Fabrication and photoelectrocatalytic properties of nanocrystalline monoclinic BiVO4 thin-film electrode

Monoclinic bismuth vanadate(BiVO4) thin film was fabricated on indium-tin oxide glass from an amorphous heteronuclear complex via dip-coating.After annealation at 400,500,and 600°C,the thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction,field emission scanning electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and UV-Vis spectrophotometry.The BiVO4 particles on the ITO glass surface had a monoclinic structure.The UV-Visible diffuse reflection spectra showed the BiVO4 thin film had photoabsorption propertie...     

Effects of metal cations on sorption-desorption of p-nitrophenol onto wheat ash

The mutual e ects of metal cations (Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+) and p-nitrophenol (NP) on their adsorption desorption behavior onto wheat ash were studied. Results suggested that Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ diminished the adsorption and increased the desorption of NP remarkably, while Cd2+ had no such e ect. In contrast, NP diminished the adsorption of Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ onto ash, however, this suppression e ect depended on the initial concentrations of metal cations. NP had no e ect on Cd2+ adsorption on ash. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) studies suggested the following mechanisms responsible for the metal suppression e ect on NP adsorption: (1) large hydrated Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ shells occupied the surface of ash and prevent nonspecific adsorption of NP onto ash surface; (2) Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ may block the micropores of ash, resulting in decreased adsorption of NP; (3) complexation of Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ was likely via carboxyl, hydroxylic and phenolic groups of wheat ash and these same groups may also react with NP during adsorption. As a “soft acid”, Cd2+ is less e cient in the complexation of oxygencontaining acid groups than Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+. Thus, Cd2+ had no e ect on the adsorption of NP on wheat ash.     

Resistance and biosorption mechanism of silver ions by Bacillus cereus biomass

Biosorption of silver ions onto Bacillus cereus biomass was investigated. Overall kinetic experiments were performed for the determination of the necessary contact time for the attainment of equilibrium. It was found that the overall biosorption process was best described by pseudo second-order kinetic model. The crystals detected by scanning electron microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested the precipitation was a possible mechanism of biosorption. The molecular genetics of silver resistance of B. cereus biomass was also detected and illustrated by a whole cell sensor tool.     

Effect of manufacturing methods of AgCl/Al2O3 catalyst on selective catalytic reduction of NOx

The AgCl/Al2O3 catalyst has potential for use in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx. A compound hydrocarbon, following oxygenation is used as a type of reducing agent. In this experiment, the AgCl/Al2O3 catalyst was produced by four different methods, and the differences among their reduction catalysis of NOx were compared. Ethanol was used as a type of reducing agent. X-ray diffraction analysis was performed to study the crystalline structure and scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were applied to determine the microindentation. The results indicated that, in the range of 350–400°C, there was no significant difference on the NOx reduction rate; however, there was dispersion at high and low temperature ranges. The size of the AgCl particles was about 20–100 nm.     

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO2 photocatalysts for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol

Visible light responsive N-F-codoped TiO₂ photocatalysts exhibit a higher catalytic activity than N-doped TiO₂ for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol due to the synergistic effect of nonmetal elements.     

Ultrasonic preparation of nano-nickel/activated carbon composite using spent electroless nickel plating bath and application in degradation of 2,6-dichlorophenol

Ni was effectively recovered from spent electroless nickel （EN） plating baths by forming a nano-nickel coated activated carbon composite. With the aid of ultrasonication, melamine- formaldehyde-tetraoxalyl-ethylenediamine chelating resins were grafted on activated carbon （MFT/AG）. PdC12 sol was adsorbed on MFT/AC, which was then immersed in spent electroless nickel plating bath; then nano-nickel could be reduced by ascorbic acid to form a nano-nickel coating on the activated carbon composite （Ni/AC） in situ. The materials present were carefully examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electro- chemistry techniques. The resins were well distributed on the inside and outside surfaces of activated carbon with a size of 120 ± 30 nm in MFT/AC, and a great deal of nano-nickel particles were evenly deposited with a size of 3.8 ± 1.1 nm in Ni/MFT. Moreover, Ni/AC was successfully used as a catalyst for ultrasonic degradation of 2.6-dichloronhenol.     

