Insight into highly efficient co-removal of p-nitrophenol and lead by nitrogen-functionalized magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon: Performance and modelling

Enhanced fluoride removal using Mg-Zr binary metal oxide nanoparticles confined in a strong-base anion exchanger

Generally, the pH of fluorinated groundwater or many industrial wastewater is neutral, while the majority of metal-modified adsorbents can work efficiently only under acidic conditions. In this study, we synthesized a novel hybrid adsorbent, Mg-Zr-D213, by loading nano-Mg/Zr binary metal (hydrogen) oxides in a strong-base anion exchanger, D213, to enhance the adsorption of fluoride from neutral water. Mg-Zr-D213 exhibited a better fluoride-removal capacity in neutral water than monometallic modified resins. Under the interference of competing anions and coexisting organic acids, Mg-Zr-D213 exhibited superior selectivity. The Langmuir model indicated that the fitted maximum sorption capacity of Mg-Zr-D213 was 41.38 mg/g. The results of column experiments showed that the effective treatment volume of Mg-Zr-D213 was 8-16-times higher than that of D213 for both synthetic groundwater and actual industrial wastewater, and that NaOH-NaCl eluent could effectively recover more than 95% of fluoride. Adsorption experiments with Mg/Zr metal (hydrogen) oxide particles and D213 separately demonstrated a synergistic effect between -N+(CH3)3 and Mg/Zr metal (hydrogen) oxide particles. The ligand exchange or metal-ligand interaction of Mg/Zr metal (hydrogen) oxide particles on fluoride was further demonstrated via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Overall, Mg-Zr-D213 has great potential for enhanced fluoride removal in neutral water.

Enhanced microbial degradation mediated by pyrogenic carbon toward p-nitrophenol: Role of carbon structures and iron minerals

Pyrogenic carbon (PC) including black carbons and engineered carbons can mediate the extracellular electron transfer to facilitate the biogeochemical reaction with organic pollutants. Yet, the role of carbon structures and iron minerals on PC-mediated microbial degradation is still lacking of understanding. Herein, we studied the electrochemical properties of PCs produced from varied feedstock with regards to the mediated degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 in anoxic system. Mediated degradation by PCs was enhanced by facilitating extracellular electron transfer through oxygenated group and graphitic structure. Graphitic crystallites improved the electron-accepting capacity (as suggested by ID/IG and EAC) and diminished the electrochemical impedance (as suggested by Rct), contributing to PNP degradation under the anoxic system. Furthermore, more interfacial adsorption was conducive to the mediated reduction by the graphitic structure on PCs of high-temperature. In the presence of iron minerals, both hematite and goethite significantly facilitated PC-mediated degradation, which could be ascribed to the enhancement of the electron-donating capacity of microorganism and the accumulation of the reductive-state PCs by the interaction with generated Fe(II). This work paves a feasible way to the technical design on the remediation of phenolic contaminants by PC-mediated microbial degradation in environment.

Dual-functional molecularly imprinted doped carbon dot based on metal-organic frameworks for tetracycline adsorption and determination

A carbon dot (CD) was prepared by using tryptophan as a single carbon source and demonstrated its good selective fluorescence quenching effect on tetracycline (TC). The modified metal-organic frameworks (MOF) NH2-MIL-101 was chosen as matrix, doped with CD, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) prepared with TC as the template, and finally CD-MOF-MIP complexes (CD@MIP) was synthesized. For comparison, MIP were also prepared without CD as well as non-imprinted polymers and their ability was tested, respectively. CD@MIP is a nanomaterial with bright fluorescence under the irradiation of ordinary UV equipment (λ = 360 nm), which has a fast and stable fluorescence quenching for TC and a good linear relationship for TC in the concentration range 0-400 μmol L-1. The quantum yield of CD@MIP was 12.75% and the 3σ limit of detection (LOD) for CD@MIP was 0.59 μmol L-1. The maximum adsorption capacity of CD@MIP reached 304.6 mg g-1 and the adsorption equilibrium was reached after about 75 min. The adsorption of CD@MIP to tetracycline spiked in milk samples reached 90.0 mg g-1 within 2 h, which was much higher than that of NIP (48.4 mg g-1) under the same conditions, as demonstrated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results obtained showed that CD@MIP combined the high adsorption capacity of MOF, the specific adsorption of molecular imprinting and the fluorescence properties of CD, can determine and rapidly removeTC in the environment.

A comprehensive review of coconut-based porous materials for wastewater treatment and CO2 capture

For several decades, water pollution has become a major threat to aquatic and non-aquatic species, including humans. Different treatment techniques have already been proposed and implemented depending on wastewater characteristics. But many of these treatment techniques are expensive and inefficient. Adsorption-based techniques have shown impressive performances as an inexpensive treatment method previously. Coconut-based resources have been considered as adsorbents for wastewater treatment because of their abundance, low cost, and favorable surface properties. However, over the last decade, no comprehensive study has been published regarding biochar from coconut-based materials for wastewater treatment and CO2 capture. This review discusses biochar production technology for coconut-based materials, its modification and characterization, its utilization as an adsorbent for removing metals and organics from wastewater, and the associated removal mechanisms and the economic aspects of coconut-based biochar. Coconut-based materials are cheap and effective for removing various organic compounds such as pesticides, hormones, phenol, and phenolic compounds from solutions and capturing CO2 from air mainly through the pore-filling mechanism. Utilizing coconut-based biochars in a hybrid system that combines adsorption and other techniques, such as biotechnology or chemical coagulation is a promising way to increase their performance as an adsorbent in wastewater treatment.

