A Cr(VI)-imprinted-poly(4-VP-co-EGDMA) sorbent prepared using precipitation polymerization and its application for selective adsorptive removal and solid phase extraction of Cr(VI) ions from electroplating industrial wastewater

Magnetic Biochar as a Revolutionizing Approach for Diverse Dye Pollutants Elimination: A Comprehensive Review

The term "biomass" encompasses all substances found in the natural world that were once alive or derived from living organisms or their byproducts. These substances consist of organic molecules containing hydrogen, typically oxygen, frequently nitrogen, and small amounts of heavy, alkaline earth and alkali metals. Magnetic biochar refers to a type of material derived from biomass that has been magnetized typically by adding magnetic components such as magnetic iron oxides to display magnetic properties. These materials are extensively applicable in widespread areas like environmental remediation and catalysis. The magnetic properties of these compounds made them ideal for practical applications through their easy separation from a reaction mixture or environmental sample by applying a magnetic field. With the evolving global strategy focused on protecting the planet and moving towards a circular, cost-effective economy, natural compounds, and biomass have become particularly important in the field of biochemistry. The current research explores a comparative analysis of the versatility and potential of biomass for eliminating dyes as a sustainable, economical, easy, compatible, and biodegradable method. The elimination study focused on the removal of various dyes as pollutants. Various operational parameters which influenced the dye removal process were also discussed. Furthermore, the research explained, in detail, adsorption kinetic models, types of isotherms, and desorption properties of magnetic biochar adsorbents. This comprehensive review offers an advanced framework for the effective use of magnetic biochar, removing dyes from textile wastewater.

Application Prospect of Ion-Imprinted Polymers in Harmless Treatment of Heavy Metal Wastewater

With the rapid development of industry, the discharge of heavy metal-containing wastewater poses a significant threat to aquatic and terrestrial environments as well as human health. This paper provides a brief introduction to the basic principles of ion-imprinted polymer preparation and focuses on the interaction between template ions and functional monomers. We summarized the current research status on typical heavy metal ions, such as Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II), and Cr(VI), as well as metalloid metal ions of the As and Sb classes. Furthermore, it discusses recent advances in multi-ion-imprinted polymers. Finally, the paper addresses the challenges faced by ion-imprinted technology and explores its prospects for application.

Recovery of organic matters by activated sludge from municipal wastewater: Performance and characterization

Municipal wastewater treatment processes consume a significant amount of energy and generate substantial carbon emissions. However, organic matters existing in municipal wastewater hold the potential as a valuable carbon source. Activated sludge has the potential to capture and recover the organic matters, thereby enriching carbon sources and facilitating subsequent sludge anaerobic digestion as well as in line with the concept of sustainable development. Based on above, this study investigated the enrichment and recovery characteristics and mechanisms of activated sludge adsorption on carbon sources in municipal wastewater, while optimizing the recovery conditions. The results indicated that insoluble organic matters, as well as a fraction of dissolved organic matters, can be effective recovered within approximately 40 min. Specifically, 74.1% of insoluble organic matters and 25.8% of soluble organic matters were successfully captured by the activated sludge, resulting in a 5.0% increase in sludge organic matter content. Moreover, activated sludge demonstrated remarkable recovery of particulate organic matters across various particle sizes, particularly larger particles (>5 μm) with high protein content. Notably, the dissolved biodegradable organics such as tryptophan and tyrosine protein-like substances according to 3D-EEM and lipids, proteins/amino sugars, and carbohydrates according to FT-ICR MS can be effectively recovered. Finally, the study revealed that the recovery of organic matters from the wastewater by activated sludge followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, with surface binding, hydrogen bonding and interparticle diffusion in sludge flocs as the primary adsorption mechanisms. This approach had abroad application prospects for improving the profitability of wastewater treatment plants.

Cefixime loaded bare and functionalized halloysite nanocarriers and their biomedical applications

