Enhanced and selective adsorption of Pb2+ and Cu2+ by EDTAD-modified biomass of baker's yeast

Surfactants facilitated glycerol organosolv pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass by structural modification for co-production of fermentable sugars and highly reactive lignin

This study reported that surfactants could facilitate the organosolv pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) to produce fermentable sugars and highly active lignin. Under the optimized conditions, the surfactant-assisted glycerol organosolv (saGO) pretreatment achieved 80.7% delignification with a retention of 93.4% cellulose and 83.0% hemicellulose. The saGO pretreated substrate exhibited an excellent enzymatic hydrolyzability, achieving 93% of glucose yield from the enzymatic hydrolysis at 48 h. Structural analysis showed that the saGO lignin contained rich β-O-4 bondings with less repolymerization and lower phenolic hydroxyl groups, thus forming highly reactive lignin fragments. The analysis evidenced that the surfactant graft the lignin by structural modification, which was responsible for the excellent substrate hydrolyzability. The co-production of fermentable sugars and organosolv lignin almost recovered a gross energy (87.2%) from LCB. Overall, the saGO pretreatment holds a lot of promise for launching a novel pathway towards lignocellulosic fractionation and lignin valorization.

Efficient Purification of Polyhistidine-Tagged Recombinant Proteins Using Functionalized Corundum Particles

Immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a popular and valuable method for the affinity purification of polyhistidine-tagged recombinant proteins. However, it often shows practical limitations, which might require cumbersome optimizations, additional polishing, and enrichment steps. Here, we present functionalized corundum particles for the efficient, economical, and fast purification of recombinant proteins in a column-free format. The corundum surface is first derivatized with the amino silane APTES, then EDTA dianhydride, and subsequently loaded with nickel ions. The Kaiser test, well known in solid-phase peptide synthesis, was used to monitor amino silanization and the reaction with EDTA dianhydride. In addition, ICP-MS was performed to quantify the metal-binding capacity. His-tagged protein A/G (PAG), mixed with bovine serum albumin (BSA), was used as a test system. The PAG binding capacity was around 3 mg protein per gram of corundum or 2.4 mg per 1 mL of corundum suspension. Cytoplasm obtained from different E. coli strains was examined as examples of a complex matrix. The imidazole concentration was varied in the loading and washing buffers. As expected, higher imidazole concentrations during loading are usually beneficial when higher purities are desired. Even when higher sample volumes, such as one liter, were used, recombinant protein down to a concentration of 1 µg/mL could be isolated selectively. Comparing the corundum material with standard Ni-NTA agarose beads indicated higher purities of proteins isolated using corundum. His6-MBP-mSA2, a fusion protein consisting of monomeric streptavidin and maltose-binding protein in the cytoplasm of E. coli, was purified successfully. To show that this method is also suitable for mammalian cell culture supernatants, purification of the SARS-CoV-2-S-RBD-His8 expressed in human Expi293F cells was performed. The material cost of the nickel-loaded corundum material (without regeneration) is estimated to be less than 30 cents for 1 g of functionalized support or 10 cents per milligram of isolated protein. Another advantage of the novel system is the corundum particles' extremely high physical and chemical stability. The new material should be applicable in small laboratories and large-scale industrial applications. In summary, we could show that this new material is an efficient, robust, and cost-effective purification platform for the purification of His-tagged proteins, even in challenging, complex matrices and large sample volumes of low product concentration.

Biofabricated yeast: super-soldier for detoxification of heavy metals

The advances in nanotechnology have shown enormous impacts in environmental technology as a potent weapon for degradation of toxic organic pollutants and detoxification of heavy metals. It is either by in-situ or ex-situ adaptive strategies. Mycoremediation of environmental pollutants has been a success story of the past decade, by employing the wide arsenal of biological capabilities of fungi. Recently, the proficiency and uniqueness of yeast cell surface alterations have encouraged the generation of engineered yeast cells as dye degraders, heavy metal reduction and its recovery, and also as detoxifiers of various hazardous xenobiotic compounds. As a step forward, recent trends in research are towards developing biologically engineered living materials as potent, biocompatible and reusable hybrid nanomaterials. They include chitosan-yeast nanofibers, nanomats, nanopaper, biosilica hybrids, and TiO₂-yeast nanocomposites. The nano-hybrid materials contribute significantly as supportive stabilizer, and entrappers, which enhances the biofabricated yeast cells' functionality. This field serves as an eco-friendly cutting-edge cocktail research area. In this review, we highlight recent research on biofabricated yeast cells and yeast-based biofabricated molecules, as potent heavy metals, toxic chemical detoxifiers, and their probable mechanistic properties with future application perspectives.