The role of organic and inorganic substituents of roxarsone determines its binding behavior and mechanisms onto nano-ferrihydrite colloidal particles

The retention and fate of Roxarsone (ROX) onto typical reactive soil minerals were crucial for evaluating its potential environmental risk. However, the behavior and molecular-level reaction mechanism of ROX and its substituents with iron (hydr)oxides remains unclear. Herein, the binding behavior of ROX on ferrihydrite (Fh) was investigated through batch experiments and in-situ ATR-FTIR techniques. Our results demonstrated that Fh is an effective geo-sorbent for the retention of ROX. The pseudo-second-order kinetic and the Langmuir model successfully described the sorption process. The driving force for the binding of ROX on Fh was ascribed to the chemical adsorption, and the rate-limiting step is simultaneously dominated by intraparticle and film diffusion. Isotherms results revealed that the sorption of ROX onto Fh appeared in uniformly distributed monolayer adsorption sites. The two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy and XPS results implied that the nitro, hydroxyl, and arsenate moiety of ROX molecules have participated in binding ROX onto Fh, signifying that the predominated mechanisms were attributed to the hydrogen bonding and surface complexation. Our results can help to better understand the ROX-mineral interactions at the molecular level and lay the foundation for exploring the degradation, transformation, and remediation technologies of ROX and structural analog pollutants in the environment.

Activated carbon prepared from Brazil nut shells towards phenol removal from aqueous solutions

The Brazil nut shell was used as a precursor material for preparing activated carbon by chemical activation with potassium hydroxide. The obtained material (BNSAC) was characterized, and the adsorptive features of phenol were investigated. The characterization showed that the activated carbon presented several rounded cavities along the surface, with a specific surface area of 332 m² g^-1. Concerning phenol adsorption, it was favored using an adsorbent dosage of 0.75 g L^-1 and pH 6. The kinetic investigation revealed that the system approached the equilibrium in around 180 min, and the Elovich model represented the kinetic curves. The Sips model well represented the equilibrium isotherms. In addition, the increase in temperature from 25 to 55 °C favored the phenol adsorption, increasing the maximum adsorption capacity value (q_s) from 83 to 99 mg g^-1. According to the estimated thermodynamic parameters, the adsorption was spontaneous, favorable, endothermic, and governed by physical interactions. Therefore, the Brazil nut shell proved a good precursor material for preparing efficient activated carbon for phenol removal.

Solvent-dependent strategy to construct mesoporous Zr-based metal-organic frameworks for high-efficient adsorption of tetracycline

The accumulated antibiotics in the aquatic environment pose great threat to human and ecological health, boosting the development of porous materials for antibiotic removal. Mesoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great promise in adsorption, which, however, usually need supramolecular design or cooperative template strategy for synthesis. Here we report the successful construction of mesoporous zirconium based metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) via a simple solvent-dependent strategy. Regulation of the ratio of water to N, N-dimethylacetamide during synthesis determined the porous structure of the synthesized MOFs. Systematic characterizations including SEM, FTIR, XRD and nitrogen sorption isotherm were carried out for structure analysis of the MOFs. With water fraction of 20% (v/v), the obtained Zr-MOF exhibited the highest adsorption capacity (Q_max of 337.0 mg⋅g^-1) towards tetracycline (TC). The adsorption kinetics fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the adsorption isotherms fitted the Freundlich model well. Adsorption mechanism investigation revealed that the abundant Zr-OH groups stemming from coordination defects mainly accounted for TC adsorption. The hydrogen bonding interaction between TC and Zr-MOF and the generated mesopores contributed to the satisfactory adsorption capacity. This work is anticipated to provide insights on facile synthesis of mesoporous MOFs and application in environmental remediation.

Leaf-like ionic covalent organic framework for the highly efficient and selective removal of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Adsorption performance and mechanism insights

In recent years, ionic covalent organic frameworks (iCOFs) have become popular for the removal of contaminants from water. Herein, we employed 2-hydroxybenzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde (TFP) and 1,3-diaminoguanidine monohydrochloride (Dg_Cl) to develop a novel leaf-like iCOF (TFP-Dg_Cl) for the highly efficient and selective removal of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The uniformly distributed adsorption sites, suitable pore sizes, and functional groups (hydroxyl groups, guanidinium groups, and aromatic groups) of the TFP-Dg_Cl endowed it with powerful and selective adsorption capacities for NSAIDs. Remarkably, the optimal leaf-like TFP-Dg_Cl demonstrated an excellent maximum adsorption capacity (1100.08 mg/g) for diclofenac sodium (DCF), to the best of our knowledge, the largest adsorption capacity ever achieved for DCF. Further testing under varying environmental conditions such as pH, different types of anions, and multi-component systems confirmed the practical suitability of the TFP-Dg_Cl. Moreover, the prepared TFP-Dg_Cl exhibited exceptional reusability and stability through six adsorption-desorption cycles. Finally, the adsorption mechanisms of NSAIDs on leaf-like TFP-Dg_Cl were confirmed as electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. This work significantly supplements to our understanding of iCOFs and provides new insights into the removal of NSAIDs from wastewater.

Efficient phenolic compounds adsorption by immobilization of copper-based metal-organic framework anchored polyacrylonitrile/chitosan beads

The application of newly formulated beads from copper-benzenetricarboxylate (Cu-BTC), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and chitosan (C), Cu-BTC@C-PAN, C-PAN, and PAN, for the removal of phenolic chemicals from water, is described in the current paper. Phenolic compounds (4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP)) were adsorbed using beads and the adsorption optimization looked at the effects of several experimental factors. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to explain the adsorption isotherms in the system. A pseudo-first and second-order equation is performed for describing the kinetics of adsorption. The obtained data fit (R² = 0.999) supports the suitability of the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic equation for the adsorption mechanism. Cu-BTC@C-PAN, C-PAN, and PAN beads' morphology and structure were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). According to the findings, Cu-BTC@C-PAN has very high adsorption capacities of 277.02, and 324.74 mg g^-1, for 4-CP and 4-NP, respectively. The Cu-BTC@C-PAN beads showed 2.55 times higher adsorption capacity than PAN in the case of 4-NP, but in the case of 4-CP, it was higher by 2.64 times.

