Adsorption behavior of rhodamine B on Rhizopus oryzae biomass

Application of central composite design for simultaneous removal of methylene blue and Pb(2+) ions by walnut wood activated carbon

Activated carbon was prepared from walnut wood which was locally available, non-toxic, abundant and cheap. This new adsorbent was characterized using BET, FTIR and SEM. Point of zero charge (pHpzc) and oxygen containing functional groups were also determined. The prepared adsorbent was applied for simultaneous removal of Pb(2+) ions and methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solution. The prominent effect and interaction of variables such as amount of adsorbent, contact time, concentration of MB and Pb(2+) ions were optimized by central composite design. The equilibrium data obtained at optimum condition were fitted to conventional isotherm models and found that Langmuir model was the best fitted isotherm. Kinetic data were fitted using various models. It was revealed that the adsorption rate follows pseudo-second order kinetic model and intraparticle diffusion model.

Simultaneous removal of methylene blue and Pb2+ ions using ruthenium nanoparticle-loaded activated carbon: response surface methodology

Ruthenium nanoparticles were synthesized in a green approach with high yield in the presence of ultrasound and then the product was loaded on activated carbon.

Sorption on eggshell waste--a review on ultrastructure, biomineralization and other applications

The structure, adsorption behavior and applications of eggshell waste materials have been reviewed. The ultrastructure of eggshell particles has been discussed to understand the pore structure as well as the surface geometry of the materials leading to its multifarious applicability. Besides, the ultrastructure studies give full information regarding the chemical constituents of egghell particles as well as eggshell membranes. The process of biomineralization in living organisms, their consequent effect of controlling the formation of inorganic-organic composites propelling their application in biomimetic designing of advanced composites with optimized novel properties leading to advances in materials design have been discussed. Utilization of eggshell waste materials for the removal of organic dyes and heavy inorganic ions has been reviewed with suitable models for understanding their adsorption quality and capacity. The applications of these materials in various fields of research have been extensively discussed.

Artificial neural network-genetic algorithm based optimization for the adsorption of methylene blue and brilliant green from aqueous solution by graphite oxide nanoparticle

In this study, graphite oxide (GO) nano according to Hummers method was synthesized and subsequently was used for the removal of methylene blue (MB) and brilliant green (BG). The detail information about the structure and physicochemical properties of GO are investigated by different techniques such as XRD and FTIR analysis. The influence of solution pH, initial dye concentration, contact time and adsorbent dosage was examined in batch mode and optimum conditions was set as pH=7.0, 2 mg of GO and 10 min contact time. Employment of equilibrium isotherm models for description of adsorption capacities of GO explore the good efficiency of Langmuir model for the best presentation of experimental data with maximum adsorption capacity of 476.19 and 416.67 for MB and BG dyes in single solution. The analysis of adsorption rate at various stirring times shows that both dyes adsorption followed a pseudo second-order kinetic model with cooperation with interparticle diffusion model. Subsequently, the adsorption data as new combination of artificial neural network was modeled to evaluate and obtain the real conditions for fast and efficient removal of dyes. A three-layer artificial neural network (ANN) model is applicable for accurate prediction of dyes removal percentage from aqueous solution by GO following conduction of 336 experimental data. The network was trained using the obtained experimental data at optimum pH with different GO amount (0.002-0.008 g) and 5-40 mg/L of both dyes over contact time of 0.5-30 min. The ANN model was able to predict the removal efficiency with Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm (LMA), a linear transfer function (purelin) at output layer and a tangent sigmoid transfer function (tansig) at hidden layer with 10 and 11 neurons for MB and BG dyes, respectively. The minimum mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0012 and coefficient of determination (R(2)) of 0.982 were found for prediction and modeling of MB removal, while the respective value for BG was the MSE and R(2) of 0.001 and 0.981, respectively. The ANN model results show good agreement with experimental data.

