Removal of copper ions and dissolved phenol from water using micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration with mixed surfactants

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effects of composition and concentration of mixed anionic/nonionic surfactants on the efficiency of a micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) operation in removing metal ions/organic solutes from aqueous solutions. Based on the analysis of surface tensions and micelle sizes, it was found that for mixed sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)/Triton X-100 surfactants, the critical micelle concentration (cmc) was significantly lower than that of SDS and mixed micelles formed. The mixed surfactant system was then applied in a cross-flow mode of MEUF, in which the concentration polarization can be neglected, to remove Cu2+ from aqueous solutions. With a surfactant concentration of 10 mM, the Cu2+ rejection was negligible by using pure Triton X-100 and increased with increasing SDS mole fraction with a value as high as 85%, which suggests that the rejection of Cu2+ was due to the electrostatic attraction between Cu2+ and SDS. Furthermore, pronounced Cu2+ rejection was obtained for a 5 mM SDS solution, which was attributable to a decrease in the cmc of SDS by the existence of Cu2+. When the MEUF technique was applied to remove Cu2+ and phenol simultaneously from aqueous solutions, the Cu2+ rejection was slightly enhanced in the presence of phenol. However, the rejection of phenol was comparatively low, approximately 27%, which may be caused by its relatively hydrophilic characteristic.     

表面活性剂对土壤中石油污染物的解吸

采用4种表面活性剂解吸老化石油污染土壤中的污染物,对其解吸动力学特征及残油组分进行了分析。实验结果表明:在表面活性剂质量浓度相同(0.5 g/L)条件下,土壤中石油污染物解吸率的大小顺序为十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)曲拉通X-100(TX-100)吐温-80(TW-80)十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDBS);SDS的解吸率最高,经48 h累积解吸后土壤中石油污染物的解吸率为38.7%;表面活性剂对石油污染物的解吸动力学曲线用Elovich方程拟合,效果最好,相关系数为0.970 2~0.995 6;非离子表面活性剂(TX-100、TW-80)对石油污染物中饱和烃组分的解吸率优于阴离子表面活性剂(SDS、SDBS),而对芳香烃组分的解吸率不如阴离子表面活性剂。     

Enhanced biodegradation of creosote-contaminated soil

Bioremediation, a viable option for treatment of cresote-contaminated soil, can be enhanced by the use of surfactant. A study was conducted to investigate the effect of a non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-100, on biodegradation of creosote-contaminated soil. Abiotic soil desorption experiments were performed to determine the kinetics of release of selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds. Respirometric experiments were also conducted to evaluate the effect of nonionic surfactant on biodegradation. The N-Con system respirometer was used to monitor the oxygen uptake by the microorganisms. The abiotic experiments results indicated that the addition of surfactant to soil/water systems increased the desorption of PAH compounds. It was also observed that the desorption rate of PAH compounds depended on their molecular weight. The 3- and 4-ring PAH compounds showed higher and faster desorption rates than the 5- and 6-ring PAHs. The respirometric experiments indicated that an increase in soil contamination level from 112.5 to 771.8 mg/kg showed an increase in oxygen uptake. But for a soil contamination level of 1102.5 mg/kg, the oxygen uptake was similar to the contamination level of 771.8 mg/kg. This might be due to toxicity by the surfactant or the solubilized PAHs at high concentration or interference with contaminant transport into the cell or to reversible physical-chemical interferences with the activity of enzymes involved in the PAH degradation. The increase in PAH availability to the microorganisms in the aqueous phase produced an increase in oxygen consumption that is proportional to the biodegradation of organic compounds.     

浊点萃取分光光度法测定水中Cr(Ⅵ)

利用二苯碳酰二肼显色,Triton X-100-正辛醇浊点萃取,建立了一种分光光度法测定水中Cr(Ⅵ)的新方法,并探讨了不同测定条件对测定效果的影响。优化后的测定条件为(总体积50 mL)1 mol/L稀硫酸加入量1.0mL、2 g/L二苯碳酰二肼溶液加入量1.5 mL、10 g/L Triton X-100溶液加入量1.5 mL、3 g/L苯甲酸溶液加入量4.0mL、正辛醇加入量5.0 mL。Cr(Ⅵ)质量浓度在0~20μg/L范围内符合朗伯-比尔定律,线性回归方程的相关系数为0.995 5。该方法应用于水样中痕量Cr(Ⅵ)的测定,相对标准偏差小于2.5%,加标回收率为95.7%。     