A comprehensive review on the metal-based green valorized nanocomposite for the remediation of emerging colored organic waste

In today's era, "green" synthesis is an emerging research trend. It has gained widespread attention owing to its dynamic behavior, reliability, simplicity, sustainability, and environment friendly approach for fabricating various nanomaterials. Green fabrication of metal/metal oxides nanomaterials, hybrid materials, and other metal-based nanocomposite can be utilized to remove toxic colored aqueous pollutants. Nanomaterials synthesized by using green approach is considered to be the significant tool to minimize unwanted or harmful by-products otherwise released from traditional synthesis methods. Various kinds of biosynthesized nanomaterials, such as animal waste and plant-based, have been successfully applied and well documented in the literature. However, their application part, especially for the cure of colored organic polluted water, has not been reported as a single review article. Therefore, the current work aims to assemble reports on using novel biosynthesized green metal-based nanomaterials to exclude harmful dyes from polluted water.

Competitive adsorption mechanisms of pigments in sugarcane juice on starch-based magnetic nanocomposites

The pigments in sugarcane result the crystallised sucrose appears unsatisfactorily yellow. In this study, cationic tapioca starch (CTS)-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (CTS@Fe₃O₄) were synthesized and used as adsorbents for the removal of undesirable pigments. The adsorption properties of CTS@Fe₃O₄ were investigated by a sugarcane juice colorant model consisting of caffeic acid (CA), gallic acid (GA) and melanoidin (ME). The equilibrium adsorption capacities of CTS@Fe₃O₄ for CA, GA, and ME were 185, 160 and 580 mg g^-1 at the optimal conditions (60, 60 and 180 mg L^-1 initial concentrations, respectively; 0.3 mg mL^-1 CTS@Fe₃O₄ dosage, 313 K temperature, and pH value of 7). The adsorption process was described well by second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models with a high fitting correlation coefficient approaching 1, suggesting that the pigments formed a surface monolayer with a homogenously distributed adsorption energy and was mainly dominated by chemisorption. The thermodynamic parameters (Gibbs free energy <0, enthalpy >0, and entropy >0) revealed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. For the binary system, the competitive adsorption between pigments was primarily antagonistic. The speed of adsorption was the main factor affecting competitive adsorption, and the additional adsorption force reduced the effects of coexisting adsorbates.

Selective removal of heavy metals by Zr-based MOFs in wastewater: New acid and amino functionalization strategy

Zr-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been developed in recent years to treat heavy metals, e.g. hexavalent chromium Cr⁶⁺ pollution, which damages the surrounding ecosystem and threaten human health. This kind of MOF is stable and convenient to prepare, but has the disadvantage of low adsorption capacity, limiting its wide application. To this end, a novel formic acid and amino modified MOFs were prepared, referred to as Form-UiO-66-NH₂. Due to the modification of formic acid, its specific surface area, pore size, and crystal size were effectively expanded, and the adsorption capacity of Cr⁶⁺ was significantly enhanced. Under optimal conditions, Form-UiO-66-NH₂ exhibited an excellent adsorption capacity (338.98 mg/g), ∼10 times higher than that reported for unmodified Zr-based MOFs and most other adsorbents. An in-depth study on the photoelectronic properties and pH confirmed that the adsorption mechanism of Form-UiO-66-NH₂ to Cr⁶⁺ was electrostatic adsorption. After modification, the improvement of Cr⁶⁺ adsorption capacity by Form-UiO-66-NH₂ was attributed to the expansion of its specific surface area and the increase in its surface charge. The present study revealed an important finding that Form-UiO-66-NH₂ elucidated selective adsorption to Cr⁶⁺ in mixed wastewater containing toxic heavy metal ions and common nonmetallic water quality factors. This research provided a new acid and amino functionalization perspective for improving the adsorption capacity of Zr-based MOF adsorbents while simultaneously demonstrating their pertinence to target contaminant adsorption.

Treatment of cadmium and zinc-contaminated water systems using modified biochar: Contaminant uptake, adsorption ability, and mechanism

Cd and Zn contamination in water occurs frequently that threatens water supply, human health, and food production. MnFeB, a novel absorbent biochar modified using KMnO₄ and hematite, was prepared and used for the treatment of Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺solutions. MnFeB exhibits a rough surface structure, large specific surface area, higher total pore volume, massive functional groups, and abundant iron oxide, all of which contribute to higher Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ adsorption capacity. In single metal systems, maximum Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ adsorption capacities of MnFeB were 1.88 and 1.79 times higher than those of unmodified biochar (CSB). The maximum Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ adsorption capacities of MnFeB were 2.73 and 2.65 times higher than CSB in the binary metal system. Key adsorption mechanisms of Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ by MnFeB included electrostatic interaction, co-precipitation, π-π interaction, complexation, and ion exchange. Thus, MnFeB can be used as a novel absorbent to treat Cd and Zn-polluted water.

