Infrared analysis of clay bricks incorporated with spent shea waste from the shea butter industry

The peculiar challenge of effective disposing abundant spent shea waste and the excellent compositional variation tolerance of clay material offered an impetus to examine the incorporation of spent shea waste into clay material as an eco-friendly disposal route in making clay bricks. For this purpose, the chemical constituent, mineralogical compositions and thermal behavior of both clay material and spent shea waste were initially characterized from which modelled brick specimens incorporating 5-20 wt% of the waste into the clay material were prepared. The clay material showed high proportions of SiO₂ (52.97 wt%) and Al₂O₃ (27.10 wt%) indicating their rich kaolinitic content: whereas, the inert nature of spent shea waste was exhibited by their low oxide content. The striking similarities in infrared absorption bands of pristine clay material and clay materials incorporated with 15 wt% of spent shea waste showed that the waste incorporation had no impact on bond formation of the clay bricks. Potential performance benefits of developing bricks from clay material incorporated with spent shea waste included improved fluxing agents, economic sintering and making of sustainable bricks. Consequently, the analytical results authenticate the incorporation of spent shea waste into clay materials for various desired benefits aside being an environmental correct route of its disposal.

Reducement of cadmium adsorption on clay minerals by the presence of dissolved organic matter from animal manure

Clay minerals are the most popular adsorbents/amendments for immobilizing heavy metals in contaminated soils, but the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil environment would potentially affect the adsorption/immobilization capacity of clay minerals for heavy metals. In this study, the effects of DOM derived from chicken manure (CM) on the adsorption of cadmium (Cd²⁺) on two clay minerals, bentonite and zeolite, were investigated. The equilibrium data for Cd²⁺ sorption in the absence or presence of CM-DOM could be well-fitted to the Langmuir equation (R² > 0.97). The presence of CM-DOM in the aqueous solution was found to greatly reduce the adsorption capacity of both minerals for Cd²⁺, in particular zeolite, and the percentage decreases for Cd²⁺ sorption increased with increasing concentrations of Cd²⁺ as well as CM-DOM in aqueous solutions. The adsorption of CM-DOM on zeolite was greater than that on bentonite in the absence of Cd²⁺, however, a sharp increase was observed for CM-DOM sorption on bentonite with increasing Cd²⁺ concentrations but little change for that on zeolite, which can be attributed to the different ternary structures on mineral surface. The CM-DOM modified clay minerals were utilized to investigate the effect of mineral-adsorbed CM-DOM on Cd²⁺ sorption. The adsorbed form was found to inhibit Cd²⁺ sorption, and further calculation suggested it primarily responsible for the overall decrease in Cd²⁺ sorption on clay minerals in the presence of CM-DOM in aqueous solutions. An investigation for the mineral surface morphology suggested that the mineral-adsorbed CM-DOM decreased Cd²⁺ sorption on bentonite mainly through barrier effect, while in the case of zeolite, it was the combination of active sites occupation and barrier effect. These results can serve as a guide for evaluating the performance of clay minerals in immobilizing heavy metals when animal manure is present in contaminated soils.

Using new hetero-spectral two-dimensional correlation analyses and synchrotron-radiation-based spectromicroscopy to characterize binding of Cu to soil dissolved organic matter

Understanding the binding characteristics of copper (Cu) to different functional groups in soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important to explore Cu toxicity, bioavailability and ultimate fate in the environment. However, the methods used to explore such binding characteristics are still limited. Here, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) integrated with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ²⁷Al NMR, and synchrotron-radiation-based FTIR spectromicroscopy were used to explore the binding characteristics of Cu to soil DOM as part of a long-term (23 years) fertilization experiment. Compared with no fertilization and inorganic fertilization (NPK), long-term pig manure fertilization (M) treatment significantly increased the concentration of total and bioavailable Cu in soils. Furthermore, hetero-spectral 2DCOS analyses demonstrated that the binding characteristics of Cu onto functional groups in soil DOM were modified by fertilization regimes. In the NPK treatment, Cu was bound to aliphatic C, whereas in the manure treatment SiO groups had higher affinity toward Cu than aliphatic C. Also, the sequence of binding of functional groups to Cu was modified by the fertilization treatments. Moreover, synchrotron-radiation-based FTIR spectromicroscopy showed that Cu, clay minerals and sesquioxides, and C functional groups were heterogeneously distributed at the micro-scale. Specifically, clay-OH as well as mineral elements had a distribution pattern similar to Cu, but certain (but not all) C forms showed a distribution pattern inconsistent with that of Cu. The combination of synchrotron radiation spectromicroscopy and 2DCOS is a useful tool in exploring the interactions among heavy metals, minerals and organic components in soils.

Basic Dye Adsorption onto Clay/MnFe2O4 Composite: A Mechanistic Study

  Native, HCl pretreated clay and MnFe2O4/clay composite were investigated as an adsorbent for crystal violet (CV) removal. The adsorption behavior of dye was studied in batch experiments as a function of contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, dye initial concentration and temperature. The medium pH 8, contact time 30 min, MnFe2O4/clay composite dose 0.05 mg/L, temperature 35 °C and 100 mg/L dye initial concentration furnished maximum CV adsorption. Adsorption data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model and maximum CV dye adsorption capacity of composite was 49.74 mg/g. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption process of CV was exothermic and spontaneous in nature. CV adsorption followed the pseudo second order kinetic model. MnFe2O4/clay composite exhibited good CV adsorption capacity and can be used as an alternative adsorbent for the removal of basic dyes from effluents.

Acid-base treated vermiculite as high performance adsorbent: Insights into the mechanism of cationic dyes adsorption, regeneration, recyclability and stability studies

Additional treatment with NaOH of acid activated vermiculite results in even higher increase in the adsorption capacity in comparison to samples modified only in acidic solution (first step of activation) with respect to raw material. Optimization of treatment conditions and adsorption capacity for two cationic dyes (methylene blue (MB) and astrazon red (AR)), also as binary mixture, was evaluated. The capacity, based on column studies, increased from 48 ± 2 to 203 ± 4 mg g^-1 in the case of methylene blue and from 51 ± 1 to 127 ± 2 mg g^-1 in the case of astrazon red on starting and acid-base treated material, respectively. It was shown that adsorption mechanism changes for both cationic dyes after NaOH treatment and it results in decrease of adsorption rate. In binary mixtures methylene blue is bound stronger by adsorbent and astrazon red may be removed in initial stage of adsorption. Extensive studies on desorption/regeneration process proved high efficiency in recyclable use of all materials. Although cation exchange capacity decreases due to acid treatment, after base treatment exchange properties are used more efficiently. On the other hand, increased specific surface area has less significant contribution into the adsorption potential of studied materials. Obtained adsorbents worked efficiently in 7 adsorption-regeneration cycles and loss of adsorption capacity was observed only in two first cycles.

Sorption and desorption of silver ions by bentonite clays

Anthropogenic activities have increased the concentration of metal species in the environment. The toxicity of silver ions to aquatic and terrestrial organisms has required monitoring by analytical methods, besides actions to promote its control as pollutant. Sorption and desorption processes are directly related to the mobility and availability of metal ions in the environment. In this context, clay minerals can be used for pre-concentration, removal and recovery of silver ions from aqueous solution. Herein, two bentonite clays (BaVC-1 and SWy-2) were characterised and applied to investigate the sorption and desorption of silver ions. Isotherms were fitted to the dual-mode Langmuir-Freundlich model to qualify and quantify sorption sites and evaluate the mobilisation process. The maximum sorption capacity was 743 and 849 meq kg^-1 for BaVC-1 and SWy-2, respectively. Hysteresis index (HI) and mobilisation factor (MF) suggest that the desorption of silver ions in BaVC-1 is about four times more conducive compared to that in SWy-2, although both materials have demonstrated a great potential for Ag⁺ pre-concentration from aqueous solutions.