Zinc Removal from Water via EDTA-Modified Mesoporous SBA-16 and SBA-15

The removal of zinc ions from water was investigated using two types of ordered mesoporous silica (SBA-15 and SBA-16). Both materials were functionalized with APTES (3-aminopropyltriethoxy-silane) and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) through post grafting methods. The modified adsorbents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen (N₂) adsorption-desorption analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis. The ordered structure of the adsorbents was conserved after modification. SBA-16 was found to be more efficient than SBA-15 owing to its structural characteristics. Different experimental conditions were examined (pH, contact time, and initial zinc concentration). The kinetic adsorption data followed the pseudo-second-order model indicating favorable adsorption conditions. The intra-particle diffusion model plot represented a two-stage adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacities were calculated by the Langmuir model. The adsorbent can be regenerated and reused several times without a significant decline in adsorption efficiency.

Versatile crosslinking synthesis of an EDTA-modified UiO-66-NH2/cotton fabric composite for simultaneous capture of heavy metals and dyes and efficient degradation of organophosphate

The metal-organic frameworks/cotton fabric composites (MOFs/CFCs) have emerged as a new type of prospective materials for environmental cleanup, due to their convenient recyclability and high removal efficiency towards hazardous pollutants. However, their practical applications are limited by complicated synthetic conditions, insufficient interface bonding and poor adsorption capacity. Herein, for the first time, a robust ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-functionalized MOFs/CFC is prepared based on UiO-66-NH₂ crystals by using EDTA dianhydride as the cross-linking agent, and applied for simultaneous removal of heavy metals and dyes, as well as degradation of chemical warfare agents. The as-prepared EDTA-UiO-66-NH₂/CFC shows extraordinary monocomponent adsorption performance with maximum adsorption capacity of 158.7, 126.2, 131.5, 117.4 and 104.5 mg/g for Cd(II), Cu(II), methylene blue, crystal violet and safranin O, respectively. Interestingly, in metal-dyes binary system, the uptake of Cu(II) by EDTA-UiO-66-NH₂/CFC increases significantly when co-existing high concentration of dyes. The results indicate that the synergistic and simultaneous removal of both dyes and metal from complex systems can be realized by EDTA-UiO-66-NH₂/CFC via multiple mechanisms. The EDTA-UiO-66-NH₂/CFC also exhibits an outstanding catalytic performance for degrading dimethyl 4-nitrophenylphosphate. Besides, it can be reused for several times without obvious decrease of its adsorption and catalysis efficiencies. More impressively, the cross-linking reaction approach can not only anchor UiO-66-NH₂ crystals firmly onto cotton fabric, but also facilitate in-situ formation of abundant adsorption sties on the adsorbent surface. Therefore, this work offers a simple and versatile synthetic strategy to develop high-performance environmental material for multiple pollutants remediation.

Crayfish shell waste as safe biosorbent for removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from synthetic wastewater

Crayfish shell is an abundant natural waste and is also a potential biosorbent for pollutants, especially, heavy metals. In this study, the safety of the use of crayfish shell as a biosorbent was first assessed by release experiments involving primary heavy metal ions, such as Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cr3+, in aqueous solution under different environmental conditions. The release concentrations of heavy metals were dependent on pH, ionic strength, and humic acid; and the maximum release concentrations of heavy metals were still lower than the national standard. Specifically, Cu2+ and Pb2+ removal by crayfish shell in synthetic wastewater was investigated. The removal process involved biosorption, precipitation, and complexation, and the results indicate that crayfish shell is an excellent biosorbent for Cu2+ and Pb2+ removal. The precipitation step is particularly dependent on Ca species, pH, and temperature. The maximum removal capacities of Pb2+ and Cu2+ were 676.20 and 119.98 mg/g, respectively. The related precipitates and the generated complex products include Cu2CO3(OH)2, Ca2CuO3, CuCO3, Pb2CO3(OH)2, CaPb3O4, and PbCO3.

A comprehensive review on sources, analysis and toxicity of environmental pollutants and its removal methods from water environment

Natural and human anthropogenic activities increase the concentration of the toxic pollutant in the water environment; they could cause harmful effects even in their lower concentration. In humans, toxic pollutants damage the structural and functional properties of essential organs including the heart, liver, kidneys, reproductive systems and pancreas. To avoid the toxicity of the pollutant, they should be removed from the water environment. Since various conventional water/wastewater treatment technologies including precipitation, ion exchange, flocculation, filtration, electrodialysis and membrane separation are employed to reduce the concentration of the pollutant, they have various difficulties in implementation, efficiency and ecological perspective. Therefore, several researchers are now focusing on alternative and eco-friendly approach called biosorption to remove toxic contaminants from the water environment. The biosorption innovation is one of the acclaimed systems for water treatment. The noteworthy endeavours have been made throughout the years to grow profoundly particular and effective biosorbent materials that are more effective, abundantly available, and cost-effective. Biosorption is effectively executed by utilizing both living and dead biomasses of bacteria, fungi and algae. Moreover, agro-waste materials are also utilized as biosorbents due to their excellent surface properties, abundant availability and cost-effectiveness. A variety of physical and chemical treatments enhances the biosorption capabilities of biosorbents via modifying their surface properties. In this review, biosorption mechanism, influencing parameters and application of biosorbent materials towards the removal of toxic pollutants are discussed. The future research opportunities for sustainable wastewater treatment were also explained.

