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Preetam S. Nano revolution: pioneering the future of water reclamation with micro-/nano-robots. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:2569-2581. [PMID: 38752135 PMCID: PMC11093266 DOI: 10.1039/d3na01106b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Earth's freshwater reserves are alarmingly limited, with less than 1% readily available. Factors such as industrialisation, population expansion, and climate change are compounding the scarcity of clean water. In this context, self-driven, programmable micro- and nano-scale synthetic robots offer a potential solution for enhancing water monitoring and remediation. With the aid of these innovative robots, diffusion-limited reactions can be overcome, allowing for active engagement with target pollutants, such as heavy metals, dyes, nano- and micro-plastics, oils, pathogenic microorganisms, and persistent organic pollutants. Herein, we introduced and reviewed recent influential and advanced studies on micro-/nano-robots (MNR) carried out over the past decade. Typical works are categorized by propulsion modes, analyzing their advantages and drawbacks in detail and looking at specific applications. Moreover, this review provides a concise overview of the contemporary advancements and applications of micro-/nano-robots in water-cleaning applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subham Preetam
- Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology Daegu-42988 South Korea
- Institute of Advanced Materials, IAAM Gammalkilsvägen 18 Ulrika 59053 Sweden
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Ni CQ, Xie WQ. Quantifying sodium hypochlorite content in hypochlorite-based disinfectants via phase-conversion headspace technique. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1721:464812. [PMID: 38569297 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
In this work, a novel and efficient approach for sodium hypochlorite analysis is proposed via phase-conversion headspace technique, which is based on the gas chromatography (GC) detection of generated carbon dioxide (CO2) from the redox reaction of sodium hypochlorite with sodium oxalate. The data obtained by the proposed method suggest the high detecting precision and accuracy. In addition, the method has low detection limits (limit of quantification (LOQ) = 0.24 μg/mL), and the recoveries of added standard ranged from 98.33 to 101.27 %. The proposed phase-conversion headspace technique is efficient and automated, thereby offering an efficient strategy for highly efficient analysis of sodium hypochlorite and related products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Quan Ni
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Wei-Qi Xie
- School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
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Xu Z, Sun S, Gao M, Zheng R, Mu H, Qiu L, Ma J. Degradation of tetracyclines via calcium peroxide activation by ultrasonic: Roles of reactive species, oxidation mechanism and toxicity evaluation. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 334:139033. [PMID: 37244553 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Tetracyclines (TC) frequently detected in the aqueous environment pose threats to humans and ecosystems. The synergistic technology coupling ultrasound (US) and calcium peroxide (CaO2) has a great potential to abate TC in wastewater. However, the degradation efficiency and detailed mechanism of TC removal in the US/CaO2 system is unclear. This work was carried out to assess the performance and mechanism of TC removal in the US/CaO2 system. The results demonstrated that 99.2% of TC was degraded by the combination of 15 mM CaO2 with ultrasonic power of 400 W (20 kHz), but only about 30% and 4.5% of TC was removed by CaO2 (15 mM) or US (400 W) alone process, respectively. Experiments using specific quenchers and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis indicated that the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), superoxide radicals (O2-•), and single oxygen (1O2) in the process, whereas •OH and 1O2 were mainly responsible for the degradation of TC. The removal of TC in the US/CaO2 system has a close relationship with the ultrasonic power, the dosage of CaO2 and TC, and the initial pH. The degradation pathway of TC in the US/CaO2 process was proposed based on the detected oxidation products, and it mainly included N,N-dedimethylation, hydroxylation, and ring-opening reactions. The presence of 10 mM common inorganic anions including chloridion (Cl-), nitrate ion (NO3-), sulfate ion (SO42-), and bicarbonate ion (HCO3-) showed negligible influences on the removal of TC in the US/CaO2 system. The US/CaO2 process could efficiently remove TC in real wastewater. Overall, this work firstly demonstrated that •OH and 1O2 mainly contributed to the removal of pollutants in the US/CaO2 system, which was remarkable for understanding the mechanisms of CaO2-based oxidation process and its future application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zujun Xu
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Shaofang Sun
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China.
| | - Mingchang Gao
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Ruibin Zheng
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Haotian Mu
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China
| | - Liping Qiu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China; School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China.