Adsorption features of heavy metal ions on activated carbon in single and multisolute systems

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the adsorption characteristics of cobalt, nickel and copper ions, which are harmful heavy metals released from various industries, in single, binary and ternary systems. The results showed that the adsorption extent decreased as the system changed from a single to a ternary system but adsorption percentages were not below 79%. The adsorption percentage of cobalt ion was superior to that of the other ions regardless of the type of system. In this study, the Langmuir isotherm was adapted for every adsorption result, and an extended version of the Langmuir isotherm was employed for the binary and ternary systems. The qmax value became smaller and KL value increased in the binary and ternary systems compared with that of the single system. The equilibrium parameter (RL) was between 0 and 1 under every condition, which indicated that adsorption was favorable. Finally, an adsorption experiment for real wastewater was performed, and the results were compared with those obtained for artificial wastewater.

Abatement of azo dye from wastewater using bimetal-chitosan

We introduce a new adsorbent, bimetallic chitosan particle (BCP) that is successfully synthesized and applied to remove the orange II dye from wastewater. The effects of pH, BCP quantity, and contact time are initially verified on the basis of the percentage of orange II removed from the wastewater. Experimental data reveal that the Cu/Mg bimetal and chitosan have a synergistic effect on the adsorption process of the adsorbate, where the dye adsorption by Cu/Mg bimetal, chitosan alone, and bimetal-chitosan is 10, 49, and 99.5%, respectively. The time required for the complete decolorization of orange II by 1 mg/L of BCP is 10 min. The Langmuir model is the best fit for the experimental data, which attains a maximum adsorption capacity of 384.6 mg/g. The consideration of the kinetic behavior indicates that the adsorption of orange II onto the BCP fits best with the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models. Further, the simulated azo dye wastewater can be effectively treated using a relatively low quantity of the adsorbent, 1 mg/L, within a short reaction time of 20 min. Overall, the use of BCP can be considered a promising method for eliminating the azo dye from wastewater effectively.

Adsorption of colored pollutants from distillery spent wash by native and treated fungus: neurospora intermedia

The native and physico-chemically treated fungal biomasses of Neurospora intermedia were used for adsorption of colored pollutants from distillery spent wash in batch systems. Experiments were conducted at varying color concentrations of the effluent (1,000-6,500 CU). The kinetics of effect of initial sorbate concentration, dose of biosorbent, temperature, and pH on adsorption were studied. Physical and chemical pretreatments of biomass resulted in an increase or decrease in color removal capacity. This effect was further studied by FTIR analysis of the dried fungal mycelium. The maximum color uptake on all the tested fungal biomass preparations was observed at pH 3.0 and temperature 30 °C, within first 4 h. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were used for the mathematical description of the biosorption equilibrium and the data showed an optimal fit to these isotherms. Kinetic parameters indicated the dominance of Lagergren pseudo first-order kinetic model for adsorption. On the basis of maximum adsorption capacity, the color removal capacity by fungal preparations was in the order of native > heat > acid, base.

Silver-nano biohybride material: synthesis, characterization and application in water purification

A green chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) by a fungal strain of Rhizopus oryzae is described along with the promising eco-friendly role of the synthesized nano-silver bioconjugate (NSBC) material in water purification process. The NSBC has been characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron (HRTEM) microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The NSBC exhibits strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and high adsorption capacity towards different organophosphorous pesticides. Fluorescence and electron microscopic images reveal NSBC binds on the bacterial cell wall, which cause irreversible membrane damage eventually leading to cell death. Proteomic analysis further demonstrates down regulation of protein expression, inhibition of cytosolic and membrane proteins and leakage of cellular content following binding of NSBC with bacterial cell wall. NSBC has been exploited to obtain potable water free from pathogens and pesticides in one step process.