Batch soil adsorption and column transport studies of 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) in soils

The explosive 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is currently a main ingredient in munitions; however the compound has failed to meet the new sensitivity requirements. The replacement compound being tested is 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN). DNAN is less sensitive to shock, high temperatures, and has good detonation characteristics. However, DNAN is more soluble than TNT, which can influence transport and fate behavior and thus bioavailability and human exposure potential. The objective of this study was to investigate the environmental fate and transport of DNAN in soil, with specific focus on sorption processes. Batch and column experiments were conducted using soils collected from military installations located across the United States. The soils were characterized for pH, electrical conductivity, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity, and organic carbon content. In the batch rate studies, change in DNAN concentration with time was evaluated using the first order equation, while adsorption isotherms were fitted using linear and Freundlich equations. Solution mass-loss rate coefficients ranged between 0.0002h^-1 and 0.0068h^-1. DNAN was strongly adsorbed by soils with linear adsorption coefficients ranging between 0.6 and 6.3Lg^-1, and Freundlich coefficients between 1.3 and 34mg^1-nLⁿkg^-1. Both linear and Freundlich adsorption coefficients were positively correlated with the amount of organic carbon and cation exchange capacity of the soil, indicating that similar to TNT, organic matter and clay minerals may influence adsorption of DNAN. The results of the miscible-displacement column experiments confirmed the impact of sorption on retardation of DNAN during transport. It was also shown that under flow conditions DNAN transforms readily with formation of amino transformation products, 2-ANAN and 4-ANAN. The magnitudes of retardation and transformation observed in this study result in significant attenuation potential for DNAN, which would be anticipated to contribute to a reduced risk for contamination of ground water from soil residues.

An electrochemical sequential injection method to investigate the adsorption of selenite on Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations intercalated vermiculite

A sequential injection - square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SI-SWASV) method for determination of Se(IV) at a gold working electrode was developed to investigate the adsorption of Se(IV) onto vermiculite intercalated with Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.060 and 0.20 μmol L^-1, respectively (4.7 and 15.7 μg L^-1). The linearity was up to 1.0 μmol L^-1, and the sampling throughput was 18 analyses h^-1. The proposed approach is a low-cost alternative to more expensive spectrometric methods. Adsorption onto vermiculite intercalated with Fe(III) polyhydroxy cations removed 93% of Se(IV) from a 1.0 μmol L^-1 solution (250 mL) after 5 min of contact time with 625 mg of adsorbent. Adsorption isotherms (25.0 ± 0.5 °C) were fitted by the Freundlich equation resulting in 1/n = 0.51 ± 0.03 and K_f = (1.584 ± 0.002) × 10³ μmol^1-1/n g^-1 L^1/n (r² = 0.995). Fitting by the Langmuir equation resulted in an adsorption constant of 0.026 ± 0.008 L g^-1 and adsorption capacity of 47 ± 5 μmol g^-1 (3.7 ± 0.4 mg g^-1) (r² = 0.97). This capacity was higher than that found for several other iron oxides, but lower than that obtained for oxide/hydroxide-based Fe(III) nanoparticles.

Mild acid and alkali treated clay minerals enhance bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in long-term contaminated soil: A 14C-tracer study

Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils requires a higher microbial viability and an increased PAH bioavailability. The clay/modified clay-modulated bacterial degradation could deliver a more efficient removal of PAHs in soils depending on the bioavailability of the compounds. In this study, we modified clay minerals (smectite and palygorskite) with mild acid (HCl) and alkali (NaOH) treatments (0.5-3 M), which increased the surface area and pore volume of the products, and removed the impurities without collapsing the crystalline structure of clay minerals. In soil incubation studies, supplements with the clay products increased bacterial growth in the order: 0.5 M HCl ≥ unmodified ≥ 0.5 M NaOH ≥ 3 M NaOH ≥ 3 M HCl for smectite, and 0.5 M HCl ≥ 3 M NaOH ≥ 0.5 M NaOH ≥ 3 M HCl ≥ unmodified for palygorskite. A¹⁴C-tracing study showed that the mild acid/alkali-treated clay products increased the PAH biodegradation (5-8%) in the order of 0.5 M HCl ≥ unmodified > 3 M NaOH ≥ 0.5 M NaOH for smectite, and 0.5 M HCl > 0.5 M NaOH ≥ unmodified ≥ 3 M NaOH for palygorskite. The biodegradation was correlated (r = 0.81) with the bioavailable fraction of PAHs and microbial growth as affected particularly by the 0.5 M HCl and 0.5 M NaOH-treated clay minerals. These results could be pivotal in developing a clay-modulated bioremediation technology for cleaning up PAH-contaminated soils and sediments in the field.

Removal of ammonia nitrogen from distilled old landfill leachate by adsorption on raw and modified aluminosilicate

This study aimed to evaluate the ammonia-nitrogen removal by aluminosilicates, using both standard solutions as pretreated landfill leachate. Three types of commercial clays and one commercial zeolite were initially tested using standard solution; however, only one clay with the best removability and the zeolite were tested with pretreated leachate. The chosen clay sorption capacity with the standard solution reached 83%, while with the pretreated leachate solution has reached 95% and zeolites have reached, respectively, a removal of 73% and 81%. For this two adsorbents' studies of equilibrium and kinetic of the sorption were also performed. The Langmuir model was more adequate to describe the ion exchange equilibrium and the sorption mechanism fit the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, the pretreatment used on leachate proved to be essential not only for ammonium detection in solution, but also to facilitate its sorption in aluminosilicates. This alternative of ammonia-nitrogen removal also generates a product derived from treatment that can be used as agricultural feedstock in the form of fertilizer.

Quicklime-induced changes of soil properties: Implications for enhanced remediation of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated soils via mechanical soil aeration

Mechanical soil aeration is used for soil remediation at sites contaminated by volatile organic compounds. However, the effectiveness of the method is limited by low soil temperature, high soil moisture, and high soil viscosity. Combined with mechanical soil aeration, quicklime has a practical application value related to reinforcement remediation and to its action in the remediation of soil contaminated with volatile organic compounds. In this study, the target pollutant was trichloroethylene, which is a volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon pollutant commonly found in contaminated soils. A restoration experiment was carried out, using a set of mechanical soil-aeration simulation tests, by adding quicklime (mass ratios of 3, 10, and 20%) to the contaminated soil. The results clearly indicate that quicklime changed the physical properties of the soil, which affected the environmental behaviour of trichloroethylene in the soil. The addition of CaO increased soil temperature and reduced soil moisture to improve the mass transfer of trichloroethylene. In addition, it improved the macroporous cumulative pore volume and average pore size, which increased soil permeability. As soil pH increased, the clay mineral content in the soils decreased, the cation exchange capacity and the redox potential decreased, and the removal of trichloroethylene from the soil was enhanced to a certain extent. After the addition of quicklime, the functional group COO of soil organic matter could interact with calcium ions, which increased soil polarity and promoted the removal of trichloroethylene.

Linear free energy relationships for the adsorption of volatile organic compounds onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes at different relative humidities: comparison with organoclays and activated carbon

Accurate prediction of the sorption coefficients of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is of major importance for developing an effective VOC removal process and risk assessment of released nanomaterial-carrying contaminants. The linear free energy relationship (LFER) approach was applied to investigate the adsorption mechanisms of VOCs on multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs). The gas-solid partition coefficients (log K_d) of 17 VOCs were determined at 0%, 55%, and 90% relative humidity (RH). The cavity/dispersion interaction is generally the most influential adsorption mechanism for all RH cases. The hydrogen-accepting interactions declined but with constant hydrogen-donating interactions during the increase of RH, suggesting that the acidity of VOC was important in forming sorptive interaction with the MWCNT surface. Moreover, the comparison of log K_d of VOCs on MWCNTs and other sorbents revealed that the sorption performance of MWCNTs is much more stable over a wider range of RHs due to better site availability and site quality. Furthermore, for all 6 adsorbents in all RHs, the positive contribution of hydrogen bonding ability was found as compared to the negative one found for sorbents completely in water, indicating that the hydrogen-bond donor and acceptor on the sorbent surface contribute to the sorption in the gas phase. In conclusion, the LFER-derived coefficients can be useful in predicting the performance of VOC adsorption on adsorbents and in facilitating the design of efficient VOC removal systems.