曝气强化非离子表面活性剂洗涤法修复柴油污染土壤

采用异位修复法,利用非离子表面活性剂洗涤柴油污染土壤,并在洗涤过程中曝气强化。考察了洗涤效果的影响因素,并通过表面张力和接触角的测定探讨了洗涤机理。实验结果表明:曝气对污染土壤中柴油的洗脱有强化作用,可提高洗脱率10%~20%;3种非离子表面活性剂的洗脱效果优劣次序为聚氧乙烯月桂醚(Brij-35)曲拉通X-100(TX-100)吐温-80(Tw-80);在表面活性剂浓度为1倍临界胶束浓度、曝气量为7.5 L/min、洗涤时间为60 min、洗涤液pH为11.0的优化条件下,Brij-35对柴油的洗脱率达77.4%,污染土样的含油率从7.0%降至1.6%,接触角从24.12°降至6.65°,可基本恢复土壤的亲水性;洗涤液的表面张力随表面活性剂浓度的增加而降低,但不受洗涤液pH的影响。     

Remediation of DDT‐contaminated soil using optimized mixtures of surfactants and a mixing system

Soil contaminated with persistent pesticides, such as DDT, poses a serious risk to humans and to wildlife. A surfactant‐aided soil‐washing technique was studied as an alternative method for remediation of DDT‐contaminated soil. An ex situ soil washing method was investigated using nonionic and anionic surfactants due to the clayey structure of the contaminated soil. A mixture of 1 percent nonionic surfactant (Brij 35) and 1 percent anionic surfactant (SDBS) removed more than 50 percent of DDT from soil in a flow‐through system, whereas individual surfactants or other combinations of the surfactants had a lower removal efficiency. The soil‐washing technique was improved using a mixing system. The mixture of surfactants was optimized in the mixing system, and the combination of 2 percent Brij 35 and 0.1 percent SDBS was found to be optimum, removing 70 to 80 percent of DDT. Prewashing of the soil with tap water decreased the adsorption of surfactants to soil particles by 30 to 40 percent, and postwashing recovered 90 percent of the surfactants. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

二氧化钛对活性艳红X-3B的光催化降解研究

以TiO2作为光催化剂,研究了TiO2对活性艳红X-3B的光催化氧化降解行为。结果表明,以锐钛矿为主的混晶型Ti02的催化活性最好;X-3B的光催化降解动力学符合Langmuir-Hinshelwood动力学模式,并求出其动力学参数女(表观反应速率常数)为0．5921,KA(吸附平衡常数)为0．1725;温度对X-3B的降解影响很小,其活化能仅为6．04kJ／mol;溶液中盐度的增加会不断降低TiO2对X-3B的光催化降解速率。     

n-Hexane Biodegradation in Trickle Bed Air Biofilters

While hydrophilic compounds are degraded easily in Trickling bed air biofilters (TBABs), hydrophobic compounds are retarded until biological cultures produce a sufficient RNA or enzyme/protein to utilize this compound. Hydrophobic compounds are not readily bio-available which makes them reluctant to biodegradation as mass transfer between the gas and liquid phases is a rate limiting step. To enhance the destruction of hydrophobic compounds in TBABs, the utilization of surfactant was introduced to increase the solubility which helps overcoming the rate limiting step. The surfactant was used as well to limit the growth of excess biomass ensuring smooth flow through the biofilter bed and preventing short circuits. Two different non-ionic non-toxic surfactants were used in this study: Triton X-100 and Tomadol® 25-7. Two lab-scale controlled TBABs were operated for investigating the performance difference for n-Hexane as an example of hydrophobic volatile organic compound (VOC) with and without the addition of surfactant. Operating conditions in both TBABs were as follows: nutrient feed rate (2L/day), air flowrate (1.4L/min), bed depth (60cm), empty bed retention time (120s), bed material (diatomaceous earth pellets) and room-temperature. The inlet concentration was changed from 50 to 100ppmv. Acclimation period, removal profile along biofilter depth, nitrogen consumption, and CO₂ production were compared under continuous loading operation condition. The optimum concentration of surfactant in the nutrient feed was determined by a batch experiment. The effect of different surfactant concentrations on VOC water solubility with time was studied by considering different VOC concentration sets within the TBAB loading rate range.     