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
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Zhang S, Zheng M, Yang G, Zhang T, Magnuson JT, Chen H, Zheng C, Qiu W. Sunlight-mediated CaO 2 inactivation of pathogen indicator organisms in surface water system: Roles of reactive species, characterization of pathogen inactivation. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 233:119756. [PMID: 36842331 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In the era of the current epidemic, it is urgent to control pathogens in sewage, eliminate the source of infection, and optimize the technology for killing pathogens. Combining calcium peroxide (CaO2) with sunlight is considered a potentially efficient, economical, and eco-friendly method for pathogen-contaminated water remediation. This paper evaluated the solar activating properties of CaO2 for inactivating pathogenic indicators and explored the roles of reactive species contributing to pathogen inactivation. Moreover, these reactive species' average steady-state concentrations and second-order reaction rate were tentatively explored, and mechanistic model for photoinactivation were establishment. Pathogen's inactivation was mainly attributed to direct photoinactivation (13∼50%) and exogenous indirect mechanisms with corresponding contributions of reactive species, i.e., OH- (14∼23%), 1O2 (12∼28%), •OH (20∼32%), O2•- (12∼16%), and H2O2 (6∼11%). Furthermore, cell membrane rupture and DNA damage were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) experiments. Among experiments on common aqueous constituents influencing photoinactivation, copper and iron ions were found to promote a pathogen-inactivating ability of the system, while fulvic acids (FA) and humic acid (HA) had the opposite effect. This study revealed the potential of CaO2/sunlight to inactivate pathogens and laid a foundation for its application in inactivating pathogens in surface water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwen Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ming Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Ge Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jason T Magnuson
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Honghong Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chunmiao Zheng
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wenhui Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Dong CD, Cheng JW, Chen CW, Huang CP, Hung CM. Activation of calcium peroxide by nitrogen and sulfur co-doped metal-free lignin biochar for enhancing the removal of emerging organic contaminants from waste activated sludge. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 374:128768. [PMID: 36828219 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in waste activated sludge (WAS) is a global concern. In this study, a multi-heteroatom nitrogen and sulfur was successfully embedded into lignin-based biochar (N-S-LGBC) and used it to activate calcium peroxide (CP) for the degradation of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in WAS. N-S-LGBC/CP was effective in degrading 85 % of 4-NP within 12 h through the activation of CP owing to hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen species generated from the synergism among pyrrolic-N, thiophenic-S, and lattice oxygen, i.e., active sites responsible for 4-NP degradation. These results highlight substrate biodegradability for subsequent bioprocesses that improves WAS treatment in EOC degradation by the N-S-LGBC/CP-mediated process. There was abundance of distinct Aggregatilinea genus within the phylum Chloroflexi during N-S-LGBC/CP treatment, indicating high 4-NP pretreatment efficiency in WAS. This work provides a new understanding of N-S-co-doped carbocatalysts in green and sustainable hydroxyl radical-driven carbon advanced oxidation (HR-CAOP) platforms for WAS remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Di Dong
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Wei Cheng
- Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Wen Chen
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Pao Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, USA
| | - Chang-Mao Hung
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
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Smart micro- and nanorobots for water purification. NATURE REVIEWS BIOENGINEERING 2023; 1:236-251. [PMID: 37064655 PMCID: PMC9901418 DOI: 10.1038/s44222-023-00025-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Less than 1% of Earth's freshwater reserves is accessible. Industrialization, population growth and climate change are further exacerbating clean water shortage. Current water-remediation treatments fail to remove most pollutants completely or release toxic by-products into the environment. The use of self-propelled programmable micro- and nanoscale synthetic robots is a promising alternative way to improve water monitoring and remediation by overcoming diffusion-limited reactions and promoting interactions with target pollutants, including nano- and microplastics, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, oils and pathogenic microorganisms. This Review introduces the evolution of passive micro- and nanomaterials through active micro- and nanomotors and into advanced intelligent micro- and nanorobots in terms of motion ability, multifunctionality, adaptive response, swarming and mutual communication. After describing removal and degradation strategies, we present the most relevant improvements in water treatment, highlighting the design aspects necessary to improve remediation efficiency for specific contaminants. Finally, open challenges and future directions are discussed for the real-world application of smart micro- and nanorobots.
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Gao Z, Chen Q, Song X, Wang J, Cai W. Microbial Responses to Various Types of Chemical Regents during On-Line Cleaning of UF Membranes. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:920. [PMID: 36295679 PMCID: PMC9606962 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12100920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafiltration is widely used to treat various environmental waters, and on-line membrane cleaning with various chemical reagents is frequently employed to sustain the filtration flux. However, the residue of cleaning agents in the ultrafiltration system is unavoidable, which may affect microbiological properties and biofilm formation during the next-round filtration. By investigating the changes in microbial characteristics, and their biofouling behaviors after exposure to HCl, NaOH, NaClO, citric acid (CA), and sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS), this study fills a knowledge gap in microbial responses to various types of chemical cleaning agents in an ultrafiltration system. The result shows that HCl, NaOH, and NaClO affect the bacterial properties and subsequent attachment on the membrane surface, while CA and SDS have no obvious influence on microorganisms. Specifically, HCl, NaOH, and NaClO reduce the hydrophobicity and mean size of suspended microorganisms, increase the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) release, and trigger intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, resulting in the death of a large quantity of microorganisms. Due to the self-protecting strategy, plenty of living cells aggregate on the membrane surface and form a cake layer with a stratified structure, causing more severe membrane biofouling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyuan Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Qiuying Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Xiaolan Song
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 102488, China
| | - Jingwei Wang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Weiwei Cai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 102488, China
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Hung CM, Chen CW, Huang CP, Shiung Lam S, Yang YY, Dong CD. Performance and bacterial community dynamics of lignin-based biochar-coupled calcium peroxide pretreatment of waste-activated sludge for the removal of 4-nonylphenol. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 354:127166. [PMID: 35447330 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Waste activated sludge contaminated with high levels of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) is a major environmental concern. We have synthesized lignin-based biochar (LGBC) for use as a carbocatalyst in calcium peroxide (CP)-mediated sewage sludge pretreatment. Treatment of sewage sludge with 3.1 × 10-4 M of CP and 3.0 g L-1 of LGBC removed 76% of 4-NP in 12 h, which were 3.8 and 2.4 times higher than that with the LGBC and CP alone, respectively. There was synergy between reactive oxygen species (HO•, O2•-, and 1O2) and graphitic frameworks of LGBC. Pretreatment using the LGBC/CP system enhanced the release of biodegradable organic xenobiotics from the sludge. LGBC/CP enriched Proteobacteria and Thermostilla bacterial consortium (Planctomycetes) in the sludge and promoted 4-NP biodegradation. This work provides new insights into the chemical and biological mechanisms by which LGBC promotes 4-NP biodegradation in waste activated sludge via hydroxyl radical-driven carbon advanced oxidation pretreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Mao Hung
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Wen Chen
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Pao Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, USA
| | - Su Shiung Lam
- Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Yan-Yi Yang
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Di Dong
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
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