A facile polymerisation of magnetic coal to enhanced phosphate removal from solution

Efficient adsorption of organic pollutants phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) utilizing magnetite functionalized covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs): A promising future material for industrial applications

The utilization of phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) as the major component in plastic and its derivative industry has raised concerns among the public due to the harmful effects caused by these organic pollutants. These pollutants are found to exhibit unique physicochemical properties that allow the pollutants to have prolonged existence in the environment, thus causing damage to the environment. Since phthalates and bisphenol A are used in a variety of industrial applications, the industry must recover these compounds from its water before releasing the pollutants into the environment. As a result, these materials have a promising future in industrial applications. Therefore, the discovery of new quick and reliable abatement technologies is important to ensure that these organic pollutants can be detected and removed from the water sources. This review highlights the use of the adsorption method to remove phthalates and BPA from water sources by employing novel modified adsorbent magnetite functionalized covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs). MCOFs is a new class of porous materials that have demonstrated promising features in a variety of applications due to their adaptable structures, significant surface areas, configurable porosity, and customizable chemistry. The structural attributes, functional design strategies, and specialized for environmental applications before offering some closing thoughts and suggestions for further research were discussed in this paper in addition to developing an innovative solution for the industry to the accessibility for clean water.

Removal of Fluoride from Phosphogypsum Leaching Solution with Phosphate Tailing Based Layered Double Hydroxides: Kinetics and Equilibrium Isotherms

In this work, ternary and quaternary layered double oxides (PTB-LDO3 and PTB-LDO4) based on phosphate tailings were synthesized by the coprecipitation method. The as-prepared samples were characterized and applied to remove fluorine ions from a phosphogypsum leaching solution. The results indicated that both the precursor of PTB-LDO3 and PTB-LDO4 showed a layered structure with characteristic diffraction peaks of hydrotalcite. Compared with PTB-LDO4, PTB-LDO3 exhibited better adsorption performance at pH 5–6 and a dosage of 0.04 mg L−1. The adsorption kinetics results revealed that the adsorption of fluorine by PTB-LDO3 and PTB-LDO4 reached the adsorption equilibrium in about 3 h, and followed the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption data could be fitted better with the Langmuir isotherm with the maximum adsorption amounts of 26.03 mg g−1 and 15.66 mg g−1 for PTB-LDO3 and PTB-LDO4, respectively. The adsorption of fluorine by PTB-LDO3 and PTB-LDO4 were both spontaneous and exothermic, and exhibited excellent reusability and stability. This study provides a possibility for the combined treatment of phosphorus chemical solid waste (phosphorus tailings) and phosphorus chemical wastewater (phosphogypsum leaching liquid).

Phosphate Adsorption onto an Al-Ti Bimetal Oxide Composite in Neutral Aqueous Solution: Performance and Thermodynamics

Phosphorus (P) pollution and phosphorus recovery are important issues in the field of environmental science. In this work, a novel Al-Ti bimetal composite sorbent was developed via a cost-effective co-precipitation approach for P removal from water. The adsorptive performance and characteristics of P onto Al-Ti sorbent were evaluated by batch adsorption experiments. The effects of Al:Ti molar ratio, initial P concentration and reaction temperature were investigated. The microstructural characteristics of the Al-Ti sorbent were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption of P on Al-Ti oxide proceeds according to pseudo-second-order kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity of phosphate on the Al-Ti oxide calculated from linear Langmuir models was 68.2 mg-P/g at pH 6.8. The Al-Ti oxide composite sorbent showed good potential for P recovery, owing to its large adsorption capacity and ease of regeneration.

Fixed-Bed Column Technique for the Removal of Phosphate from Water Using Leftover Coal

The excessive discharge of phosphate from anthropogenic activities is a primary cause for the eutrophication of aquatic habitats. Several methodologies have been tested for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions, and adsorption in a flow-through reactor is an effective mechanism to reduce the nutrient loading of water. This research aimed to investigate the adsorption potential of leftover coal material to remove phosphate from a solution by using continuous flow fixed-bed column, and analyzes the obtained breakthrough curves. A series of column tests were performed to determine the phosphorus breakthrough characteristics by varying operational design parameters such as adsorbent bed height (5 to 8 cm), influent phosphate concentration (10–25 mg/L), and influent flow rate (1–2 mL/min). The amorphous and crystalline property of leftover coal material was studied using XRD technology. The FT-IR spectrum confirmed the interaction of adsorption sites with phosphate ions. Breakthrough time decreased with increasing flow rate and influent phosphate concentration, but increased with increasing adsorbent bed height. Breakthrough-curve analysis showed that phosphate adsorption onto the leftover coal material was most effective at a flow rate of 1 mL/min, influent phosphate concentration of 25 mg/L, and at a bed height of 8 cm. The maximal total phosphate adsorbed onto the coal material’s surface was 243 mg/kg adsorbent. The Adams–Bohart model depicted the experimental breakthrough curve well, and overall performed better than the Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models did, with correlation values (R²) ranging from 0.92 to 0.98. Lastly, leftover coal could be used in the purification of phosphorus-laden water, and the Adams–Bohart model can be employed to design filter units at a technical scale.

Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) over cinder-based nanoneedle in presence of tartaric acid: Synergistic performance and mechanism

Cr(VI) is a common heavy metal ion, which will seriously harm human body and environment. Therefore, the removal of Cr(VI) has become an attractive topic. In this work, cinder was used as a raw material to synthesize a nanoneedle material: γ-(AlOOH@FeOOH) (γ-Al@Fe). The physicochemical properties of γ-Al@Fe were thoroughly characterized, and its effectiveness as a catalyst for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) was evaluated. The results showed that Cr(VI) could be efficiently reduced by γ-Al@Fe in the presence of tartaric acid (TA) under visible light. The variable factors on the reaction were investigated in detail, and the results showed that under optimal conditions (γ-Al@Fe 0.4 g/L, TA 0.6 g/L, pH 2), Cr(VI) was completely reduced within 7 min. Besides, scavenger experiments and EPR proved that O₂^{• -} and CO₂^{• -} played a significant role in the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). TA acts as a sacrificial agent to trap the holes and generate strong reducing free radicals: CO₂^{• -}. Dissolving O₂ could react with electrons to generate O₂^{• -}. This work discussed the performance and mechanism of photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) in detail, which provided a new idea for the resource utilization of solid waste and the treatment of heavy metal sewage.

Lignite, thermally-modified and Ca/Mg-modified lignite for phosphate remediation

Aqueous phosphate uptake is needed to reduce global eutrophication. Negatively charged adsorbent surfaces usually give poor phosphate sorption. Chemically- and thermally-modified lignite (CTL) was prepared by impregnating low-cost lignite (RL) with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ cations, basified with KOH (pH ̴ 13.9), followed by a 1 h 600 °C pyrolysis under nitrogen. CTL has a positive surface (PZC = 13) due to basic surface Ca and Mg compounds, facilitating the aqueous phosphate uptake. CaCO₃, MgO, Ca(OH)₂, and Mg(OH)₂ surface phases with 0.22 μm particle sizes were verified by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and EDX before and after phosphate uptake. Higher amounts of these mineral phases promoted more CTL phosphate uptake than raw lignite (RL) and thermally treated lignite (TL) without Ca/Mg modification. Phosphorous uptake by Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ occurs not by classic adsorption but by stochiometric precipitation of Mg₃(PO₄)₂, MgHPO₄, Ca₃(PO₄)₂, and CaHPO₄. This offers the potential of substantial uptake capacities. CTL's phosphate removal is pH-dependent; the optimum pH was 2.2. Water-washed CTL exhibited a maximum Langmuir phosphate uptake capacity of 15.5 mg/g at pH 7, 6 and 14 times higher than that of TL and RL, respectively (particle size <150 μm, adsorbent dose 50 mg, 25 mL of 25-1000 ppm phosphate concentration, 24 h, 25 °C). The unwashed CTL exhibited a maximum Langmuir phosphate removal capacity (80.6 mg/g), 5.2-times greater than the washed CTL (15.5 mg/g). Insoluble Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ phosphates/hydrophosphate particles dominated CTL's phosphate removal. Phosphates were recovered from both exhausted unwashed and washed CTL better in HCl than in NaOH. P-laden washed CTL exhibited a slow phosphate leaching rate under initial pH of 6.5-7.5 (52-57% over 20 days) after phosphate uptake, indicating it could serve as a slow-release fertilizer. Unwashed CTL retained more phosphates than washed CTL (cumulative q_e for 4 cycles = 391.8 mg/g vs 374.7 mg/g) and potentially improves soil fertility more.