Structuring of composite hydrogel bioadhesives and its effect on properties and bonding mechanism

Bioadhesives are polymeric hydrogels that can adhere to a tissue after crosslinking and are an essential element in nearly all surgeries worldwide. Several bioadhesives are commercially available. However, none of them are ideal. The main limitation of current tissue adhesives is the tradeoff between biocompatibility and mechanical strength, especially in wet hemorrhagic environments. Our novel bioadhesives are based on the natural polymers gelatin (coldwater fish) and alginate, crosslinked by carbodiimide (EDC). Two types of hemostatic agents with a layered silicate structure, montmorillonite (MMT) and kaolin, were loaded in order to improve the sealing ability in a hemorrhagic environment. The effect of the adhesive's components on its mechanical strength was studied by three different methods - burst strength, lap shear and compression. The viscosity, gelation time and structural features of the adhesive were also studied. A qualitative model that describes the effect of the bioadhesive's parameters on the cohesive and adhesive strength was developed. A formulation based on 400mg/mL gelatin, 10mg/mL alginate and 20mg/mL EDC was found as optimal, enabling a burst strength of 387mmHg. Incorporation of kaolin increased the burst strength by 25% due to microcomposite structuring, whereas MMT increased the burst strength by 50% although loaded in a smaller concentration, due to nano-structuring effects. This research clearly shows that the incorporation of kaolin and MMT in gelatin-alginate surgical sealants is a very promising novel approach for improving the bonding strength and physical properties of surgical sealants for use in hemorrhagic environments.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The current manuscript focuses on novel bioadhesives, based on natural polymers and loaded with hemostatic agents with a layered silicate structure, in order to improve the sealing ability in hemorrhagic environment. Such composite bioadhesives have not been developed and studied before. The effect of the adhesive's components on its mechanical strength was studied by three different methods, as well as the physical properties and structural features. Thorough understanding of these unique biomaterials resulted in a qualitative model which describes the effect of the bioadhesive's parameters on the cohesive and adhesive strength. Thus, structure-property-function relationships are presented. Structuring of the composite bioadhesives and its effect of the properties and bonding mechanism, are expected to be of high interest to Acta readership.

Characterization of fly ash ceramic pellet for phosphorus removal

Phosphorus has been recognized as a leading pollutant for surface water quality deterioration. In the Midwestern USA, subsurface drainage not only provides a pathway for excess water to leave the field but it also drains out nutrients like nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Fly ash has been identified as one of the viable materials for phosphorus removal from contaminated waters. In this study, a ceramic pellet was manufactured using fly ash for P absorption. Three types of pellet with varying lime and clay proportions by weight (type 1: 10% lime + 30% clay, type 2: 20% lime + 20% clay, and type 3: 30% lime + 10% clay) were characterized and evaluated for absorption efficiency. The result showed that type 3 pellet (60% fly ash with 30% lime and 10% clay) had the highest porosity (14%) and absorption efficiency and saturated absorption capacity (1.98 mg P/g pellet) compared to type 1 and 2 pellets. The heavy metal leaching was the least (30 μg/L of chromium after 5 h) for type 3 pellet compared to other two. The microcosmic structure of pellet from scanning electron microscope showed the type 3 pellet had the better distribution of aluminum and iron oxide on the surface compared other two pellets. This result indicates that addition of lime and clay can improve P absorption capacity of fly ash while reducing the potential to reduce chromium leaching.

Adsorption of Amino Acids and Glutamic Acid-Based Surfactants on Imogolite Clays

Aluminum oxide surfaces are of utmost interest in different biotech applications, in particular for their use as adjuvants (i.e., booster of the immune response against infectious agents in vaccines production). In this framework, imogolite clays combine the chemical flexibility of an exposed alumina surface with 1D nanostructure. This work reports on the interaction between amino acids and imogolite, using turbidimetry, ζ-potential measurements, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as main characterization tools. Amino acids with different side chain functional groups were investigated, showing that glutamic acid (Glu) has the strongest affinity for the imogolite surface. This was exploited to prepare a composite material made of a synthetic surfactant bearing a Glu polar head and a hydrophobic C₁₂ alkyl tail, adsorbed onto the surface of imogolite. The adsorption of a model drug (rhodamine B isothiocyanate) by the hybrid was evaluated both in water and in physiological saline conditions. The findings of this paper suggest that the combination between the glutamate headgroup and imogolite represents a promising platform for the fabrication of hybrid nanostructures with tailored functionalities.

Radon exhalation study of manganese clay residue and usability in brick production

The reuse of by-products and residue streams is an important topic due to environmental and financial aspects. Manganese clay is a residue of manganese ore processing and is generated in huge amounts. This residue may contain some radionuclides with elevated concentrations. In this study, the radon emanation features and the massic exhalation rate of the heat-treated manganese clay were determined with regard to brick production. From the manganese mud depository, 20 samples were collected and after homogenization radon exhalation characteristics were determined as a function of firing temperatures from 100 to 750 °C. The major naturally occurring radionuclides ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th concentrations were 607 ± 34, 52 ± 6 and 40 ± 5 Bq kg^-1, respectively, comparable with normal clay samples. Similar to our previous studies a strong correlation was found between the internal structure and the radon emanation. The radon emanation coefficient decreased by ∼96% from 0.23 at 100 °C to 0.01 at 750 °C. The massic radon exhalation rate of samples fired at 750 °C reduced by 3% compared to samples fired at 100 °C. In light of the results, reusing of manganese clay as a brick additive is possible without any constraints.

Chloride Transport Parameters Prediction for a Clay-Loam Soil Column

Water scarcity makes treated wastewater an unavoidable supplementary irrigation water source. Furthermore treated municipal wastewater quality depends on the fresh water quality and usage as well as on the wastewater treatment plant's degree and efficiency. The main recipient of all chemical compounds contained in this effluent, via irrigation, is soil. Models have been developed to predict factors involved in contaminants movement phenomenon through soil. In the reused effluent, chloride is much of a concern as a conservative pollutant. In this work the chloride breakthrough curves were determined for a clay-loam packed soil column by applying a one dimensional advection dispersion equation, to obtain estimates of the solute transport parameters. The comparisons between experimental and calculated results were satisfactory and also conclusions were derived about the flow conditions in the soil column and its uniformity. Also comparisons were made between calculated and cited in the literature values of the parameters satisfactorily.

The effect of sediment characteristics on bioturbation-mediated transfer of lead, in freshwater laboratory microcosms with Lumbriculus variegatus

While it has been well established that sediment bioturbators can affect the fate of metals in aquatic systems and that the fate of metals there can depend on sediment characteristics, the interaction between these influences is not well known. The present study therefore investigated whether the influence of a sediment bioturbator on the fate of metals is affected by sediment characteristics. This was investigated using two laboratory microcosm experiments with lead-contaminated sediment and the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. The first experiment used sediment collected from five Toledo Bend reservoir sites that differed in sediment characteristics, and analyses looked at the influence of sediment organic matter, sediment silt/clay content, sediment pH, and pore-water pH. In the second experiment, organic matter and silt/clay content of Toledo Bend reservoir sediment were varied experimentally using alpha-cellulose and clay, and Pb transfer to the water column and bioaccumulation were again quantified. Both experiments were conducted with sediment spiked with Pb to a concentration of 100 µg/g, at an oligochaete density of 6279 ind./m². In the first experiment, the Pb concentrations in the water column and those in the worms at the end of the 14-day experiment differed among sediment-collection sites. Silt/clay content and sediment pH were the two most important variables influencing Pb transfer from sediment to the water column. A multiple regression model with these variables explained 58% of the variability in this lead transfer. For Pb accumulation by the worms, sediment organic matter and pore-water pH were the two most important variables. This regression model explained 85% of the variability in tissue Pb levels. In the second experiment, where the individual effects of the organic matter and silt/clay content on Pb transport and distribution were assessed, the use of sediment with more organic matter resulted in a reduction in both the Pb transfer to the water column and the accumulation in worms. The increase in the sediment's silt/clay content resulted in a reduction in Pb bioaccumulation only. Overall, the results of the present study demonstrate that sediment pH, pore-water pH, organic matter, and silt/clay content influence the bioturbation-mediated transfer and the environmental distribution of Pb.