Effective drug delivery for is the foremost requirement for the complete recovery of the disease. Nanomedicine and nanoengineering has provided so many spaces and ideas for the drug delivery design, whether controlled, targeted, or sustained. Different types of nanocarriers or nanoparticles are aggressively designed for the drug delivery applications. Clay minerals are identified as a one of the potential nanocarrier for the drug delivery. Owing to their biocompatibility and very low cytotoxicity, clay minerals showing effective therapeutic applications. In the present investigation, clay mineral, i.e., Halloysite nano tubes are utilized as a nanocarrier for the delivery of antibiotic cefixime (CFX), a third-generation cephalosporin. The HNT was first functionalized with the sulfuric acid and then further treated with the 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). The drug is loaded on three different classifications of HNTs, i.e., Bare-CFX-HNT, Acid-CFX-HNT, and APTES-CFX-HNT and their comparative analysis is established. Different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), Transmission electron microscopy TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), adsorption studies, and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed to evaluate their chemical, structural, morphological, and thermal properties. TGA confirmed the encapsulation efficiency of Bare-CFX-HNT, Acid-CFX-HNT, and APTES-CFX-HNT as 42.65, 52.19, and 53.43%, respectively. Disk diffusion and MTT assay confirmed that the drug loaded HNTs have potential antibacterial activities and less cytotoxicity. The adsorption capacity of CFX with different HNTs are evaluated and Different adsorption and kinetic models have been discussed. Drug release studies shows that APTES-CFX-HNT showing sustained release of cefixime as compared to Bare-CFX-HNT and Acid-CFX-HNT.

Efficient green Cr(VI) adsorbent from sorghum waste: Eco-designed functionalized mesoporous silica FDU-12

This paper presents an eco-design approach to the synthesis of a highly efficient Cr(VI) adsorbent, utilizing a positively charged surface mesoporous FDU-12 material (designated as MI-Cl-FDU-12) for the first time. The MI-Cl-FDU-12 anion-exchange adsorbent was synthesized via a facile one-pot synthesis approach using sodium silicate extracted from sorghum waste as a green silica source, 1-methyl-3-(triethoxysilylpropyl) imidazolium chloride as a functionalization agent, triblock copolymer F127 as a templating or pore-directing agent, trimethyl benzene as a swelling agent, KCl as an additive, and water as a solvent. The synthesis method offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to the production of a so-called "green" adsorbent with a bimodal micro-/mesoporous structure and a high surface area comparable with the previous reports regarding FDU-12 synthesis. MI-Cl-FDU-12 was applied as an anion exchanger for the adsorption of toxic Cr(VI) oxyanions from aqueous media and various kinetic and isotherm models were fitted to experimental data to propose the adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) on the adsorbent. Langmuir model revealed the best fit to the experimental data at four different temperatures, indicating a homogeneous surface site affinity. The theoretical maximum adsorption capacities of the adsorbent were found to be 363.5, 385.5, 409.0, and 416.9 mg g-1 at 298, 303, 308, and 313 K, respectively; at optimal conditions (pH=2, adsorbent dose=3.0 mg, and contact time of 30 min), surpassing that of most previously reported Cr(VI) adsorbents in the literature. A regeneration study revealed that this adsorbent possesses outstanding performance even after six consecutive recycling.

Exploring the effective adsorption of polystyrene microplastics from aqueous solution with magnetically separable nickel/reduced graphene oxide (Ni/rGO) nanocomposite

Microplastics (MPs) are a potential threat to both humans and aquatic environment as they serve as carriers of various contaminants necessitating the development of reliable, efficient, and ecofriendly techniques to remove MPs from water. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) magnetized using nickel nanoparticles was utilized as a potent adsorbent for the effective removal of microplastics from water. The synthesized nickel/reduced graphene oxide (Ni/rGO) nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), thermogravimetric analysis, and Brunauer-Emmett Teller (BET) analysis. Magnetic Ni/rGO nanocomposite exhibited significant adsorption capability for polystyrene (PS) microspheres allowing the formation of PS-Ni/rGO complex which can be easily separated out using a magnet. The SEM images of PS-Ni/rGO complex confirmed the adsorption of PS microspheres onto the nano adsorbent due to hydrophobic interaction. The adsorbent demonstrated a maximum adsorption capacity of 1250 mg/g. The analysis of isotherm and kinetic models demonstrated that the adsorption mechanism conformed to the Langmuir isotherm and followed pseudo second order kinetics. This study paves a new pathway for the application of magnetically modified reduced graphene oxide for the expedient removal of microplastics from water with the ease of separation using a magnet. The adsorbent was recycled and reused for three times.

Innovative approaches to suppress non-specific adsorption in molecularly imprinted polymers for sensing applications