Efficient removal of U(VI) in acidic environment with spent coffee grounds derived hydrogel

In this study, humic-like substances (HLSs) was extracted from spent coffee grounds (SCGs), and it together with poly acrylic acid (PAA), was used for the first time to synthesize hydrogel material, namely HLSs/PAA gel, by one-step radical polymerization. Its maximum theoretical sorption capacity toward U(VI) at pH 3.00 was 661.01 mg/g, and it could decrease the concentration of U(VI) in acidic actual groundwater from 0.2537 to 0.0003 mg/L, showing that the gel had excellent U(VI) removal efficiency in acidic environment. The SEM characterization of HLSs/PAA gel showed that its macroporous network structure maintained well after the sorption process, indicating that the gel had excellent acid-resistant property. Moreover, the gel exhibited excellent anti-interference performance in the interfering ions effect experiment. The gel integrates the merits of excellent U(VI) sorption properties, stability and anti-interference performance in acidic environment, and has promising application prospects in the remediation of acidic uranium wastewater.

Amine- and thiol-bifunctionalized mesoporous silica material for immobilization of Pb and Cd: Characterization, efficiency, and mechanism

In this study, a two-step functionalizing strategy by combining co-condensation with grafting procedures was employed to synthesize well-ordered Amino- and Thiol-Bifunctionalized SBA-15 (ATBS) mesoporous silica. Its physicochemical properties, performance, and mechanisms in immobilization of toxic metals Pb and Cd in water and soil were investigated. After bi-functionalization, X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscope, and N₂ adsorption-desorption measurements confirmed that the ATBS maintained a highly-ordered mesoporous structure, large surface area and pore volume. The elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) evidenced the successful incorporation of amine and thiol groups into ATBS. These structure and functional characteristics of ATBS benefited Pb and Cd sorption. Sorption isotherms of Pb and Cd were better fit with Sips and Redlich-Peterson models. Sorption kinetics suggested that Pb sorption was mainly regulated by chemical reactions, whereas both diffusion process and chemical reactions were rate-regulating steps in Cd sorption. ATBS showed the maximum sorption capacities for Pb and Cd at 120 and 38 mg g^-1, respectively. The sorption mechanisms revealed by XPS measurements suggested that Cd sorption was mainly attributed to thiol groups while Pb was efficiently bond to both thiol and amino groups. High and stable sorption efficiencies were attained in the pH range of 4-6, with a higher affinity towards Pb than Cd. Furthermore, its ability to immobilize Pb and Cd in soils was examined with an incubation experiment, which showed that ATBS reduced 30-56% of MgCl₂-extractable Pb and Cd in a contaminated soil. The synthesized sorbent via the two-step functionalizing strategy shows high sorption efficiency towards Pb and Cd, and thus it has potential application in remediating Pb and Cd contaminated water and soils.

Supported copper on a diamide-diacid-bridged PMO: an efficient hybrid catalyst for the cascade oxidation of benzyl alcohols/Knoevenagel condensation

In this study, a novel periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) containing diamide-diacid bridges was conveniently prepared using ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride to support Cu(ii) species and affording supramolecular Cu@EDTAD-PMO nanoparticles efficiently. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results confirmed the successful synthesis of Cu@EDTAD-PMO. The stabilized Cu(ii) nanoparticles inside the mesochannels of the new PMO provided appropriate sites for selective oxidation of different benzyl alcohol derivatives to their corresponding benzaldehydes and subsequent Knoevenagel condensation with malononitrile. Therefore, Cu@EDTAD-PMO can be considered as a multifunctional heterogeneous catalyst, which is prepared easily through a green procedure and demonstrates appropriate stability with almost no leaching of the Cu(ii) nanoparticles into the reaction medium, and easy recovery through simple filtration. The recycled Cu@EDTAD-PMO was reused up to five times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. The stability, recoverability, and reusability of the designed heterogeneous catalyst were also studied under various reaction conditions.

Ultralight and shapeable nanocellulose/metal-organic framework aerogel with hierarchical cellular architecture for highly efficient adsorption of Cu(II) ions

Water contamination by heavy metal pollutants is a global concern due to detrimental effects on the environment and human health. Regenerable, high-performance heavy metal sorbents are urgently demanded for improved water purification. Herein, we present an elegant strategy of interweaving metal-organic framework (MOF-808-ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) and TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNF) to construct freeways in hybrid aerogels for rapid and efficient transport and capture of heavy metal ions. In this strategy, a postsynthetic ligand exchange approach is applied to introduce ordered and high-density accessible binding sites for metal ions. The prepared aerogels show excellent shapeability, ultralow density less than 0.005 g cm^-3, and high hierarchical porosity of 99.82%. Furthermore, benefiting from the abundant chelating groups and accessible surface areas, these aerogels exhibit outstanding uptake capacity of 300 mg g^-1 and rapid adsorption kinetics of 0.031 mg g^-1 h^-1 for Cu(II) ions, significantly better than conventional TCNF aerogels. The aerogels could be easily regenerated at least five cycles without greatly performance loss. These aerogels could effectively remove diverse heavy metal ions from complicated contaminated water. Thus, this work provides a novel method to synthesize environmental-friendly, regenerable, and high-performance adsorption materials for water remediation.