Biomineralization mechanism of gold by zygomycete fungi Rhizopus oryzae

In recent years, there has been significant progress in the biological synthesis of nanomaterials. However, the molecular mechanism of gold biomineralization in microorganisms of industrial relevance remains largely unexplored. Here we describe the biosynthesis mechanism of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the fungus Rhizopus oryzae . Reduction of AuCl(4)(-) [Au(III)] to nanoparticulate Au(0) (AuNPs) occurs in both the cell wall and cytoplasmic region of R. oryzae . The average size of the as-synthesized AuNPs is ~15 nm. The biomineralization occurs through adsorption, initial reduction to Au(I), followed by complexation [Au(I) complexes], and final reduction to Au(0). Subtoxic concentrations (up to 130 μM) of AuCl(4)(-) in the growth medium increase growth of R. oryzae and induce two stress response proteins while simultaneously down-regulating two other proteins. The induction increases mycelial growth, protein yield, and AuNP biosynthesis. At higher Au(III) concentrations (>130 μM), both mycelial and protein yield decrease and damages to the cellular ultrastructure are observed, likely due to the toxic effect of Au(III). Protein profile analysis also confirms the gold toxicity on R. oryzae at high concentrations. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis shows that two proteins of 45 and 42 kDa participate in gold reduction, while an 80 kDa protein serves as a capping agent in AuNP biosynthesis.

A situ co-precipitation method to prepare magnetic PMDA modified sugarcane bagasse and its application for competitive adsorption of methylene blue and basic magenta

Magnetic pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) modified sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was prepared by a situ co-precipitation method. Results showed that the magnetic modified SCB could be recycled easily by an applied magnetic field. Adsorption capacities of the magnetic sorbent for cationic dyes: methylene blue and basic magenta were 315.5 and 304.9mgg(-1), respectively. Competitive adsorption in the binary system showed that concentration percentages (C(P)) and initial concentration (C(0)) both had good linear relationship with adsorption capacities of the magnetic sorbent (q(e)(')) in the investigated range. The linear equations between C(P) and q(e)(') almost did not affect by the variation of total initial concentration of the dyes (C(T)), whereas that between C(0) and q(e)(') changed greatly with it. C(P) was the main factor that impacted q(e)(') in the binary competitive adsorption system. Similar linear equations between C(P) and q(e)(') demonstrated that the magnetic sorbent had similar adsorption affinity toward the two dyes.

Computational identification and analysis of the key biosorbent characteristics for the biosorption process of reactive black 5 onto fungal biomass

The performances of nine biosorbents derived from dead fungal biomass were investigated for their ability to remove Reactive Black 5 from aqueous solution. The biosorption data for removal of Reactive Black 5 were readily modeled using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Kinetic analysis based on both pseudo-second-order and Weber-Morris models indicated intraparticle diffusion was the rate limiting step for biosorption of Reactive Black 5 on to the biosorbents. Sorption capacities of the biosorbents were not correlated with the initial biosorption rates. Sensitivity analysis of the factors affecting biosorption examined by an artificial neural network model showed that pH was the most important parameter, explaining 22%, followed by nitrogen content of biosorbents (16%), initial dye concentration (15%) and carbon content of biosorbents (10%). The biosorption capacities were not proportional to surface areas of the sorbents, but were instead influenced by their chemical element composition. The main functional groups contributing to dye sorption were amine, carboxylic, and alcohol moieties. The data further suggest that differences in carbon and nitrogen contents of biosorbents may be used as a selection index for identifying effective biosorbents from dead fungal biomass.

Novel magnetic chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel beads: preparation, characterization and application for adsorption of dye from aqueous solution

Novel magnetic chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel beads (m-CS/PVA HBs) were prepared by an instantaneous gelation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Results of characterization indicated that m-CS/PVA HBs have been prepared successfully without damaging the crystal structure of Fe(3)O(4) and their saturation magnetization were about 21.96 emu g(-1). The adsorption capacity of Congo Red on the m-CS/PVA HBs was 470.1 mg g(-1). The adsorption was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir equation. Positive value of enthalpy change (ΔH(∘)) (13.32 kJ mol(-1)) showed that the adsorption was endothermic and physical in nature. The values of Gibbs free energy change (ΔG(∘)) were found to be -3.321 kJ mol(-1) at 298 K for m-CS/PVA HBs, indicating the spontaneity of Congo Red adsorption. Therefore, the m-CS/PVA HBs could be employed as a low-cost alternative to other adsorbents in the removal of dyes from aqueous solution.