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic antibodies developed to bind selectively with specific molecules. They function through a particular recognition process involving their cavities and functional groups. Nevertheless, functional groups located outside these cavities are the main cause of non-specific molecule binding, thus reducing the effectiveness of MIPs in sensing applications. This work focused on enhancing the selectivity and performance of MIPs through electrostatic modification with surfactants. The study investigates the use of two surfactants, namely sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), to eliminate non-specific adsorption in MIPs. The binding isotherms of the target molecule sulfamethoxazole (SMX) on MIPs and non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were analyzed, showing higher adsorption capacity of MIPs due to the specific cavities. The modification with SDS or CTAB effectively eliminated non-specific adsorption in MIPs. The kinetic adsorption behavior further demonstrated the efficacy of MIP+--SDS/CTAB in the selective adsorption of SMX. Calibration curves showcase the methodology's analytical capabilities, achieving low limit of detection for SMX 6 ng mL-1 using MIP +-SDS. The stability study confirmed that the developed MIP +/--SDS/CTAB remains stable even at high temperatures, demonstrating its suitability for on-site applications. The methodology was successfully applied to detect SMX in milk and water samples, achieving promising recoveries. Overall, the electrostatic modification of MIPs with surfactants emerges as a valuable strategy for enhancing selectivity and performance in target molecule recognition and detection.

Revealing the interface chemistry of polyaniline grafted biomass via statistical modeling of multi-component dye systems: optimization, kinetics, thermodynamics, and adsorption mechanism

The growing need to examine the adsorption capabilities of innovative materials in real-world water samples has encouraged a shift from single to multicomponent adsorption systems. In this study, a novel composite, PANI-g-SM was synthesized by covalently grafting a lignocellulosic biomass, Saccharum munja (SM) with polyaniline (PANI). The as-synthesized composite was investigated for the simultaneous adsorption of cationic (Methylene Blue (MB); Crystal Violet (CV)) and anionic dyes (Reactive Red 35 (RR); Fast Green FCF (FG)) from four single components and two binary systems, MB + RR and CV + FG. Further, the effect and interaction of pH (2-11), dosage (0.01-0.04 g/10 mL), and initial concentration (0.0313 to 0.1563 mmol/L) on the elimination of dyes by PANI-g-SM were studied through a novel design of Box-Behnken of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) technique which was found to be highly useful for revealing the chemistry of interfaces in multi-component systems. The extended Langmuir model for the binary system indicated the presence of synergism, as result the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity increased by 44.44%, 645.83%, 67.88%, and 441.07% for MB, RR, CV, and FG dye, respectively. Further, the adsorption process mainly followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the thermodynamic studies revealed the exothermic nature of adsorption for RR and FG dye while endothermic for MB and CV dye, respectively with Δ G varying from - 1.68 to - 6.12 kJ/mol indicating the spontaneity of the process. Importantly, the efficacy of the composite was evaluated for the treatment of textile industry effluent highlighting its potential as an adsorbent for wastewater treatment.

Ion-imprinted chitosan prepared without cross-linking agent for efficient selective adsorption of Al(III) from rare earth solution

In the aqueous phase, ion-imprinted materials exhibit excellent selective adsorption properties for specific ions, but their complicated preparation process and large amount of crosslinker consumption limit their application. In this study, ion-imprinted chitosan (IIP-CS) was prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal method without a cross-linking agent for the efficient adsorption of trace amounts of Al(III) from a rare earth solution. The structures and morphology of IIP-CS were analyzed by FT-IR, SEM, and XRD. The Al(III) adsorption characteristics of IIP-CS were investigated under various preparation processes and adsorption conditions. It was found that the optimum mass ratio of IIP-CS is 3 : 1 and pH is 3 and the adsorption capacity reaches up to 40.36 mg g-1. In addition, three different isothermal models-Temkin, Freundlich, and Langmuir-were used to analyze the equilibrium adsorption of IIP-CS in aqueous solution. The results obtained are consistent with the Langmuir model. The adsorption process of Al(III) on IIP-CS follows a pseudo-secondary kinetic model, suggesting that electron sharing or exchange between IIP-CS and Al(III) is a key factor affecting its adsorption rate. IIP-CS shows high selectivity coefficients for Al(III) in mixtures of La(III), Y(III), and Gd(III), which are 792.50, 163.26, and 55.16, respectively. The mechanism of action is the formation of a complex via amidation between Al(III) and IIP-CS. IIP-CS is an adsorbent with excellent regeneration and selective adsorption performance in aqueous solution.

Synergistic interface engineering in n-p-n type heterojunction Co3O4/MIL/Mn-STO with dual S-scheme multi-charge migration to enhance visible-light photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics

Constructing an effective multi-heterojunction photocatalyst with maximum charge carrier separation remains challenging. Herein, a high-efficient Co3O4/MIL-88A/Mn-SrTiO3 (Co3O4/MIL/Mn-STO) n-p-n heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method for the photodegradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The combination of MIL and Co3O4/Mn-STO established an internal electric field and heterojunction, accelerating the separation of carriers, and thus improved photocatalytic performance. In the Co3O4/MIL/Mn-STO photocatalytic system, 95.5 % of SMX was degraded in 90 min. The photocatalytic kinetic removal rate of Co3O4/MIL/Mn-STO reached 0.0337 min-1, 8 times of Co3O4 (0.0041 min-1), 5.2 times of Mn-STO (0.0062 min-1), 4.6 times of MIL (0.0078 min-1), and 3.6 times of MIL/Mn-STO (0.0095 min-1). Remarkably, superoxide radicals (•O2-) and holes (h+) have been recognized as the main active species in the degradation process through reactive species elimination experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) tests. The experimental and theoretical proved the in-built interfacial contact and synergistic effect between the photocatalyst accomplished with low bandgaps, high specific surface area, more reaction sites, high electron-hole pair separation, and maximum solar-light utilization. The molecular structure and possible degradation routes with intermediate products in the photocatalytic system were investigated using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and DFT calculations. This work provided new insight into the guidelines of rational design/growth of new multicomponent photocatalysts to remove antibiotics and other emerging contaminants in wastewater.

A review of the treatment technologies for hexavalent chromium contaminated water

The toxicity of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) present in the environment has exceeded the current limits or standards and thus may lead to biotic and abiotic catastrophes. Accordingly, several treatments, including chemical, biological, and physical approaches, are being used to reduce Cr(VI) waste in the surrounding environment. This study compares the Cr(VI) treatment approaches from several areas of science and their competence in Cr(VI) removal. As an effective combination of physical and chemical approaches, the coagulation-flocculation technique removes more than 98% of Cr(VI) in less than 30 min. Most membrane filtering approaches can remove up to 90% of Cr(VI). Biological approaches that involve the use of plants, fungi, and bacteria also successfully eliminate Cr(VI) but are difficult to scale up. Each of these approaches has its benefits and drawbacks, and their applicability is determined by the research aims. These approaches are also sustainable and environmentally benign, thus limiting their effects on the ecosystem.

Applications of covalent organic frameworks for the elimination of dyes from wastewater: A state-of-the-arts review

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are class of porous coordination polymers made up of organic building blocks joined together by covalent bonding through thermodynamic and controlled reversible polymerization reactions. This review discussed versatile applications of COFs for remediation of wastewater containing dyes, emphasizing the advantages of both pristine and modified materials in adsorption, membrane separation, and advanced oxidations processes. The excellent performance of COFs towards adsorption and membrane filtration has been centered to their higher crystallinity and porosity, exhibiting exceptionally high surface area, pore size and pore volumes. Thus, they provide more active sites for trapping the dye molecules. On one hand, the photocatalytic performance of the COFs was attributed to their semiconducting properties, and when coupled with other functional semiconducting materials, they achieve good mechanical and thermal stabilities, positive light response, and narrow band gap, a typical characteristic of excellent photocatalysts. As such, COFs and their composites have demonstrated excellent potentialities for the elimination of the dyes.

A novel magnetic adsorbent from activated carbon fiber and iron oxide nanoparticles for 2,4-D removal from aqueous medium

Carbonaceous materials have been widely applied as adsorbents, but there are some factors that affect their efficiency. In this context, advances in nanotechnology provide new and more efficient methodologies for water treatment. This study evaluated the efficiency of a novel carbon-based adsorbent developed from Brazilian polyacrylonitrile textile fiber and functionalized with iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles for the removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from the aqueous medium. The synthesized adsorbent (ACF-Fe3O4) was characterized by FTIR, XRD, VSM, Zeta potential, SEM, EDX, and TEM. The characterization techniques showed that the adsorbent has peaks characteristic of its precursors and superparamagnetic characteristics, confirming the efficiency of the synthesis method. The adsorption tests evaluated the influence of adsorbent dosage, pH of the contaminant solution, contact time and temperature on the removal of 2,4-D. The experimental data were better adjusted by the pseudo-second order kinetic model and by the Langmuir isothermal model. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that the process is exothermic, spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable. Under the best experimental conditions, the maximum adsorption capacity obtained was 51.10 mg g-1 with an adsorbent concentration of 0.33 g L-1, natural pH of the solution, temperature of 288 K at the equilibrium time of six hours. Adsorbent reusage was studied in four desorption cycles. The adsorption mechanism can be explained through π-π bonds, hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The prepared material presented high-efficiency adsorption capacity of 2,4-D compared to other carbonaceous materials present in the literature, demonstrating its viability for the removal of this contaminant from the aqueous medium.