Comparative assessment of LECA and Spartina maritima to remove emerging organic contaminants from wastewater

The present work aimed to evaluate the capacity of constructed wetlands (CWs) to remove three emerging organic contaminants with different physicochemical properties: caffeine (CAF), oxybenzone (MBPh), and triclosan (TCS). The simulated CWs were set up with a matrix of light expanded clay aggregates (LECA) and planted with Spartina maritima, a salt marsh plant. Controlled experiments were carried out in microcosms using deionized water and wastewater collected at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), with different contaminant mass ranges, for 3, 7, and 14 days. The effects of variables were tested isolatedly and together (LECA and/or S. maritima). The presence of LECA and/or S. maritima has shown higher removal (around 61-97%) of lipophilic compounds (MBPh and TCS) than the hydrophilic compound (CAF; around 19-85%). This was attributed to the fact that hydrophilic compounds are dissolved in the water column, whereas the lipophilic ones suffer sorption processes promoting their removal by plant roots and/or LECA. In the control (only wastewater), a decrease in the three contaminant levels was observed. Adsorption and bio/rhizoremediation are the strongest hypothesis to explain the decrease in contaminants in the tested conditions.

Antibacterial Activity of Aluminum in Clay from the Colombian Amazon

The problems of antibiotic overuse compel us to seek alternative antibacterial agents. Some clays have been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant human pathogens and may provide an alternative to known antibiotics. Here we show that Al toxicity plays a central role in the antibacterial action of a kaolin-rich clay from the Colombian Amazon (AMZ). Antibacterial susceptibility testing shows minimum inhibitory concentrations of 80 mg/mL against a model Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). The clay buffered the media pH to ∼4.6 and Eh values to +360 mV. Chemical analysis of AMZ and bacteria showed that Al, P, and transition metals (Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn) were exchanged during incubation at 37 °C. Only Al derived from the clay exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentrations for E. coli under acidic conditions. Ion imaging showed elevated Al levels in the bacterial membrane, and high intracellular Fe levels, relative to those of untreated controls. Phosphorus depletion in E. coli after reaction with AMZ, together with evidence of membrane permeabilization, suggests that Al reacts with membrane phospholipids, enhancing intracellular transport of metals. These results highlight the importance of dissolved Al for amplifying the toxicity of transition metals to human pathogens.

Application of halloysite clay nanotubes as a pharmaceutical excipient

Halloysite nanotubes, a biocompatible nanomaterial of 50-60nm diameter and ca. 15nm lumen, can be used for loading, storage and sustained release of drugs either in its pristine form or with additional polymer complexation for extended release time. This study reports the development composite tablets based on 50wt.% of the drug loaded halloysite mixed with 45wt.% of microcrystalline cellulose. Powder flow and compressibility properties of halloysite (angle of repose, Carr's index, Hausner ratio, Brittle Fracture Index, tensile strength) indicate that halloysite is an excellent tablet excipient. Halloysite tubes can also be filled with nifedipine with ca. 6wt.% loading efficiency and sustained release from the nanotubes. Tablets prepared with drug loaded halloysite allowed for almost zero order nifedipine release for up to 20h. Nifedipine trapped in the nanotubes also protect the drug against light and significantly increased the photostability of the drug. All of these demonstrate that halloysite has the potential to be an excellent pharmaceutical excipient that is also an inexpensive, natural and abundantly available material.

Extending surfactant-modified 2:1 clay minerals for the uptake and removal of diclofenac from water

The presence and persistency of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment attracted great attention recently. Among them, antibiotics and pain-killers accounted for a large quantity. Although many works were devoted to the investigation of their removal in wastewater treatment processes, most of the PPCPs studied were of cationic nature. The net repulsive interactions between anionic PPCPs and negatively charged sorbents make them difficult to be removed in wastewater treatment. In this study, 2:1 clay minerals illite and montmorillonite (MMT) were modified with different amounts of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammoium bromide (CTAB). The types and sites of interactions between the surfactant-modified clays and the anionic drug diclofenac (DC) were investigated. The uptake of DC on the modified clays was controlled by the CTAB loading level and its surface configuration on the clays. The adsorption sites of DC were limited to the external surfaces of modified illite due to its non-swelling nature. On the contrary, both the external and interlayer sites were available for the adsorption of DC on modified MMT. A CTAB bilayer formation resulted in significant increase in DC adsorption due to the formation of extensive admicelles. FTIR results showed participation of the benzene ring, NH, and CH₂CH₃ for the interactions between DC and modified MMT, suggesting that partitioning of DC into the admicelles of CTAB played a significant role in DC uptake. The results could extend the application of surfactant-modified clays for the removal of anionic PPCPs in the wastewater treatment processes.

Mechanisms of removal of three widespread pharmaceuticals by two clay materials

Pharmaceutical residues presence in the environment is among nowadays top emergent environmental issues. For removal of such pollutants, adsorption is a generally efficient process that can be complementary to conventional treatment. Research of cheap, widely available adsorbents may make this process economically attractive. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the capacity of two clay materials (exfoliated vermiculite, LECA) to adsorb gemfibrozil, mefenamic acid and naproxen in lab-scale batch assays. Results show that both adsorbents are able to remove the pharmaceuticals from aqueous medium. Although vermiculite exhibited higher adsorption capacities per unit mass of adsorbent, LECA yielded higher absolute removals of the pharmaceuticals due to the larger mass of adsorbent. Quantum chemistry calculations predicted that the forms of binding of the three molecules to the vermiculite surface are essentially identical, but the adsorption isotherm of naproxen differs substantially from the other two's. The linear forms of the latter impose limits at lower concentrations to the removal efficiencies of these pharmaceuticals by vermiculite, thereby electing LECA as more efficient. Notwithstanding, vermiculite's high specific adsorption capacity and also its much faster adsorption kinetics suggest that there may be some benefits in combining both materials as a composite adsorbent solution.

Adsorption of diclofenac onto organoclays: Effects of surfactant and environmental (pH and temperature) conditions

Among pharmaceutical products (PPs) recalcitrant to water treatments, diclofenac shows a high toxicity and remains at high concentration in natural aquatic environments. The aim of this study concerns the understanding of the adsorption mechanism of this anionic PP onto two organoclays prepared with two long-alkyl chains cationic surfactants showing different chemical nature for various experimental pH and temperature conditions. The experimental data obtained by a set of complementary techniques (X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and the use of Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevish equation models, reveal that organoclays show a good affinity to diclofenac which is enhanced as the temperature is under 35°C and for pH above 4.5 (i.e. >pKa of diclofenac) while the chemical nature of surfactant appears to play a minor role. The thermodynamic parameters derived from the fitting procedure point out the strong electrostatic interaction with organic cations adsorbed within the interlayer space in the organoclays for the adsorption of diclofenac. This study stress out the application of organoclays for the adsorption of a recalcitrant PPs in numerous aquatic compartments that can be used as a complement with activated carbon for waste water treatment.

Native, acidic pre-treated and composite clay efficiency for the adsorption of dicationic dye in aqueous medium

Environmental applications of composites have attracted the interests of researchers due to their excellent adsorption efficiency for pollutants. Native, HCl pre-treated clay and MnFe₂O₄/clay composite were investigated as an adsorbent for removal of methyl green from aqueous solution. The adsorption behaviors of dye onto native, HCl pre-treated and composite clays were studied as a function of contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, initial dye concentration and temperature. Maximum dye adsorption of 44 mg/g was achieved at pH of 8, contact time 40 min, adsorbent dose 0.20 g/L and initial dye concentration of 125 mg/L using clay composite. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model best explained the methyl green dye adsorption onto clay adsorbents. Thermodynamic parameters revealed the endothermic and spontaneous adsorption nature of dye. From results, it is concluded that clay has potential for adsorbing methyl green and can be used for the removal of dyes from industrial effluents.

