Novel chitosan–ethylene glycol hydrogel for the removal of aqueous perfluorooctanoic acid

It is urgent to explore an effective removal method for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) due to its recalcitrant nature. In this study, a novel chitosan-based hydrogel (CEGH) was prepared with a simple method using chitosan and ethylene glycol through a repeated freezing–thawing procedure. The adsorption of PFOA anions to CEGH agreed well to the Freundlich–Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity as high as 1275.9?mg/g, which is higher than reported values of most adsorbents for PFOA. The adsorption was influenced by experimental conditions. Experimental results showed that the main removal mechanism was the ionic hydrogen bond interaction between carbonyl groups (COO^?) of PFOA and protonated amine (NH⁺) of the CEGH adsorbent. Therefore, CEGH is a very attractive adsorbent that can be used to remove PFOA from water in the future.     

Influence of metal ions on sulfonamide antibiotics biochemical behavior in fiber coexisting system

Metal ions and fiber are common compounds in the livestock and poultry manure,which will affect the fate of organic compounds in aqueous environment. However,limited research has addressed the effect of coexisting metal ions and fiber on the biodegradation of sulfonamide antibiotics. Accordingly, a compositing study was performed to assess the effect of metal ions(Fe3+and Cu2+) on the biodegradation of sulfadimethoxine sodium salt(SDM) in the presence of fiber. The enhanced adsorption of SDM onto fiber in the presence of metal ions can be attributed to the π+–π electron donor acceptor(EDA) interaction. The microbial(Phanerochaete chrysosprium) could easily attach onto fiber forming attached microbial, and the degradation rates of SDM of immobilized bacteria in the presence of Fe3 +were 100%, which were significantly higher than those of free bacteria(45%). This study indicates that Fe3 +and fiber could enhance the biodegradation of SDM. Fiber acts as adsorbent, carrier, and substrate which enhanced the removal of SDM.     

Facile synthesis of graphitic carbon-nitride supported antimony-doped tin oxide nanocomposite and its application for the adsorption of volatile organic compounds

Antimony-doped tin oxide(ATO) nanoparticles with an average size of ～ 6 nm were prepared by co-precipitation and subsequent heat treatment. Graphitic carbon nitride(g-CN)/ATO hybrid nanocomposite was designed by the combination of thermally synthesized g-CN and ATO nanoparticles by ultrasonication. The materials were characterized using N2 adsorption/desorption(BET), X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR). A mixture of five volatile organic compounds(VOCs, chloroform, benzene, toluene, xylene and styrene) was used to compare the adsorption capacity of the samples. The adsorption capacity of ATO nanoparticles was improved by the addition of g-CN. Experimental data showed that, among the five VOCs,chloroform was the least adsorbed, regardless of the samples. The g-CN/ATO showed nearly three times greater adsorption capacity for the VOC mixture than pure ATO. The unchanged efficiency of VOC adsorption during cyclic use demonstrated the completely reversible adsorption and desorption behavior of the nanocomposite at room conditions. This economically and environmentally friendly material can be a practical solution for outdoor and indoor VOC removal.     

Synthesis of a novel ternary HA/Fe-Mn oxides-loaded biochar composite and its application in cadmium(II) and arsenic(V) adsorption

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) are two of the most toxic elements. However, the chemical behaviors of these two elements are different, making it challenging to utilize a single adsorbent with high adsorption capacity for both Cd(II) and As(V) removal. To solve this problem, we synthesized HA/Fe-Mn oxides-loaded biochar (HFMB), a novel ternary material, to perform this task, wherein scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with EDS (SEM-EDS) was used to characterize its morphological and physicochemical properties. The maximum adsorption capacity of HFMB was 67.11?mg/g for Cd(II) and 35.59?mg/g for As(V), which is much higher compared to pristine biochar (11.06?mg/g, 0?mg/g for Cd(II) and As(V), respectively). The adsorption characteristics were investigated by adsorption kinetics and the effects of the ionic strength and pH of solutions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that chelation and deposition were the adsorption mechanisms that bound Cd(II) to HFMB, while ligand exchange was the adsorption mechanism that bound As(V).     

