Adsorption/desorption properties of copper ions on the surface of iron-coated sand using BET and EDAX analyses

Coupled adsorption-phytoremediation treatment of cellulose-reactive blue dye in a sustainable multi-step pilot-scale process

A single-step dye removal strategy from wastewater is inadequate for concentrations above 100 mg/L. In order to address this limitation, the adsorption of high dye concentrations followed by phytoremediation is a potential approach for the treatment of dye-contaminated wastewater. This combined method utilizes physical adsorption and biological processes to remove dyes from wastewater. Herein, we investigated a pilot-scale multi-step cascaded process where batch adsorption and fixed-bed column adsorption were combined with phytoremediation to remove cellulose-reactive blue dye at 200 to 500 mg/L concentrations. The batch adsorption utilized low-cost water hyacinth root powder (WHRP) bioadsorbent having 670 m2/g surface area, whereas the fixed-bed column adsorption used sand having a surface area of 75 m2/g. The phytoremediation process utilized water hyacinth plants in a series of ponds. The effluent from one unit is fed to the next until the dye is removed to more than 98% for all concentrations considered in this study. Pilot-scale experimental data fitting to adsorption isotherms and kinetics were performed to gain insight into the pilot-scale adsorption mechanism. The fixed-bed sand column adsorption was conducted at different inlet dye concentrations, flow rates, and bed heights. The breakthrough curves were fit to the Thomas, Yoon-Nelson, and Bohart-Adams models. The effluent from the fixed-bed column was transferred to phytoremediation ponds, where complete dye removal was achieved. Overall, data collectively presented in this study demonstrated that the combined adsorption and phytoremediation approach offers a potential solution for the remediation of high dye concentration in wastewater, providing an effective and sustainable treatment option.

Promotion of phosphate release from humic acid-iron hydroxide coprecipitates in the presence of citric acid

Phosphate (P) resources are expected to be depleted within a century. Therefore, promoting balanced phosphorus fertilizer use and understanding phosphorus dynamics in soils containing iron (III), organic acids, and iron (III)-organic molecule particulates is crucial. This study investigated the sorption of citric acid onto humic acid-iron hydr(o)xide coprecipitate (HAFHCP) and the reciprocal effects of citric acid and P sorption on HAFHCP with different C/Fe ratios. The results showed that the maximum sorption capacity (MSC) of citric acid on HAFHCP decreased with increasing C/Fe ratios in the HAFHCP. The P sorption on HAFHCP pre-sorbed with citric acids (denoted as C-P) decreased by 50% compared with that of the MSC on FH. However, citric acids could only reduce P sorption by 20% when P was pre-sorbed on HAFHCP (denoted as P-C). The results suggested that upon the formation of HAFHCP, citric acids might increase P availability, especially in the C-P system. Although citric acids initially inhibited P sorption on HAFHCP in the P-C system, P sorption increased with prolonged reaction time. The exposures of new sorption sites upon dissolution of Fe from HAFHCP by citric acids or/and the formations of Fe bridge between P and organic domains of HAFHCP might contribute to these results. Additionally, a number of large HAFHCP aggregates became smaller while sorbing P due to the increasing electric repulsion on the surfaces of FH, enabling the subsequent dissolutions of more Fe by citric acids from HAFHCP in the P-C system. By integrating these innovative and sustainable strategies, the recycling and reuse of P can be optimized, thereby minimizing the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and mitigating environmental impacts. This approach fosters the efficient utilization of phosphorus resources, improves soil fertility, and enhances the overall resilience of agricultural systems and ecosystems.

Coprecipitation of Fe/Cr Hydroxides with Organics: Roles of Organic Properties in Composition and Stability of the Coprecipitates

Iron hydroxides are important scavengers for dissolved chromium (Cr) via coprecipitation processes; however, the influences of organic matter (OM) on Cr sequestration in Fe/Cr-OM ternary systems and the stability of the coprecipitates are not well understood. Here, Fe/Cr-OM coprecipitation was conducted at pH 3, and Cr hydroxide was undersaturated. Acetic acid (HAc), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) were selected as model OMs, which showed different complexation capabilities with Fe/Cr ions and Fe/Cr hydroxide particles. HAc had no significant effect on the coprecipitation, as the monodentate carboxyl ligand in HAc did not favor complexation with dissolved Fe/Cr ions or Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles. Contrarily, PAA and SRNOM with polydentate carboxyl ligand had strong complexation with Fe/Cr ions and Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles, leading to significant amounts of PAA/SRNOM sequestered in the coprecipitates, which caused the structural disorder and fast aggregation of the coprecipitates. In comparison with that of PAA, preferential complexation of Cr ions with SRNOM resulted in higher Cr/Fe ratios in the coprecipitates. This study advances the fundamental understanding of Fe/Cr-OM coprecipitation and mechanisms controlling the composition and stability of the coprecipitates, which is essential for successful Cr remediation and removal in both natural and engineered settings.