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on Rhizopus oryzae cell walls: application of cosolvent models for validating the cell wall-water partition coefficient

The cell wall-cosolvent partition coefficients (Km) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined for Rhizopus oryzae cell walls by controlling the volume fraction of methanol (f) ranging from 0.1 to 0.5. Five cosolvent models were employed for extrapolating the cell wall-water partition coefficients (Kw) in pure water. The extrapolated Kw values of four PAHs on R. oryzae cell walls were ranged from 2.9 to 5.1. Comparison of various Kw values of pyrene generated from extrapolation and the QSPR model, together with predicted different (PD), mean percentage deviations (MPD), and root mean square errors (RSE), revealed that the performance of the LL and Bayesian models were the best among all five tested cosolvent models. This study suggests that R. oryzae cell walls play an important role in the partitioning of PAHs during bioremediation because of the high Kw of fungal cell walls.

Transmembrane transport of microcystin to Danio rerio zygotes: insights into the developmental toxicity of environmental contaminants

Microcystins (MCs) produced by cyanobacteria and their continuing "blooms" are a worldwide problem owing to the toxicity of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) to plants and animals. In the present study, we investigated membrane transport of MC-LR and its toxic effects on zebrafish embryos using fragmentation of embryos, scanning electron microscope (SEM), fluorescence microscopy, and toxic exposure tests. At a concentration < 0.04 mmol/l, MC-LR was predominantly adsorbed on outer membrane surface of embryos according to Langmuir isotherm. The absorption characteristics of MC-LR within the range from 0.05 to 0.4 mmol/l conformed to Freundlich isotherm model. At concentrations > 0.50 mmol/l MC-LR directly entered the cytoplasm via partition. Thinning and disruption of membranes was confirmed using SEM and fluorescence morphological observations. Exposure to different concentrations of MC-LR resulted in differences in membrane transport and toxicity characteristics. At low concentrations, more than 75% of the adsorbed MC-LR accumulated on the outer membrane surface and resulted in axial malformation, tail curving, and tail twisting. Increasing the concentration of MC-LR to between 0.05 and 0.4 mmol/l improved membrane transport and it was evident in cytoplasm of embryos, resulting in serious pericardial edema, hatching gland edema, hemagglutination, hemorrhage, and vacuolization. At > 0.50 mmol/l, more than 70% of the adsorbed MC-LR entered the cytoplasm and this was lethal to the embryos. The current research outlines a new method and mechanism for the transmembrane transport of large molecular weight organic compounds and could be important for studies concerning molecular toxicology.

Adsorption of chromium(VI) and Rhodamine B by surface modified tannery waste: kinetic, mechanistic and thermodynamic studies

In this study, various activation methods have been employed to examine the potential reuse of tannery residual biomass (TRB) obtained from vegetable tanning process for the removal of Cr(VI) and Rhodamine B (RB) from aqueous solution. The maximum BET surface area (10.42 m(2)/g), honey comb pore distribution and uptake of both Cr(VI) and RB were achieved when only 3-fold volume of HCl was used to activate the biomass. The pH and temperature experiment showed that they have considerable impact on the adsorption capacity of the used adsorbent. The presence of other ions (Na(+), Ca(2+) and NH(4)(+)) significantly reduces the metal uptake but marginal enhancement in the dye removal was observed when Na(+) and NH(4)(+) ions were present in the solution. The equilibrium data fitted satisfactorily with the Langmuir model and monolayer sorption capacity obtained as 177-217 and 213-250 mg/g for Cr(VI) and RB at 30-50°C, respectively. The sorption kinetics was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The increase in adsorption capacity for both metal and dye with increase in temperature indicates that the uptake was endothermic in nature. The results indicate that the HCl modified TRB (A-TRB) could be employed as a low cost adsorbent for the removal of both Cr(VI) and RB from the aqueous solution including industrial wastewater.

