Enhanced mineralization of reactive brilliant red X-3B by UV driven photocatalytic membrane contact ozonation

Sustainable removal of caffeine and acetaminophen from water using biomass waste-derived activated carbon: Synthesis, characterization, and modelling

The removal of caffeine (CFN) and acetaminophen (ACT) from water using low-cost activated carbons prepared from artichoke leaves (AAC) and pomegranate peels (PAC) was reported in this paper. These activated carbons were characterized using various analytical techniques. The results showed that AAC and PAC had surface areas of 1203 and 1095 m2 g-1, respectively. The prepared adsorbents were tested for the adsorption of these pharmaceuticals in single and binary solutions. These experiments were performed under different operating conditions to evaluate the adsorption properties of these adsorbents to remove CFN and ACT. AAC and PAC showed maximum adsorption capacities of 290.86 and 258.98 mg g-1 for CFN removal, 281.18 and 154.99 mg g-1 for the ACT removal over a wide pH range. The experimental equilibrium adsorption data fitted to the Langmuir model and the kinetic data were correlated with the pseudo-second order model. AAC showed the best adsorption capacities for the removal of these pharmaceuticals in single systems and, consequently, it was tested for the simultaneous removal of these pollutants in binary solutions. The simultaneous adsorption of these compounds on AAC was improved using the central composite design and response surface methodology. The results indicated an antagonistic effect of CFN on the ACT adsorption. AAC regeneration was also analyzed and discussed. A statistical physics model was applied to describe the adsorption orientation of the tested pollutants on both activated carbon samples. It was concluded that AAC is a promising adsorbent for the removal of emerging pollutants due to its low cost and reusability properties.

Enzyme immobilization on biomass-derived carbon materials as a sustainable approach towards environmental applications

Enzymes with their environment-friendly nature and versatility have become highly important 'green tools' with a wide range of applications. Enzyme immobilization has further increased the utility and efficiency of these enzymes by improving their stability, reusability, and recyclability. Biomass-derived matrices when used for enzyme immobilization offer a sustainable solution to environmental pollution and fuel depletion at low costs. Biochar and other biomass-derived carbon materials obtained are suitable for the immobilization of enzymes through different immobilization strategies. Environmental pollution has become an utmost topic of research interest due to an ever-increasing trend being observed in anthropogenic activities. This has widely contributed to the release of various toxic effluents into the environment in their native or metabolized forms. Therefore, more focus is being directed toward the utilization of immobilized enzymes in the bioremediation of water and soil, biofuel production, and other environmental applications. In this review, up-to-date literature concerning the immobilization and potential uses of enzymes immobilized on biomass-derived carbon materials has been presented.

Recent Achievements in Dyes Removal Focused on Advanced Oxidation Processes Integrated with Biological Methods

In the last 3 years alone, over 10,000 publications have appeared on the topic of dye removal, including over 300 reviews. Thus, the topic is very relevant, although there are few articles on the practical applications on an industrial scale of the results obtained in research laboratories. Therefore, in this review, we focus on advanced oxidation methods integrated with biological methods, widely recognized as highly efficient treatments for recalcitrant wastewater, that have the best chance of industrial application. It is extremely important to know all the phenomena and mechanisms that occur during the process of removing dyestuffs and the products of their degradation from wastewater to prevent their penetration into drinking water sources. Therefore, particular attention is paid to understanding the mechanisms of both chemical and biological degradation of dyes, and the kinetics of these processes, which are important from a design point of view, as well as the performance and implementation of these operations on a larger scale.