Polypropylene/poly (butylene terephthalate) melt spun alloy fibers dyeable with carrier-free exhaust dyeing as an environmentally friendlier process

Carrier agent as one of the synthetic persistent molecules present in textile effluents considered as one of the most highly toxic, carcinogenic and serious inhibitor of the microbial respirometric activity. This chemical is used as accelerants in the dyeing or printing the hydrophobic fibers by dispersed dyes. Hydrophobic polypropylene (PP) fibers cannot be dyed by conventional dyeing process due to the absence of dye sites in the molecular chain and their high crystallinity. This study presents a carrier-free exhaust dyeing as an environmentally friendlier and cleaner process. In order to produce dyeable PP fibers, the PP was blended and melt spun with poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) at various ratios. First PP and PBT granules at blend ratios of 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 percent of PBT dispersed phase were physically mixed then the melt spinning of blended samples was carried out by a Maddock mixing zone extruder. The results showed that suitable exhaust dyeing process without using any carrier agents was possible for all PP/PBT alloy fiber samples. The dye uptake of samples significantly increased by increasing the PBT dispersed phase content. By increasing the PBT dispersed phase content decrease in the crystallinity percent resulting in significant enhancement in dye uptake of the alloy fiber samples was observed. A degree of four polynomial equation for dye uptake against blend ratio was obtained by which the optimum blend ratio was 72/28 percent of PP/PBT alloy fiber composition. In all alloy fiber dyed samples uniform coloration was observed. No considerable changes in the mechanical properties for dyed samples against undyed samples were observed. Interestingly, the best mechanical property among alloy fiber samples was observed in the sample containing 30 percent PBT dispersed phase which approximately corresponds to optimum blend ratio gained from mathematical calculations. In all PP/PBT alloy fiber samples strong fastness to soaping and very good to excellent fastness to light were achieved.     

Geometry of Zn(II) complexes with dissolved organic matter: X-ray studies at variable pH

The structure of Zn(II) complexes with dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important consideration in developing molecular-level models of Zn(II) speciation, but recent reports favoring the tetrahedral geometry differ from earlier findings that geometry was largely octahedral. In general, the presence of thiolate ligands favors the tetrahedral geometry, while O and N ligands favor the octahedral geometry. This work presents extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopic results, indicating an octahedral geometry over the pH range of 5–9 for a freshwater DOM isolate. Changes in XANES derivatives as a function of pH can be explained in terms of ligand protonation and/or changing ligand groups. Tetrahedral Zn(II)–DOM geometry may be restricted to binding environments containing thiol groups.     

Geochemical fractions and phytoavailability of Zinc in a contaminated calcareous soil affected by biotic and abiotic amendments

Many studies have conducted to determine the best management practice to reduce the mobility and phytoavailability of the trace metals in contaminated soils. In this study, geochemical speciation and phytoavailability of Zn for sunflower were studied after application of nanoparticles (SiO₂ and zeolite, with an application rate of 200 mg kg^?1) and bacteria [Bacillus safensis FO-036b(T) and Pseudomonas fluorescens p.f.169] to a calcareous heavily contaminated soil. Results showed that the biotic and abiotic treatments significantly reduced the Zn concentration in the aboveground to non-toxicity levels compared to the control treatment, and the nanoparticle treatments were more effective than the bacteria and control treatments. The concentration of CaCl₂-extractable Zn in the treated soils was significantly lower than those of the control treatment. The results of sequential extraction showed that the maximum portion of total Zn belonged to the fraction associated with iron and manganese oxides. On the contrary, the minimum percent belonged to the exchangeable and water-soluble Zn (F₁). From the environmental point of view, the fraction associated with iron and manganese oxides is less bioavailable than the F₁ and carbonated fractions. On the basis of plant growth promotion, simultaneous application of the biotic and abiotic treatments significantly increased the aboveground dry biomass yield and also significantly reduced the CaCl₂-extractable form, uptake by aboveground and translocation factor of Zn compared to the control treatment. Therefore, it might be suggested as an efficient strategy to promote the plant growth and reduce the mobile and available forms of toxic metals in calcareous heavily contaminated soils.     

Research trends and emerging physical processing technologies in mitigation of pesticide residues on various food products

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The application of pesticides enhances food production vastly, and it cannot be prevented; longer fresh produce is contaminated with...     

Orange Juice Processing Waste as a Biopolymer Base for Biodegradable Film Formation Reinforced with Cellulose Nanofiber and Activated with Nettle Essential Oil

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Concerns about environmental problems have led to the development of biodegradable packaging. Food wastes as a byproduct could be a good source for...