Co-adsorption mechanisms of As(V) and Cd(II) by three-dimensional flower-like Mg/Al/Fe-CLDH synthesized by "memory effect"

Due to the different physical and chemical properties such as surface charge and ion morphology between As(V) and Cd(II), it is challenging to remove As(V) and Cd(II), especially at low concentrations. This study constructed a novel three-dimension nanocomposite adsorbent Mg/Al/Fe-CLDH (CFMA) by "hydrothermal + calcination method". And different initial concentration ratios (Cd: As=1: 2, 1: 1, 2: 1) were used to investigate the removal performance of CFMA for Cd(II) and As(V). When the concentration ratio Cd: As=1: 2, the residual concentrations of As(V) and Cd(II) were 8.7 μg/L and 4.2 μg/L, respectively, which met the drinking water standard; In the co-adsorption system, As(V) and Cd(II) influence each other's adsorption behavior due to the anionic bridge and shielding effect of As(V) on Cd(II), As(V) gradually changed from monolayer adsorption to multi-layer adsorption dominant, while Cd(II) gradually changed from multi-layer adsorption to monolayer adsorption dominant. In this paper, the structure-activity relationship between material structure and synchronous removal of arsenic and cadmium was clarified, and the mechanism of synchronous removal was revealed, which provided technical guidance for synchronous removal of As(V) and Cd(II) from non-ferrous metal smelting wastewater.

Biogenic adsorbents for removal of drugs and dyes: A comprehensive review on properties, modification and applications

This comprehensive review explores the potential and versatility of biogenic materials as sustainable and environmentally benign alternatives to conventional adsorbents for the removal of drugs and dyes. Biogenic adsorbents derived from plants, animals, microorganisms, algae and biopolymers have bioactive compounds that interact with functional groups of pollutants, resulting in their binding with the sorbent. These materials can be modified mechanically, thermally and chemically to enhance their adsorption properties. Biogenic hybrid composites, which integrate the characteristics of more than one material, have also been fabricated. Additionally, microorganisms and algae are analyzed for their ability to uptake pollutants. Various influential factors that contribute to the adsorption process are also discussed. The challenge, limitations and future prospects for research are reviewed and bridging gap between large scale application and laboratory scale. This comprehensive review, involves a combination of various biogenic adsorbents, going beyond the existing literature where typically only specific adsorbents are reported. The review also covers the isotherms, kinetics, and desorption studies of biogenic adsorbents, providing an improved framework for their effective use in removing pharmaceuticals and dyes from wastewater.

Synthesis of highly fluorescent carbon quantum dots from rubber seed shells for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of dyes

The potentials of biomass-based carbon quantum dot (CQD) as an adsorbent for batch adsorption of dyes and its photocatalytic degradation capacity for dyes which are congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB) have been conducted in this study. The CQDs properties, performance, behaviour, and photoluminescence characteristics were assessed using batch adsorption experiments which were carried out under operating conditions including, temperature, pH and dosage. The morphological analysis revealed that CQDs are highly porous, uniform, closely aligned and multi-layered. The presence of hydroxyl, carboxyl and carbonyl functional groups indicated the significance of the oxygenated functional groups. Spectral analysis of photoluminescence for CQDs confirmed their photoluminescent quality by exhibiting high excitation intensity and possessing greenish-blue fluorescence under UV radiation. The removal percentage of the dyes adsorbed for both CR and MB dyes was 77% and 75%. Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models closely fitted the adsorption results. Thermodynamics analysis indicated that the adsorption process was exothermic and spontaneous, with excellent reusability and stability. The degradation efficiency of CQDs on both dyes was more than 90% under sunlight irradiation and obeyed the first-order kinetic model. These results demonstrated CQDs to be an excellent adsorbent and outstanding photocatalyst for organic dye degradation.

Amination-modified lignin recovery of aqueous phosphate for use as binary slow-release fertilizer

To address the global phosphorus crisis and solve the problem of eutrophication in water bodies, the recovery of phosphate from wastewater for use as a slow-release fertilizer and to improve the slow-release performance of fertilizers is considered an effective way. In this study, amine-modified lignin (AL) was prepared from industrial alkali lignin (L) for phosphate recovery from water bodies, and then the recovered phosphorus-rich aminated lignin (AL-P) was used as a slow-release N and P fertilizer. Batch adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption process was consistent with the Pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir model. In addition, ion competition and actual aqueous adsorption experiments showed that AL had good adsorption selectivity and removal capacity. The adsorption mechanism included electrostatic adsorption, ionic ligand exchange and cross-linked addition reaction. In the aqueous release experiments, the rate of nitrogen release was constant and the release of phosphorus followed a Fickian diffusion mechanism. Soil column leaching experiments showed that the release of N and P from AL-P in soil followed the Fickian diffusion mechanism. Therefore, AL recovery of aqueous phosphate for use as a binary slow-release fertilizer has great potential to improve the environment of water bodies, enhance nutrient utilization and address the global phosphorus crisis.