Removal of cesium ions from clays by cationic surfactant intercalation

We propose a new approach to remediate cesium-contaminated clays based on intercalation of the cationic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) into clay interlayers. Intercalation of DTAB was found to occur very rapidly and involved exchanging interlayer cations. The reaction yielded efficient cesium desorption (∼97%), including of a large amount of otherwise non-desorbable cesium ions by cation exchange with ammonium ions. In addition, the intercalation of DTAB afforded an expansion of the interlayers, and an enhanced desorption of Cs by cation exchange with ammonium ions even at low concentrations of DTAB. Finally, the residual intercalated surfactants were easily removed by a decomposition reaction with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Cu²⁺/Fe²⁺ catalysts.

Sorption of vanadium (V) onto natural soil colloids under various solution pH and ionic strength conditions

Batch sorption kinetics and isothermal characteristics of V(V) were investigated on three natural soil colloids (manual loessial soil colloid (MSC), aeolian sandy soil colloid (ASC), and cultivated loessial soil colloid (CSC)) under various solution pH and ionic strength (IS) conditions. Colloids were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). AFM micrographs showed CSC with an aggregated shape with larger particle diameter as compared with ASC and MSC. XRD spectra revealed the presence of different minerals in natural soil colloids including biotite, kaolinite, calcite and quartz, which might contribute to sorption process. The sorption ability decreased with increase of colloidal particle size. The sorption was mainly attributed to complexation by active carboxylate and alcohol groups of colloidal components. Sorption kinetics and isotherms of V(V) onto natural soil colloids were best fitted with Pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models. Langmuir model indicated that sorption capacity of MSC and ASC was comparable (285.7 and 238.1 mg g^-1); however, CSC exhibited the lowest sorption capacity (41.5 mg g^-1) due to its larger particle diameter and aggregated shape. The maximum V(V) sorption capacity reached plateau values at a solution pH ranged between 5.0 and 9.0 for MSC and ASC, and 6.0-8.0 for CSC. Sorption capacity of V(V) onto natural soil colloids decreased with increasing IS. Based on result of this study we can conclude that sorption of V(V) onto natural soil colloids is pH- and IS-dependent. These findings provide insights on the remediation of vanadium-contaminated soils.

Determination of trace elements and their concentrations in clay balls: problem of geophagia practice in Ghana

Ten samples of 100 g weight were subsampled from 1400 g of the clay balls from which the contained trace element levels were determined by X-ray fluorescence technique. The results of trace elements in the clay balls were calibrated using certified reference materials "MAJMON" and "BH-1." The results showed elevated concentrations but with different concentration levels in the regions, particularly with arsenic, chromium, cobalt, Cs, Zr and La. These trace elements contained in the clay balls are known to be hazardous to human health. Thence the relatively high concentrations of these listed trace elements in clay balls in the three regions, namely Ashanti, Upper East and Volta, which are widely sold in markets in Ghana, could present negative health impact on consumers if consumed at 70 g per day or more and on regular basis. On the basis of these, the study concludes an investigation to establish breakeven range for trace element concentrations in the clay balls as it has been able to demonstrate the uneven and elevated values in them. The standardized safe ranges of trace elements will make the practice safer for the people that ingest clay balls in Ghana.

Recovery of valuable metals from electronic scraps by clays and organo-clays: Study on bi-ionic model solutions

The demand of valuable metals, as precious metals and rare earths, is constantly increasing in the global market, as many and different technological applications exploit these materials because of their unique properties. Since natural resources are located just in focused areas, an interesting possibility could be the recovery of metals from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The aim of this work is to evaluate the recovery potentialities of clays and organo-clay based systems towards the metals contained in the solutions of electronic scraps dissolved in strong acid, by preliminary tests on bi-ionic model solutions. Lanthanum has been chosen as representative of the rare earths while copper has been considered since it is by far the most used metal in electric and electronic equipment. The considered sorbents are a montmorillonitic clay and two polyamine based organo-clays. Uptake and release processes have been carried out in order to assess the performances of these solids and to evaluate the uptake and release mechanisms. The results showed that the cationic exchange is the prevailing mechanism in the case of pristine clay, while both coordinating effect due to amino groups and cationic exchange occur in the case of modified clays, respectively accounting for copper and lanthanum uptake. Furthermore the pH was found having a great influence in both the adsorption and desorption phenomena.

Effects of clay minerals, hydroxides, and timing of dissolved organic matter addition on the competitive sorption of copper, nickel, and zinc: A column experiment

Infiltration of heavy metal (HM) polluted wastewater can seriously compromise soil and groundwater quality. Interactions between mineral soil components (e.g. clay minerals) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) play a crucial role in determining HM mobility in soils. In this study, the influence of the timing of addition of DOM, i.e. concurrent with or prior to HMs, on HM mobility was explored in a set of continuous flow column experiments using well defined natural soil samples amended with goethite, birnessite and/or smectite. The soils were subjected to concurrent and sequential additions of solutions of DOM, and Cu, Ni and Zn. The resulting breakthrough curves were fitted with a modified dose-response model to obtain the adsorption capacity (q₀). Addition of DOM prior to HMs moderately enhanced q₀ of Cu (8-25%) compared to a control without DOM, except for the goethite amended soil that exhibited a 10% reduction due to the blocking of binding sites. Meanwhile, for both Zn and Ni sequential addition of DOM reduced q₀ by 1-36% for all tested soils due to preferential binding of Zn and Ni to mineral phases. In contrast, concurrent addition of DOM and HMs resulted in a strong increase of q₀ for all tested metals and all tested soil compositions compared to the control: 141-299% for Cu, 29-102% for Zn and 32-144% for Ni. Our study shows that when assessing the impact of soil pollution through HM containing wastewater it is crucial to take into account the presence of DOM.

Intensity of African Humid Periods Estimated from Saharan Dust Fluxes

North Africa experienced dramatic changes in hydrology and vegetation during the late Quaternary driven by insolation-induced shifts of the tropical rain belt and further modulated by millennial-scale droughts and vegetation-climate feedbacks. While most past proxy and modelling studies concentrated on the temporal and spatial dynamics of the last African humid period, little is known about the intensities and characteristics of pre-Holocene humid periods. Here we present a high-resolution record of fine-grained eastern Saharan dust from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea spanning the last 180 kyr, which is based on the clay mineral composition of the marine sediments, especially the kaolinite/chlorite ratio. Minimum aeolian kaolinite transport occurred during the African Humid Periods because kaolinite deflation was hampered by increased humidity and vegetation cover. Instead, kaolinite weathering from kaolinite-bearing Cenozoic rocks was stored in lake basins, river beds and soils during these periods. During the subsequent dry phases, fine-grained dust was mobilised from the desiccated lakes, rivers and soils resulting in maximum aeolian uptake and transport of kaolinite. The kaolinite transport decreased again when these sediment sources exhausted. We conclude that the amount of clay-sized dust blown out of the Sahara into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is proportional to the intensity of the kaolinite weathering and accumulation in soils and lake sediments, and thus to the strength of the preceding humid period. These humid periods provided the windows for the migration of modern humans out of Africa, as postulated previously. The strongest humid period occurred during the Eemian and was followed by two weaker phases centred at ca. 100 ka and ca. 80 ka.

Assessing the Effect of Organoclays and Biochar on the Fate of Abscisic Acid in Soil

The potential use of allelopathic and signaling compounds as environmentally friendly agrochemicals is a subject of increasing interest, but the fate of these compounds once they reach the soil environment is poorly understood. This work studied how the sorption, persistence, and leaching of the two enantiomers of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) in agricultural soil was affected by the amendments of two organoclays (SA-HDTMA and Cloi10) and a biochar derived from apple wood (BC). In conventional 24-h batch sorption experiments, higher affinity toward ABA enantiomers was displayed by SA-HDTMA followed by Cloi10 and then BC. Desorption could be ascertained only in BC, where ABA enantiomers presented difficulties to be desorbed. Dissipation of ABA in the soil was enantioselective with S-ABA being degraded more quickly than R-ABA, and followed the order unamended > Cloi10-amended > BC-amended > SA-HDTMA-amended soil for both enantiomers. Sorption determined during the incubation experiment indicated some loss of sorption capacity with time in organoclay-amended soil and increasing sorption in BC-amended soil, suggesting surface sorption mechanisms for organoclays and slow (potentially pore filling) kinetics in BC-amended soil. The leaching of ABA enantiomers was delayed after amendment of soil to an extent that depended on the amendment sorption capacity, and it was almost completely suppressed by addition of BC due to its irreversible sorption. Organoclays and BC affected differently the final behavior and enantioselectivity of ABA in soil as a consequence of dissimilar sorption capacities and alterations in sorption with time, which will affect the plant and microbial availability of endogenous and exogenous ABA in the rhizosphere.

