1
|
Oh MS, Namgung G, Kim H. Enhanced air sparging for groundwater remediation using alginate gel-based removable hydraulic barriers. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2024; 260:104258. [PMID: 38064800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a removable physical barrier on the air sparging performance using a lab-scale aquifer model was investigated. The barrier was installed in water-saturated porous media, prior to the air sparging, by injecting calcium chloride aqueous solution into the aquifer with pre-applied alginate solution. Changes in the air flow direction and air flux at the media surface during air sparging were evaluated. With a hydrogel barrier set at the center of the media, the airflow detoured the barrier resulting in a bimodal air flux distribution at the media surface. While employing two gel-formed barriers positioned away from the media's center, the airflow concentrated specifically on the gap between the barriers. The hydrogel was successfully removed using a sodium bicarbonate solution (1.0 mol/L). Using the hydrogel barrier, the performance of air sparging was significantly enhanced for removing contaminants [tetrachloroethene (PCE) and n-hexane mixture] due to increased air flux; 9.8% of PCE applied (7.8 g) was removed during 120 min air sprging for the gel barrier system whereas no PCE was removed for the control. Alginate gel did not show significant sorption capacity for PCE. It was stable in the contaminant up to 68 days with reasonable loss of its mass. Findings of this study present a promising option for air sparging process specifically targeting the contaminant source zone in the aquifer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min-Su Oh
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Geon Namgung
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Heonki Kim
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24252, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Oh MS, Annable MD, Kim H. Temporary hydraulic barriers using organic gel for enhanced aquifer remediation during groundwater flushing: Bench-scale experiments. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2023; 255:104143. [PMID: 36773413 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2023.104143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the use of organic gel-forming material for the construction of hydraulic barriers in aquifer, which can be easily removed after use. Experiments on the performance of the temporary hydraulic barrier during NAPL removal (aquifer flushing) were also conducted. An aqueous solution of sodium alginate was injected into the horizontally oriented, 2-dimensional flow chamber packed with sand, followed by gelation using a calcium solution. The alginate gel formed in the porous media produced a circular shape barrier (24 cm diameter, 1.3 cm thickness) that was successfully removed using sodium bicarbonate solution (1.0 M) in 72 h, whereas the gel was stable for 7 days during simulated groundwater flushing at the same flow rate as the sodium bicarbonate solution. When circular hydraulic barriers (12 cm diameter each, 14 cm apart) were set on either side of the NAPL (n-hexane and PCE mixture)-contaminated zone, the increased water flux during water flushing resulted in significantly increased PCE removal by almost 108%. When a surfactant solution (sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.037%) was applied, the influenced groundwater flow controlled by hydraulic barriers on the NAPL removal was amplified by 196% removal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min-Su Oh
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Michael D Annable
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Heonki Kim
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24252, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Earnden L, Marangoni AG, Gregori S, Paschos A, Pensini E. Zein-Bonded Graphene and Biosurfactants Enable the Electrokinetic Clean-Up of Hydrocarbons. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:11153-11169. [PMID: 34514802 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPL, e.g., hydrocarbons and chlorinated compounds) are common groundwater pollutants. Electrokinetic remediation of NAPLs uses electric fields to draw them toward electrodes and remove them from groundwater. The treatment requires NAPL mobility. Emulsification increases mobility, but at a risk for downstream receptors. We propose using alkaline aqueous solutions of zein and graphene nanoparticles (GNP) to form conductive materials, which could also act as barriers to control NAPL migration. Alkaline zein-GNP solutions can be injected in the polluted soil and solidified by neutralizing the pH (e.g., with glacial acetic acid, GAA). Shear rheology experiments showed that zein-GNP composites were cohesive, and voltammetry showed that GNP increased electrical conductivity of zein-based materials by 3.5 times. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) demonstrated that the electrokinetic treatment of model sandy aquifers yielded >60% and ∼47% removal of emulsified toluene in freshwater and in salt solutions, respectively (with 30 min treatment using a 10 V differential voltage between a zein-GNP and an aluminum electrode. NaCl was used as model salt contaminant. The conductivity of surfactant solutions was lower in saline water than in freshwater, explaining differences in toluene removal. Toluene-water emulsions were stabilized using the natural surfactants lecithin and saponin. These surfactants acted synergistically in stabilizing emulsions in either freshwater or salt solutions. Lecithin and saponin likely interacted at toluene-water interfaces, as indicated by the morphology, interfacial tension and compressional rigidity of toluene-water interfaces with both components (relative to interfaces of either lecithin or saponin alone). The compressional behavior of interfacial films was well-described by the Marczak model. Electrokinetic treatment of saturated model sandy aquifers also decreased the turbidity of emulsions of water and either tricholoroethylene (TCE, by ∼41%) or diesel (by ∼75%), in the presence of a bacterial biosurfactant. This decrease was used as semiquantitative indicator of NAPL removal from water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Earnden
- University of Guelph, School of Engineering, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alejandro G Marangoni
- University of Guelph, Food Science Department, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Stefano Gregori
- University of Guelph, School of Engineering, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Athanasios Paschos
- McMaster University, Department of Biology, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Mohawk College, School of Engineering and Technology, 135 Fennell Ave W, Hamilton, Ontario L9C 0E5, Canada
| | - Erica Pensini
- University of Guelph, School of Engineering, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ahmed R, Wang M, Qi Z, Hira NUA, Jiang J, Zhang H, Iqbal S, Wang J, Stuart MA, Guo X. Pickering Emulsions Based on the pH-Responsive Assembly of Food-Grade Chitosan. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:17915-17922. [PMID: 34308026 PMCID: PMC8295998 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c01490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Few natural, biocompatible, and inexpensive emulsifiers are available because such emulsifiers must satisfy severe requirements, be produced synthetically rather than naturally, be nontoxic, and require minimal effort to produce. Therefore, the synthesis of food-grade and biocompatible nanoparticles as an alternative to surfactants has recently received attention in the industry. However, many previous efforts involved chemical modification of materials or the introduction of secondary cocomponents for emulsion formation. To achieve the goal of simple preparation, we consider here chitosan nanoparticles to prepare Pickering emulsions of food-grade oil through the control of pH, without further chemical modification or extra additives. A mild process can prepare nanoparticles from chitosan by simply increasing the pH from 3.0 to 6.0. The results showed that the average radius of chitosan at pH 6.0 was 170 nm, while large aggregates were formed at pH 6.5. These nanoparticles were utilized to prepare the Pickering emulsion. The average size of emulsion droplets decreased upon increasing the pH from 3.0 to 6.0. Moreover, Pickering emulsions at different oil fractions and nanoparticle concentrations were stable and showed a low creaming index for 45 days. The emulsions were stable against coalescence and flocculation and behaved rheologically as gel-like, shear-thinning fluids (G' > G″). Pickering emulsion prevents the growth of the microorganism (Staphylococcus aureus) at different pH values and chitosan concentrations. These results demonstrate that chitosan nanoparticles could be a cost-effective and biocompatible emulsifier for the food or pharmaceutical industry for encapsulation and bioactive compounds, and Pickering emulsions have promising antibacterial effects for further applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rizwan Ahmed
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Mingwei Wang
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyao Qi
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Noor ul ain Hira
- State
Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Material, School of Materials
Science and Engineering, East China University
of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Jiahui Jiang
- College
of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, P. R. China
| | - Hongsen Zhang
- College
of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, P. R. China
| | - Shahid Iqbal
- School
of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical
Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow
University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.
R. China
| | - Junyou Wang
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Martien Abraham
Cohen Stuart
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Xuhong Guo
- State-Key
Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of
Multiphase Materials Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
- International
Joint Research Center of Green Energy Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
- Engineering
Research Center of Materials Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bingtuan, Shihezi University, Xinjiang 832000, P. R.