Mechanistic studies on the binding of Acid Yellow 99 on coir pith

The interaction of Acid Yellow 99 (AY 99) with coir pith has been investigated in aqueous medium to understand the mechanism of adsorption and explore the potentiality of this biomass towards controlling pollution resulting from textile dyes. The obtained results establish that one gram of coir pith can adsorb 442.13 mg of AY 99. The adsorption process is found to be a function of pH of the solution, the optimum pH value being 2.0. The process follows Langmuir-Freundlich dual isotherm model. Scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrates that on dye adsorption the biomass develops uneven and irregular surface. X-ray diffraction study indicates incorporation of the dye into the micropores and macropores of the adsorbent and thereby enhancing its degree of crystallinity. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and chemical modification of the functional groups establish that binding of AY 99 on coir pith occurs through electrostatic and complexation reaction.

Contributions of functional groups and extracellular polymeric substances on the biosorption of dyes by aerobic granules

The contributions of loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (LB-EPS), tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS), residual sludge (the sludge left after EPS extraction) and functional groups such as amine, carboxyl, phosphate and lipid on aerobic granules on biosorption of four different dyes (Reactive Brilliant Blue KN-R (KN-R), Congo Red (CR), Reactive Brilliant Red K-2G (RBR) and Malachite Green (MG)) were investigated. EPS may be responsible for biosorption of cationic dyes. However, residual sludge always made greater contribution than that of EPS. The biosorption mechanisms were dependent on the functional groups on aerobic granules and dyes' chemical structures. The lipid and phosphate groups might be the main binding sites for KN-R biosorption. Amine, carboxyl, phosphate and lipid were all responsible for the binding of CR. The lipid fractions played an important role for RBR biosorption. For MG, the phosphate groups gave the largest contribution.

Decolorization of dye wastewaters by biosorbents: a review

Dye wastewater is one of the most difficult to treat. There has been exhaustive research on biosorption of dye wastewater. It is evolving as an attractive option to supplement conventional treatment processes. This paper examines various biosorbents such as fungi, bacteria, algae, chitosan and peat, which are capable of decolorizing dye wastewaters; discusses various mechanism involved, the effects of various factors influencing dye wastewater decolorization and reviews pretreatment methods for increasing the biosorption capacity of the adsorbents. The paper examines the mismatch between strong scientific progress in the field of biosorption and lack of commercialization of research.

Bioaccumulation of Cu-complex reactive dye by growing pellets of Penicillium oxalicum and its mechanism

In this paper bioaccumulation of Cu-complex reactive dye by growing pellets of Penicillium oxalicum and its mechanism was investigated. Shaking flasks experiment showed that 99.7% of dye removal at 400 mg/l was attained after 48 h contact. Column reactor experiment showed that air lift ferment tower was a suitable reactor for both pellets formation and dye bioaccumulation. Repeated inoculation of the dye-loaded pellets accelerated dye bioaccumulation, leading to complete dye removal within 12 h. Dye initially was adsorbed on surface of cell, followed by penetration into cytoplasm. During bioaccumulation, mycelium expanded unevenly and thickened locally in diameter, generating a chain of spindles along the mycelium. In addition, the cell walls grew loose and thickened remarkably, being 4-5 folds as thick as the control one. The loose cell wall may offer both dye accumulation space and route way for dye to enter cytoplasm. There were certain unknown active matters in cytoplasm, which played an important role in dye accumulation. Desorption experiments suggested that electrostatic attraction was mainly attributed to the dye bioaccumulation.

Desorption behavior of methylene blue on pyromellitic dianhydride modified biosorbent by a novel eluent: acid TiO2 hydrosol

In this study, waste beer yeast powder was modified by pyromellitic dianhydride to improve its adsorption capacities for cationic dye: methylene blue (MB). According to the Langmuir equation, the maximum uptake capacities (q(m)) of the modified biomass for MB was 830.8 mg g(-1), which was about five times than that obtained on the unmodified biomass. Adsorption mechanism was investigated by FTIR. Desorption kinetics of methylene blue in six solvents: HCl (0.1 mol L(-1)), ethanol, mixtures of HCl (0.1 mol L(-1)) and ethanol with different volume ratio and a self-clean eluent: acid TiO(2) were studied in details. Results showed that desorption kinetics curve fit the two-step kinetic model, and methylene blue release process was distinctly divided into two steps: rapid and slow desorption steps. 52.2% of the methylene blue could be desorbed into TiO(2) hydrosol after 30 h desorption at the first desorption cycle, and the desorbed dye in TiO(2) hydrosol could be degrade completely under sunlight irradiation. After three desorption-photodegradation cycles, 80.0% of the absorbed dyes could be desorbed from the surface of the modified biomass. Although there was much work to do, the self-clean eluent: TiO(2) hydrosol had great potential in practical use.

