Hierarchical NiO–SiO2 composite hollow microspheres with enhanced adsorption affinity towards Congo red in water

Preparation and modification of polymer microspheres, application in wastewater treatment: A review

The removal of various pollutants from water is necessary due to the increasing requirements for the removal of various pollutants from wastewater and the quality of drinking water. Polymer microspheres are regarded as exemplary adsorbent materials due to their high adsorption efficiency, excellent adsorption performance, and ease of handling. Herein, the advantages and disadvantages of different preparation methods, modifications, applications and the current research status of polymer microspheres are summarized at large. Furthermore, the enhanced performance of modified composite microspheres is emphasized, including adsorption efficiency, thermal stability, and significant improvements in physical and chemical properties. Subsequently, the current applications and potential of polymeric microspheres for wastewater treatment, including the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants, heavy metal ions, and other contaminants are summarized. Finally, future research directions for polymer microspheres are proposed, outlining the challenges and solutions associated with the application of polymer microspheres in wastewater treatment.

High-performance photocatalytic degradation and antifungal activity of chromium-doped nickel oxide nanoparticles

The elimination of pollutants such as dyes and fungi has become a tedious process hence there is a need for multifunctional materials that can be used for the removal or degradation of various pollutants from wastewater. Here, a nickel oxide nanoparticle (NiONPs) was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. In the current study, a composite of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) was synthesized using nitrogen and chromium as dopants to create (N/NiONPs) and (Cr/N/NiONPs), respectively and used for the removal of dyes and fungi. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using zeta potential (ZP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-rays diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The NiONPs, N/NiONPs and Cr/N/NiONPs were tested for the degradation of two dye pollutants, Reactive blue 13 (RB13) and eosin dye. The obtained results showed that Cr/N/NiONPs were more efficient than NiONPs and N/NiONPs for dye degradation by applying the same irradiation conditions. The Cr/N/NiONPs nanocomposites showed very good degradation efficiency of dye up to 94.2% for the RB13 and 90.8% for the eosin. We also examined the antifungal action of the NiONPs, N/NiONPs and Cr/N/NiONPs against Trichoderma fungus. The results showed that the Cr/N/NiONPs have an extremely strong antifungal impact on Trichoderma. This could be explained by the strong adhesion of Cr/N/NiONPs to the Trichoderma surface due to electrostatic attraction. This work has demonstrated that it is possible to create environmentally safe materials that can be used for the degradation of different dyes and the improvement of more effective antifungal treatments with lower active agent doses for fungus control with potential big economic benefits.

Piper chaba Stem Extract Facilitated the Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as an Adsorbent to Remove Congo Red Dye

In this study, a straightforward, eco-friendly, and facile method for synthesizing iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) utilizing Piper chaba steam extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent has been demonstrated. The formation of stable IONPs coated with organic moieties was confirmed from UV-vis, FTIR, and EDX spectroscopy and DLS analysis. The produced IONPs are sufficiently crystalline to be superparamagnetic having a saturation magnetization value of 58 emu/g, and their spherical form and size of 9 nm were verified by XRD, VSM, SEM, and TEM investigations. In addition, the synthesized IONPs exhibited notable effectiveness in the removal of Congo Red (CR) dye with a maximum adsorption capacity of 88 mg/g. The adsorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, meaning the adsorption of CR on IONPs is mostly controlled by chemisorption. The adsorption isotherms of CR on the surface of IONPs follow the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating the monolayer adsorption on the homogeneous surface of IONPs through adsorbate-adsorbent interaction. The IONPs have revealed good potential for their reusability, with the adsorption efficiency remaining at about 85% after five adsorption-desorption cycles. The large-scale, safe, and cost-effective manufacturing of IONPs is made possible by this environmentally friendly process.

Hierarchical Mg/Al hydrotalcite oxide hollow microspheres with excellent adsorption capability towards Congo red

A novel citrate anion-intercalated Mg/Al layered double hydroxide (CA-LDH) is synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal process. The synthesized CA-LDH is a hollow flower-like microsphere composed of thin nanoflakes (10 nm in thickness). After calcination, the formed Mg/Al layered double oxide (CA-LDO) hollow microspheres possess a high specific surface area of 247.8 m2 g-1 and a high pore volume of 0.97 cm3 g-1, which endow them with excellent adsorption ability towards Congo red (CR). The maximum adsorption capacity of CR onto CA-LDO can reach up to 1883 mg g-1. The significantly improved adsorption capacity of CA-LDO can be attributed to its unique structures of hierarchical hollow microspheres, in which the hierarchical porous shell layer provides enough adsorption sites to anchor the dye molecules, and the hollow core can preserve the absorbed dye. This study provides a promising novel adsorbent which can be used for efficient water remediation.

