Enhanced CO2 adsorptive performance of PEI/SBA-15 adsorbent using phosphate ester based surfactants as additives

In this study,a series of polyetherimide/SBA-15: 2-D hexagonal P6 mm,Santa Barbara USA(PEI/SBA-15) adsorbents modified by phosphoric ester based surfactants(including tri(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate(TEP),bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate(BEP) and trimethyl phosphonoacetate(TMPA))were prepared for CO_2 adsorption.Experimental results indicated that the addition of TEP and BEP had positive effects on CO_2 adsorption capacity over PEI/SBA-15.In particular,the CO_2 adsorption amount could be improved by around 20% for 45PEI–5TEP/SBA-15 compared to the additive-free adsorbent.This could be attributed to the decrease of CO_2 diffusion resistance in the PEI bulk network due to the interactions between TEP and loaded PEI molecules,which was further confirmed by adsorption kinetics results.In addition,it was also found that the cyclic performance of the TEP-modified adsorbent was better than the surfactant-free one.This could be due to two main reasons,based on the results of in situ DRIFT and TG-DSC tests.First and more importantly,adsorbed CO_2 species could be desorbed more rapidly over TEP-modified adsorbent during the thermal desorption process.Furthermore,the enhanced thermal stability after TEP addition ensured lower degradation of amine groups during adsorption/desorption cycles.     

Acute toxicity of aromatic and non-aromatic fractions of naphthenic acids extracted from oil sands process-affected water to larval zebrafish

The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has regularly been attributed to naphthenic acids, which exist in complex mixtures. If on remediation treatment (e.g., ozonation) or on entering the environment, the mixtures of these acids all behave in the same way, then they can be studied as a whole. If, however, some acids are resistant to change, whilst others are not, or are less resistant, it is important to establish which sub-classes of acids are the most toxic.     

‘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.     

New insights into different surfactants’ impacts on sludge fermentation: Focusing on the particular metabolic processes and microbial genetic traits

• The promoting effects for VFA generation follow the order of APG>SDBS>HTAB. • Surfactants improve the WAS solubilization/hydrolysis and acidification processes. • The VFA promotion is associated with surfactants’ distinctive characteristics. • Surfactants induce the enrichment of functional bacteria for VFA biosynthesis. • The vital genes for substrates delivery, metabolism, and VFA yields are upregulated. Surfactants were expected to exhibit positive effects on the waste activated sludge (WAS) disposal. However, the systematic comparison of different categories of surfactants on the WAS fermentation and the functional mechanisms, especially microbial metabolic traits, have not yet been precisely explored. This study revealed the positive effects of different surfactants on the volatile fatty acid (VFA) production, which followed the order of alkyl polysaccharides (APG)>sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS)>hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB). Mechanistic exploration found that the presence of different surfactants improved solubilization and hydrolysis steps, and then contributed to the subsequent acidification with different efficiencies. The functional microorganisms associated with VFA generation were enriched in surfactant-conditioned reactors. Metagenomic analysis further indicated that the key genes involved in the particular process of VFA generation were over-expressed. The simultaneous bioavailable substrate improvement, functional bacterial enrichment, and metabolic activity upregulation induced by different surfactants jointly contributed to VFA promotion during WAS fermentation. This study could provide a comprehensive realization of surfactants’ impacts on the WAS fermentation process, and more importantly, it reminded the public to discern the distinct interplaying effects induced by different chemicals in regulating the WAS disposal and resource recovery.     

A study on recovery of oil from sludge containing oil using froth flotation

Induced air flotation was used to recover oil from synthetically prepared sludge containing oil. A commercial surfactant was used as the collector and frother. The effects of various parameters, namely flotation time, initial amount of oil in the feed and the amount of surfactant used on the recovery of oil were investigated. Within the range of operating conditions studied herein, the maximum oil recovery obtained was about 55%. A detailed study of flotation kinetics based on oil recovery was carried out. It showed that the process followed first-order kinetics.     