Ion-Imprinted Polymeric Materials for Selective Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solution

The introduction of selective recognition sites toward certain heavy metal ions (HMIs) is a great challenge, which has a major role when the separation of species with similar physicochemical features is considered. In this context, ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) developed based on the principle of molecular imprinting methodology, have emerged as an innovative solution. Recent advances in IIPs have shown that they exhibit higher selectivity coefficients than non-imprinted ones, which could support a large range of environmental applications starting from extraction and monitoring of HMIs to their detection and quantification. This review will emphasize the application of IIPs for selective removal of transition metal ions (including HMIs, precious metal ions, radionuclides, and rare earth metal ions) from aqueous solution by critically analyzing the most relevant literature studies from the last decade. In the first part of this review, the chemical components of IIPs, the main ion-imprinting technologies as well as the characterization methods used to evaluate the binding properties are briefly presented. In the second part, synthesis parameters, adsorption performance, and a descriptive analysis of solid phase extraction of heavy metal ions by various IIPs are provided.

Comparison of Adsorption Capacity and Removal Efficiency of Strontium by Six Typical Adsorption Materials

The rapid development and application of nuclear technology have been accompanied by the production of large amounts of radioactive wastes, of which Sr is a typical nuclide. In this study, six typical materials with strong adsorption properties, namely activated carbon, kaolin, montmorillonite, bentonite, zeolite, and attapulgite, were selected. Their adsorption mechanisms were investigated by analyzing their adsorption isotherms, adsorption kinetics, micromorphologies, element contents, specific surface areas, crystal structures, and functional groups. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency of Sr by the six adsorbents can be ranked as zeolite, bentonite, attapulgite, montmorillonite, activated carbon, and kaolin, among which the maximum adsorption capacity of zeolite was 4.07 mg/g. Based on the adsorption kinetic and thermodynamic fitting results, the adsorption of Sr by zeolites, bentonite and attapulgite is consistent with Langmuir model, the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption process of Sr (II) by montmorillonite, activated carbon and kaolinite is consistent with the Freundlich model and corresponds to non-uniform adsorption. The main mechanisms of the six materials are physical adsorption, ion exchange and complexation. In summary, zeolite, bentonite, and attapulgite, especially zeolite, are highly effective for the treatment of radioactive wastewater containing strontium and have great application value in the treatment of radioactive wastes.

A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Modified with a Computer-Simulative Magnetic Ion-Imprinted Membrane for Identification of Uranyl Ion

In this paper, a novel ion-imprinted electrochemical sensor modified with magnetic nanomaterial Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was established for the high sensitivity and selectivity determination of UO₂²⁺ in the environment. Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the interaction between templates and binding ligands to screen out suitable functional binding ligand for the reasonable design of the ion imprinted sensors. The MIIP/MCPE (magnetic ion imprinted membrane/magnetic carbon paste electrode) modified with Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ exhibited a strong response current and high sensitivity toward uranyl ion comparison with the bare carbon paste electrodes. Meanwhile, the MCPE was fabricated simultaneously under the action of strong magnetic adsorption, and the ion imprinted membrane can be adsorbed stably on the electrode surface, handling the problem that the imprinted membrane was easy to fall off during the process of experimental determination and elution. Based on the uranyl ion imprinting network, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was adopted for the detection technology to realize the electrochemical reduction of uranyl ions, which improved the selectivity of the sensor. Thereafter, uranyl ions were detected in the linear concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, with the detection and quantification limit of 1.08 × 10⁻⁹ and 3.23 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹, respectively. In addition, the sensor was successfully demonstrated for the determination of uranyl ions in uranium tailings soil samples and water samples with a recovery of 95% to 104%.

New and innovative microwave-assisted technology for synthesis of guar gum-grafted acrylamide hydrogel superabsorbent for the removal of acid red 8 dye from industrial wastewater