Comparison activity of pure and chromium-doped nickel oxide nanoparticles for the selective removal of dyes from water

The current study involves a synthesis of a composite of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) with a chromium dopant to yield (Cr/NiONPs). Synthesis of nickel oxide was performed by the co-precipitation method. The synthesis of the composite was conducted by the impregnation method. FTIR, EDX, SEM, and XRD were used to characterize the synthesized materials. The synthesised materials' point zero charges (PZC) were performed using the potentiometric titration method. The obtained results show that the PZC for neat nickel oxide was around 5, and it was around 8 for Cr/NiONPs. The adsorption action of the prepared materials was examined by applying them to remove Reactive Red 2 (RR2) and Crystal Violate (CV) dyes from solutions. The outcomes demonstrated that Cr/NiONPs were stronger in the removal of dyes than NiONPs. Cr/NiONPs achieved 99.9% removal of dyes after 1 h. Adsorption isotherms involving Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms were also conducted, and the outcomes indicated that the most accurate representation of the adsorption data was offered by Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Additionally, it was discovered that the adsorption characteristics of the NiONPs and Cr/NiONPs correspond well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Each of the NiONPs and Cr/NiONPs was reused five times, and the results display that the effectiveness of the removal of RR2 dye slightly declined with the increase in reuse cycles; it lost only 5% of its original efficiency after the 5 cycles. Generally, Cr/NiONPs showed better reusability than NiONPs under the same conditions.

Comparative physicochemical analysis of galvanic sludge wastes

The paper provides the physicochemical analysis of galvanic sludge to determine the presence and concentration of toxic metals. Two sludges sampled from the same factory, but from different technological processes, alkaline galvanic sludge obtained from galvanizing process and acidic sludge generated from the chromium plating process were analyzed. Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) revealed increased concentrations of toxic heavy metal ions Zn²⁺, Cr³⁺, Ni²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in the sludge from the galvanizing process and Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ from the chroming process. Moreover, the sludges were further physicochemically characterized by Reflectance Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectrometry (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy Analysis (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of ICP-OES were corroborated by FTIR. Analysis of FTIR spectra revealed the specific bands indicating the existence of metal oxides in the analyzed sludges, as well as the presence of organic substances, i.e. solvents and surfactants, used in the electroplating process. The analysis was accomplished following international norms and confirmed the increased concentrations of heavy metal ions from both sludges. In line with the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the results proved the hypothesis that galvanic sludge is hazardous waste.

Hierarchical 3D Flower-like Metal Oxides Micro/Nanostructures: Fabrication, Surface Modification, Their Crucial Role in Environmental Decontamination, Mechanistic Insights, and Future Perspectives

Hierarchical micro/nanostructures are constructed by micro-scaled objects with nanoarchitectures belonging to an interesting class of crystalline materials that has significant applications in diverse fields. Featured with a large surface-to-volume ratio, facile mass transportation, high stability against aggregation, structurally enhanced adsorption, and catalytical performances, three dimenisional (3D) hierarchical metal oxides have been considered as versatile functional materials for waste-water treatment. Due to the ineffectiveness of traditional water purification protocols for reclamation of water, lately, the use of hierarchical metal oxides has emerged as an appealing platform for the remediation of water pollution owing to their fascinating and tailorable physiochemical properties. The present review highlights various approaches to the tunable synthesis of hierarchical structures along with their surface modification strategies to enhance their efficiencies for the removal of different noxious substances. Besides, their applications for the eradication of organic and inorganic contaminants have been discussed comprehensively with their plausible mechanistic pathways. Finally, overlooked aspects in this field as well as the major roadblocks to the implementation of these metal oxide architectures for large-scale treatment of wastewater are provided here. Moreover, the potential ways to tackle these issues are also presented which may be useful for the transformation of current water treatment technologies.