混合表面活性剂-浊点萃取法测定沉积物中多环芳烃的含量

以混合型表面活性剂（十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）和对叔辛基苯基聚己二醇醚（Triton X-114））为萃取剂,采用浊点萃取法萃取沉积物中的15种多环芳烃（PAHs）,并利用HPLC技术测定15种PAHs的含量。实验结果表明,当混合型表面活性剂的加入量 3％（w）、混合型表面活性剂中SDS含量 50%（φ）、Na2SO4含量 8％（w）、萃取温度 60 ℃、超声萃取时间 10 min 时,15种PAHs的线性关系良好,r=0.998 9~0.999 7,检出限0.4~8.2 μg/L,加标回收率71.22%~97.36%,相对标准偏差0.92%~4.36%（n=6）。     

Combination of three-stage sink-float method and selective flotation technique for separation of mixed post-consumer plastic waste

The aim of this research was to separate the different plastics of a mixed post-consumer plastic waste by the combination of a three-stage sink-float method and selective flotation. By using the three-stage sink-float method, six mixed-plastic wastes, belonging to the 0.3-0.5 cm size class and including high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers (ABS) were separated into two groups, i.e., a low density plastic group (HDPE and PP) and a high density plastic group (PET, PVC, PS and ABS) by tap water. Plastic whose density is less than that of the medium solution floats to the surface, while the one whose density is greater than that of the medium solution sinks to the bottom. The experimental results elucidated that complete separation of HDPE from PP was achieved by the three-stage sink-float method with 50% v/v ethyl alcohol. To succeed in the separation of a PS/ABS mixture from a PET/PVC mixture by the three-stage sink-float method, a 30% w/v calcium chloride solution was employed. To further separate post-consumer PET/PVC and PS/ABS based on plastic type, selective flotation was carried out. In order to succeed in selective flotation separation, it is necessary to render hydrophilic the surface of one or more species while the others are kept in a hydrophobic state. In flotation studies, the effects of wetting agent, frother, pH of solution and electrolyte on separation were determined. The selective flotation results showed that when using 500 mg l(-1) calcium lignosulfonate, 0.01 ppm MIBC, and 0.1 mg l(-1) CaCl2 at pH 11, PET could be separated from PVC. To separate ABS from PS, 200 mg l(-1) calcium lignosulfonate and 0.1 mg l(-1) CaCl2 at pH 7 were used as a flotation solution. Wettability of plastic increases when adding CaCl2 and corresponds to a decrease in its contact angles and to a reduction in the recovery of plastic in the floated product.     

Alkyd-amino resins based on waste PET for coating applications

Waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes were depolymerized by using propylene glycol (PG) in the presence of zinc acetate as catalyst. Glycolysis reaction products of waste PET obtained by using PET/glycol molar ratio 1/2. Two short oil alkyd resins of high acid values (30-40mgKOH/g) were prepared from phthalic anhydride (PA), glycerin (G), coconut oil fatty acids (COFA) and glycolyzed products of waste PET (PET-based alkyd resins) or glycols (PG) (reference alkyd resins). These alkyd resins were blended with 30%, 40%, and 50% of a commercial urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde/melamine-formaldehyde mixture (1/1 weight ratio) and heated at 140 degrees C. The physical and chemical properties such as drying time, hardness, abrasion resistance, adhesion strength, water resistance, alkaline resistance, acid resistance, gelation time, and thermal oxidative degradation resistance (with thermogravimetric analysis, TGA) of these alkyd-amino resins were investigated. The properties of the waste PET-based resins were found to be compatible with the properties of the reference resins.     

Improvement of Waste Recycling in PET Fiber Production

Production of polyethylene teraphtalate (PET) fiber in the world is increasing every year and reached to an amount of about 20 million tons a year in 2001. The wastes occur in the production of PET fiber in the amount of about 3–5% of total production. The PET does not degrade for a long time in nature. Since PET is a derivative of petroleum, the wastes of PET are valuable and must be recycled. One of the recycling method of PET wastes is re-melting. Thus, various properties of the PET wastes were improved using the re-melting method by employing an extruder manufactured for the work. Degradation during re-melting decreases the properties of the final product. The results indicate that the properties of recycled PET wastes can be monitored by designing the parameters of the extruder. Also, the further degradation of the material can be prevented and the recycling costs are minimized.     