Microbial synthesis of multishaped gold nanostructures

The development of methodologies for the synthesis of nanoparticles of well-defined size and shape is a challenging one and constitutes an important area of research in nanotechnology. This Full Paper describes the controlled synthesis of multishaped gold nanoparticles at room temperature utilizing a simple, green chemical method by the interaction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4 x 3H20) and cell-free extract of the fungal strain Rhizopus oryzae. The cell-free extract functions as a reducing, shape-directing, as well as stabilizing, agent. Different shapes of gold nanocrystals, for example, triangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, spherical, spheroidal, urchinlike, two-dimensional nanowires, and nanorods, are generated by manipulating key growth parameters, such as gold ion concentration, solution pH, and reaction time. The synthesized nanostructures are characterized by UV/Vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis studies. Electron diffraction patterns reveal the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles and a probable mechanism is proposed for the formation of the different structural entities.

Interaction of malathion, an organophosphorus pesticide with Rhizopus oryzae biomass

Adsorption of malathion on Rhizopus oryzae biomass (ROB) with special reference to binding mechanism has been described. ROB has been found to adsorb approximately 85% of malathion from its aqueous solution as against 47-68% by other fungal biomasses. Hydrogen ion concentration does not influence the adsorption of malathion by ROB which follows Langmuir-Freundlich dual equilibrium isotherm model (r(2)=0.998). Both physical and chemical interactions are responsible for binding of malathion on ROB. Scanning electron micrographs and EDXA spectra exhibit adsorption of the pesticide on cell surface of ROB. Studies with cell surface polysaccharides show that chitosan through its amine groups contributes largely in the adsorption of malathion. Extraction of lipids from ROB decreases its adsorption capacity to the extent of 36.37-94.02%, depending on the polarity of the solvent.

Adsorption kinetics and isotherm of anionic dyes onto organo-bentonite from single and multisolute systems

The performances of polydiallydimethylammonium modified bentonite (PDADMA-bentonite) as an adsorbent to remove anionic dyes, namely Acid Scarlet GR (AS-GR), Acid Turquoise Blue 2G (ATB-2G) and Indigo Carmine (IC), were investigated in single, binary and ternary dye systems. In adsorption from single dye solutions with initial concentration of 100 micromol/L, the dosage of PDADMA-bentonite needed to remove 95% dye was 0.42, 0.68 and 0.75 g/L for AS-GR, ATB-2G and IC, respectively. The adsorption isotherms of the three dyes obeyed the Langmuir isotherm model with the equilibrium constants of 0.372, 0.629 and 4.31 L/micromol, the saturation adsorption amount of 176.3, 149.2 and 228.7 micromol/g for ATB-2G, IC and AS-GR, respectively. In adsorption from mixed dye solutions, the isotherm of each individual dye followed an expanded Langmuir isotherm model and the relationship between the total amount of dyes adsorbed and the total equilibrium dye concentration was interpreted well by Langmuir isotherm model. In the region of insufficient dosage of PDADMA-bentonite, the dye with a larger affinity was preferentially removed by adsorption. Desorption was observed in the kinetic curve of the dye with lower affinity on PDADMA-bentonite surface by the competitive adsorption. The kinetics in single dye solution and the total adsorption of dyes in binary and ternary dye systems nicely followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

Preparation, Characterization and Application of Silver Chloride-Eosin Y Inclusion Material