Design a flower-like magnetic graphite carbon microsphere for enhanced adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is a hazardous chlorinated organic chemical, so its removal is an important task to protect the whole ecosystem and human health. During the material preparation, the magnetic graphitic carbon adsorbent (HFMCM) with a sparse sheet-like stacking structure was formed by interlayer assembly of nickel hydroxide nanosheets and hydrothermal glucose carbon. The conditions for optimal performance of the adsorbent are 45 °C and pH 5. The maximum adsorption capacity of HFMCM-180 for 2,4-DCP is 147.06 mg·g^-1. Adsorption behavior in accordance with Langmuir isothermal model and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The adsorbent remains selective for 2,4-DCP in metal ion solutions. More than 75% of the adsorption capacity is maintained after five cycles of adsorption. Electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π bonding play a major role in the adsorption of 2,4-DCP by HFMCM. The adsorbent was glucose as the carbon source, nickel sulfate as the magnetic source, and hexamethylenetetramine as the precipitant. Its carbonization after pretreatment with different hydrothermal temperatures resulted in the synthesis of flower-like graphitic carbon spheres with magnetic properties. The interconnected pore channels on the adsorbent surface conferred large specific surface area to the material. 2,4-DCP was efficiently adsorbed by π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic attraction within the pore channels with low spatial potential resistance.

Synthesis of MgNiCo LDH hollow structure derived from ZIF-67 as superb adsorbent for Congo red

Adsorption materials with large specific surface area and porous structures exert a beneficial impact on improving the adsorption performance. In this work, MgNiCo LDH hollow structure (MNC HS) is fabricated through a simple one-step solvothermal method using ZIF-67 as the sacrificial template. Electron microscopy shows that the MNC HS retains the dodecahedral shape of ZIF-67. The as-prepared sample exhibits efficient adsorption for Congo red (CR) in water, which is due to the hierarchical structure and large specific surface area that provides more adsorption sites and electrostatic interaction. The CR adsorption process fits the pseudo-second-order model better by kinetics simulation; while Langmuir model is more accurate than Freundlich model in describing the adsorption isotherms of CR. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated by the Langmuir model can reach 1194.7 mg g^-1, which is much higher than that of the sample MgNiCo LDH (MNC) synthesized by conventional methods. The cycle tests also show that the as-prepared adsorbent has good stability and recycling ability.

Dye adsorption of aluminium- and zirconium-based metal organic frameworks with azobenzene dicarboxylate linkers

The high efficiency of metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) such as the ZIF, MIL and UiO type species in dye adsorption is well established. Recently, an emerging class of photoresponsive azobenzene-based MOFs has found suitable application in gas adsorption. However, there is a dearth of research on their use in the adsorption of dyes and other water pollutants. In this research, two microporous photoresponsive azobenzene dicarboxylate MOFs of Al³⁺ (Al-AZB) and Zr⁴⁺ (Zr-AZB) were synthesized for the adsorption of congo red (CR) dye. The surface and textural properties of the synthesized MOFs were characterized by FTIR, PXRD, SEM, TGA, BET and pore analysis. Both MOFs were crystalline, thermally stable up to 300 °C and stable in aqueous medium at room temperature. The Al-AZB displayed a higher surface area (2718 m²/g) than the Zr-AZB (1098 m²/g), which significantly impacted the higher adsorption of CR. Besides, pore volumes of 0.86 cm³/g and 0.35 cm³/g were obtained for Al-AZB and Zr-AZB, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of Al-AZB and Zr-AZB was 456.6 mg/g and 128.9 mg/g, respectively, with the former superior to other potent adsorbents. The pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models were well correlated with the dye uptake on the MOFs. Thermodynamics revealed random and endothermic sorption of CR dominated by chemisorption, while efficient regeneration and reuse of both MOFs were achieved using dimethylformamide as eluent. The results proved the potency of the synthesized photoresponsive MOFs, as highly efficient and reusable materials for dye adsorption.