The goal of this study is to develop a new effective guar gum-grafted acrylamide hydrogel for wastewater treatment, abbreviated as (guar gum-g-acrylamide). For the non-biodegradable and hazardous synthetic acid red 8, the produced guar gum-g-acrylamide hydrogel is a promising thermally stable adsorbent. Microwave-aided technique, ammonium persulfate initiator, and N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide cross-linker are used to make a hydrogel comprising natural polysaccharides guar gum grafted by poly acrylamide. Fourier transformer infrared (FTIR) spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate that varied percentages of acrylamide successfully graft the backbone of guar gum. When the grafting percentage of acrylamide is raised, the hydrogel’s maximum adsorption capacity (qe) increases. At pH 1 of dye solution, maximum adsorption capacity (qe) is 18 mg.g−1, at pH 9; qe is decreased up to 8 mg.g−1. At 0.5 g.L−1 hydrogel, the dye has a low removal percentage (34%), but when the hydrogel dosage is increased to 8 g.L−1, the removal percentage increases to 90%. When the initial AR8 dye concentration was increased from 50 to 300 mg.L−1, the removal percentage reduced to 20% and the adsorbed quantity dye increased from 17 to 44 mg.g−1, but both parameters became limited above this dye concentration. Other ideal conditions for AR8 dye removal by the hydrogel include 60 min of contact time, 150 revolutions per minute (rpm), and a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. The AR8 dye adsorption kinetic is pseudo-second order, assuming electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged AR8 dye molecules and the positively charged hydrogel-functional group. The adsorption values fit the Langmuir isotherm, with qmax. of 54.054 mg.g−1. The adsorbed quantity (qe) decreases as the temperature rises, indicating that dye molecules physisorbed on the hydrogel pores, and the maximum adsorption capacity is at 20 °C. The exothermic and spontaneity of adsorption were confirmed by the negative values of heat of adsorption (∆H°ads.) and standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption (∆G°ads.). The reusability of the hydrogel was validated after three cycles of desorption of AR8 dye from the hydrogel surface in alkaline solution.

Selective colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) using starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles and application for chromium speciation

The selective quantitation of Cr(VI) was developed through colorimetric detection using starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles (starch-AgNPs). The detection of Cr(VI) was based on oxidative degradation of starch-AgNPs as the reduction of UV-Vis signal and the distinctive color change from yellow to colorless of starch-AgNPs were observed. To achieve the highest sensitivity by this method, pH 3, and only 1 min were required for the determination of Cr(VI). For analytical performances, two linear ranges of 0-6 µM and 10-80 µM with limit of detection of 0.93 µM (48 µg/L) and 11.57 µM (0.60 mg/L) were obtained, respectively. The developed colorimetric method was combined with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for the speciation analysis of chromium. The concentration of Cr(III) was calculated by subtraction of Cr(VI) from the total chromium concentration determined by ICP-OES. A satisfactory accuracy and precision based on the AOAC guidelines also proved that this simple and rapid sensor was successfully applied for speciation of chromium in real water samples.

Selective adsorption and separation of Cr(VI) by surface-imprinted microsphere based on thiosemicarbazide-functionalized sodium alginate

Cr(VI)-imprinting thiosemicarbazide-functionalized sodium alginate (IIPTSC@SA) microspheres were fabricated to achieve the good selective adsorption for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution containing multiple ions. The selective adsorption and reusability of IIPTSC@SA microsphere were intensively investigated. The results showed that the grafting conditions of thiosemicarbazide were optimized at 0.2 g of TSC at 60 °C for 5 h and the ion-imprinting conditions at 100 mL of 2 wt % glutaraldehyde at 60 °C for 6 h. IIPTSC@SA microspheres exhibited the maximum adsorption capacity of 252.5 mg/g and good selectivity to remove Cr(VI) from multi-ion coexisting water. The adsorption process complied with a monolayer adsorption by virtue of chemical interactions together with endothermic spontaneously. After eight adsorption-desorption, the adsorption capacity and selectivity of IIPTSC@SA microspheres remained relatively stable.

A novel lignin-based hierarchical porous carbon for efficient and selective removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater

A novel lignin-based hierarchical porous carbon (L-HPC) was prepared to remove Cr(VI) from water by using industrial alkali lignin through simple hydrothermal-induced assembly and alkali activation strategy. The adsorbent were characterized by SEM-EDS mapping, TEM, BET, XPS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and zeta potential. The characterization results indicated that L-HPC contained three-dimensional connected channels and many adsorbing N, O and other adsorption groups, which is very beneficial for Cr(VI) adsorption. The kinetics showed that the L-HPC adsorption of Cr(VI) was chemical adsorption and mainly controlled by intraparticle diffusion. The isotherm and thermodynamics indicated that L-HPC adsorption of Cr(VI) conforms to the Freundlich model, L-HPC is a kind of multimolecular layer adsorbent, and the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) by L-HPC was 887.8 mg/g, which was significantly higher than values for other adsorbents. Ion competition simulation and actual water body tests showed that L-HPC exhibits high selectivity for Cr(VI) adsorption, adsorption cycle experiments show that L-HPC maintains over 83% performance after 12 cycles. Cost analysis shows that L-HPC is suitable for mass production. Therefore, L-HPC is a Cr(VI) adsorbent with high efficiency, high selectivity, and high reusability, which is broadly applicable and shows favorable prospects.