Analysis of the Importance of Oxides and Clays in Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn Adsorption and Retention with Regression Trees

This study determines the influence of the different soil components and of the cation-exchange capacity on the adsorption and retention of different heavy metals: cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. In order to do so, regression models were created through decision trees and the importance of soil components was assessed. Used variables were: humified organic matter, specific cation-exchange capacity, percentages of sand and silt, proportions of Mn, Fe and Al oxides and hematite, and the proportion of quartz, plagioclase and mica, and the proportions of the different clays: kaolinite, vermiculite, gibbsite and chlorite. The most important components in the obtained models were vermiculite and gibbsite, especially for the adsorption of cadmium and zinc, while clays were less relevant. Oxides are less important than clays, especially for the adsorption of chromium and lead and the retention of chromium, copper and lead.

Bonding Effectiveness of Luting Composites to Different CAD/CAM Materials

PURPOSE

To evaluate the influence of different surface treatments of six novel CAD/CAM materials on the bonding effectiveness of two luting composites.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six different CAD/CAM materials were tested: four ceramics - Vita Mark II; IPS Empress CAD and IPS e.max CAD; Celtra Duo - one hybrid ceramic, Vita Enamic, and one composite CAD/CAM block, Lava Ultimate. A total of 60 blocks (10 per material) received various mechanical surface treatments: 1. 600-grit SiC paper; 2. sandblasting with 30-μm Al2O3; 3. tribochemical silica coating (CoJet). Subsequent chemical surface treatments involved either no further treatment (control), HF acid etching (HF), silanization (S, or HF acid etching followed by silanization (HF+S). Two specimens with the same surface treatment were bonded together using two dual-curing luting composites: Clearfil Esthetic Cement (self-etching) or Panavia SA Cement (self-adhesive). After 1 week of water storage, the microtensile bond strength of the sectioned microspecimens was measured and the failure mode was evaluated.

RESULTS

The bonding performance of the six CAD/CAM materials was significantly influenced by surface treatment (linear mixed models, p < 0.05). The luting cement had a significant influence on bond strength for Celtra Duo and Lava Ultimate (linear mixed models, p < 0.05). Mechanical surface treatment significantly influenced the bond strength for Celtra Duo (p = 0.0117), IPS e.max CAD (p = 0.0115), and Lava Ultimate (p < 0.0001). Different chemical surface treatments resulted in the highest bond strengths for the six CAD/CAM materials: Vita Mark II and IPS Empress CAD: S, HF+S; Celtra Duo: HF, HF+S; IPS e.max CAD: HF+S; Vita Enamic: HF+S, S. For Lava Ultimate, the highest bond strengths were obtained with HF, S, HF+S. Failure analysis showed a relation between bond strength and failure type: more mixed failures were observed with higher bond strengths. Mainly adhesive failures were noticed if no further surface treatment was done. The percentage of adhesive failures was higher for CAD/CAM materials with higher flexural strength (Celtra Duo, IPS e.max CAD, and Lava Ultimate).

CONCLUSION

The bond strength of luting composites to novel CAD/CAM materials is influenced by surface treatment. For each luting composite, an adhesive cementation protocol can be specified in order to obtain the highest bond to the individual CAD/CAM materials.

Laboratory Performance of Universal Adhesive Systems for Luting CAD/CAM Restorative Materials

PURPOSE

To evaluate the microshear bond strength (μSBS) of several universal adhesive systems applied on five different indirect restorative materials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five CAD/CAM materials were selected: 1) indirect resin composite (LAV); 2) feldspathic glass ceramic (VTR); 3) leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic (EMP); 4) lithium disilicate ceramic (EMX); 5) yttrium-stabilized zirconium dioxide (CZI). For each material, 15 blocks were cut into 4 rectangular sections (6 × 6 × 6 mm) (n = 60 per group), and processed as recommended by the respective manufacturer. For each indirect material, the following adhesive systems were applied according to the respective manufacturer's instructions: 1) AdheSE Universal [ADU]; 2) All-Bond Universal (ABU); 3) Ambar Universal (AMB); 4) Clearfil Universal (CFU); 5) Futurabond U (FBU); 6) One Coat 7 Universal (OCU); 7) Peak Universal Bond (PUB); 8) Prime&Bond Elect (PBE); 9) Scotchbond Universal Adhesive (SBU); 10) Xeno Select (XEN, negative control). After the application of the adhesive system, cylinder-shaped transparent matrices were filled with a dual-curing resin cement (NX3) and light cured. Specimens were stored in water (37°C for 24 h) and tested in shear mode at 1.0 mm/min (mSBS). The failure pattern and μSBS were statistically evaluated (a = 0.05).

RESULTS

LAV, VTR, and EMP showed a greater number of cohesive fractures than EMX and CZI (p < 0.0001). PUB was the only adhesive for which the mean μSBS reached the highest ranking of statistical significance for all five substrates. When each adhesive was compared across the five substrates, 8 out of 10 (ADU, ABU, AMB, CFU, OCU, PUB, PBE, and SBU) reached the statistically highest mean μSBS when applied on CZI.

CONCLUSION

The specific chemical composition of universal adhesives was not the decisive factor in the bond strength values measured for different CAD/CAM indirect materials. There was a wide variability in mean μSBS when different universal adhesives were applied to the several CAD/CAM indirect materials. Most universal adhesives bonded well to air-abraded zirconia.

Direct Exchange Mechanism for Interlayer Ions in Non-Swelling Clays

The mobility of radiocesium in the environment is largely mediated by cation exchange in micaceous clays, in particular Illite-a non-swelling clay mineral that naturally contains interlayer K⁺ and has high affinity for Cs⁺. Although exchange of interlayer K⁺ for Cs⁺ is nearly thermodynamically nonselective, recent experiments show that direct, anhydrous Cs⁺-K⁺ exchange is kinetically viable and leads to the formation of phase-separated interlayers through a mechanism that remains unclear. Here, using classical atomistic simulations and density functional theory calculations, we identify a molecular-scale positive feedback mechanism in which exchange of the larger Cs⁺ for the smaller K⁺ significantly lowers the migration barrier of neighboring K⁺, allowing exchange to propagate rapidly once initiated at the clay edge. Barrier lowering upon slight increase in layer spacing (∼0.7 Å) during Cs⁺ exchange is an example of "chemical-mechanical coupling" that likely explains the observed sharp exchange fronts leading to interstratification. Interestingly, we find that these features are thermodynamically favored even in the absence of a heterogeneous layer charge distribution.

Effects of four different phosphorus-locking materials on sediment and water quality in Xi'an moat

To lower phosphorus concentration in Xi'an moat, four different phosphorus-locking materials, namely, calcium nitrate, sponge-iron, fly ash, and silica alumina clay, were selected in this experiment to study their effects on water quality and sediment. Results of the continuous 68-day experiment showed that calcium nitrate was the most effective for controlling phosphorus concentration in overlying and interstitial water, where the efficiency of locking phosphorus was >97 and 90 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the addition of calcium nitrate caused Fe/Al-bound phosphorus (Fe/Al-P) content in sediment declining but Ca-bound phosphorus (Ca-P) and organic phosphorus (OP) content ascending. The phosphorus-locking efficiency of sponge-iron in overlying and interstitial water was >72 and 66 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the total phosphorus (TP), OP, Fe/Al-P, and Ca-P content in sediment increased by 33.8, 7.7, 23.1, and 23.1 %, respectively, implying that under the action of sponge-iron, the locked phosphorus in sediment was mainly inorganic form and the phosphorus-locking efficiency of sponge-iron could be stable and persistent. In addition, the phosphorus-locking efficiency of fly ash was transient and limited, let alone silica alumina clay had almost no capacity for phosphorus-locking efficiency. Therefore, calcium nitrate and sponge-iron were excellent phosphorus-locking agents to repair the seriously polluted water derived from an internal source.