Control of chloride ion corrosion by MgAlOx/MgAlFeOx in the process of chloride deicing

Adding a corrosion inhibitor to the chloride deicing salt can prevent the corrosion and pollution of Cl^-, which is very important. Layered double hydroxide (LDHs), calcined at high temperature is used as adsorbents to remove various anionic contaminants, and it can reduce the freezing point of solution after adsorbing anions. Therefore, this paper reports the use of calcined LDHs as corrosion inhibitors in deicing salts, which are denoted as MgAlO_x or MgAlFeO_x depending on the preparation element. By analyzing the removal efficiency and the freezing point of MgAlO_x and MgAlFeO_x to Cl^-, the feasibility of the study was determined. Resulted that the removal efficiency to Cl^- of MgAlFeO_x at low temperature (0 ± 2 °C) and room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) was higher than that of MgAlO_x, reaching 39.4% and 85.60%, respectively. And the freezing point of MgAlFeO_x was lower than that of MgAlO_x, the value was -12.0 °C. At the same time, we also found that CaCl₂-MgAlO_x and CaCl₂-MgAlFeO_x significantly reduced the corrosion of carbon steel and concrete compared with chloride salts, and CaCl₂-MgAlFeO_x had the lowest corrosion degree. Hence, MgAlFeO_x was chosen as the corrosion inhibitor in chloride deicing salt. The metal molar ratio, synthesis temperature, and calcination temperature for preparation of MgAl/MgAlFe-LDHs were determined by XRD and TG-DSC analysis that were 9/2/1, 120 °C, and 500 °C, respectively. Characterization methods such as Zeta, XRD, XPS, BET, and SEM were used to study in detail the characteristic changes of MgAlFe-LDHs and MgAlFeO_x after Fe³⁺ was added, and the mechanism of corrosion inhibitors was further determined that was achieved by adsorption and neutralization.

Constructing High-Recognition Protein-Imprinted Materials Using "Specially Designed" Block Macromolecular Chains as Functional Monomers and Crosslinkers

The use of a macromolecularly functional monomer and crosslinker (MFM) to stabilize and imprint a template protein is a new method to construct high-recognition protein-imprinted materials. In this study, for the first time, a "specially designed" block MFM with both "functional capability" and "crosslinking capability" segments was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization and used to fabricate bovine serum albumin (BSA)-imprinted microspheres (SiO₂@MPS@MIPs-MFM) by the surface imprinting strategy. Results from circular dichroic spectrum experiments reflected that the block MFM could maintain the natural form of BSA, whereas its corresponding and equivalent micromolecularly functional monomer (MIM) seriously destroyed the secondary structure of proteins. Batch rebinding experiments showed that the maximum adsorption capacity and imprinting factor of SiO₂@MPS@MIPs-MFM reached 314.9 mg g^-1 and 4.02, which were significantly superior to that of MIM-based imprinted materials. In addition, since the crosslinking capability segments in block MFM involved zwitterionic functional groups with a protein-repelling effect, SiO₂@MPS@MIPs-MFM showed better specific rebinding ability than the imprinted material prepared by MFM without this component. Besides, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images showed that the shell thickness of SiO₂@MPS@MIPs-MFM was approximately 15 nm, and such a thin imprinted layer ensured its rapid adsorption equilibrium (120 min). As a result, SiO₂@MPS@MIPs-MFM revealed fantastic selectivity and recognition ability in a mixed protein solution and could efficiently extract BSA from biological samples of bovine calf serum. The proposal of block MFM enriched the options and designability of monomers in protein imprinting technology, thereby laying a foundation for developing high-performance protein-imprinted materials.

Defect-rich, negatively-charged SnS2 nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction and organic dye adsorption in water

Nanostructures of layered materials have gained increasing attention in photocatalytic and water-treatment processes. Herein, we report on sub-30 nm SnS₂ nanosheets (NSs) which can perform photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) quite efficiently on one hand, while removes large quantities of toxic organic dye molecules by choosing an adsorption mode of operation over photo-degradation on the other hand, unlike most other SnS₂ nanostructures. The NSs have a highly extended crystallinity growing perpendicular to the (001) lattice direction but exhibit poor X-ray diffraction for the 10 l (1 = 1,2,3…) lattice planes. With such defects, the NSs have a narrow bandgap of 2.21 eV and exhibit a significant photocurrent density at near band-edge illumination. Cr(VI) photo-reduction using the SnS₂ NSs follows a first-order reaction kinetics (rate constant of 0.10 min-1), five-fold higher than commercial TiO₂ (P-25). Furthermore, the NSs adsorb Rhodamine B dye molecules from an aqueous solution by forming a monolayer of dye molecules following a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and exhibit an adsorption capacity of ∼ 53.28 mg/g. We show that the NSs have a Zeta potential of ∼ -22 eV and preferably adsorb cationic dyes only. Thus the SnS₂ NSs can be effective for Cr(VI) contaminated waste-water treatment in a photocatalytic manner and can also act as a potential adsorbent for polluting dye molecules either in the presence or absence of sunlight. While both these activities are known for SnS₂ as well as other materials, the competitive nature of the two mechanisms while each of them is a possibility has never been investigated. Therefore, besides the high activities, the study highlights the presence of different active sites on the material surface that can respond preferentially to either inorganic or organic impurities.