Preparation of Magnetic Surface Ion-Imprinted Polymer Based on Functionalized Fe3O4 for Fast and Selective Adsorption of Cobalt Ions from Water

A novel cobalt ion-imprinted polymer (Co(II)-MIIP) based on magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles was prepared by using Co(II) as the template ion, and bis(2-methacryloxyethyl) phosphate and glycylglycine as dual functional monomers. The fabricated material was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The adsorption experiments with Co(II)-MIIP, found that the maximum adsorption capacity could reach 33.4 mg·g−1, while that of the non-imprinted polymer (Co(II)-NIP) was found to reach 15.7 mg·g−1. The adsorption equilibriums of Co(II)-MIIP and Co(II)-NIP was established within 20 min and 30 min, respectively. The adsorption process could be suitably described by the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. In binary mixtures of Co(II)/Fe(II), Co(II)/Cu(II), Co(II)/Mg(II), Co(II)/Zn(II), and Co(II)/Ni(II), the relative selectivity coefficients of Co(II)-MIIP toward Co(II)-NIP were 5.25, 4.05, 6.06, 11.81, and 4.48, respectively. The regeneration experiments indicated that through six adsorption–desorption cycles, the adsorption capacity of Co(II)-MIIP remained nearly 90%.

Ion-imprinted guanidine-functionalized zeolite molecular sieves enhance the adsorption selectivity and antibacterial properties for uranium extraction

The important properties in the development of adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater include specific selectivity to uranium ions and anti-biofouling ability in the ocean environment. In this paper, we report a novel strategy for efficient selective extraction of uranium from aqueous solutions and good anti-bacterial properties by surface ion-imprinted zeolite molecular sieves. Guanidine-modified zeolite molecular sieves 13X (ZMS-G) were synthesized and used as the support for the preparation of uranium(vi) ion-imprinted adsorbents (IIZMS-G) by ligands with phosphonic groups. The prepared IIZMS-G adsorbent was characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that guanidine groups have been successfully introduced onto the support while its morphology structure was maintained. The adsorption performance and selectivity to U(vi) ions, antibacterial property, and reusability of IIZMS-G were evaluated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity reached 141.09 mg g⁻¹ when the initial concentration of metal ions was 50 mg L⁻¹ at pH 6 and 20 °C. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The IIZMS-G exhibits an efficient selective adsorption of U(vi) ions from aqueous solutions with competing ions. In addition, the IIZMS-G exhibited excellent inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the inhibitory rate was 99.99% and 98.96% respectively. These results suggest that the prepared IIZMS-G adsorbent may promote the development strategy of novel high selectivity and antifouling adsorbents for uranium recovery from seawater.

The important properties in the development of adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater include specific selectivity to uranium ions and anti-biofouling ability in the ocean environment.

Synthesis and evaluation of ion-imprinted composite membranes of Cr(vi) based on β-diketone functional monomers

Using Cr(vi) as the imprinted ions and 2-allyl-1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedione (ADPD) (a compound synthesized by independent design) as the functional monomer, a series of chromium ion-imprinted composite membranes (Cr(vi)-IICMs) and corresponding non-imprinted composite membranes (NICMs) were synthesized and tested. The results showed that the Cr(vi)-IICM₁₀ membrane prepared under optimal experimental conditions exhibited a high adsorption capacity towards Cr(vi) (Q = 30.35 mg g⁻¹) and a high imprinting factor (α = 2.70). The structural characteristics of Cr(vi)-IICM₁₀ and NICM₁₀ were investigated using FE-SEM, ATR-FTIR, and BET techniques combined with UV-Vis photometry and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to evaluate the adsorption performance and permeation selectivity, while the effect on adsorption permeance of varying the experimental conditions including the solvent type, pH, and temperature was also investigated. The results showed that Cr(vi)-IICM₁₀ is a mesoporous material with excellent permeation selectivity, reusability, and favorable pH response, and that its adsorption behavior is in accordance with the Langmuir model and pseudo-first-order kinetics. Thus, Cr(vi)-IICM₁₀ shows great potential towards utilization as a “smart membrane” to control the separation and removal of Cr(vi) in wastewater, and also proved a reasonable design of the new functional monomer ADPD.

Using Cr(vi) as the imprinted ions and 2-allyl-1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedione (a compound of independent design) as the functional monomer, a series of chromium ion-imprinted composite membranes and corresponding non-imprinted composite membranes were synthesized and tested.