Preparation of lignin modified hyper-cross-linked nanoporous resins and their efficient adsorption for p-nitrophenol in aqueous solution and CO2 capture

A series of lignin modified hyper-cross-linked nanoporous resins (LMHCRs) had been synthesized from lignin, 4-vinylbenzyl chloride, and divinylbenzene by free radical polymerization reaction and following Friedel-Crafts reaction. The results indicated that Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (S_BET) of LMHCRs decreased with different degrees compared with polymeric microspheres (HCRs) without adding lignin. With increasing the feeding amount of lignin, the S_BET of LMHCRs first increased and then decreased, and LMHCR-2 had larger S_BET (968.52 m²/g) and average pore size (D_A: 2.51 nm). Meanwhile, their contact angle continuously decreased from 92.1⁰ to 71.3⁰, indicating the enhanced polarity. Interestingly, the adsorption capacity of p-nitrophenol (PNP) on all LMHCRs were obviously higher than rhodamine B, and LMHCR-2 had the largest capacity ratio (3.780) of PNP to rhodamine B or other organic dyes at 298 K. Specifically, the Q_m of PNP on LMHCR-2 reached the largest value (492.1 mg/g) due to its suitable porosity and favorable surface polarity. LMHCR-2 also displayed excellent CO₂ capture (86.5 mg/g) at 273 K and 1 bar and good reusability. This study provided an efficient route to modify hyper-cross-linked resin by using the residual lignin, and showed the enhanced adsorption performance.

Performance improvement of PES membrane decorated by Mil-125(Ti)/chitosan nanocomposite for removal of organic pollutants and heavy metal

The Mil-125(Ti)-CS nanocomposite was successfully synthesized and characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Then, to improve the membrane performance, the synthesized Mil-125(Ti)-CS nanocomposite was embedded into the polyethersulfone (PES) membrane matrix. The nanofiltration membranes were fabricated via phase inversion method. Presence of chitosan in the structure of Mil-125(Ti) has increased the compatibility of nanoparticles with the polymer and also improved the hydrophilicity of the resulted membranes. The water contact angle of bare membrane (58°) was reduced to 40° by blending of 1 wt% nanocomposite led to increasing the pure water flux. However, the incorporation of more than 1 wt% of the nanocomposite caused the accumulation of nanocomposites and this was reduced the pore radius and permeability. The membrane containing 1 wt% nanocomposite was displayed the highest flux recovery ratio (FRR) ∼ 98% in bovine serum albumin (BSA) filtration. The membranes containing Mil-125(Ti)-CS also showed good performance against fouling. The performance of membranes was evaluated by treatment of six reactive dyes, antibiotic (cefixime), heavy metal, NaCl and Na₂SO₄ solutions. Addition of Mil-125(Ti)-CS NPs at low concentrations resulted in membranes with high pure water flux, higher separation efficiency, and remarkable anti-fouling behavior.

Adsorption properties and recognition mechanisms of a novel surface imprinted polymer for selective removal of Cu(II)-citrate complexes

Cu(II)-citrate (Cu(II)-CA) complex, as one of the components in plating solutions, increases the difficulty of Cu(II) treatment due to its stable structure and high mobility. In this work, a novel surface imprinted polymer (Cu-CA-SIP) for selective removal of Cu(II)-CA complex from aqueous solution is synthesized by using polyethyleneimine (PEI) grafted onto chloromethylated polystyrene (CMP) microspheres. Cu(II)-CA anions are successfully imprinted with the molar ration of 1:1 by Cu-CA-SIP at initial pH 4.0. Nearly 100% removal rate can be achieved even at low Cu(II)-CA concentration (0.5 mmol/L), and the maximum Cu(II) uptake of Cu-CA-SIP reaches 1.38 mmol/g at 303 K. In Cu(II)/Fe(III)-CA, Cu(II)/Ni(II)-CA, Cu(II)/Zn(II)-CA and Cu(II)/Cd(II)-CA systems, the relative selectivity coefficients of Cu-CA-SIP for Cu(II)-CA are 9.66, 2.32, 1.40 and 44.55, respectively. Moreover, Cu-CA-SIP can be retrieved with negligible loss of adsorption capacity after six times of reuse. The Cu-CA-SIP column can effectively treat the actual electroplating wastewater within 114 BV, and can still reach 104 BV after three dynamic cycles. Therefore, an innovative imprinted material is designed for the first time on the basis of coordination-configuration recognition mechanism for the treatment of electroplating wastewater, providing a new insight in developing surface imprinted polymer in environmental remediation.

Role of Basic Surface Groups of Activated Carbon in Chlordecone and β-Hexachlorocyclohexane Adsorption: A Molecular Modelling Study

The influence of nitrogen-containing surface groups (SGs) onto activated carbon (AC) over the adsorption of chlordecone (CLD) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) was characterized by a molecular modelling study, considering pH (single protonated SGs) and hydration effect (up to three water molecules). The interactions of both pollutants with amines and pyridine as basic SGs of AC were studied, applying the multiple minima hypersurface (MMH) methodology and using PM7 semiempirical Hamiltonian. Representative structures from MMH were reoptimized using the M06-2X density functional theory. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) was used to characterize the interaction types in order understanding the adsorption process. A favorable association of both pesticides with the amines and pyridine SGs onto AC was observed at all pH ranges, both in the absence and presence of water molecules. However, a greater association of both pollutants with the primary amine was found under an acidic pH condition. QTAIM results show that the interactions of CLD and β-HCH with the SGs onto AC are governed by Cl···C interactions of chlorine atoms of both pesticides with the graphitic surface. Electrostatic interactions (H-bonds) were observed when water molecules were added to the systems. A physisorption mechanism is suggested for CLD and β-HCH adsorption on nitrogen-containing SGs of AC.

Modification of ordered mesoporous carbon for removal of environmental contaminants from aqueous phase: A review

Contamination of water bodies by potentially toxic elements and organic pollutants has aroused extensive concerns worldwide. Thus it is significant to develop effective adsorbents for removing these contaminants. As a new member of carbonaceous material families (activated carbon, biochar, and graphene), ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) with larger specific surface area, ordered pore structure, and higher pore volume are being evaluated for their use in contaminant removal. In this paper, modification techniques of OMC were systematically reviewed for the first time. These include nonmetallic doping modification (nitrogen, sulfur, and boron) and the impregnation of nano-metals and metal oxides (iron, copper, cobalt, nickel, magnesium, and rare earth element). Reaction conditions (solution pH, reaction temperature, sorbent dosage, and contact time) are of critical importance for the removal performance of contaminants onto OMC. In addition, the pristine and modified OMC have been investigated for the removal of a range of contaminants, including cationic/anionic toxic elements and organic contaminants (synthetic dye, phenol, and others), and involving different and specific mechanisms of interaction with contaminants. The future research directions of the application of pristine and modified OMC were proposed. Overall, this review can provide sights into the modification techniques of OMC for removal of environmental contaminants.