Adsorption process and mechanism of heavy metal ions by different components of cells, using yeast (Pichia pastoris) and Cu2+ as biosorption models

Microbial biomass has been recognized as an essential biosorbent to remove heavy metal ions, but the biosorption process and mechanism of different components of microbial cells have not been elucidated. In present study, Pichia pastoris X33 and Cu²⁺ was used as a biosorption model to reveal the biosorption process and mechanism of different components of microbial cells. For the biosorption of whole cells, the maximum removal efficiency was 41.1%, and the adsorption capacity was 6.2 mg g⁻¹. TEM-EDX analysis proved the existence of Cu²⁺ on the cell surface and cytoplasm. The maximum Cu²⁺ removal efficiency of the cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm were 21.2%, 20.7% and 18.5%, respectively. The optimum pH of Cu²⁺ biosorption of the P. pastoris cell, cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm was 6. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity of the cell, cell wall, cell membrane and cytoplasm was 16.13, 11.53, 10.97 and 8.87 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The maximum removal efficiencies of P. pastoris biomass treated with proteinase K and P. pastoris biomass treated with β-mannanase were 18.1% and 28.2%, respectively. The maximum removal efficiencies of mannan and glucan were 34% and 12%, respectively. The FTIR spectra showed that the amino group (N–H), hydroxyl (O–H), carbon oxygen bond (C–O), –CH, C–N and carbonyl group (C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> O) of a ketone or aldehyde may interact with Cu²⁺. Thus, our work provides guidance for further understanding the effect of different cell components on biosorption.

The Cu²⁺ first bound to the outer mannan and finally entered the cytoplasm. During the whole adsorption process, the number of adsorption sites in the outer and middle cell walls was the largest, and then gradually decreased.

Using Amaranthus green proteins as universal biosurfactant and biosorbent for effective enzymatic degradation of diverse lignocellulose residues and efficient multiple trace metals remediation of farming lands

Improving biomass enzymatic saccharification is effective for crop straw utilization, whereas phytoremediation is efficient for trace metal elimination from polluted agricultural soil. Here, we found that the green proteins extracted from Amaranthus leaf tissue could act as active biosurfactant to remarkably enhance lignocellulose enzymatic saccharification for high bioethanol production examined in eight grassy and woody plants after mild chemical and green-like pretreatments were performed. Notably, this study estimated that total green proteins supply collected from one-hectare-land Amaranth plants could even lead to additional 6400-12,400 tons of bioethanol, being over 10-fold bioethanol yield higher than those of soybean seed proteins and chemical surfactant. Meanwhile, the Amaranth green proteins were characterized as a dominated biosorbent for multiple trace metals (Cd, Pb, As) adsorption, being 2.9-6 folds higher than those of its lignocellulose. The Amaranth plants were also assessed to accumulate much more trace metals than all other plants as previously examined from large-scale contaminated soils. Furthermore, the Amaranth green proteins not only effectively block lignin to release active cellulases for the mostly enhanced biomass hydrolyzes, but also efficiently involve in multiple chemical bindings with Cd, which should thus address critical issues of high-costly biomass waste utilization and low-efficient trace metal remediation.

Selective, highly efficient extraction of Cr(III), Pb(II) and Fe(III) from complex water environment with a tea residue derived porous gel adsorbent

A novel macroporous (~150 μm) double network hydrogel (TR/PAA) was prepared from tea residue and acrylic acid, and its performance was systematically evaluated. The static adsorption experiments showed that gel exhibited high selectivity and adsorption capacity, ultrafast kinetics (~10 min) for Cr(III), Pb(II) and Fe(III). The adsorption behavior showed heterogeneous and chemisorption process adsorption capacities of 206.19, 253.16, and 94.88 mg g^-1 for Cr(III), Pb(II) and Fe(III), respectively. In pluralistic systems, TR/PAA showed the adsorption order of Fe(III) > Cr(III) > Pb(II). Mechanism studies confirm that nitrogen and oxygen-containing functional groups play a major role in the adsorption process. In the fixed-bed column experiments, the treatment volume of simulated wastewater reached 1400 bed volumes (BV) (21.6 L), producing only 7 BV (323 mL) eluent. This work provides a new avenue for the combination of TR/PAA reuse and heavy metal removal, which is expected to be applied in actual wastewater treatment.