Review on nickel-based adsorption materials for Congo red

Excessive synthetic dyestuffs in the aquatic environment pose various ecological and health issues that are detrimental to sustainable development. Adsorption is considered a feasible technique of eliminating dye pollutants from the water environment because of its advantages of high efficiency, low cost, easy operation, and absence of secondary pollution. Among the many dyes, Congo red (CR) is a widely used azo dye. Nickel-based materials, including nickel hydroxide, nickel oxide, nickel-containing layered double hydroxides, nickel-based spinel and metal-organic frameworks, metallic nickel, nickel-based sulfide, and nickel composites, have been extensively studied for CR adsorption due to their morphological diversity, large specific surface area, and strong affinity toward CR. However, fabricating nickel-based adsorbents with high efficiency and stability and excellent recyclability for practical application remains a challenge. This review outlines the research progress of nickel-based materials in CR adsorption. The interaction between CR molecules and nickel-based adsorbents is systematically presented, and the possible adsorption mechanisms are summarized. Finally, the challenges and future development directions of the practical application of nickel-based adsorbent materials are proposed.

High-Strength, Waterproof, Corrosion-Resistant Nano-Silica Carbon Nanotube Cementitious Composites

This study aims to prepare a nano-silica-carbon nanotube (NS-CNT) elastic composite using NS (nano-silica), CNTs (carbon nanotube), and (D₃F) trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane. The results show that the activated NS could promote the hydrolysis of D₃F. Polymerization products of nano-silica and D₃F are uniformly adhered onto the surfaces of CNTs, thereby forming a NS-CNT composite. The composite is composed of irregular ellipsoids of 3–12 μm in length and 2–10 μm in diameter. The activated NS-CNT composite material effectively promotes the further hydration of (CaOH)₂ in the cement to form hydrated calcium silicate, and further dehydration–condensation between the surface hydroxyl group of the composite material and the inherent hydroxyl group of (CaOH)₂. The cementitious composite-based composites containing the activated NS-CNT exhibit high mechanical strengths, high water resistances, and good durability and corrosion resistance. The chemical characterizations reveal the morphology, nucleation mode of the composite, and its influence on the hydration structure and products of cementitious composite.

3D hierarchical graphene oxide-NiFe LDH composite with enhanced adsorption affinity to Congo red, methyl orange and Cr(VI) ions

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical graphene oxide-NiFe layered double hydroxide (GO-NiFe LDH) composite with sandwich-like structure is fabricated using a facile one-pot hydrothermal reaction. Electron microscopy images demonstrate that the GO-NiFe LDH composite possesses a highly porous and well-ordered structure. Both sides of the GO are fully covered by the LDH nanosheets, resulting in the sandwich-like architecture. The adsorption performance of the GO-NiFe LDH composite and pure NiFe LDH for three anionic pollutants, namely, Congo red (CR), methyl orange (MO) and hexavalent chromium ion [Cr(VI)] is systematically investigated. The presence of GO in the GO-NiFe LDH composite leads to the better adsorption capability and faster adsorption kinetics of this composite compared with the NiFe LDH microspheres. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model can well represent the adsorption kinetics, and the Langmuir isotherm model provides a better description for the adsorption isotherms. The GO-NiFe LDH composite demonstrates appreciable potential in alleviating anionic pollutants from the aquatic environment as shown by its excellent adsorption capability towards CR, MO and Cr(VI).