Multiple adsorption systems and electron-scale insights into the high efficiency coadsorption of a novel assembled cellulose via experiments and DFT calculations

In view of the characteristics of heavy metal and antibiotic compound pollution in the Pearl River Basin in Guangzhou. More scientifically modified cellulose, named HVUC, is characterized by multiple hydrophilic groups, long chains and large space and displays highly efficient adsorption of both Cd and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) and good adaptability in a wide pH range and at high ion strength. Furthermore, the coadsorption mechanism was elaborated from multiple angles. Multiple adsorption experiments explained the competition and synergy effect in the adsorption process. The electrostatic potential maps indicated that HVUC had advantageous adsorption sites for both Cd and SMZ and that electrostatic interactions had the greatest impact on the adsorption of Cd and SMZ. The electron density and differential charge density images proved that Cd more easily overlapped electron clouds and transferred electrons with HVUC and that SMZ^- and could act as a bridge for SMZ^-. The equilibrium configuration indicated that the formation of Cd-SMZ^- complexes led to the bending and folding of SMZ^-, which was not conducive to overall adsorption when SMZ^- was close to HVUC and could lead to the release of SMZ^- when Cd was close to HVUC, which confirmed the proposed mechanism of complexation-decomplexation-complexation.

Sequestration of p-nitrophenol from liquid phase by poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) containing thioamide group

In this paper, the adsorptive performance of synthesized thiourea (TU) modified poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) (TU-P(AN-co-AA)) polymeric adsorbent for capturing p-nitrophenol (PNP) from aqueous solution was investigated. TU-P(AN-co-AA) was synthesized via the redox polymerization method with acrylonitrile (AN) and acrylic acid (AA) as the monomers, then modified chemically with thiourea (TU). Characterization analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental microanalysis for CHNS, zeta potential measurement, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analysis and thermal analyses were carried out to determine the morphology and physico-chemical properties of the synthesized polymer. The characterization results indicated successful surface modification of polymer with TU. The performance of TU-P(AN-co-AA) for the removal of PNP was investigated under various experimental parameters (adsorbent dosage, initial adsorbate concentration, contact time and temperature). The results demonstrated that the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the equilibrium and kinetic data, respectively. Thermodynamic studies showed that the uptake of PNP by TU-P(AN-co-AA) was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The results of the regeneration studies suggested that the TU-P(AN-co-AA) polymer is a reusable adsorbent with great potential for removing PNP from wastewater.

Efficient graphene-coated iron oxide (GCIO) nanoadsorbent for removal of lead and arsenic ions

ABSTRACTThe graphene-coated iron oxide (GCIO) was used for the removal of Pb²⁺ and As³⁺ ions from aqueous solution. For the characterization of GCIO, several techniques (FTIR, XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM, TGA, DSC and vibrating sample magnetometry) were used which indicated the interaction of Pb²⁺ and As³⁺ with adsorbent. In addition, the effects of adsorbate concentration, different composition of adsorbent, temperature, pH of the solution and contact time of adsorbate-adsorbent were studied. After analysis of these experiments, it was found that GCIO offered very fast removal of Pb²⁺ and As³⁺ with small amount of GCIO (0.09 g) in 100 mg/L adsorbate solution. The maximum removal of Pb²⁺ ions (up to 97.62%) was achieved when 100 mg/L standard solution of metal ion was treated with GCIO for 35 min at 45°C in weak acidic medium (5 pH). The adsorption of Pb²⁺ ions followed Freundlich model with high correlation coefficient 0.98 R². In case of As³⁺ ions, maximum removal of metal ion (up to 86.62%) was attained when 100 mg/L adsorbate solution is treated with GCIO for 25 min in slightly acidic medium (6 pH) at 25°C. The adsorption of As³⁺ ions followed D-R model with 0.98 R² value. The adsorption of both metal ions (Pb²⁺ and As³⁺) follows second-order kinetic model. The high percentage removal of metal ions with little quantity of GCIO confirmed that GCIO is an excellent, effective and economic adsorbent.

Novel biochar and hydrochar for the adsorption of 2-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions: An approach using the PVSDM model

Two new adsorbents, namely avocado-based hydrochar and LDH/bone-based biochar, were developed, characterized, and applied for adsorbing 2-nitrophenol. The pore volume and surface diffusion model (PVSDM) was numerically solved for different geometries and applied to interpret the adsorption decay curves. Both adsorbents presented interesting textural and physicochemical characteristics, which achieved maximum adsorption capacities of 761 mg/g for biochar and 562 mg/g for hydrochar. The adsorption equilibrium data were well fitted by Henry isotherm. Besides, thermodynamic investigation revealed endothermic adsorption with the occurrence of electrostatic interactions. PVSDM predicted the adsorption decay curves for different adsorbent geometries at different initial concentrations of 2-nitrophenol. The surface diffusion was the main intraparticle mass transport mechanism. Furthermore, the external mass transfer and surface diffusion coefficients increased with the increase of 2-nitrophenol concentration.

Solution pH affects single, sequential and binary systems of sulfamethoxazole and cadmium adsorption by self-assembled cellulose: Promotion or inhibition?