China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Leitner S, Solans C, García-Celma MJ, Morral-Ruíz G, Melgar-Lesmes P, Calderó G. Ethylcellulose nanoparticles prepared from nano-emulsion templates as new folate binding haemocompatible platforms. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 120:111682. [PMID: 33545844 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ethylcellulose is a biocompatible polymer attracting increasing interest for biomedical applications. In the present work, the formation of folate-ethylcellulose nanoparticle complexes from nano-emulsion templates prepared by a low-energy approach, using aqueous components suitable for biomedical applications has been investigated. The composition of the aqueous component is shown to be crucial for the formation of stable nano-emulsions and influences the zeta potential values. The ethylcellulose nanoparticles with mean sizes around 100 nm were obtained from the nano-emulsions by solvent evaporation and showed positive zeta potential values above +20 mV due to the presence of the cationic surfactant. The nanoparticles were successfully complexed with folate, as evidenced by both particle size and zeta potential measurements. The complexes prepared with HEPES buffered glucose solution showed excellent haemocompatibility, which make them promising for parenteral therapeutic applications and also for those in which easy access to systemic circulation may occur, like in lungs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Leitner
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Conxita Solans
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain
| | - María José García-Celma
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Fisicoquímica, Univ. de Barcelona. Unitat Associada d'I+D al CSIC, IN2UB- Av Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Genoveva Morral-Ruíz
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Fisicoquímica, Univ. de Barcelona. Unitat Associada d'I+D al CSIC, IN2UB- Av Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Melgar-Lesmes
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Fisicoquímica, Univ. de Barcelona. Unitat Associada d'I+D al CSIC, IN2UB- Av Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gabriela Calderó
- Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Fisicoquímica, Univ. de Barcelona. Unitat Associada d'I+D al CSIC, IN2UB- Av Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Laccase-zein interactions at the air-water interface: Reactors on an air bubble and naphthalene removal from water. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2020.125518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
7
|
Estepa KMO, Lamont K, Malicevic S, Paschos A, Colaruotolo L, Corradini M, Marangoni AG, Lim LT, Pensini E. Chitosan-Based biogels: A potential approach to trap and bioremediate naphthalene. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2020.125374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
8
|
Marshall T, Estepa KM, Corradini M, Marangoni AG, Sleep B, Pensini E. Selective solvent filters for non-aqueous phase liquid separation from water. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11931. [PMID: 32686747 PMCID: PMC7371871 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68920-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Injectable filters permeable to water but impermeable to non-polar solvents were developed to contain non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) in contaminated aquifers, hence protecting downstream receptors during NAPL remediation. Filters were produced by injecting aqueous solutions of 0.01% chitosan, hydroxyethylcellulose and quaternized hydroxyethylcellulose into sand columns, followed by rinsing with water. Polymer sorption onto silica was verified using a quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. Fluorescence and gas chromatography mass spectroscopy showed low ppm range concentrations of non-polar solvents (e.g., hexane and toluene) in water eluted from the filters (in the absence of emulsifiers). The contact angles between polymer-coated surfaces and hexane or toluene were > 90°, indicating surface oleophobicity. Organic, polar solvents (e.g. tetrahydrofuran and tetrachloroethylene, TCE) were not separated from water. The contact angles between polymer-coated surfaces and TCE was also > 90°. However, the contact area with polymer coated surfaces was greater for TCE than non-polar solvents, suggesting higher affinity between TCE and the surfaces. Emulsifiers can be used to facilitate NAPL extraction from aquifers. Emulsion separation efficiency depended on the emulsifier used. Emulsions were not separated with classical surfactants (e.g. Tween 20 and oleic acid) or alkaline zein solutions. Partial emulsion separation was achieved with humic acids and zein particles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatianna Marshall
- School of Engineering, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Klaudine M Estepa
- School of Engineering, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Maria Corradini
- Food Science Department, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
- Food Science Department, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Alejandro G Marangoni
- Food Science Department, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Brent Sleep
- Civil and Mineral Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 35 St George St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Erica Pensini
- School of Engineering, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
|