Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B bymicrowave-assisted hydrothermal synthesized N-doped titanate nanotubes

Microwave-induced nitrogen-doped titanate nanotubes（NTNTs） were characterized by transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, X-ray diffraction（XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR）, Zeta potential analysis,specific surface area（SBET）, and UV-Visible spectroscopy. TEM results indicate that NTNTs retain a tubular structure with a crystalline multiwall and have a length of several hundred nanometers after nitrogen doping. XRD findings demonstrate that the crystalline structure of NTNTs was dominated by anatase, which is favored for photocatalytic application. The Ti-O-N linkage observed in the XPS N 1s spectrum is mainly responsible for narrowing the band gap and eventually enhancing the visible light photoactivity. FT-IR results demonstrated the existence of H3O＋, which could be excited by photo-generated holes to form hydroxyl radicals and degrade environmental pollutants. After sintering at 350°C, the UV-Vis absorbance edges of NTNTs significantly shift to the visible-light region, which indicates N atom doping into the nanotubes. Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B（RhB） via NTNTs show good efficiency, with pseudo first-order kinetic model rate constants of 3.7 × 10-3, 2.4 × 10-3and 8.0 × 10-4sec-1at pH 3, 7, and 11, respectively.     

Review of the progress in preparing nano TiO2: An important environmental engineering material

TiO2 nanomaterial is promising with its high potential and outstanding performance in photocatalytic environmental applications, such as CO2 conversion, water treatment, and air quality control. For many of these applications, the particle size, crystal structure and phase,porosity, and surface area influence the activity of TiO2 dramatically. TiO2 nanomaterials with special structures and morphologies, such as nanospheres, nanowires, nanotubes, nanorods,and nanoflowers are thus synthesized due to their desired characteristics. With an emphasis on the different morphologies of TiO2 and the influence factors in the synthesis, this review summarizes fourteen TiO2 preparation methods, such as the sol–gel method, solvothermal method, and reverse micelle method. The TiO2 formation mechanisms, the advantages and disadvantages of the preparation methods, and the photocatalytic environmental application examples are proposed as well.     

Profiles and removal efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by two different types of sewage treatment plants in Hong Kong

Sewage discharge could be a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in the coastal waters. Stonecutters Island and Shatin Sewage Treatment Works(SCISTW and STSTW)in Hong Kong, adopted chemically enhanced primary treatment and biological treatment,respectively. This study aimed at(1) determining the removal efficiencies of PAHs,(2) comparing the capabilities in removing PAHs, and(3) characterizing the profile of each individual PAHs, in the two sewage treatment plants(STPs). Quantification of 16 PAHs was conducted by a Gas Chromatography. The concentrations of total PAHs decreased gradually along the treatment processes(from 301 ± 255 and 307 ± 217 ng/L to 14.9 ± 12.1 and 63.3 ± 54.1 ng/L in STSTW and SCISTW, respectively). It was noted that STSTW was more capable in removing total PAHs than SCISTW with average total removal efficiency 94.4% ± 4.12% vs. 79.2% ± 7.48%(p 0.05). The removal of PAHs was probably due to sorption in particular matter, confirmed by the higher distribution coefficient of individual and total PAHs in solid samples(dewatered sludge contained92.5% and 74.7% of total PAHs in SCISTW and STSTW, respectively) than liquid samples(final effluent-total contained 7.53% and 25.3% of total PAHs in STSTW and SCISTW, respectively).Despite the impressive capability of STSTW and SCISTW in removing PAHs, there was still a considerable amount of total PAHs(1.85 and 39.3 kg/year, respectively for the two STPs) being discharged into Hong Kong coastal waters, which would be an environmental concern.     

Extraction of 17β-estradiol in water using non-imprinted polymer submicron particles in membrane filters

17β-Estradiol (E2) is an endocrine disrupting chemical of harm to both animals and human beings at a low concentration level (ng/L). It cannot be completely removed by wastewater treatments, and is often detected in both environment and drinking waters. The purpose of this feasibility study, towards environmental engineering in the field of water analysis and treatment, was to remove E2 by extraction using non-imprinted polymer (NIP) submicron particles. Experimental results showed that 0.5 mg/L of E2 could be completely extracted by adding 10 mg of NIP particles directly into 10 mL of water. However, the extraction efficiency decreased to 64% for 100 mL of water. prefilling the NIP particles inside a membrane filter showed a potential for water treatment of a large volume, requiring no effort to distribute the particles uniformly in the water. High extraction efficiency (80 ± 10)% for E2 was achieved for 100 mL of water. A total mass of 0.29 mg E2 was extracted from 1000 mL of water containing 0.8 mg/L E2 (by using only 10 mg of NIP particles). Both efficiency and mass capacity can be increased, by scaling up the amount of NIP particles, towards environmental engineering applications.     

Extraction of 17p-estradiol in water using non-imprinted polymer submicron particles in membrane filters

17β-Estradiol (E2) is an endocrine disrupting chemical of harm to both animals and human beings at a low concentration level (ng/L).It cannot be completely removed by wastewater treatments,and is often detected in both environment and drinking waters.The purpose of this feasibility study,towards environmental engineering in the field of water analysis and treatment,was to remove E2 by extraction using non-imprinted polymer (NIP) submicron particles.Experimental results showed that 0.5 mg/L of E2 could be completely extracted by adding 10 mg of NIP particles directly into 10 mL of water.However,the extraction efficiency decreased to 64% for 100 mL of water.prefilling the NIP particles inside a membrane filter showed a potential for water treatment of a large volume,requiring no effort to distribute the particles uniformly in the water.High extraction efficiency (80±10)% for E2 was achieved for 100 mL of water.A total mass of 0.29 mg E2 was extracted from 1000 mL of water containing 0.8 mg/L E2 (by using only 10 mg of NIP particles).Both efficiency and mass capacity can be increased,by scaling up the amount of NIP particles,towards environmental engineering applications.     

