosate on Brazilian subtropical soils rich in iron and aluminum oxides

Abstract

We investigated the adsorption of glyphosate onto five subtropical soils of Paraná and São Paulo states, Brazil, a region of intense agricultural activities, aiming at the determination of kinetic and isotherm adsorption parameters which enable the evaluation of the potential leaching of the herbicide. The adsorption was fast, being described by the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models, thus suggesting that mixed mechanisms are involved. The Oxisol containing the highest concentrations of metal oxides (209.5?g kg^?1 Fe₂O₃ and 160.2?g kg^?1 Al₂O₃) was the sample with the highest rate constant, indicating the adsorption sites are readily available. All the soils are rich in aluminum and iron oxides, explaining the Freundlich coefficients (K_F) between 642 and 1360?mg^1-1/n kg^?1 L^1/n, which are higher than most of the coefficients described for other soils around the world. The maximum desorption (15% of the adsorbed amount) was observed for the Oxisol. For the other soils, desorption ranged from 2 to 7%. These results suggest that the leaching of free glyphosate to nearby surface and groundwaters is unlikely unless excessive doses are used. The adsorption parameters are useful for managing the right doses applied to the crops, thus avoiding contamination of adjacent areas.     

Biosorption of nickel(II) from aqueous solution by Aspergillus niger: Response surface methodology and isotherm study

In the present study, the effects of biosorbent Aspergillus niger dosage, initial solution pH and initial Ni(II) concentration on the uptake of Ni(II) by NaOH pretreated biomass of A. niger from aqueous solution were investigated. Batch experiments were carried out in order to model and optimize the biosorption process. The influence of three parameters on the uptake of Ni(II) was described using a response surface methodology (RSM) as well as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Optimum Ni(II) uptake of 4.82 mg Ni(II) g⁻¹ biomass (70.30%) was achieved at pH 6.25, biomass dosage of 2.98 g L⁻¹ and initial Ni(II) concentration of 30.00 mg L⁻¹ Ni(II). Langmuir and Freundlich were able to describe the biosorption isotherm fairly well. However, prediction of Ni(II) biosorption using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms was relatively poor in comparison with RSM approaches. The biosorption mechanism was also investigated by using Fourier transfer infrared (FT-IR) analysis of untreated, NaOH pretreated, and Ni(II) loaded A. niger biomass.     

Platinum (IV) recovery from chloride solution by functionalized acrylic copolymers

Two acrylic adsorbents with different morphological structures and bearing amidoethylenamine and thiol groups were obtained and used for platinum sorption from chloride solution by the batch method. Physico-chemical parameters that influence adsorption such as initial Pt(IV) concentration, stirring time, pH, and adsorbent amount were investigated. The thermodynamic parameters of Pt(IV) sorption on the synthesized adsorbent were also evaluated based on Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Thermodynamic parameters estimated from Langmuir constants indicated that the adsorption is spontaneous, exothermic and there is a disordered state at the molecular level. The models used to analyze the sorption rate led to the conclusion that the most important step in the sorption of Pt(IV) could be both particle diffusion and chemical reaction of [PtCl₆]⁻ with amine functional groups. Thus, both the ion exchange and complex formation mechanisms can occur via nitrogen atoms in the recovery of Pt(IV) on the studied adsorbent.     

Recovery of seven kinds of cfc and cfc replacements on high‐surface area activated carbon

The adsorption isotherms, the constants of the Dubinin—Radushkevich plots, and the constants of the Langmuir plots of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and CFC replacements on high‐surface area activated carbon were investigated to estimate the recovery efficiency of CFC and CFC replacements. The adsorption and desorption of HFC134a on a high‐surface area activated carbon was much easier than that of CFC 113 and the CFC replacements. The recovery efficiency of CFC replacements depends on the hydrogen atoms in molecule. It is possible that the saturated amount adsorbed in the pores or on the surface of the activated carbon could be evaluated by the W_s constant of the the Langmuir equation and the W_o constant of the Dubinin‐Radushkevich equation. The a constant of the Langmuir equation and the BE_o constant of the Dubinin‐Radushkevich equation depend on the molecular composition.     

Heavy-metal adsorption by non-living biomass

The adsorption of some heavy metals onto the walls of harvested, washed, and dried non-living biomass cells of different Pseudomonas strains was studied at optimum experimental conditions using a simplified single component system. The Langmuir adsorption model was found to be a suitable approach to describe the system via multi-step processes. Isotherms measured at 30.0°C and pH 5.5 with [M]_total = 10-100 mM for tight, reversible Cr⁶⁺(aq), Ni²⁺(aq), Cu²⁺(aq) and Cd²⁺(aq) binding by the cell walls of the investigated biomass fit the Langmuir model and give the pH-independent stoichiometric site capacities ν_i and equilibrium constants K_i for metal binding at specific biomass sites i = A, B, C, and D. Tight binding sites A, B, and D of the non-living biomass are occupied by Cr^VI, sites A and C by Ni^II, sites A and D by Cd^II, and only site B by Cu^II. It is concluded that ν_i is a stoichiometric parameter that is independent of the magnitude of K_i for binding site i and that the studied heavy metals selectively and tightly bind at different biomass sites.     

‘Emulsion locks’ for the containment of hydrocarbons during surfactant flushing

Reversible double water in oil in water (W/O/W) emulsions were developed to contain subsurface hydrocarbon spills during their remediation using surfactant flushing. Double emulsions were prepared by emulsifying CaCl₂ solutions in canola oil, and subsequently by emulsifying the W/O emulsions in aqueous sodium alginate solutions. The formation of double emulsions was confirmed with confocal and optical microscopy. The double emulsions reversed and gelled when mixed with the surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CPB). Gels can act as ‘emulsion locks’ to prevent spreading of the hydrocarbon plume from the areas treated with surfactant flushing, as shown in sand column tests. Shear rheology was used to quantify the viscoelastic moduli increase (gelation) upon mixing the double emulsion with SDS and CPB. SDS was more effective than CPB in gelling the double emulsions. CPB and SDS could adsorb at the interface between water and model hydrocarbons (toluene and motor oil), lowering the interfacial tension and rigidifying the interface (as shown with a Langmuir trough). Bottle tests and optical microscopy showed that SDS and CPB produced W/O and O/W emulsions, with either toluene or motor oil and water. The emulsification of motor oil and toluene in water with SDS and CPB facilitated their flow through sand columns and their recovery. Toluene recovery from sand columns was quantitated using Gas-Chromatography Mass-Spectroscopy (GC-MS). The data show that SDS and CPB can be used both for surfactant flushing and to trigger the gelation of ‘emulsion locks’. Ethanol also gelled the emulsions at 100 mL/L.