A new self-assembled cellulose (SACS) containing multi-functional amine, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups was successfully obtained through etherification, cross-linking and grafting processes. Then, the adsorption of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) and Cd(II) onto SACS at pH values of 3, 5.7 and 7.5 was systematically investigated by batch experiments of single, sequential and binary systems, characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The presence of Cd(II) decreased the adsorption of SMZ because of hydrophilic site competition, while SMZ inversely increased the adsorption of Cd(II), which was attributed to bridging and especially to electrostatic shielding effects; moreover, both the inhibitory and synergistic effects were more obvious in the binary system and at a pH of 7.5. There was a dynamic balance between the inhibitory and synergistic effects that depended on the system, pH value and concentration ratio. DFT results further indicated that SMZ^- more easily coordinated with Cd(II) at sulfonyl oxygen and nitrogen sites, and the cationic bridge of Cd(II) with SMZ^- mainly occurred in the sequential system. Moreover, a complexation-decomplexation-complexation balance of SMZ^- and Cd(II) probably occurred in the binary system.

Hierarchical nano-porous biochar prepared by a MgO template method for high performance of PNP adsorption

Hierarchical nano-porous biochar (HNBC) derived from Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) was prepared using a facile MgO templated strategy, which exhibits a remarkable adsorption performance for p-nitrophenol (PNP).

Simultaneous removal of organics and heavy metals from industrial wastewater: A review

The co-existence of heavy metals and organics in industrial effluents is a prevalent problem. These pollutants usually have dissimilar compositions and properties, making their complete removal very tedious even with the use of conventional methods. In some cases, organics and heavy metals usually exist in a mixed matrix in industrial wastes. This poses harmful health risks to humans, aquatic lives and the entire ecosystem, because majority of these mixed pollutants amass in water in concentrations which are more than the permissible discharge limits in the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these pollutants in order to prevent them from contaminating both the surface and ground water. Although, the removal of organic compounds and heavy metals (such as Hg, Pb, Cd, As and Cr) could be easily achieved individually, however, these pollutants exist together in many industrial effluents and even in surface waters. Hence the complete removal of these pollutants concurrently in a polluted system is the focus of this study. Several technologies have been used for the simultaneous removal of organics and heavy metal pollutants from water, which includes adsorption, ion exchange, photocatalysis, and coagulation. The success of these techniques depends on the water matrices and the choice of water treatment media such as adsorbents, resins, photocatalysts, and coagulants. The advantages and limitations of these technologies together with their respective mathematical modelling is critically examined in this review. Finally, the effect of joint existence of organic pollutants and heavy metals on the removal efficiency were examined in addition to the mathematical models that discusses the mechanisms of their combine elimination.

Removal of Drugs in Polluted Waters with Char Obtained by Pyrolysis of Hair Waste from the Tannery Process

The presence and final destination of pharmaceutical compounds in waters constitute one of the emerging events in current environmental chemistry. Two widely consumed compounds have been evaluated in this study, amoxicillin (AMOX) and diclofenac (DFC), at a concentration of 200 mg L-1. The presence of both in wastewater has been verified, generating problems in ecosystems and human health. Pyrolysis of hair waste from a tannery process was performed in a fixed-bed reactor. Char was obtained at different operating temperatures (300, 350, 400, and 450 °C), which underwent a characterization of heavy metals and elemental composition. An activation process was applied to the char obtained at 450 °C by means of physicochemical processes and with two chemical agents (KOH and K2CO3). For the removal of drugs, two separate tests were performed, one for 28 days and the other one for 4 h, to assess the efficiency and the percentage of removal. It was found that the char obtained at 450 °C is the one that removes most of both compounds: more than 90% of AMOX and more than 80% of DFC.

Efficient As(III) Removal by Novel MoS2-Impregnated Fe-Oxide-Biochar Composites: Characterization and Mechanisms

Sorbents that efficiently eliminate toxic metal(loid)s from industrial wastes are required for the protection of the environment and human health. Therefore, we demonstrated efficient As(III) removal by novel, eco-friendly, hydrothermally prepared MoS₂-impregnated FeO _x @BC800 (MSF@BC800). The properties and adsorption mechanism of the material were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The synergistic effects of FeO _x and MoS₂ on MSF@BC800 considerably enhanced As(III)-removal efficiency to ≥99.73% and facilitated superior As(III) affinity in aqueous solutions (K _d ≥ 10⁵ mL g^-1) compared to those of FeO _x @BC800 and MS@BC800, which showed 37.07 and 17.86% As(III)-removal efficiencies and K _d = 589 and 217 mL g^-1, respectively, for an initial As(III) concentration of ∼10 mg L^-1. The maximum Langmuir As(III) sorption capacity of MSF@BC800 was 28.4 mg g^-1. Oxidation of As(III) to As(V) occurred on the MSF@BC800 composite surfaces. Adsorption results agreed with those obtained from the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models, suggesting multilayer coverage and chemisorption, respectively. Additionally, MSF@BC800 characteristics were examined under different reaction conditions, with temperature, pH, ionic strength, and humic acid concentration being varied. The results indicated that MSF@BC800 has considerable potential as an eco-friendly environmental remediation and As(III)-decontamination material.

Green synthesis of magnetic 3D bio-adsorbent by corn straw core and chitosan for methylene blue removal

In this work, a novel bio-adsorbent with a unique structure was prepared through one-step crosslinking in the emulsion using corn straw core (CSC), CoFe₂O₄ and chitosan (CS) as raw materials for adsorption of methylene blue (MB). The preparation method of the adsorbent was simple and environmentally friendly. In the adsorbent, the agricultural waste of CSC acted as scaffold and was wrapped with CS. CoFe₂O₄ was embedded in CS, giving magnetic property to the adsorbent, which was beneficial to the separation process. XRD, FTIR, SEM and TEM were utilized to characterize the adsorbent and the factors affecting adsorption removal efficiency were explored. The pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model described the adsorption behaviour well. The equilibrium adsorption capacity was 122 mg g^-1 for MB at 298 K. The thermodynamic studies suggested that the adsorption was a spontaneous, exothermic and randomness decrease process. MB loaded on the adsorbent could be desorbed by immersing in dilute acid solution, indicating that this kind of biomass adsorbent can be widely used in the field of adsorption.