Rapid pyrolysis of Cu2+-polluted eggshell membrane into a functional Cu2+-Cu+/biochar for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of nitrite in water

Bioremediation is one of efficient methods to solve the issues of water or soil contaminated by metal ions. However, the harvested biowaste is often troublesome to handle owing to the second pollution. Herein, the waste eggshell membrane was used to adsorb Cu²⁺ in wastewater, which was then converted into biochar containing copper ions (Cu²⁺-Cu⁺/Biochar) via a rapid pyrolysis. By integrating the collective advantages of eggshell membrane and Cu²⁺-Cu⁺, such as superior electrical conductivity, enlarged electrochemically active surface area, unique three-dimensional porous network characteristics, and fast charge transport, the Cu²⁺-Cu⁺/Biochar system can be used as a self-supporting sensor for detection of nitrite (NO₂^-). The sensor demonstrated superior electrochemical sensing abilities accompanied by a broad linear range (1-300 μM), ultralow detection limit (0.63 μM), and high sensitivity (30.0 μA·mM^-1·cm^-2). In addition, the fabricated electrochemical sensor has excellent stability, good reproducibility, and strong anti-interference performance. More importantly, the sensor has a high recovery rate when it is used to detect nitrite in tap water, mineral water, and sausage, indicating the feasibility of using this sensor in practical applications. This study provides a green and sustainable approach for simultaneous treatment of biomass waste eggshell membrane, remedy of heavy metals, and electrochemical detection of nitrite.

The improved methods of heavy metals removal by biosorbents: A review

For decades, a vast array of innovative biosorbents have been found out and used in the removal of heavy metals, including bacteria, algae and fungi, etc. Although extensive biological species have been tried as a biosorbent for heavy metals removal, for removal efficiency or economy efficiency limited, it has failed to make a substantial breakthrough in practical application. Thus, many improved methods based on biosorbents emerged. In this review, based on the literature and our research results, we highlight three types of novel methods for biosorbents removal of heavy metals: chemical modification of biosorbents; biomass and chemical materials combination; multiple biomass complex systems. We mainly focus on their configuration, biosorption performance, their creation method, regeneration/reuse, their application and development in the future. Through the comparative analysis of various methods, we think that intracellular autogenous nanomaterials may open up another window in biosorption of heavy metals area. At the same time, the combination of various treatment methods will be the development tendency of heavy metal pollution treatment in the future.

Comparative studies on Pb(II) biosorption with three spongy microbe-based biosorbents: High performance, selectivity and application

Lead pollution in industrial-derived water has become an increasingly serious concern. The development of adsorbents with excellent efficiency, selectivity and separability using diverse microorganisms is ideal for treating lead pollution. In this study, gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas putida I3, gram-positive bacteria Microbacterium sp. OLJ1 and mycelial fungus Talaromyces amestolkiae Pb served as raw materials to facilely synthesize sponge-like biosorbents via a one-step method at room temperature. SEM, EDS, FTIR, ¹³C NMR, XRD and XPS were used for investigating the morphology and surface properties of these three biosorbents. The obtained biosorbents possessed the same three-dimensional porous structure but different productivities and mechanical strengths due to the similar chemical compositions and different cell structures of their microorganisms. Pb(II) adsorption on X-PI3, X-OLJ1 and X-TPb was fast and pH dependent, with maximal adsorption capacities of 345.02, 237.02 and 199.02 mg/g, respectively. The biosorbents had a high selectivity for Pb(II), while Pb(II) remarkably suppressed the adsorption of co-existing heavy metal ions. The analyses indicated that Pb(II) removal was mainly achieved by ion exchange reactions, surface complexation with heteroatom-containing functional groups and microprecipitation. The treatment effects of synthetic and real wastewater revealed that the as-prepared biosorbents are promising for Pb(II) removal.

Preparation of magnetic ion imprinted polymer with waste beer yeast as functional monomer for Cd(ii) adsorption and detection

In this work, a magnetic ion imprinted polymer (MIIP) with specific recognition capability toward cadmium was prepared by a sol–gel method using waste beer yeast, which is a macromolecule biomass, as a functional monomer. The obtained Cd(ii)-MIIP was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and adsorption experiments. Then, a MIIP adsorbent based magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE)-graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) method was established to analyze the cadmium content in food and environmental samples. The maximum cadmium adsorption capacities by the MIIP and magnetic non-imprinted polymer (MNIP) were 62.74 and 32.38 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The absorption by the MIIP was fitted using a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The Cd(ii)-MIIP demonstrated superior absorption capability for selective removal cadmium. The recovery rate of the MIIP was 90.7% after four adsorption–desorption cycles. The calculated Cd(ii) detection limit (S/N = 3) was 0.18 μg L⁻¹ with the relative standard deviation (RSD) equal to ∼3.5% for 10 μg L⁻¹ of Cd(ii) standard solution. Our proposed method was successfully used in detecting Cd(ii) in aqueous samples. The results obtained in this work suggest that the Cd(ii)-MIIPs might be promising adsorbents to remove harmful cadmium ions from aqueous samples.

In this work, a magnetic ion imprinted polymer (MIIP) with specific recognition capability toward cadmium was prepared by a sol–gel method using waste beer yeast, which is a macromolecule biomass, as a functional monomer.