煤层对CO_2处置能力评价的修正方法与应用

煤等温吸附气体实验中的煤体变形效应会造成CO2在煤层中吸附量评价结果的偏差,通过对气体吸附模拟方法进行修正,应用修正的Langmuir和Dubinin-Astakhov模型对CO2、CH4吸附实验结果进行重新拟合,获得准确的吸附量计算方法。结果表明,吸附实验中煤主要表现为膨胀变形,且煤吸附CO2的膨胀量高于吸附CH4的膨胀量,煤膨胀造成CO2实测过剩吸附量较真实过剩吸附量偏低4.4%~43.8%,修正后CO2吸附拟合效果大大提高,Langmuir和D-A模型拟合曲线与实测数据吻合的相关系数分别从0.978、0.995提高到修正后的0.997、0.999,D-A模型对CO2吸附数据的拟合效果优于Lang-muir模型,CH4吸附模拟效果的改善程度不及CO2。     

萤石选矿含氟废水处理试验研究

主要针对萤石选矿含氟废水的特点,比较了几种不同的沉淀剂和絮凝剂,筛选出氯化钙作为沉淀剂,PAC作为混凝剂,提出了氯化钙+PAC的处理工艺,并确定了该工艺药剂的最佳投药量与运行参数。试验结果表明,该工艺处理效果好,能把废水含氟量降到5 mg.L-1以下,达到国家一级排放标准。     

贵州万山汞矿区苔藓植物对汞的吸附和富集特征

在所设定的贵州万山汞矿区调查范围内,有6种苔藓植物,其中常见种为东亚褶叶藓和大羽藓.结果表明,苔藓能高度富集汞,东亚褶叶藓和大羽藓的汞含量随污染源距离和相对高度的增加而降低;不同苔藓对汞的吸附等温线具共同性,吸附量随平衡液浓度的增加而增大,东亚褶叶藓对Hg的吸附量比大羽藓大,吸附特征都能用Liner、Freundlic...     

蚕豆对铯的吸收蓄积及亚细胞分布研究

采用改良水培法培养蚕豆幼苗至2片真叶,置于含铯(ρ(Cs+)8.24(CK)~200 mg·L~(-1))的营养液中处理7 d、14 d、21 d后取样。采用差速离心法分离亚细胞组分,采用原子吸收分光光度法测定根、茎、叶及各亚细胞组分的Cs+含量,分析蚕豆幼苗对Cs+的吸收蓄积及亚细胞分布特点,研究蚕豆对Cs+的富集转运特征及耐受机理。结果显示:蚕豆3种器官对Cs+的蓄积量为根叶茎,根对Cs+的蓄积量占总量的65.13%~83.17%,最高(ρ(Cs+)200 mg·L~(-1)时)达到518.40 mg·kg~(-1)FW(7 d)、1 949.74 mg·kg~(-1)FW(14 d)和3 614.03 mg·kg~(-1)FW(21 d);蚕豆根、茎、叶中Cs+的亚细胞分布主要集中在细胞壁和可溶性组分中,Cs+相对含量分别达到75.84%~99.06%(根)、79.06%~100%(茎)、82.95%~100%(叶);细胞核、前质体、叶绿体和线粒体等细胞器仅含少量的Cs+(25%)。结果表明,蚕豆根、茎、叶细胞主要通过阻滞作用,将Cs+结合固定在细胞壁,并将进入细胞质基质的一部分Cs+转运到液泡内,暂时或"永久性"存贮,有效降低了细胞器、胞质溶胶(cytosol)及内含物中的Cs+含量,极大地减缓了Cs+对细胞器的功能性损伤,这是短期内蚕豆未表现出明显中毒症状的原因,也是蚕豆耐受Cs+胁迫的重要机理之一。     

Interaction between Cu and different types of surface-modified nanoscale zero-valent iron during their transport in porous media

This study investigated the interaction between Cu^2 + and nano zero-valent iron (NZVI) coated with three types of stabilizers (i.e., polyacrylic acid [PAA], Tween-20 and starch) by examining the Cu^2 + uptake, colloidal stability and mobility of surface-modified NZVI (SM-NZVI) in the presence of Cu^2 +. The uptake of Cu^2 + by SM-NZVI and the colloidal stability of the Cu-bearing SM-NZVI were examined in batch tests. The results showed that NZVI coated with different modifiers exhibited different affinities for Cu^2 +, which resulted in varying colloidal stability of different SM-NZVI in the presence of Cu^2 +. The presence of Cu^2 + exerted a slight influence on the aggregation and settling of NZVI modified with PAA or Tween-20. However, the presence of Cu^2 + caused significant aggregation and sedimentation of starch-modified NZVI, which is due to Cu^2 + complexation with the starch molecules coated on the surface of the particles. Column experiments were conducted to investigate the co-transport of Cu^2 + in association with SM-NZVI in water-saturated quartz sand. It was presumed that a physical straining mechanism accounted for the retention of Cu-bearing SM-NZVI in the porous media. Moreover, the enhanced aggregation of SM-NZVI in the presence of Cu^2 + may be contributing to this straining effect.