Ionic dye adsorption by zinc oxide nanoparticles

The adsorption behaviour of Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1 on zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZNP) has been investigated to understand the physicochemical process involved and to explore the possible use of nanoparticles in the treatment and management of textile waste matter. The dye removal capacity of ZNP towards Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1 was found to be 15.64, 6.78 and 6.38 mg g^?1, respectively. The adsorption process was pH dependent and optimum pH values of 9.0, 2.0 and 4.0 were obtained for Basic Red 12, Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 1, respectively. Equilibrium was established after 1.0 h for all dyes. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were applied to the system. The adsorbent ZNP was characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. SEM analysis revealed the noticeable nanoporous morphology of the material. The results of FTIR spectroscopy showed that the process is driven by an electrostatic complexation mechanism. XRD studies revealed the nanocrystalline structure of ZNP. BET surface area measurement suggested a high pore volume and large surface area for the adsorbent. The kinetic measurements suggested pseudo-second-order kinetic processes with high regression coefficients and smaller standard error of estimate values and lower residual sum of squares. The thermodynamic measurements suggested that all processes were exothermic and accompanied by negative values for Δ G⁰, Δ S⁰ and Δ H⁰.     

Poly(ethylene oxide)-coated granular starch-poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) composite materials

Granular cornstarch was coated with several biodegradable polymers in an effort to improve the mechanical properties of starch-poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) composites. Only samples containing poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-coated granular starch showed a large improvement in tensile properties over uncoated starch. For example, a 50/50 blend of PEO-coated starch and PHBV had a tensile strength of 19 MPa and an ultimate elongation of 23%, compared to 10 MPa and 11% for a similar blend containing uncoated starch. PEO may act as an adhesive between the starch and the PHBV and/or increase the toughness and resistance to crack growth of PHBV around the starch granules.Paper presented at the Bio/Environmentally Degradable Polymer Society—Third National Meeting, June 6–8, 1994, Boston, Massachusetts.Names are necessary to report factually on available data; however, the USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of the product and the use of the name by the USDA implies no approval of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.     

尿中氚水和总氚的对比分析测定研究

用蒸馏液闪法测量尿中氚水浓度 ,用氧化蒸馏液闪法测量尿中总氚 (氚水和有机氚 )浓度。同时测量了 1999年核设施退役时接触氚人员的高于本底水平的尿中氚水和总氚浓度 72个样品。比较氚水和有机氚浓度 ,得到有机氚浓度占氚水浓度的平均值为 (5 4± 3 7) % ,其值与理论值和动物实验值基本相符     

ICP-AES法测定中药川附子微量重金属元素

本工作采用ＩＣＰ－ＡＥＳ法分析中药川附子中微量重金属元素。通过对潞党参标准样品的分析与ＡＡＳ法的结果比较,确定了方法的准确度。应用该法弄清了川附子炮制前后微量重金属的含量及其浓度变化情况,从而为川附子的开发与国际化提供了科学依据。     

Investigation the effect of adding graphene oxide into diesel/higher alcohols blends on a diesel engine performance

ABSTRACT

This article aims to study the influence of the addition of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO) to diesel/higher alcohols blends on the combustion, emission, and exergy parameters of a CI engine under various engine loads. The higher alcohols mainly n-butanol, n-heptanol, and n-octanol are blended with diesel at a volume fraction of 50%. Then, the 25 and 50 mg/L concentrations of GO are dispersed into diesel/higher alcohols blends using an ultrasonicator. The GO structures are examined using TEM, TGA, XRD and FTIR. The findings show that there is a reduction in p_max. and HRR when adding higher alcohols with diesel fuel. Regarding engine emission, there is a significant improvement in emissions formation with adding higher alcohols. The addition of GO into diesel/higher alcohols blends improves the brake thermal efficiency by 15%. Moreover, the p_max. and HRR are both enhanced by 4%. The CO, UHC and smoke formation are reduced considerably by 40%, 50 and 20%, respectively, while NO_x level is increased by 30% with adding GO. Finally, adding high percentages of n-butanol, n-heptanol, and n-octanol with diesel fuel with the presence of GO has the potential to achieve ultra-low CO, UHC, and smoke formation meanwhile keeping high thermal efficiency level.     