Structural basis for expanding the application of bioligand in metal bioremediation: A review

Bioligands (BL) present in plant and microbes are primarily responsible for their use in metal decontamination. Both primary (proteins and amino acid) and secondary (proliferated) response in the form of BL is possible in plants and microbes toward metal bioremediation. Structure of these BL have specific requirement for preferential binding towards a particular metal in biomass. The aim of this review is to explore various templates from BL (as metal host) for the metal detoxification/decontamination and associated bioremediation. Mechanistic explanation for bioremediation may involve the various processes like: (i) electron transfer; (ii) translocation; and (iii) coordination number variation. HSAB (hard and soft acid and base) concept can act as guiding principle for many such processes. It is possible to investigate various structural homolog of BL (similar to secondary response in living stage) for the possible improvement in bioremediation process.

Synthesis and characterization of carboxylic cation exchange bio-resin for heavy metal remediation

A new carboxylic bio-resin was synthesized from raw arecanut husk through mercerization and ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD) carboxylation. The synthesized bio-resin was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, proximate & ultimate analyses, mass percent gain/loss, potentiometric titrations, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Mercerization extracted lignin from the vesicles on the husk and EDTAD was ridged in to, through an acylation reaction in dimethylformamide media. The reaction induced carboxylic groups as high as 0.735mM/g and a cation exchange capacity of 2.01meq/g functionalized mercerized husk (FMH). Potentiometric titration data were fitted to a newly developed single-site proton adsorption model (PAM) that gave pKa of 3.29 and carboxylic groups concentration of 0.741mM/g. FMH showed 99% efficiency in Pb(II) removal from synthetic wastewater (initial concentration 0.157mM), for which the Pb(II) binding constant was 1.73×10³L/mol as estimated from modified PAM. The exhaustion capacity was estimated to be 18.7mg/g of FMH. Desorption efficiency of Pb(II) from exhausted FMH was found to be about 97% with 0.1N HCl. The FMH simultaneously removed lead and cadmium below detection limit from a real lead acid battery wastewater along with the removal of Fe, Mg, Ni, and Co.

The importance of surface functional groups in the adsorption of copper onto walnut shell derived activated carbon

In this study, activated carbon (AC) was prepared from walnut shell using chemical activation. The surface chemistry of the prepared AC was modified by introducing or blocking certain functional groups, and the role of the different functional groups involved in the copper uptake was investigated. The structural and chemical heterogeneity of the produced carbons are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Boehm titration method and N₂/77 K adsorption isotherm analysis. The equilibrium and the kinetics of copper adsorption onto AC were studied. The results demonstrated that the functional groups on AC played an important role in copper uptake. Among various surface functional groups, the oxygen-containing group was found to play a critical role in the copper uptake, and oxidation is the most effective way to improve Cu (II) adsorption onto AC. Ion-exchange was identified to be the dominant mechanism in the copper uptake by AC. Some other types of interactions, like complexation, were also proven to be involved in the adsorption process, while physical force was found to play a small role in the copper uptake. The regeneration of copper-loaded AC and the recovery of copper were also studied to evaluate the reusability of the oxidized AC.

A highly efficient polyampholyte hydrogel sorbent based fixed-bed process for heavy metal removal in actual industrial effluent

High sorption capacity, high sorption rate, and fast separation and regeneration for qualified sorbents used in removing heavy metals from wastewater are urgently needed. In this study, a polyampholyte hydrogel was well designed and prepared via a simple radical polymerization procedure. Due to the remarkable mechanical strength, the three-dimensional polyampholyte hydrogel could be fast separated, easily regenerated and highly reused. The sorption capacities were as high as 216.1 mg/g for Pb(II) and 153.8 mg/g for Cd(II) owing to the existence of the large number of active groups. The adsorption could be conducted in a wide pH range of 3-6 and the equilibrium fast reached in 30 min due to its excellent water penetration for highly accessible to metal ions. The fixed-bed column sorption results indicated that the polyampholyte hydrogel was particularly effective in removing Pb(II) and Cd(II) from actual industrial effluent to meet the regulatory requirements. The treatment volumes of actual smelting effluent using one fixed bed column were as high as 684 bed volumes (BV) (7736 mL) for Pb(II) and 200 BV (2262 mL) for Cd(II). Furthermore, the treatment volumes of actual smelting effluent using tandem three columns reached 924 BV (31,351 mL) for Pb(II) and 250 BV (8483 mL) for Cd(II), producing only 4 BV (136 mL) eluent. Compared with the traditional high density slurry (HDS) process with large amount of sludge, the proposed process would be expected to produce only a small amount of sludge. When the treatment volume was controlled below 209.3 BV (7103 mL), all metal ions in the actual industrial effluent could be effectively removed (<0.01 mg/L). This wok develops a highly practical process based on polyampholyte hydrogel sorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from practical wastewater.