From the adsorptive precipitation of Cl–, eosin Y (EY) and Ag+, we developed in-situ inclusion of EY into growing silver chloride particles to form ternary electronegative micro-conductors. The composition of the particles was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), ion chromatography (IC) and spectrophotometry and the size and pattern of the particles characterized by the particle size analysis, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetry. The results showed that the in-situ inclusion of EY into AgCl crystal particles in layer-by-layer and the supermolecular complex {[(AgCl)50EY]n}2n– was formed in cubic and globe-like shape. The ternary inclusion particles adsorbed cationic dyes selectively, rapidly and with high efficiency. A representative cationic dye, victoria blue B (VBB), was used to investigate the performance of the ternary particles as adsorbents and the mechanism involved. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of the ternary particles is 353 mg/g VBB, over 10 times higher than absorption to the silver chloride–only particles and over 3 times to activated carbon. Moreover, the adsorption approached the equilibrium in 10 min, which is much less than that with activated carbon in about 2 h. This work advanced a sample method for preparation of the supramolecular inclusion materials as dye adsorbent and it provided a simple, efficient and practical approach for the recovery or removal of organic substances from aqueous.

Polymer modified biomass of baker's yeast for enhancement adsorption of methylene blue, rhodamine B and basic magenta

In this study, poly (methacrylic acid) modified biomass was prepared to improve the adsorption capacities for three dyes: methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RB) and basic magenta (BM). FTIR and potentiometric titration demonstrated that a large number of carboxyl groups were introduced on the biomass surface, and the concentration of the functional group was calculated to be 1.4 mmol g(-1) by using the first and second derivative method. According to the Langmuir equation, the maximum uptake capacities (q(m)) for MB, RB and BM were 869.6, 267.4 and 719.4 mg g(-1), which were 17-, 11- and 12-fold of that obtained on the unmodified biomass, respectively. Adsorption kinetics study showed that the completion of the adsorption process needed only 70 min, which is faster than that occur with the common sorbent such as activated carbon and resin. Temperature and ionic strength experiment showed that they both had effect on the adsorption capacity of the modified biomass. Good result was obtained when the modified biomass was used to treat dye wastewater.

Gold nanoparticles: microbial synthesis and application in water hygiene management

A green chemical method to synthesize nanogold-bioconjugate and its eco-friendly promising role to purify contaminated waters has been described. Gold nanoparticles of 10 nm average diameter are produced on the surface of Rhizopus oryzae , a fungal strain, by in situ reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl(4)). The nanogold-bioconjugate (NGBC) showed strong adsorption capacity toward different organophosphorous pesticides. The EDXA study confirms adsorption of pesticides on the conjugate material surface. Morphological changes of the NGBC material after adsorption of organophosphorous pesticides were detected by atomic force micrographs. NGBC shows high antimicrobial activity against several Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria as well as the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans . The treatment of microbial cells with NGBC caused rupture of cell membrane as revealed in scanning electron and fluorescence micrographs. These unique characteristics of NGBC have been successfully utilized to obtain potable water free from pathogens and pesticides in a single operation.

Interaction of chromium with resistant strain Aspergillus versicolor: investigation with atomic force microscopy and other physical studies

The interaction of chromium and a chromate resistant Aspergillus versicolor strain has been studied by atomic force (AFM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopies. The nanomechanical properties such as cell wall rigidity and elasticity were measured by force spectroscopy and found to be 0.61 +/- 0.08 N/m, and 20.5 +/- 2.1 MPa, respectively. On chromium binding, ultrastuctural changes of the cell wall along with the formation of layered structures on the cell wall were observed. TEM and AFM micrographs demonstrate the accumulation of chromium on the cell wall, which were rough and irregular compared with the smooth pristine mycelia. The surface roughness, cell wall rigidity and elasticity increased to 35.5 +/- 3.5 nm, 0.88 +/- 0.05 N/m, and 62.5 +/- 3.5 MPa, respectively, from the corresponding values of 5.2 +/- 0.68 nm, 0.61 +/- 0.02 N/m, and 20.5 +/- 2.1 MPa for the pristine mycelia. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies suggest that bound chromium was reduced to its trivalent state by the cell wall components. The reduced chromium species on the cell surface further electrostatically bind chromate ions forming layered structure on the cell wall.