Growth factors, kinetics and biodegradation mechanism associated with Pseudomonas nitroreducens TX1 grown on octylphenol polyethoxylates

The growth properties and biodegradation mechanism of a Gram-negative bacterium, Pseudomonas nitroreducens TX1 that was able to grow on branched octylphenol polyethoxylates (OPEO(n), average n=9.5) as the sole carbon source over a wide concentration range (1-100,000 mgl(-1)) were studied. Analysis of growth factors indicated the highest specific growth rate (micro) of 0.53 h(-1) was obtained at an initial concentration of 5,000 mgl(-1) OPEO(n). An optimal C/N ratio of 12 was obtained for (NH(4))(2)SO(4) as the nitrogen source in a cultivated medium at pH 7. The kinetic analysis demonstrated that bacterial growth and OPEO(n) degradation followed the Monod equation and were based on a substrate concentration inhibition model and pseudo-first-order reaction, respectively. The substrate inhibition coefficient was over 18,000 mgl(-1) and this indicates that the strain has an ability to sustain growth at high concentrations of OPEO(n) and use it as the sole carbon source under such a stress condition. Furthermore, LC-MS analysis showed that the biodegradation mechanism of dodecyl octaethoxylate (AEO8) by P. nitroreducens TX1 was the sequential cleavage of the ethoxylate chain.     

水－油－表面活性剂体系中油含量测量方法的改进

应用原地灌注表面活性剂溶液法去除地下水系统中包气带石油类污染，建立了测定水－油－表面活性剂体系中油含量的方法，第一次提出采用单宁酸沉淀脂肪醇聚氧乙烯醚以去除其对油含量测定的干扰，并成功地应用于清除地下水石油污染的表面活性剂优选实验当中。     

A new concept: the use of neutrally-buoyant microemulsions for DNAPL remediation

Even in the absence of mobilization of dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), the microemulsion that forms when the surfactant solubilizes a dense contaminant such as trichloroethylene will be more dense than water and tends to migrate downward. This paper addresses the issue of migration with a new concept: surfactant enhanced aquifer remediation at neutral buoyancy. Laboratory results of surfactant remediation in two-dimensional model aquifers show that downward migration of microemulsion containing solubilized dense contaminants can be reduced to an acceptable level, even in the absence of capillary barriers in the aquifer. One model experiment was designed to exhibit a small degree of vertical migration and full capture of the microemulsion at the extraction well. The second experiment was designed to demonstrate the effect of large buoyancy forces that lead to excessive downward migration of the microemulsion. Density measurements of aqueous solutions containing sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate surfactant, isopropanol, trichloroethylene, and sodium chloride are presented. A companion paper presents the results of the flow and transport calculations needed for this approach to surfactant flooding.     

表面活性剂对分枝杆菌KR2生长的影响

研究了表面活性剂的浓度、离子类型和分子结构等对分枝杆菌KR2菌株生长的影响。结果表明，一些表面活性剂在低浓度时可以促进分枝杆菌KR2的生长，高浓度时则会抑制KR2菌株的生长。表面活性剂的离子类型对KR2菌株生长抑制作用的顺序为：阳离子活性剂TDTMA＞阴离子表面活性剂LAS＞非离子表面活性剂Tween80。表面活性剂的直链长度对KR2菌株生长的影响为：直链越短，对分枝杆菌KR2菌株生长的抑制作用越大。     

表面活性剂和多环芳烃的复合生态效应研究进展

简要论述了表面活性剂和多环芳烃在环境中的各自行为，包括表面活性剂的定义，分类和对难溶有机化合物的增溶作用机理，多环芳烃的产生途径和分布，表面活性剂和多环芳烃的危害及生物去除方式等，在此基础上着重探讨表面活性剂对多环芳烃生物去除的影响作用机理，阐述了影响表面活性剂和多环芳烃复合生态效应的各种因素及最新研究进展。对该领域需进一步研究的问题进行了展望。