Synthesis of Positively Charged Polystyrene Microspheres for the Removal of Congo Red, Phosphate, and Chromium(VI)

Uniform positively charged polystyrene microspheres were synthesized and further examined as a new sorbent for water remediation. The structures of the resulting sorbent were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The adsorption performance of the sorbent was evaluated using three typical pollutants, namely, Congo red, phosphate, and Cr(VI). The adsorption isotherms were fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich models, while the adsorption kinetics was analyzed by the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion equations. The thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process including changes of enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy, and binding constant were obtained by isothermal titration calorimetry measurements. The effects of solution pH and competitive ions on the adsorption process were investigated. The adsorption isotherms could be better fitted by the Langmuir model, yielding maximum adsorption capacities of 18, 6.2, and 1.1 mg g^-1 for the adsorption of Congo red, Cr(VI), and phosphate, respectively. The adsorption kinetics could be best described by the pseudo-second-order equation. The spent sorbent was regenerated by washing with 1 M KOH and showed outstanding long-term cyclic performance. The findings suggested that the positive charges at the surface of polystyrene microspheres could serve as effective sites for the immobilization of anionic pollutants in solutions owing to the electrostatic attraction.

NiFe2O4@ nitrogen-doped carbon hollow spheres with highly efficient and recyclable adsorption of tetracycline

Antibiotics can affect ecosystems and threaten human health; therefore, methods for removing antibiotics have become a popular subject in environmental management and for the protection of human health. Adsorption is considered an effective approach for the removal of antibiotics from water. In this study, NiFe₂O₄@nitrogen-doped carbon hollow spheres (NiFe₂O₄/NCHS) were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method followed by calcination using NCHS as a hard template. The nanocomposite exhibited high adsorption activity and good recyclability. The nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption to study its micromorphology, structure, and chemical composition/states. In addition, the factors affecting the adsorption process were systematically investigated, including tetracycline (TC) concentration, solution pH, ionic strength, and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity for TC was calculated to be 271.739 mg g⁻¹ based on the Langmuir adsorption model, which was higher than various other materials. This study provides an effective method for constructing the NiFe₂O₄/NHCS core–shell structure, which can be applied for the removal of TC from water.

Antibiotics can affect ecosystems and threaten human health; therefore, methods for removing antibiotics have become a popular subject in environmental management and for the protection of human health.

A green method to synthesize flowerlike Fe(OH)3 microspheres for enhanced adsorption performance toward organic and heavy metal pollutants

Dyestuffs and heavy metal ions in water are seriously harmful to the ecological environment and human health. Three-dimensional (3D) flowerlike Fe(OH)₃ microspheres were synthesized through a green yet low-cost injection method, for the removal of organic dyes and heavy metal ions. The Fe(OH)₃ microspheres were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The adsorption kinetics of Congo Red (CR) on Fe(OH)₃ microspheres obeyed the pseudo-second-order model. Cr⁶⁺ and Pb²⁺ adsorption behaviors on Fe(OH)₃ microspheres followed the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacities of the synthesized Fe(OH)₃ were 308, 52.94, and 75.64mg/g for CR, Cr⁶⁺, and Pb²⁺ respectively. The enhanced adsorption performance originated from its surface properties and large specific surface area of 250m²/g. The microspheres also have excellent adsorption stability and recyclability. Another merit of the Fe(OH)₃ material is that it also acts as a Fenton-like catalyst. These twin functionalities (both as adsorbent and Fenton-like catalyst) give the synthesized Fe(OH)₃ microspheres great potential in the field of water treatment.

Novel Zeolite-5A@MOF-74 Composite Adsorbents with Core-Shell Structure for H2 Purification

Hydrogen is considered as one of the most important clean and renewable energy sources for a sustainable energy future. However, its efficient and cost-effective purification still remains challenging. In this work, we report the development of novel zeolite@metal-organic framework (MOF) composites comprised of MOF-74 and zeolite-5A with core-shell structure for efficient purification of H₂. The composites were synthesized hydrothermally through the addition of zeolite particles with and without carboxyl functional groups to the MOF synthesis solution. The zeolite/MOF weight ratio was varied systematically to find the optimum composition based on the adsorption performance. The formation of zeolite@MOF composites was confirmed by various characterization techniques. Single-component adsorption isotherms of CO₂, CO, CH₄, N₂, and H₂ over composites were measured at 25 °C to determine their equilibrium adsorption capacity. It was found that the zeolite-5A@MOF-74 with weight ratio of 5:95 exhibited a similar morphology to that of pristine MOF-74, but with higher surface area and total pore volume. Moreover, this composite showed 20-30% increase in CO₂, CO, CH₄, and N₂ uptake than the bare MOF, which could be attributed to the formation of new mesopores at the MOF-zeolite interface. The estimated selectivity values for CO₂/H₂, CO/H₂, CH₄/H₂, and N₂/H₂ were higher than those of the zeolite and/or MOF. Our results also indicated that surface modification of zeolite prior to composite formation does not enhance the adsorption capacities of the composites. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that the zeolite-5A@MOF-74 composites with core-shell structure are promising candidates for industrial H₂ purification processes.