Vertical macro-channel modification of a flexible adsorption board with in-situ thermal regeneration for indoor gas purification to increase effective adsorption capacity

Adsorption has been used widely to remove indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, the large diffusion resistance inside traditional granular adsorbents renders a low VOC adsorption rate. This study proposes a modified method to achieve the rapid diffusion into the adsorbent during the initial adsorption period. A thin and flexible adsorption board with a layer of adsorbent coated on a heating film was prepared for in-situ adsorption and regeneration. Then, regular, vertical macro-channels through the adsorption board were fabricated by laser drilling to enhance mass transfer inside the board. Experimental results demonstrated that after modification, the penetration times for formaldehyde and xylene extended from 3.8 to 6.2 h, and from 62 to 99 h, respectively. The effective adsorption capacity of the modified board had increased by a multiple of two for formaldehyde and 1.8 for xylene. A mathematical model was developed and experimentally validated to evaluate the modification effect for more adsorbent-pollutant pairs. The results showed that the amplification of effective adsorption capacity was positively correlated with the Da/(K·De) parameter; this is the diffusion resistance ratio prior to and following the modification. A spectrogram of adsorbent-pollutant pairs was plotted to guide the modification. This simple macro-channel modification of the adsorption board may be used as an alternative design for adsorption applications in indoor air purification.

Processing-Structure-Property Correlation Understanding of Microfibrillated Cellulose Based Dimensional Structures for Ferric Ions Removal

In this research article, wood based microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) was studied to gain a better understanding of the process of dependent network formation. Networking potential and obtained properties of the produced dimensional structures could be controlled using opted processing routes. The fabricated dimensional structure, using freeze-drying (FD) is a highly open and porous network (98% porosity) compared to slightly tight, dense and less porous network produced after pressing at 200kN (96% porosity), followed by vacuum-filtered (VF) networks (33% porosity). The porosity (17%) was further decreased when the casting (CS) method was used, further producing a highly dense and compressed network. High water flux (180.8 ± 11 L/m2h) of pressed freeze-dried (PFD) followed by vacuum-filtered (VF) (11.4 ± 1.9 L/m2h) and casting CS (0.7 ± 0.01 L/m2h) were calculated using device. Furthermore, increased water flux (1.4 fold) of Experimental Paper Machine (XPM) based structures was reported in comparison with CS structures. Pore-sized distribution and surface area were measured using Hg porosimetry; they showed an average pore size of 16.5 μm for FD, followed by PFD (8.2 μm) structures. A 27-fold decrease in average pore-size was observed for CS structure in comparison with the FD structures. Highest tensile strength (87 ± 21 MPa) was recorded for CS structures, indicating a more highly compacted network formation compared to VF (82 ± 19 MPa) and PFD (1.6 ± 0.06 MPa). Furthermore, an attempt was made to upscale the VF structures using traditional paper making approach on XMP. Improved tensile strength (73 ± 11 MPa) in machine produced structures is due to alignment of fibers towards machine direction compared to cross directional (43 ± 9 MPa) fractured structures as shown in our Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. Surface functionalization of MFC using enzyme (hexokinase) was performed to increase the adsorption efficiency towards ferric ions removal. All fabricated structures were further evaluated for Fe(iii) removal and it was summarized that charge densities of functional groups, produced ζ-potential and networking potential were dominating influential factors for adsorption fluctuation of ferric ions.

Effect of oyster shell medium and organic substrate on the performance of a particulate pyrite autotrophic denitrification (PPAD) process

The use of pyrite as an electron donor for biological denitrification has the potential to reduce alkalinity consumption and sulfate by-product production compared with sulfur oxidizing denitrification. This research investigated the effects of oyster shell and organic substrate addition on the performance of a particulate pyrite autotrophic denitrification (PPAD) process. Side-by-side bench-scale studies were carried out in upflow packed bed bioreactors with pyrite and sand, with and without oyster shells as an alkalinity source. Organic carbon addition (10% by volume wastewater) was found to improve PPAD denitrification performance, possibly by promoting mixotrophic metabolism. After organic carbon addition and operation at a six-hour empty bed contact time, total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal reached 90% in the column with oyster shells compared with 70% without. SEM images and biofilm protein measurements indicated that oyster shells enhanced biofilm growth. The results indicate that PPAD is a promising technology for treatment of nitrified wastewater.