Adsorptive Removal of Phosphate from Aqueous Solutions Using Low-Cost Volcanic Rocks: Kinetics and Equilibrium Approaches

The contamination of surface and groundwater with phosphate originating from industrial and household wastewater remains a serious environmental issue in low-income countries. Herein, phosphate removal from aqueous solutions was studied using low-cost volcanic rocks such as pumice (VPum) and scoria (VSco), obtained from the Ethiopian Great Rift Valley. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted using phosphate solutions with concentrations of 0.5 to 25 mg·L⁻¹ to examine the adsorption kinetic as well as equilibrium conditions. The experimental adsorption data were tested by employing various equilibrium adsorption models, and the Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms best depicted the observations. The maximum phosphate adsorption capacities of VPum and VSco were calculated and found to be 294 mg·kg⁻¹ and 169 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively. A pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the experimental data with a coefficient of correlation of R² > 0.99 for both VPum and VSco; however, VPum showed a slightly better selectivity for phosphate removal than VSco. The presence of competitive anions markedly reduced the removal efficiency of phosphate from the aqueous solution. The adsorptive removal of phosphate was affected by competitive anions in the order: HCO₃⁻ >F⁻ > SO₄⁻² > NO₃⁻ > Cl⁻ for VPum and HCO₃⁻ > F⁻ > Cl⁻ > SO₄⁻² > NO₃⁻ for VSco. The results indicate that the readily available volcanic rocks have a good adsorptive capacity for phosphate and shall be considered in future studies as test materials for phosphate removal from water in technical-scale experiments.

Environmental impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) from Turkish perceptive

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 was not taken seriously by many of us until the wave hit our countries and impacted daily life routines and travel plans, similar to our responses to climate change. COVID-19 led to a decrease of anthropogenic activities in Turkey, largely due to lockdown. Changes in the air quality index (AQI) were assessed before and during coronavirus. In this study, the authors investigated the changes of AQI for 2.5 µm particulate matter (PM_2.5), a primary air pollutant, as well as ozone, a secondary air pollutant, in Turkey during December 2019, April 2020, and May 2020. Overall, the PM_2.5 index improved by 34.5% by the end of April 2020. However, the ozone index increased from 16.8 to 28.8 by the end of April. The increase in ozone is attributed to the reduction of PM levels, which increased sunlight penetration. Before COVID-19, the AQI for Turkey was categorized as unhealthy for sensitive groups (PM_2.5 = 103); however, during the pandemic, AQI fell to lower boundaries of the moderate category by May 2020 (PM_2.5 = 56.9). Changes in municipal wastewater were also assessed. Municipal wastewater quality and hospital waste generation did not change during the pandemic in Turkey. Therefore, we should not expect COVID-19 risks in treatment plant effluents. This study gives confidence to regulators that when strict measures are implemented, air quality can improve.

Recent Advancements in the Removal of Cyanotoxins from Water Using Conventional and Modified Adsorbents—A Contemporary Review

The prevalence of cyanobacteria is increasing in freshwaters due to climate change, eutrophication, and their ability to adapt and thrive in changing environmental conditions. In response to various environmental pressures, they produce toxins known as cyanotoxins, which impair water quality significantly. Prolonged human exposure to cyanotoxins, such as microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxins, and anatoxin through drinking water can cause severe health effects. Conventional water treatment processes are not effective in removing these cyanotoxins in water and advanced water treatment processes are often used instead. Among the advanced water treatment methods, adsorption is advantageous compared to other methods because of its affordability and design simplicity for cyanotoxins removal. This article provides a current review of recent developments in cyanotoxin removal using both conventional and modified adsorbents. Given the different cyanotoxins removal capacities and cost of conventional and modified adsorbents, a future outlook, as well as suggestions are provided to achieve optimal cyanotoxin removal through adsorption.

Removal of Phosphate Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption onto Leftover Coal

High loadings of wastewater with phosphors (P) require purification measures, which can be challenging to realize in regions where the technical and financial frame does not allow sophisticated applications. Simple percolation devices employing various kinds of adsorbents might be an alternative. Here, we investigated the application of leftover coal, which was collected from Ethiopian coal mining areas, as an adsorbent for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions in a classical slurry batch set-up. The combined effects of operational parameters such as contact time, initial concentration, and solution pH on P retention efficiency was studied employing the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The maximum phosphate adsorption (79% removal and 198 mg kg−1 leftover coal) was obtained at a contact time of 200 min, an initial phosphate concentration of 5 mg/L, and a solution pH of 2.3. The Freundlich isotherm was fitted to the experimental data. The pseudo second-order equation describes the experimental data well, with a correlation value of R2 = 0.99. The effect of temperature on the adsorption reveals that the process is exothermic. The results demonstrate that leftover coal material could potentially be applied for the removal of phosphate from aqueous media, but additional testing in a flow-through set-up using real wastewater is required to draw definite conclusions.