Mercury removal from aqueous solutions by zinc cementation

The main purpose of this research is to study the addition effect of the surfactant and other operating factors on the treatment of wastewater containing mercury ions in aqueous solution by cementation with sacrificing metal, zinc. The removal of mercury ions from aqueous solutions by cementation of zinc powder was found to be a function of solution pH and temperature, amount of zinc, concentration of mercury ion, contact time and the addition of several organic surfactants. Cementation of mercury was shown to be a feasible process to achieve a very high degree of mercury removal over a broad operational range within a fairly reasonable contact time. The reaction rate is approximately first order with respect to the concentration of mercury ion in aqueous solution. Among the surfactants used in this study, only the presence of SDS, an anionic surfactant, slightly enhanced the cementation rate of mercury. The presence of CTAB and Triton-X100 retarded the cementation of mercury by zinc.     

Degradation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Based Nonionic Surfactants by Different Bacterial Isolates from River Water

Different bacterial strains able to attack polyoxyethylene-type nonionic surfactants were isolated by enrichment procedure from the surface waters of the Arno River. Alkylphenol polyethoxylates and alkyl polyethoxylates, as well as polyethylene glycols, were degraded and assimilated by bacterial strains in axenic cultures. Degradative routes of polyethyleneoxide chains were investigated by matching each bacterial isolate with several types of nonionic surfactants and polyethers and by the identification of their degradation products isolated during aerobic digestion experiments. In accordance with previous reports, the first attack led to the shortening of the poly(oxyethylene) chains of the nonionic surfactants. It was found that the strains able to degrade PEG segments of nonionic surfactants possess enzymatic systems unable to degrade free PEGs, whereas those degrading the latter substrates cannot degrade PEG segments coupled to hydrophobic moieties.     

Solvent extraction and soil washing treatment of contaminated soils from wood preserving sites: Bench‐scale studies

Bench‐scale solvent extraction and soil washing studies were performed on soil samples obtained from three abandoned wood preserving sites included in the National Priority List. The soil samples from these sites were contaminated with high levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pentachlorophenol (PCP), dioxins, and heavy metals. The effectiveness of the solvent extraction process was assessed using liquefied propane or dimethyl ether as solvents over a range of operating conditions. These studies have demonstrated that a two‐stage solvent extraction process using dimethyl ether as a solvent at a ratio of 1.61 per kg of soil could decrease dioxin levels in the soil by 93.0 to 98.9 percent, and PCP levels by 95.1 percent. Reduction percentages for benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) potency estimate and total detected PAHs were 82.4 and 98.6 percent, respectively. Metals concentrations were not reduced by the solvent extraction treatment. These removal levels could be significantly improved using a multistage extraction system. Commercial scale solvent extraction using liquefied gases costs about $220 per ton of contaminated soil. However, field application of this technology at the United Creosote site, Conroe, Texas, failed to perform to the level observed at bench scale due to the excessive foaming and air emission problem. Soil washing using surfactant solution and wet screening treatability studies were also performed on the soil samples in order to assess remediation strategies for sites. Although aqueous phase solubility of contaminants seemed to be the most important factor affecting removal of contaminants from soil, surfactant solutions (3 percent by weight) having nonionic surfactants with hydrophile‐lipophile balance (HLB) of about 14 (Makon‐12 and Igepal CA 720) reduced the PAH levels by an average of 71 percent, compared to no measurable change when pure deionized water was used. Large fractioza of clay and silt (<0.06mm), high le!ezielsof orgaizic contami‐ nants and hzimic acid can makesoil washing less applicable.     

Investigation of thermal treatment on selective separation of post consumer plastics prior to froth flotation

Plastics have become the widely used materials because of their advantages, such as cheapness, endurance, lightness, and hygiene. However, they cause waste and soil pollution and they do not easily decompose. Many promising technologies are being investigated for separating mixed thermoplastics, but they are still uneconomical and unreliable. Depending on their surface characteristics, these plastics can be separated from each other by flotation method which is useful mineral processing technique with its low cost and simplicity.The main objective of this study is to investigate the flotation characteristics of PET and PVC and determine the effect of plasticizer reagents on efficient plastic separation. For that purpose, various parameters such as pH, plasticizer concentration, plasticizer type, conditioning temperature and thermal conditioning were investigated. As a result, PET particles were floated with 95.1% purity and 65.3% efficiency while PVC particles were obtained with 98.1% purity and 65.3% efficiency.     