Synthesis, characterization and application of Lagerstroemia speciosa embedded magnetic nanoparticle for Cr(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution

Lagerstroemia speciosa bark (LB) embedded magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ salt solution with ammonia and LB for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. The native LB, magnetic nanoparticle (MNP), L. speciosa embedded magnetic nanoparticle (MNPLB) and Cr(VI) adsorbed MNPLB particles were characterized by SEM–EDX, TEM, BET-surface area, FT-IR, XRD and TGA methods. TEM analysis confirmed nearly spherical shape of MNP with an average diameter of 8.76 nm and the surface modification did not result in the phase change of MNP as established by XRD analysis, while led to the formation of secondary particles of MNPLB with diameter of 18.54 nm. Characterization results revealed covalent binding between the hydroxyl group of MNP and carboxyl group of LB particles and further confirmed its physico-chemical nature favorable for Cr(VI) adsorption. The Cr(VI) adsorption on to MNPLB particle as an adsorbent was tested under different contact time, initial Cr(VI) concentration, adsorbent dose, initial pH, temperature and agitation speed. The results of the equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption were well described by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order model, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters suggest spontaneous and endothermic nature of Cr(VI) adsorption onto MNPLB. The maximum adsorption capacity for MNPLB was calculated to be 434.78 mg/g and these particles even after Cr(VI) adsorption were collected effortlessly from the aqueous solution by a magnet. The desorption of Cr(VI)-adsorbed MNPLB was found to be more than 93.72% with spent MNPLB depicting eleven successive adsorption–desorption cycles.     

Enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency by in situ fabrication of BiOBr/BiVO4 surface junctions

Surface junctions between Bi OBr and BiVO_4 were synthesized. The BiOBr/BiVO_4 with 1 wt.%of Bi OBr exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Rh B under visible-light irradiation. It was found that the highly efficient adsorption of Rh B molecules via the electrostatic attraction between Br-and cationic \N(Et)_2 group played a key role for the high photocatalytic activities of BiOBr/BiVO_4. This efficient adsorption promoted the N-deethylation of Rh B and thus accelerated the photocatalytic degradation of Rh B.Moreover, the metal-to-metal charge transfer(MMCT) mechanism was proposed, which revealed the concrete path paved with Bi–O–Bi chains for the carrier migration in BiOBr/BiVO_4. The interaction between photoexcited Rh B* and the Bi~(3+) in BiVO_4 provided the driving force for the migration of photo-generated carriers along the Bi–O–Bi chains. This work has not only demonstrated the important role of efficient adsorption in the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants, but also developed a facile strategy to improve the efficiency of photocatalysts.     

Synthesis of a novel illite@carbon nanocomposite adsorbent for removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater

A novel illite@carbon (I@C) nanocomposite adsorbent has been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal carbonization process (HTC) using glucose as carbonaceous source and illite as the carrier. The morphology, microstructure and surface properties of the prepared nanocomposite adsorbent were analyzed by FESEM, TGA, XRD, FT-IR and Zeta potential measurements. Batch experiments were carried out on the adsorption of Cr(VI) to determine the adsorption properties of the composite. The adsorption of Cr(VI) onto the I@C nanocomposite was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm. Compared with the illite and carbon material (SC) separately, the prepared I@C nanocomposite adsorbent exhibited enhanced adsorption performance for Cr(VI) with a maximum adsorption capacity of 149.25 mg/g, which was higher than that of most reported adsorbents. In addition, the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic based on the adsorption thermodynamics study. The adsorption of Cr(VI) by I@C was highly pH-dependent and the optimum adsorption occurred at pH 2.0. The Zeta potential analysis results indicated that the electrostatic interactions between anionic Cr(VI) and the positively charged surface of the adsorbent might be critical to the adsorption mechanism. This study demonstrated that the I@C nanocomposite should be a promising candidate for a low-cost, environmental friendly and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of toxic Cr(VI) from wastewater.     