Synthesis of High Valence Silver-Loaded Mesoporous Silica with Strong Antibacterial Properties

A simple chemical method was developed for preparing high valence silver (Ag)-loaded mesoporous silica (Ag-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-SBA-15), which showed strong antibacterial activity. Ag-EDTA-SBA-15 exhibited stronger and more effective antibacterial activity than commercial Ag nanoparticles did, and it offered high stability of high valence silver in the porous matrix and long-lasting antibacterial activity. The synthesized materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ag existed in both surface complexation and Ag particles. EDTA anchored within a porous structure chelated Ag ions in higher oxidation states and prevented their agglomeration and oxidation reduction. The XRD results showed that most Ag in the Ag-EDTA-SBA-15 existed in higher oxidation states such as Ag(II) and Ag(III). However, the XPS and TEM results showed that Ag easily reduced in lower oxidation states and agglomerated as Ag particles on the exterior layer of the SBA-15.

EDTA functionalized magnetic nanoparticle sorbents for cadmium and lead contaminated water treatment

Cadmium (Cd(2+)) and lead (Pb(2+)) are toxic to human beings and other organisms, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified both as probable human carcinogens. In this study, a regenerable magnetic ligand particle (Mag-Ligand) which includes a metal-binding organic ligand (EDTA) attached to an iron oxide nanoparticle was developed for rapid removal of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) as well as other metals from contaminated water. Mag-Ligand showed fast removal ability for both Cd(2+) (<2 h) and Pb(2+) (<15 min) with relatively high sorption capacity (79.4 and 100.2 mg/g for Cd(2+) and Pb(2+), respectively). The removal performance of Mag-Ligand was high across a wide pH range (3-10) as well as in the presence of competitive metal ions (Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)). In addition, Mag-Ligands can be easily regenerated (washed by 1% HCl) and reused several cycles with high sorption capacity. This study indicated that Mag-Ligand is a reusable sorbent for rapid, convenient, and efficient removal of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) from contaminated aquatic systems.

Removal of cadmium and lead from aqueous solutions using nitrilotriacetic acid anhydride modified ligno-cellulosic material

The cost-effective material NTAA-LCM could be promising in the elimination of heavy metals from acidic or neutral wastewater.

Amino siloxane oligomer-linked graphene oxide as an efficient adsorbent for removal of Pb(II) from wastewater

A high performance sorbent, oligomer-linked graphene oxide (GO) composite, was prepared through simple cross-linking reactions between GO sheets and poly3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (PAS) oligomers as crosslinking agents. The three-dimensional PAS oligomers prevented GO sheets from aggregation, provided foreign molecules with easier access, and introduced a large amount of amino functional groups. The morphology, structure and property of the PAS-GO composite were determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourie transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adsorption performance of PAS-GO was investigated in removing Pb(II) ions from water. Compared to 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane functionalized GO (AS-GO) which was prepared by the direct reaction between 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and GO, PAS-GO exhibited much higher adsorptivity toward Pb(II) with the maximum adsorption capacity of 312.5mg/g at 303 K and furthermore the maximum adsorption capacity increased with increasing temperature. The adsorption could be conducted in a wide pH range of 4.0-7.0. Importantly, PAS-GO had a priority tendency to adsorb Pb, Cu and Fe from a mixed solution of metal ions, especially from a practical industrial effluent.

Waste biomass adsorbents for copper removal from industrial wastewater--a review

Copper (Cu(2+)) containing wastewaters are extensively released from different industries and its excessive entry into food chains results in serious health impairments, carcinogenicity and mutagenesis in various living systems. An array of technologies is in use to remediate Cu(2+) from wastewaters. Adsorption is the most attractive option due to the availability of cost effective, sustainable and eco-friendly bioadsorbents. The current review is dedicated to presenting state of the art knowledge on various bioadsorbents and physico-chemical conditions used to remediate Cu(2+) from waste streams. The advantages and constraints of various adsorbents were also discussed. The literature revealed the maximum Cu adsorption capacities of various bioadsorbents in the order of algae>agricultural and forest>fungal>bacterial>activated carbon>yeast. However, based on the average Cu adsorption capacity, the arrangement can be: activated carbon>algal>bacterial>agriculture and forest-derived>fungal>yeast biomass. The data of Cu removal using these bioadsorbents were found best fit both Freundlich and Langmuir models. Agriculture and forest derived bioadsorbents have greater potential for Cu removal because of higher uptake, cheaper nature, bulk availability and mono to multilayer adsorption behavior. Higher costs at the biomass transformation stage and decreasing efficiency with desorption cycles are the major constraints to implement this technology.

Aminopolycarboxylic acid functionalized adsorbents for heavy metals removal from water

Due to the excellent chelating properties of aminopolycarboxylic acid (APCAs), they can be used for the removal of metals from contaminated waters. This paper reviews the research results obtained for both commercial and self-prepared adsorbents functionalized with four most common APCAs: iminodiacetic acid (IDA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). The structural characteristics and unique metal binding properties of these chelating adsorbents are presented. The theory of the adsorption phenomena is discussed based on the kinetics of adsorption, equilibrium adsorption isotherm models, and thermodynamic models. The most important applications of APCA-functionalized adsorbents are also described. APCA-functionalized adsorbents are found to be highly promising materials for metal removal from contaminated waters.