Recovery of gold by chicken egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads

We have successfully prepared a bead-type adsorbent from two materials with different adsorption characteristics. Heavy metals were removed by greatly swollen egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads. The egg shell membrane accumulated and removed precious metal ions from a dilute aqueous solution with a high affinity in a short contact time. Experiments suggested that chitosan beads could take up gold ions with great capacity and selectivity by conjugation with egg shell membrane. Under certain conditions, the selective removal of gold and copper in a mixture of gold and copper ions by egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads was 100% and 2%, respectively. Egg shell membrane-conjugated chitosan beads can be seen as a promising material to recover gold in wastewater from various industries, such as electroplating.     

Environmental changes in Sepetiba Bay,SE Brazil

Sepetiba Bay is an example of an aquatic environment that has been severely impacted by human occupation and industrial activities in its basin. Some 400 industries including metallurgical, petrochemical and pyrometallurgical smelters, which emitted pollutants to air, soil and water, were established in Sepetiba Basin during the past 30 years. Apart from these point sources, changes in land use have also resulted in a large remobilization of pollutant deposition on Sepetiba Bay Basin. Studies have pointed out significant changes in sedimentation rates, concentrations of inorganic pollutants (Zn, Cd, Pb and Hg) and more recently, eutrophication, pointing to this area as an example of an impacted coastal zone. Notwithstanding local sources, Sepetiba Bay also suffers environmental impacts caused by diversion of river waters from adjacent basins, with some 30% of the total Hg flux to Sepetiba Bay and a 10-fold increase in water and sediment fluxes resulting from this. Decreasing environmental quality compromises both the large biodiversity and the potential economic uses of Sepetiba Bay, including fisheries and tourism. Monitoring of heavy metal levels in organisms (algae, mollusks, crustaceans and oysters) often shows concentrations well above the limits allowed following Brazilian legislation for food quality. Historical evolution of these concentrations suggests a worsening of the situation. Failure to monitor the effect of land-based activities, including those from other basins artificially associated with Sepetiba Bay has resulted in poor scenario construction and proper management planning.     

Ethoxylated Soybean Polyols for Polyurethanes

Soybean polyols prepared by ring opening reactions of epoxidized soybean oil with hydrogen active compounds (water, alcohols, organic or inorganic acids, thiols, hydrogen etc.) have a low reactivity in the reaction with isocyanates because the hydroxyl groups are secondary. This paper presents a simple and convenient method to increase the reactivity of soybean polyols with secondary hydroxyl groups by ethoxylation reactions with the preservation of triglyceride ester bonds. The method uses mild reaction conditions: low alkoxylation temperature of 35–45 °C, low pressure of 0.1–0.2 MPa (15–30 p.s.i.) and a superacid as catalyst (HBF₄). The new soybean polyols have a higher reactivity toward isocyanates in polyurethane formation due to the high percentage of primary hydroxyl groups. The primary hydroxyl content was determined by the second order kinetics of polyol reaction with phenyl isocyanate.     

生物修复重金属污染土壤的研究进展

重金属污染土壤的生物修复是一种环境友好型的污染治理技术，是利用生物体将重金属降解、富集、转移而恢复土壤生态功能的过程。综述了植物修复（植物体内降解、植物根系钝化、植物吸收富集、植物气化）、微生物修复、动物修复等技术的研究进展，分析了生物修复技术在实际应用中存在的问题，并展望了研究方向。     

Thermal and hydrometallurgical recovery methods of heavy metals from municipal solid waste fly ash

Heavy metals in fly ash from municipal solid waste incinerators are present in high concentrations. Therefore fly ash must be treated as a hazardous material. On the other hand, it may be a potential source of heavy metals. Zinc, lead, cadmium, and copper can be relatively easily removed during the thermal treatment of fly ash, e.g. in the form of chlorides. In return, wet extraction methods could provide promising results for these elements including chromium and nickel. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare thermal and hydrometallurgical treatment of municipal solid waste fly ash. Thermal treatment of fly ash was performed in a rotary reactor at temperatures between 950 and 1050 °C and in a muffle oven at temperatures from 500 to 1200 °C. The removal more than 90% was reached by easy volatile heavy metals such as cadmium and lead and also by copper, however at higher temperature in the muffle oven. The alkaline (sodium hydroxide) and acid (sulphuric acid) leaching of the fly ash was carried out while the influence of temperature, time, concentration, and liquid/solid ratio were investigated. The combination of alkaline-acidic leaching enhanced the removal of, namely, zinc, chromium and nickel.