Hierarchically porous SiO2/C hollow microspheres: a highly efficient adsorbent for Congo Red removal

Hierarchically porous SiO₂/C hollow microspheres (HPSCHMs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal and NaOH-etching combined route. The adsorption performance of the prepared HPSCHMs was investigated to remove Congo Red (CR) in aqueous solution. The results show that the synthesized composite possesses a hollow microspherical structure with hierarchical pores and a diameter of about 100–200 nm, and its surface area is up to 1154 m² g⁻¹. This material exhibits a remarkable adsorption performance for CR in solution, and its maximum adsorption amount for CR can reach up to 2512 mg g⁻¹. It shows faster adsorption and much higher adsorption capacity than the commercial AC and γ-Al₂O₃ samples under the same conditions. The studies of the kinetics and thermodynamics indicate that the adsorption of CR on the PHSCHM sample obeys the pseudo-second order model well and belongs to physisorption. The adsorption activation energy is about 7.72 kJ mol⁻¹. In view of the hierarchically meso–macroporous structure, large surface area and pore volume, the HPSCHM material could be a promising adsorbent for removal of pollutants, and it could also be used as a catalyst support.

Hierarchically porous SiO₂/C hollow microspheres (HPSCHMs) were synthesized. Its surface area is up to 1154 m² g^–1. Hierarchically porous structure facilitates diffusion of adsorbate. Its maximum adsorption amount for Congo Red is up to 2512 mg g^–1.

From harmful Microcystis blooms to multi-functional core-double-shell microsphere bio-hydrochar materials

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) induced by eutrophication is becoming a serious global environmental problem affecting public health and aquatic ecological sustainability. A novel strategy for the utilization of biomass from HABs was developed by converting the algae cells into hollow mesoporous bio-hydrochar microspheres via hydrothermal carbonization method. The hollow microspheres were used as microreactors and carriers for constructing CaO2 core-mesoporous shell-CaO2 shell microspheres (OCRMs). The CaO2 shells could quickly increase dissolved oxygen to extremely anaerobic water in the initial 40 min until the CaO2 shells were consumed. The mesoporous shells continued to act as regulators restricting the release of oxygen from CaO2 cores. The oxygen-release time using OCRMs was 7 times longer than when directly using CaO2. More interestingly, OCRMs presented a high phosphate removal efficiency (95.6%) and prevented the pH of the solution from rising to high levels in comparison with directly adding CaO2 due to the OH- controlled-release effect of OCRMs. The distinct core-double-shell micro/nanostructure endowed the OCRMs with triple functions for oxygen controlled-release, phosphorus removal and less impact on water pH. The study is to explore the possibility to prepare smarter bio-hydrochar materials by utilizing algal blooms.

Hierarchical Porous Magnesium Oxide (Hr-MgO) Microspheres for Adsorption of an Organophosphate Pesticide: Kinetics, Isotherm, Thermodynamics, and DFT Studies

In this study, hierarchical porous magnesium oxide (Hr-MgO) microspheres have been fabricated from a hydromagnesite precursor via a facile precipitation method followed by calcination. The Hr-MgO microspheres consist of several nanosheet building blocks that generate a flowerlike architecture. Chlorpyrifos (CPF), a persistent organic pollutant, has been chosen as a model organophosphate pesticide to determine the adsorptive capacities of the fabricated Hr-MgO. The equilibrium adsorption data fits well with the Langmuir isotherm model, showing a maximum adsorption capacity of 3974 mg g^-1, which is the highest value to date. Both kinetic as well as thermodynamic parameters reveal the spontaneous, exothermic, and pseudo-second-order nature of the adsorption process due to chemisorption between the pesticide and the adsorbent. Density functional theory studies suggest the importance of hydroxylation on the MgO surface for the successful destructive adsorption, which takes place via the cleavage of S═P and Cl-C bonds resulting in the fragmentation of CPF, which is in good agreement with Fourier transform infrared and mass spectrometric studies. The present study shows the potential use of hierarchically structured porous MgO microspheres as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of CPF pollutant.