Cleanup of industrial effluents containing heavy metals: a new opportunity of valorising the biomass produced by brewing industry

Heavy metal pollution is a matter of concern in industrialised countries. Contrary to organic pollutants, heavy metals are not metabolically degraded. This fact has two main consequences: its bioremediation requires another strategy and heavy metals can be indefinitely recycled. Yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are produced at high amounts as a by-product of brewing industry constituting a cheap raw material. In the present work, the possibility of valorising this type of biomass in the bioremediation of real industrial effluents containing heavy metals is reviewed. Given the auto-aggregation capacity (flocculation) of brewing yeast cells, a fast and off-cost yeast separation is achieved after the treatment of metal-laden effluent, which reduces the costs associated with the process. This is a critical issue when we are looking for an effective, eco-friendly, and low-cost technology. The possibility of the bioremediation of industrial effluents linked with the selective recovery of metals, in a strategy of simultaneous minimisation of environmental hazard of industrial wastes with financial benefits from reselling or recycling the metals, is discussed.

Cellulose-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid conjugates protect mammalian cells from bacterial cells

Cellulose-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) conjugates were synthesized by the esterification of cellulose with ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD). The new materials provided potent antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Gram-positive bacteria) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa, Gram-negative bacteria), and inhibited the formation of bacterial biofilms. The biocompatibility of the new cellulose-EDTA conjugates was evaluated with mouse skin fibroblasts for up to 14 days. SEM observation and DNA content analysis suggested that the new materials sustained the viability of fibroblast cells. Moreover, in mouse skin fibroblast-bacteria co-culture systems, the new cellulose-EDTA conjugates prevented bacterial biofilm formation and protected the mammalian cells from the bacterial cells for at least one day.

Selectively improving the bio-oil quality by catalytic fast pyrolysis of heavy-metal-polluted biomass: take copper (Cu) as an example

Heavy-metal-polluted biomass derived from phytoremediation or biosorption is widespread and difficult to be disposed of. In this work, simultaneous conversion of the waste woody biomass into bio-oil and recovery of Cu in a fast pyrolysis reactor were investigated. The results show that Cu can effectively catalyze the thermo-decomposition of biomass. Both the yield and high heating value (HHV) of the Cu-polluted fir sawdust biomass (Cu-FSD) derived bio-oil are significantly improved compared with those of the fir sawdust (FSD) derived bio-oil. The results of UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectra of bio-oil indicate pyrolytic lignin is further decomposed into small-molecular aromatic compounds by the catalysis of Cu, which is in agreement with the GC-MS results that the fractions of C7-C10 compounds in the bio-oil significantly increase. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of the migration and transformation of Cu in the fast pyrolysis process show that more than 91% of the total Cu in the Cu-FSD is enriched in the char in the form of zerovalent Cu with a face-centered cubic crystalline phase. This study gives insight into catalytic fast pyrolysis of heavy metals, and demonstrates the technical feasibility of an eco-friendly process for disposal of heavy-metal-polluted biomass.

Bioremediation of industrial effluents containing heavy metals using brewing cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a green technology: a review

The release of heavy metals into the environment, mainly as a consequence of anthropogenic activities, constitutes a worldwide environmental pollution problem. Unlike organic pollutants, heavy metals are not degraded and remain indefinitely in the ecosystem, which poses a different kind of challenge for remediation. It seems that the "best treatment technologies" available may not be completely effective for metal removal or can be expensive; therefore, new methodologies have been proposed for the detoxification of metal-bearing wastewaters. The present work reviews and discusses the advantages of using brewing yeast cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the detoxification of effluents containing heavy metals. The current knowledge of the mechanisms of metal removal by yeast biomass is presented. The use of live or dead biomass and the influence of biomass inactivation on the metal accumulation characteristics are outlined. The role of chemical speciation for predicting and optimising the efficiency of metal removal is highlighted. The problem of biomass separation, after treatment of the effluents, and the use of flocculent characteristics, as an alternative process of cell-liquid separation, are also discussed. The use of yeast cells in the treatment of real effluents to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied studies is presented and updated. The convenient management of the contaminated biomass and the advantages of the selective recovery of heavy metals in the development of a closed cycle without residues (green technology) are critically reviewed.

Techno-economic evaluation of the integrated biosorption-pyrolysis technology for lead (Pb) recovery from aqueous solution

An integrated biosorption-pyrolysis technology was employed to recover Pb from aqueous solution. A series of biosorption, fast pyrolysis and leaching experiments were carried out. The optimum pH and adsorbent dose for Pb adsorption from aqueous solution are 6.0 and 3.0 g L(-1), respectively. The temperature is a key factor influencing the yields of pyrolysis products, and the maximum yield of bio-oil is 45.7% at 773 K. The pyrolysis technology can effectively recover Pb from Pb polluted Typha angustifolia biomass (Pb-TAB) and its recovery efficiency is not notably influenced by temperature. According to the economic evaluation, the biosorption-pyrolysis technology has great techno-economic advantages over the conventional biosorption-leaching technology.