From illite/smectite clay to mesoporous silicate adsorbent for efficient removal of chlortetracycline from water

A series of mesoporous silicate adsorbents with superior adsorption performance for hazardous chlortetracycline (CTC) were sucessfully prepared via a facile one-pot hydrothermal reaction using low-cost illite/smectite (IS) clay, sodium silicate and magnesium sulfate as the starting materials. In this process, IS clay was "teared up" and then "rebuilt" as new porous silicate adsorbent with high specific surface area of 363.52m²/g (about 8.7 folds higher than that of IS clay) and very negative Zeta potential (-34.5mV). The inert SiOSi (Mg, Al) bonds in crystal framework of IS were broken to form Si(Al) O^- groups with good adsorption activity, which greatly increased the adsorption sites served for holding much CTC molecules. Systematic evaluation on adsorption properties reveals the optimal silicate adsorbent can adsorb 408.81mg/g of CTC (only 159.7mg/g for raw IS clay) and remove 99.3% (only 46.5% for raw IS clay) of CTC from 100mg/L initial solution (pH3.51; adsorption temperature 30°C; adsorbent dosage, 3g/L). The adsorption behaviors of CTC onto the adsorbent follows the Langmuir isotherm model, Temkin equation and pseudo second-order kinetic model. The mesopore adsorption, electrostatic attraction and chemical association mainly contribute to the enhanced adsorption properties. As a whole, the high-efficient silicate adsorbent could be candidates to remove CTC from the wastewater with high amounts of CTC.

Effect of Surface Roughness on Flexural Strength of Veneer Ceramics

The strength of ceramic restorations depends on the occlusal surface roughness of the veneering porcelain, which is influenced by the final preparation. The hypothesis of the study was that roughnesses below a critical microscopic defect size—based only on fracture mechanics considerations—also affect flexural strength. The bending failure stress was evaluated on standard specimens of 4 veneer ceramics with 4 different surfaces of defined roughnesses, respectively. A linear correlation was found between roughness and failure stress. A "roughness-free" failure stress value was predicted for each tested material. This theoretical value can represent the "true" strength of the respective ceramic material. We conclude from our results that the final preparation of a ceramic restoration is critical to the strength of the material, and that ceramic veneering materials can be compared more objectively with respect to their strength by means of roughness-free strength values.

Antagonist Enamel Wears More Than Ceramic Inlays

Wear phenomena of ceramic inlays are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate ceramic wear, antagonist enamel wear, and luting cement wear over 8 years. The two-fold null hypothesis was that there would be (1) no difference in wear behavior between ceramic and enamel, and (2) no influence of filler content of luting composites on composite wear. From 96 restorations, 36 Class II inlays from 16 participants were selected. For inlays with opposing enamel cusps (n = 17), replicas of inlays and enamel were scanned with a 3-D laser scanner. Luting gaps of inlays (n = 36) were analyzed with a profilometer, including 3-D data analysis. Ceramic and enamel wear increased between 4 and 8 years, with significantly higher values for enamel after 6 years (p < 0.05). Luting gap wear increased continuously up to 8 years (p < 0.05), with no influence of luting composites (p > 0.05) and location of teeth (p > 0.05).

Solidification and immobilization of MSWI fly ash through aluminate geopolymerization: Based on partial charge model analysis

This study presents an integrated synopsis of the solidification and immobilization mechanisms of fly ash-based geopolymers. A rational analysis of the ion reactions involved in geopolymerization was conducted using the partial charge model (PCM). The following conclusions were obtained: (1) heavy metal cations cannot be immobilized as counter cations through exchange with Na⁺; (2) isomorphous substitution of heavy metals in the geopolymer can be expected from the condensation reaction between the hydrolyzed heavy metal species and aluminosilicate; (3) the hydrolyzed species condensation could result in solidification and immobilization and be promoted by aluminates; and (4) a geopolymer with the highest immobilization and solidification efficiency can be obtained at an intermediate pH value. The partial charges on the framework of Si, Al, and O in the primary building blocks of aluminosilicate and heavy metal-doped aluminosilicate were confirmed through XPS and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy analyses. The effects of activator dosage and types on fly ash-based geopolymers were also investigated, and the results verify the PCM analysis. A geopolymer with the highest strength was produced at an intermediate alkaline dosage. Silicate or aluminate introduced into the activator improved the strength and immobilization efficiency, and aluminate exhibited better performance. Heavy metals bound to the exchangeable or acid-soluble fraction were transformed into aluminosilicate species during geopolymerization.

Effects of clay minerals on diethyl phthalate degradation in Fenton reactions

Phthalate esters are a group of plasticizers, which are commonly detected in China's soils and surface water. Fenton reactions are naturally occurring and widely applied in the degradation of contaminants. However, limited research was considered the effects of clay minerals on contaminants degradation with OH oxidation. In this study, batch experiments were conducted to investigate the degradation of diethyl phthalate (DEP) in Fenton reactions in the presence of clay minerals, and the effects of clay type, Fe content in clay structure. The results showed the clay adsorption inhibited total degradation of DEP, and Fe content in clay structure played an important role in DEP degradation, including in solution and adsorbed in clay minerals. Clay minerals with less Fe content (<3%) quenched OH radical, while nontronite with Fe content 19.2% improved OH radical generation and accelerated DEP degradation in solution. The degradation of clay-adsorbed DEP was much slower than DEP in solution. Six main products of DEP degradation were identified, including monoethyl phthalate, phthalate acid, hydroxyl diethyl phthalate, etc. This study implied that phthalate ester's degradation would be much slower in natural water than expected in the presence of clay minerals.

Effects of binding materials on microaggregate size distribution in bauxite residues

It is recognized that for successful establishment of a vegetation cover on bauxite residue disposal areas, soil formation and a greater understanding of the processes of soil development are crucial. The stability of microaggregates is a very important physical property that prevents erosion in bauxite residues. Samples were collected from a disposal area in Central China to determine not only the mechanism of aggregation but also clay dispersion. Colloidal stability was assessed by determining organic matter, carbonate, electrolyte, clay mineral, and iron-aluminum oxide forms, as these would contribute to their stability. Organic matter improved microaggregate stability by combining with clay particles and polyvalent cations to form macroaggregates. Polyvalent cations such as calcium had a positive effect on particle flocculation, while organic molecules were more effective at stabilizing microaggregates. Removal of salinity dispersed silt-size aggregates into clay-size aggregates and reduced microaggregate stability. Calcium improved particle aggregation, while sodium had the reverse effect. Quartz powder was added to the residues but did not show any cementing effect, while free and amorphous iron-aluminum oxides were effective binding agents for microaggregate formation. We propose that the presence of organic matter and polyvalent cations, together with incorporation of organic carbon and calcium minerals, may enhance the stability of this material and prove beneficial toward improving its physical condition.

Removal of ammonia from poultry manure by aluminosilicates

The aim of the study was to test the possibility of using aluminosilicates as natural sorbents of ammonia from poultry manure. The ammonia-absorbing properties of sodium bentonite and zeolite were confirmed in ex situ conditions. The most significant reduction in the level of ammonia with respect to the control was noted for 2% bentonite and 1% zeolite. The mean reduction for the entire period of the experiment ranged from 26.41% to 29.04%. The aluminosilicates tested can be used to neutralize ammonia released on poultry farms.