Fibrous Materials Based on Polymeric Salicyl Active Esters as Efficient Adsorbents for Selective Removal of Anionic Dye

To increase the performance efficiency and decrease the costs for organic dye wastewater purification, two fibrous adsorbents based on polymeric salicyl active esters were developed by means of a simple two-step approach. For the first time, salicyl-based active ester polymers were electrospun into fibrous membranes and subsequently postmodified with the desired functional groups under simple and mild reaction conditions. The morphology of the produced fibrous adsorbents was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the surface properties were analyzed by nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms and contact angle measurements, and the completeness of the postmodification process was determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and elemental analyses. The adsorbents were further tested for their adsorption and selectivity performance of different organic dyes as well as for their recyclability. To explore the adsorption mechanism, four kinetic models and three isotherm models were used to analyze the adsorption data. The results indicated that the fibrous adsorbents showed an extremely high adsorption capacity for the anionic dye methyl blue. The fibrous adsorbents were also able to selectively adsorb anionic dyes from a mixture of anionic and cationic dyes, and they could be recycled at least 10 times. The simple and cost-efficient development process of these fibrous adsorbents and their excellent performance make them promising materials for further research and application in the area of water treatment.

Mechanistic insights into the enhanced removal of roxsarsone and its metabolites by a sludge-based, biochar supported zerovalent iron nanocomposite: Adsorption and redox transformation

Roxarsone is a phenyl-substituted arsonic acid comprising both arsenate and benzene rings. Few adsorbents are designed for the effective capture of both the organic and inorganic moieties of ROX molecules. Herein, nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) particles were incorporated on the surface of sludge-based biochar (SBC) to fabricate a dual-affinity sorbent that attracts both the arsenate and benzene rings of ROX. The incorporation of nZVI particles significantly increased the binding affinity and sorption capacity for ROX molecules compared to pristine SBC and pure nZVI. The enhanced elimination of ROX molecules was ascribed to synergetic adsorption and degradation reactions, through π-π* electron donor/acceptor interactions, H-bonding, and As-O-Fe coordination. Among these, the predominate adsorption force was As-O-Fe coordination. During the sorption process, some ROX molecules were decomposed into inorganic arsenic and organic metabolites by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during the early stages of the reaction. The degradation pathways of ROX were proposed according to the oxidation intermediates. This work provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the design of adsorbents according to the structure of the target pollutant.

Review on Activated Carbons by Chemical Activation with FeCl3

This study reviews the most relevant results on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of activated carbons obtained by novel chemical activation with FeCl3. The text includes a description of the activation mechanism, which compromises three different stages: (1) intense de-polymerization of the carbon precursor (up to 300 °C), (2) devolatilization and formation of the inner porosity (between 300 and 700 °C), and (3) dehydrogenation of the fixed carbon structure (>700 °C). Among the different synthesis conditions, the activation temperature, and, to a lesser extent, the impregnation ratio (i.e., mass ratio of FeCl3 to carbon precursor), are the most relevant parameters controlling the final properties of the resulting activated carbons. The characteristics of the carbons in terms of porosity, surface chemistry, and magnetic properties are analyzed in detail. These carbons showed a well-developed porous texture mainly in the micropore size range, an acidic surface with an abundance of oxygen surface groups, and a superparamagnetic character due to the presence of well-distributed iron species. These properties convert these carbons into promising candidates for different applications. They are widely analyzed as adsorbents in aqueous phase applications due to their porosity, surface acidity, and ease of separation. The presence of stable and well-distributed iron species on the carbons’ surface makes them promising catalysts for different applications. Finally, the presence of iron compounds has been shown to improve the graphitization degree and conductivity of the carbons; these are consequently being analyzed in energy storage applications.

Feedforward Artificial Neural Network-Based Model for Predicting the Removal of Phenolic Compounds from Water by Using Deep Eutectic Solvent-Functionalized CNTs

In the recent decade, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have occupied a strategic place in green chemistry research. This paper discusses the application of DESs as functionalization agents for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to produce novel adsorbents for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from aqueous solution. Also, it focuses on the application of the feedforward backpropagation neural network (FBPNN) technique to predict the adsorption capacity of DES-functionalized CNTs. The optimum adsorption conditions that are required for the maximum removal of 2,4-DCP were determined by studying the impact of the operational parameters (i.e., the solution pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time) on the adsorption capacity of the produced adsorbents. Two kinetic models were applied to describe the adsorption rate and mechanism. Based on the correlation coefficient (R²) value, the adsorption kinetic data were well defined by the pseudo second-order model. The precision and efficiency of the FBPNN model was approved by calculating four statistical indicators, with the smallest value of the mean square error being 5.01 × 10⁻⁵. Moreover, further accuracy checking was implemented through the sensitivity study of the experimental parameters. The competence of the model for prediction of 2,4-DCP removal was confirmed with an R² of 0.99.

Enhancement of Pb (II) adsorption by boron doped ordered mesoporous carbon: Isotherm and kinetics modeling

Boron doped ordered mesoporous carbon (BMC) was prepared to improve the adsorption of Pb(II). The effects of several parameters such as contact time, pH, and ionic strength on the adsorption by both pristine ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) and BMC were investigated. Thermodynamic, sorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics models were used to study the adsorption mechanisms by each of the adsorbents. Based on intraparticle diffusion model, the adsorption process by the two adsorbents mainly involved the quick liquid-film diffusion stage and slow pore diffusion portion, and fitting experimental data with Temkin model indicates that the adsorption process by both of the adsorbents involve physisorption and chemisorption. Based on Langmuir model, the estimated maximum adsorption capacity for BMC was about 1.3 times higher than the pristine OMC. Moreover, BMC retained good adsorption performance in tap and lake water, and could be regenerated effectively and recycled using EDTA. The results suggested that BMC, with enhanced adsorption performance compared with OMC, could be considered as very effective and promising materials for Pb (II) removal from wastewater.