Biosorption mechanisms involved in immobilization of soil Pb by Bacillus subtilis DBM in a multimetal-contaminated soil

Mechanisms of soil Pb immobilization by Bacillus subtilis DBM, a bacterial strain isolated from a heavy-metal-contaminated soil, were investigated. Adsorption and desorption experiments with living bacterial cells as well as dead cells revealed that both extracellular adsorption and intracellular accumulation were involved in the Pb2＋removal from the liquid phase. Of the sequestered Pb（II）, 8.5% was held by physical entrapment within the cell wall, 43.3% was held by ion-exchange, 9.7% was complexed with cell surface functional groups or precipitated on the cell surface, and 38.5% was intracellularly accumulated.Complexation of Pb2＋with carboxyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl, amido, and phosphate groups was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis. Precipitates of Pb5（PO4）3OH, Pb5（PO4）3Cl and Pb10（PO4）6（OH）2that formed on the cell surface during the biosorption process were identified by X-ray diffraction analysis. Transmission electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of the Pb（II）precipitates and that Pb（II） could be sequestered both extracellularly and intracellularly.Incubation with B. subtilis DBM significantly decreased the amount of the weak-acid-soluble Pb fraction in a heavy-metal-contaminated soil, resulting in a reduction in Pb bioavailability, but increased the amount of its organic-matter-bound fraction by 71%. The ability of B.subtilis DBM to reduce the bioavailability of soil Pb makes it potentially useful for bacteria-assisted phytostabilization of multi-heavy-metal-contaminated soil.     

Mo-modified Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for benzene catalytic combustion

Mo-modified Pd/Al2O3catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method and tested for the catalytic combustion of benzene. The catalysts were characterized by N2 isothermal adsorption, X-ray diffraction（XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）, temperatureprogrammed desorption of NH3（NH3-TPD）, H2temperature-programmed reduction（H2-TPR）, and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy（HAADF-STEM）. The results showed that the addition of Mo effectively improved the activity and stability of the Pd/Al2O3catalyst by increasing the dispersion of Pd active components, changing the partial oxidation state of palladium and increasing the oxygen species concentration on the surface of catalyst. In the case of the Pd-Mo/Al2O3catalyst,benzene conversion of 90% was obtained at temperatures as low as 190°C, which was 45°C lower than that for similar performance with the Pd/Al2O3catalyst. Moreover, the 1.0% Pd-5% Mo/Al2O3catalyst was more active than the 2.0% Pd/Al2O3catalyst. It was concluded that Pd and Mo have a synergistic effect in benzene catalytic combustion.     

Pd/activated carbon sorbents for mid-temperature capture of mercury from coal-derived fuel gas

Higher concentrations of Hg can be emitted from coal pyrolysis or gasification than from coal combustion, especially elemental Hg. Highly efficient Hg removal technology from coal-derived fuel gas is thus of great importance. Based on the very excellent Hg removal ability of Pd and the high adsorption abilities of activated carbon（AC） for H2 S and Hg, a series of Pd/AC sorbents was prepared by using pore volume impregnation, and their performance in capturing Hg and H2 S from coal-derived fuel gas was investigated using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor. The effects of loading amount, reaction temperature and reaction atmosphere on Hg removal from coal-derived fuel gas were studied. The sorbents were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction（XRD） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）. The results indicated that the efficiency of Hg removal increased with the increasing of Pd loading amount, but the effective utilization rate of the active component Pd decreased significantly at the same time. High temperature had a negative influence on the Hg removal. The efficiency of Hg removal in the N2-H2S-H2-CO-Hg atmosphere（simulated coal gas） was higher than that in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres, which showed that H2 and CO, with their reducing capacity, could benefit promote the removal of Hg. The XPS results suggested that there were two different ways of capturing Hg over sorbents in N2-H2S-Hg and N2-Hg atmospheres.     

Characterization of extracellular polymeric substances in the biofilms of typical bacteria by the sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy

A combined approach of physicochemical extraction and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure（XANES） spectroscopy was applied to characterize the extracellular polymeric substances（EPS） of typical bacterial biofilms in this study. Physicochemical analysis showed variation of the contents of DNA,polysaccharide and protein in different fractions of EPS in different mediums. The sulfur K-edge XANES analysis yielded a variety of spectra.Spectral fitting of the XANES spectra utilizing a large set of model compounds showed that there was more reduced sulfur in both LB-EPS（loosely bound EPS） and TB-EPS（tightly bound EPS） of all the biofilms in LB medium than in R2 A medium. More oxidized sulfur was identified in LB-EPS than that in TB-EPS,suggesting different niches and physiological heterogeneity in the biofilms. Our results suggested that the sulfur K-edge XANES can be a useful tool to analyze the sulfur speciation in EPS of biofilms.