Relationship between heavy metals and minerals extracted from soil clay by standard and novel acid extraction procedures

Strong acid digestions are commonly used to determine heavy metal (HM) contents in soils. In order to understand more fully the acid digestion processes, a logical step is to determine the extent of dissolution of mineral phases. The aims of this study were to compare the efficiency of extraction of HM by different acid digestions and to monitor the associated dissolution of the clay fraction. The context of the study was to develop a milder chemical extraction method (microwave-assisted 1 mol L^-1 HNO₃ closed system (NACS)), which recovers more reactive HM and with little dissolution of minerals. The different acid digestion methods dissolved different amounts of minerals from the clay fraction. Both aqua regia (AR) and EPA 3051 dissolved all of the Fe and Al oxides, and the dissolution of kaolin was limited to thinner particles (c dimension), smaller particles in a and b dimensions and grains with lower crystallinity. The lower recovery of HM for AR compared with EPA 3051 was related to the large amount of short-range order phases formed during the AR extraction as these phases have the capacity to re-adsorb HM. The new method (NACS) has the potential to replace other methods of determining bioavailable forms of HM, such as AR and EPA 3051. The contents of Pb, As, Co, Zn, and Cu determined by EPA 3051 and EPA 3052 were quite close.

Competitive adsorption of toxic metals on bentonite and use of chitosan as flocculent coagulant to speed up the settling of generated clay suspensions

Evaluation of modified Algerian clay as mineral adsorbent was done for its adsorbing capacity on copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) cations. The results obtained show a rapid kinetic adsorption for both metals (less than 2 h) following the pseudo-second order model with high elimination rates of 67.2 and 61.8% for Cu and Zn respectively. The adsorption isotherms analyzed with Langmuir model revealed a correlation with the experimental values. While the use of obtained chitosan at room temperature, as flocculent coagulant, accelerates the decantation of the colloidal particles in suspension generated after adsorption process.

Effect of confining pressure on diffusion coefficients in clay-rich, low-permeability sedimentary rocks

The effect of confining pressure (CP) on the diffusion of tritiated-water (HTO) and iodide (I^-) tracers through Ordovician rocks from the Michigan Basin, southwestern Ontario, Canada, and Opalinus Clay from Schlattingen, Switzerland was investigated in laboratory experiments. Four samples representing different formations and lithologies in the Michigan Basin were studied: Queenston Formation shale, Georgian Bay Formation shale, Cobourg Formation limestone and Cobourg Formation argillaceous limestone. Estimated in situ vertical stresses at the depths from which the samples were retrieved range from 12.0 to 17.4MPa (Michigan Basin) and from 21 to 23MPa (Opalinus Clay). Effective diffusion coefficients (D_e) were determined in through-diffusion experiments. With HTO tracer, applying CP resulted in decreases in D_e of 12.5% for the Queenston Formation shale (CP_max=12MPa), 30% for the Georgian Bay Formation shale (15MPa), 34% for the Cobourg Formation limestone (17.4MPa), 31% for the Cobourg Formation argillaceous limestone (17.4MPa) and 43-46% for the Opalinus Clay (15MPa). Decreases in D_e were larger for the I^- tracer: 13.8% for the Queenston shale, 42% for the Georgian Bay shale, 50% for the Cobourg Formation limestone, 55% for the Cobourg Formation argillaceous limestone and 63-68% for the Opalinus Clay. The tracer-specific nature of the response is attributed to an increasing influence of anion exclusion as the pore size decreases at higher CP. Results from the shales (including Opalinus Clay) indicate that the pressure effect on D_e can be represented by a linear relationship between D_e and ln(CP), which provides valuable predictive capability. The nonlinearity results in a relatively small change in D_e at high CP, suggesting that it is not necessary to apply the exact in situ pressure conditions in order to obtain a good estimate of the in situ diffusion coefficient. Most importantly, the CP effect on shale is reversible (±12%) suggesting that, for argillaceous rocks, it is possible to obtain D_e values that are representative of the in-situ condition by conducting measurements on re-pressurized samples that were obtained with standard drilling practices. This may not be the case for brittle rock samples as the results from limestone suggest that irreversible damage occurred during the pressure cycling.

Assessing the impacts of phosphorus inactive clay on phosphorus release control and phytoplankton community structure in eutrophic lakes

Addressing the challenge that phosphorus is the key factor and cause for eutrophication, we evaluated the phosphorus release control performance of a new phosphorus inactive clay (PIC) and compared with Phoslock^®. Meanwhile, the impacts of PIC and Phoslock^® on phytoplankton abundance and community structure in eutrophic water were also discussed. With the dosage of 40 mg/L, PIC effectively removed 97.7% of total phosphorus (TP) and 98.3% of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in eutrophic waters. In sediments, Fe/Al-phosphorus and organic phosphorus remained stable whereas Ca-phosphorus had a significant increase of 13.1%. The results indicated that PIC may form the active overlay at water-sediment interface and decrease the bioavailability of phosphorus. The phytoplankton abundance was significantly reduced by PIC and decreased from (1.0-2.4) × 10⁷ cells/L to (1.3-4.3) × 10⁶ cells/L after 15 d simultaneous experiment. The phytoplankton community structure was also altered, where Cyanobacteria and Bacillariophyceae were the most inhibited and less dominant due to their sensitivity to phosphorus. After PIC treatment, the residual lanthanum concentration in water was 1.44-3.79 μg/L, and the residual aluminium concentration was low as 101.26-103.72 μg/L, which was much less than the recommended concentration of 200 μg/L. This study suggests that PIC is an appropriate material for phosphorus inactivation and algal bloom control, meaning its huge potential application in eutrophication restoration and management.

Case-specific finite element analysis of dental CAD/CAM prostheses to identify design flaws prior to manufacture

PURPOSE

To apply a design optimization strategy to dental prostheses machining to verify whether this approach can detect flaws occurring in the CAD process and to estimate the influence of the type of material on the occurrence of fractures in restorations.

METHODS

The stereo lithography interface format of a 4-unit (from canine to first molar) fixed dental prosthesis designed by a conventional dental CAD process was converted into a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model. This basic model was coupled to the mechanical properties of feldspathic ceramic, lithium disilicate ceramic (LS2) and zirconia (ZrO2) to create three FEA models with different mechanical properties. The models were constrained along the abutment housing surfaces of the canine and the first molar, respectively. Finally, a simulated load of 50 N was applied vertically to the occlusal surface of the first premolar.

RESULTS

The FEA showed a stress peak concentration between the second connectors and the second premolar. The stress peak overcame the ultimate tensile stresses of feldspathic and lithium disilicate ceramics; conversely, the ultimate tensile stress of zirconia was not overcome. A geometrical flaw was identified in the 4-unit fixed dental prosthesis. The flaw was sensitive to tensional stress and could lead to failure of the component.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The results of the present investigation showed the importance and future impact of the application of FEA in the daily practice of prosthodontics. A FEA-implemented CAD process would allow proper prosthetic volumes with correct dimensions of the framework, in order to withstand occlusal loads and consequently reduce mechanical failures. FEA is a useful tool to simplify the design of prosthetic frameworks and select esthetic ceramic materials with strength enough to withstand occlusal stress.

Sorbent materials for rapid remediation of wash water during radiological event relief

Procedures for removing harmful radiation from interior and exterior surfaces of homes and businesses after a nuclear or radiological disaster may generate large volumes of radiologically contaminated waste water. Rather than releasing this waste water to potentially contaminate surrounding areas, it is preferable to treat it onsite. Retention barrels are a viable option because of their simplicity in preparation and availability of possible sorbent materials. This study investigated the use of aluminosilicate clay minerals as sorbent materials to retain (137)Cs, (85)Sr, and (152)Eu. Vermiculite strongly retained (137)Cs, though other radionuclides displayed diminished affinity for the surface. Montmorillonite exhibited increased affinity to sorb (85)Sr and (152)Eu in the presence of higher concentrations of (137)Cs. To simulate flow within retention barrels, vermiculite was mixed with sand and used in small-scale column experiments. The GoldSim contaminate fate module was used to model breakthrough and assess the feasibility of using clay minerals as sorbent materials in retention barrels. The modeled radionuclide breakthrough profiles suggest that vermiculite-sand and montmorillonite-sand filled barrels could be used for treatment of contaminated water generated from field operations.