Effect of simulated acid rain on stability of arsenic calcium residue in residue field

In recent years, acid rain had a serious negative impact on the leaching behavior of industrial waste residue. Researches were mainly focused on the environmental hazards of heavy metal in the leachate, but ignored the effects of heavy metal speciation on the stability of waste residue in the subsequent stabilization process. In this study, the unstable calcium-arsenic compounds in the arsenic calcium residue were firstly removed by leaching process; subsequently, the crystallization agent was added to treat the remaining calcium-arsenic mixture. The results of the leaching process demonstrated that the decrease in particle size and pH value directly affected the increase in the cumulative leaching amount of arsenic, and the cumulative leaching ratio reached 1.55%. In addition, the concentration of arsenic decreased from 3583 to 49.1 mg L^-1. After the crystallization process, the arsenic concentration was lower than the limit value of Identification Standards for Hazardous Wastes (GB 5085.3-2007). The SEM analysis showed the bulk structures, and XRD pattern confirmed that they were the stable compounds. Moreover, the result of XRD and SEM illustrated that acid concentration, chloride ions and sulfate ions were contributed to the transformation and growth of stable calcium arsenate compounds. Therefore, effective control of the acidity of acid rain, the type of anions in acid rain, and the particle size of residues would contribute to adjusting the arsenic speciation to be more stable. The leaching-crystallization process was of great significance to improve the stability of the arsenic-containing residue.

The effects of different factors on the removal mechanism of Pb(ii) by biochar-supported carbon nanotube composites

Herein, biochar-supported nanomaterials were synthesized using a mixture of chestnut shells and carbon nanotubes via slow pyrolysis at 600 °C for 1 h. Then, the adsorption ability of chestnut shell-carbon nanotubes (CS-CNTs) towards the removal of aqueous Pb(ii) was tested. The removal capacity of Pb(ii) by CS-CNT was 1641 mg g⁻¹, which was significantly higher than that by the biochar of chestnut shells (CSs) (1568 mg g⁻¹), which demonstrated that the sorption capacity could be improved by the carbon nanotubes. The factors studied here indicated that the adsorption was rapid in the initial 15 min under the conditions of the Pb(ii) concentration of 50 mg L⁻¹ and the pH value of 5, and the values reached 1417 mg g⁻¹ and 1584 mg g⁻¹. The adsorption rate and capacity increased on increasing the concentration of NaCl. The sorption reaction was consistent with the Langmuir model, indicating a mono-layer adsorption behavior. The adsorption process can also be defined via the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that the adsorption of Pb(ii) might be controlled by chemisorption. After carrying out four cycles of adsorption–desorption experiments, the adsorption rates of CS and CS-CNT remained at 82.92% and 88.91%, respectively, indicating that the biochar samples had stable and excellent sorption ability for heavy metals and huge application value. Thus, this study would provide a promising sorbent for the treatment and remediation of metal contaminants.

In this study, biochar and biochar-supported nanocomposites were prepared through the slow pyrolysis of chestnut shells pre-treated with CNTs, and the effects of different factors on the sorption of Pb(ii) on biochar samples were investigated.

Use of microalgae based technology for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater: A review

The antibiotic resistance induced by the release of antibiotics to the environment has urged research towards developing effective technologies for antibiotic removal from wastewater. Traditional technologies such as activated sludge processes are not effective for antibiotic removal. Recently, microalgae-based technology has been explored as a potential alternative for the treatment of wastewater containing antibiotics by adsorption, accumulation, biodegradation, photodegradation, and hydrolysis. In this review, the toxicities of antibiotics on microalgae, the mechanisms of antibiotic removal by microalgae, and the integration of microalgae with other technologies such as ultraviolet irradiation (photocatalysis), advanced oxidation, and complementary microorganism degradation for antibiotic removal were discussed. The limitations of current microalgae-based technology and future research needs were also discussed.

Microwave assisted green synthesis of Fe2O3/biochar for ultrasonic removal of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals

Iron oxide/biochar (Fe₂O₃/biochar) was prepared by green synthesis via a microwave to evaluate ultrasound-assisted adsorption capacity of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) (salicylic acid, naproxen, and ketoprofen) from the water. Several techniques of characterization, including, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, EDS analysis, N₂ adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectrometry were applied. The adsorption of NSAIDs onto Fe₂O₃/biochar was performed using an ultrasonic bath. The effects of batch adsorption under various experimental parameters such as contact time (0–120 min), initial concentration (10–500 mg L⁻¹) and pH (2–12) were tested. The obtained Fe₂O₃/biochar specific surface area, mesopore volume/micropore volume, and pores size were equal to 786 m² g⁻¹, 0.409 cm³ g⁻¹, and 1.534 cm³ g⁻¹, respectively. The pseudo-second-order model could describe better all NSAID adsorptions onto Fe₂O₃/biochar. The Langmuir model agreed well with the NSAID adsorptions and the maximum adsorption capacities reached 683 mg g⁻¹, 533 mg g⁻¹ and 444 mg g⁻¹ for salicylic acid, naproxen, and ketoprofen, respectively. Fe₂O₃/biochar can be used as an excellent adsorbent for the treatment of NSAIDs in water.

Here, we have developed a simple and green microwave synthesis of iron oxide/biochar for the removal of new emergent pharmaceutical pollutants.