Use of plastic waste (poly-ethylene terephthalate) in asphalt concrete mixture as aggregate replacement.

One of the environmental issues in most regions of Iran is the large number of bottles made from poly-ethylene terephthalate (PET) deposited in domestic wastes and landfills. Due to the high volume of these bottles, more than 1 million m3 landfill space is needed for disposal every year. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the possibility of using PET waste in asphalt concrete mixes as aggregate replacement (Plastiphalt) to reduce the environmental effects of PET disposal. For this purpose the mechanical properties of plastiphalt mixes were compared with control samples. This study focused on the parameters of Marshall stability, flow, Marshall quotient (stability-to-flow ratio) and density. The waste PET used in this study was in the form of granules of about 3 mm diameter which would replace (by volume) a portion of the mineral coarse aggregates of an equal size (2.36-4.75 mm). In all prepared mixes the determined 6.6% optimum bitumen content was used. In this investigation, five different percentages of coarse aggregate replacement were used. The results showed that the aggregate replacement of 20% by volume with PET granules would result in a reduction of 2.8% in bulk compacted mix density. The value of flow in the plastiphalt mix was lower than that of the control samples. The results also showed that when PET was used as partial aggregate replacement, the corresponding Marshall stability and Marshall quotient were almost the same as for the control samples. According to most of specification requirement, these results introduce an asphalt mix that has properties that makes it suitable for practical use and furthermore, the recycling of PET for asphalt concrete roads helps alleviate an environmental problem and saves energy.     

Evaluation of biodegradability of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends

The results of an investigation aimed at evaluation of the biodegradability of blends of poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as the major component are reported. Specimens of the blends, as melt extruded films and/or powders, were submitted to degradation tests under different environmental conditions including full-scale composting, soil burial, bench-scale accelerated aerobic degradation, and exposure to axenic cultures and esterolytic enzymes. Indications have been gained that blending in the melt gives rise to insertion of PCL segments in the PET chain. Copolymers thus attained acted as macromolecular compatibilizers, allowing for a complete miscibility of PCL and PET. The biodegradation detected on the blend samples was, however, well below the values expected from chemical composition and behavior of individual homopolymers under the same environmental conditions. The presence of PET as the major component in PET/PCL blends apparently reduces the propensity of PCL to be degraded, at least in the investigated composition range. The degradation data collected under different environmental conditions indicate that the full-scale composting system is the most efficient among the tested degradation procedures.     

From Aminolysis Product of PET Waste to Novel Biodegradable Polyurethanes

Chemical recycling of PET has been developed by various methods. Aminolysis is one of chemical recycling methods of PET has been developed recently. The obtained product using aminolysis, Bis (2-hydroxy ethylene) terephthalamide (BHETA), has the potential for further reactions to obtain useful products. There are few reports on usage of recycled BHETA from PET waste to synthesis of polyurethanes. On the other hand, various biodegradable polyurethanes have been synthesized using polycaprolactone diol. Therefore, caprolactone is a new potential in synthesis of biodegradable polyurethanes from PET waste. In this work, novel biodegradable polyurethanes have been synthesized using BHETA. In this order, at first polyols with different molecular weights have been synthesized through ring opening polymerization of caprolactone by BHETA, then urethane linkages were formed using HDI (Hexamethylene Diisocyanate) without chain extender. Chemical, thermal, mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties, biodegradability, morphology and UV resistance of synthesized polyurethanes have been investigated.     

Synthesis of copolyesters containing poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(ε-caprolactone) units and their susceptibility toPseudomonas sp. lipase

Copolyesters containing poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) were synthesized from PET and PCL homopolymers by transesterification reaction at 270°C in the presence of catalyst. The copolyesters were characterized by¹³C-NMR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The degradation behavior of PCL byPseudomonas sp. lipase in buffer solution (pH 7) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) was investigated by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and¹H-NMR. From these experiments, it was found thatPseudomonas sp. lipase acted endoenzymatically on PCL. Using this lipase, degradation tests for PET/PCL copolyesters whose PCL content was below 50% by weight were also performed in buffer solution (pH 7). However, evenPseudomonas sp. lipase with high degradation activity on PCL did not easily degrade the PCL unit in PET/PCL copolyesters.