Complex interplay between formation routes and natural organic matter modification controls capabilities of C60 nanoparticles (nC60) to accumulate organic contaminants

Accumulation of organic contaminants on fullerene nanoparticles (nC₆₀) may significantly affect the risks of C₆₀ in the environment. The objective of this study was to further understand how the interplay of nC₆₀ formation routes and humic acid modification affects contaminant adsorption of nC₆₀. Specifically, adsorption of 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene (a model nonionic, hydrophobic organic contaminant) on nC₆₀ was greatly affected by nC₆₀ formation route – the formation route significantly affected the aggregation properties of nC₆₀, thus affecting the available surface area and the extent of adsorption via the pore-filling mechanism. Depending on whether nC₆₀ was formed via the “top-down” route (i.e., sonicating C₆₀ powder in aqueous solution) or “bottom-up” route (i.e., phase transfer from an organic solvent) and the type of solvent involved (toluene versus tetrahydrofuran), modification of nC₆₀ with Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA) could either enhance or inhibit the adsorption affinity of nC₆₀. The net effect depended on the specific way in which SRHA interacted with C₆₀ monomers and/or C₆₀ aggregates of different sizes and morphology, which determined the relative importance of enhanced adsorption from SRHA modification via preventing C₆₀ aggregation and inhibited adsorption through blocking available adsorption sites. The findings further demonstrate the complex mechanisms controlling interactions between nC₆₀ and organic contaminants, and may have significant implications for the life-cycle analysis and risk assessment of C₆₀.     

活性污泥胞外聚合物的组成与结构特点及环境行为

在活性污泥处理系统中,微生物大多以污泥絮体的形式悬浮在水中。胞外聚合物(EPS)作为污泥絮体的重要组成部分,以其独特的聚合结构和化学组成,在污水生物处理系统中起到重要作用。为了更好的描述EPS的环境行为,文章综合了近年来国内外相关的研究成果,首先分析了EPS的来源、化学组成及结构分布,得出EPS中包含蛋白质、多糖、腐殖酸、核酸、糖醛酸及脂类大分子等化学物质,其中蛋白质和多糖之和占总有机物含量的70%~80%;在结构上,EPS分为SB-EPS、LB-EPS和TB-EPS,三者与细胞结合的紧密程度递增,其中所含化学成分比例的不同将使其具有不同的理化特性。其次,文章对EPS的理化特征对污水处理系统的影响,如对系统中微生物降解特性的影响、磷和重金属的吸附等进行了讨论,并总结了EPS中相关的官能团对上述环境行为的贡献。同时,文章还论述了EPS中官能团的亲疏水特性及化学成分对污泥絮体的脱水性、絮凝沉降性能的影响。     

Iron and aluminium based adsorption strategies for removing arsenic from water

Arsenic is a commonly occurring toxic metal in natural systems and is the root cause of many diseases and disorders. Occurrence of arsenic contaminated water is reported from several countries all over the world. A great deal of research over recent decades has been motivated by the requirement to lower the concentration of arsenic in drinking water and the need to develop low cost techniques which can be widely applied for arsenic removal from contaminated water. This review briefly presents iron and aluminium based adsorbents for arsenic removal. Studies carried out on oxidation of arsenic(III) to arsenic(V) employing various oxidising agents to facilitate arsenic removal are briefly mentioned. Effects of competing ions, As:Fe ratios, arsenic(V) vs. arsenic(III) removal using ferrihydrite as the adsorbent have been discussed. Recent efforts made for investigating arsenic adsorption on iron hydroxides/oxyhydroxides/oxides such as granular ferric hydroxide, goethite, akaganeite, magnetite and haematite have been reviewed. The adsorption behaviours of activated alumina, gibbsite, bauxite, activated bauxite, layered double hydroxides are discussed. Point-of-use adsorptive remediation methods indicate that Sono Arsenic filter and Kanchan™ Arsenic filter are in operation at various locations of Bangladesh and Nepal. The relative merits and demerits of such filters have been discussed. Evaluation of kits used for at-site arsenic estimation by various researchers also forms a part of this review.