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Hamed M, El-Aal MA, Khaled MA, Ghoneim SM, Saad E, Lee JS, Sayed AEDH. Occurrence, distribution, and composition of black sand along the Red Sea, Egypt. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171277. [PMID: 38408651 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Black sand along the Red Sea is often composed of volcanic minerals and heavy minerals. The Red Sea region is known for its unique geological features, and black sand beaches can be found in various areas along its shores. The study presents a comprehensive semi-quantitative chemical analysis of black sand samples collected from various locations along the red sea, revealing significant variations in their elemental compositions. The main oxides were identified in each sample, determined through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses, indicate diverse mineralogical compositions. The spatial distribution of minerals at each site is depicted through mapping. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra offer information on the functional groups present in the samples, revealing the existence of hydroxyl groups, aliphatic compounds, and adsorbed water molecules. For Qusier-Elsharm Alqbly, Safaga, Marsa Alam, Gabal Alrosass, Hurghada Titanic, Hurghada Elahiaa, Gemsa, and Ras Elbehar samples, the results highlight the presence of various minerals, such as Quartz, Calcite, Titanium Dioxide, Magnetite, Hematite, Aluminum Oxide, Zirconium Dioxide, Chromium (III) Oxide, and others, providing insights into the geological characteristics of each location. The differences in mineral content among the examined sites are linked to the geological and mineralogical makeup of the source rocks upstream and midstream in the basins that discharge into the surveyed regions. So, variations in black sand concentrations among different locations offer insights into the geological and mineralogical diversity of the studied areas along the Red Sea coast. This study addresses the existing knowledge gap by focusing on the preliminary exploration and description of the occurrence, distribution, and composition of black sand along the Red Sea in Egypt. whereas the results provide valuable insights into the geological diversity of black sand deposits in the surveyed areas, underscoring the need for additional research and interpretation of these variations. Therefore, the in-depth examination of mineralogical composition and crystal structures establishes a foundation for future investigations in the field of geology and earth sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Hamed
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, 71524 Assiut, Egypt; Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Mohamed Abd El-Aal
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mostafa A Khaled
- Marine Science Department, National Authority for Remote Sensing & Space Sciences (NARSS), 1564 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sobhi M Ghoneim
- Mineral Resources Department, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Saad
- Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Alaa El-Din H Sayed
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt; Molecular Biology Research & Studies Institute, Assiut University, 71516 Assiut, Egypt.
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Goda MN, El-Aal MA, Magdy E, Said AEAA. The catalytic performance of FexMn1-xWO4 as novel wolframite-type nanocatalysts for the selective dehydration of methanol into dimethyl ether. MOLECULAR CATALYSIS 2023; 547:113350. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcat.2023.113350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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Modified natural kaolin clay as an active, selective, and stable catalyst for methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9407. [PMID: 35672397 PMCID: PMC9174221 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13349-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, the production of dimethyl ether (DME) from methanol over natural kaolin clay modified through impregnation with various percentages of H2SO4, WO3, or ZrO2 catalysts was investigated. The prepared catalysts were characterized via X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and N2-sorption analysis. The acidity of these catalysts was determined through the dehydration of isopropyl alcohol and the chemisorption of pyridine. The catalytic activity performance revealed that the addition of modifiers into kaolin enhanced the latter’s activity toward DME production. In addition, the kaolin clay modified with 10 wt% ZrO2 exhibited excellent activity of 98% conversion with 100% selectivity at 275 °C. Moreover, this catalyst could proceed the reaction for a long time (6 days) without any noticeable deactivation. The remarkable improvement in the catalytic performance achievement was well correlated with the acidity and the structure of the catalysts.
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