A comparative study of ozonation, iron coated zeolite catalyzed ozonation and granular activated carbon catalyzed ozonation of humic acid

This study compares ozonation (O₃), iron coated zeolite catalyzed ozonation (ICZ-O₃) and granular activated carbon catalyzed ozonation (GAC-O₃) for removal of humic acid from an aqueous solution. The results were evaluated by the removal of DOC that specifies organic matter, UV₂₅₄ absorbance, SUVA (Specific Ultraviolet Absorbance at 254 nm) and absorbance at 436 nm. When ozonation was used alone, DOC removal was 21.4% at an ozone concentration of 10 mg/L, pH 6.50 and oxidation time of 60 min. The results showed that the use of ICZ or GAC as a catalyst increased the decomposition of humic acid compared to ozonation alone. DOC removal efficiencies were 62% and 48.1% at pH 6.5, at a catalyst loading of 0.75 g/L, and oxidation time of 60 min for ICZ and GAC, respectively. The oxidation experiments were also carried out using <100 kDa and <50 kDa molecular size fractions of humic acid in the presence of ICZ or GAC. Catalytic ozonation also yielded better DOC and UV₂₅₄ reduction in both <50 kDa and <100 kDa fractions of HA compared to ozonation.

The catalytic activity of the iron-coated pumice particles used as heterogeneous catalysts in the oxidation of natural organic matter by H2O2

The oxidative removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from waters was investigated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and iron-coated pumice particles in heterogeneous catalytic oxidation process (HCOP). Removal of trihalomethane (THM) precursors, which is formed THM by the reacts with chloride, was performed with the hydroxyl radicals. Coating the original pumice particles with iron oxides significantly enhanced the removal of NOM with peroxide. The studies were carried out in two sections: (1) decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in pure water with iron-coated pumice and (2) oxidation of THM Precursor (NOM) by hydrogen peroxide with iron-coated pumice. The monitored parameters in this study include dissolved organic carbon and trihalomethanes formation potential. The results show that iron-coated pumice catalyst significantly increased the removal efficiency of NOM in the HCOP. The results show that iron-coated pumice catalyst significantly increased the removal efficiency of NOM in the HCOP. Results show that the oxidation of NOM and remaining NOM with H2O2 is improved by the addition of iron-coated pumice particles which activate the H2O2 molecule, leading to the formation of hydroxyl radicals in a Fenton-like process.

Hybrid Adsorptive and Oxidative Removal of Natural Organic Matter Using Iron Oxide-Coated Pumice Particles

The aim of this work was to combine adsorptive and catalytic properties of iron oxide surfaces in a hybrid process using hydrogen peroxide and iron oxide-coated pumice particles to remove natural organic matter (NOM) in water. Experiments were conducted in batch, completely mixed reactors using various original and coated pumice particles. The results showed that both adsorption and catalytic oxidation mechanisms played role in the removal of NOM. The hybrid process was found to be effective in removing NOM from water having a wide range of specific UV absorbance values. Iron oxide surfaces preferentially adsorbed UV280-absorbing NOM fractions. Furthermore, the strong oxidants produced from reactions among iron oxide surfaces and hydrogen peroxide also preferentially oxidized UV280-absorbing NOM fractions. Preloading of iron oxide surfaces with NOM slightly reduced the further NOM removal performance of the hybrid process. Overall, the results suggested that the tested hybrid process may be effective for removal of NOM and control disinfection by-product formation.

High-flux affinity membranes based on cellulose nanocomposites for removal of heavy metal ions from industrial effluents

Fully biobased affinity membranes based on cellulose nanocrystal functional layer for removal of heavy metal ions from industry effluents were successfully demonstrated.

Fe(III) hydroxide nucleation and growth on quartz in the presence of Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cr(III): metal hydrolysis and adsorption

Fe(III) hydroxide nanoparticles are an essential carrier for aqueous heavy metals. Particularly, iron hydroxide precipitation on mineral surfaces can immobilize aqueous heavy metals. Here, we used grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) to quantify nucleation and growth of iron hydroxide on quartz in 0.1 mM Fe(NO3)3 solution in the presence of Na(+), Cu(2+), Pb(2+), or Cr(3+) at pH = 3.7 ± 0.1. In 30 min, the average radii of gyration (R(g)) of particles on quartz grew from around 2 to 6 nm in the presence of Na(+) and Cu(2+). Interestingly, the particle sizes remained 3.3 ± 0.3 nm in the presence of Pb(2+), and few particles formed in the presence of Cr(3+). Quartz crystal microbalance dissipation (QCM-D) measurements showed that only Cr(3+) adsorbed onto quartz, while Cu(2+) and Pb(2+) did not. Cr(3+) adsorption changed the surface charge of quartz from negative to positive, thus inhibiting the precipitation of positively charged iron hydroxide on quartz. Masses and compositions of the precipitates were also quantified. This study provided new insights on interactions among quartz, iron hydroxide, and metal ions. Such information is helpful not only for environmental remediation but also for the doping design of iron oxide catalysts.

Removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from an aqueous solution using α-Fe₂O₃nanoparticle-coated volcanic rocks

An adsorbent, volcanic rocks coated with α-Fe₂O₃nanoparticles, was prepared and utilized for the removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from an aqueous solution. Characterization of the coated volcanic rocks indicated that the α-Fe₂O₃nanoparticles were successfully and homogeneously distributed on the volcanic rocks, including penetration into rock pores. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate adsorption performance. The adsorption behavior of both ions was found to best fit a pseudo second-order model and Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions were 58.14 mg g⁻¹ and 56.50 mg g⁻¹ at 293 K, respectively, and increased with rising temperature. The loaded α-Fe₂O₃nanoparticles onto volcanic rock significantly increased removal of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions. The adsorption process was combined control of film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion. Adsorption thermodynamics indicated the adsorption process was spontaneous and occurred mainly through chemisorption. The results confirmed that the volcanic rocks coated with α-Fe₂O₃nanoparticles acted as a high-efficiency and low-cost absorbent, and effectively removed Cu(II) and Ni(II) from wastewater.

Granular ferric hydroxide adsorbent for phosphate removal: demonstration preparation and field study

Ferric hydroxide (FHO), which has high phosphate adsorption capacity, was prepared by precipitation at industrial scale and then fabricated via the drum granulation method with cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) as the binder. The optimum binder/FHO powder ratio was 0.6 for producing a granular adsorbent with a high phosphate adsorption capacity and stability. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacities of powder and granular FHOs were 74.07 mg g⁻¹ and 56.18 mg g(-1) at pH 7.0 ± 0.2, respectively, which were higher than those of other reported phosphate adsorbents under neutral or acidic conditions. Phosphate-loaded granular FHO could be regenerated by NaOH solution. Columns containing the granular FHO were used for phosphate removal from ozonated secondary effluents of a municipal wastewater treatment plant at space velocity (SV) of 2 and 5 h⁻¹. During more than 2 months' operation, the average removal percentage of PO(4)(3-) was more than 90% and the turbidity and concentration of CODMn in the effluents were lower than in the influents. In addition, energy dispersive X-ray results suggested that active sites inside the granular FHO were available for phosphate removal. The results demonstrated that granular FHO can be applied as an assist technology for phosphate removal from secondary effluents.

Effect of humic acid on as redox transformation and kinetic adsorption onto iron oxide based adsorbent (IBA)

Due to the importance of adsorption kinetics and redox transformation of arsenic (As) during the adsorption process, the present study elucidated natural organic matter (NOM) effects on As adsorption-desorption kinetics and speciation transformation. The experimental procedures were conducted by examining interactions of arsenate and arsenite with different concentrations of humic acid (HA) as a model representative of NOM, in the presence of iron oxide based adsorbent (IBA), as a model solid surface in three environmentally relevant conditions, including the simultaneous adsorption of both As and HA onto IBA, HA adsorption onto As-presorbed IBA, and As adsorption onto HA-presorbed IBA. Experimental adsorption-desorption data were all fitted by original and modified Lagergren pseudo-first and -second order adsorption kinetic models, respectively. Weber’s intraparticle diffusion was also used to gain insight into the mechanisms and rate controlling steps, which the results suggested that intraparticle diffusion of As species onto IBA is the main rate-controlling step. Different concentrations of HA mediated the redox transformation of As species, with a higher oxidation ability than reduction. The overall results indicated the significant effect of organic matter on the adsorption kinetics and redox transformation of As species, and consequently, the fate, transport and mobility of As in different environmentally relevant conditions.

Application of Biosurfactant Surfactin on Copper Ion Removal from Sand Surfaces with Continuous Flushing Technique

The potential of using the biosurfactant surfactin to remove adsorbed metal ions from sand surfaces with continuous flushing approaches was evaluated. With the surfactin solution flushing approach, low removal efficiency of 2–15% for copper ions was detected due to the contact of surfactin with copper ions occurring mainly in the inter-particle pore region. The channeling effect also contributed to the low removal efficiency. By incorporating foam in the flushing operation, the contact of surfactin with copper ions was enhanced due to reduced channeling effect. More copper ions with outer-sphere interaction type were thus available and the removal efficiency was increased. Increasing the surfactin concentration could increase the dynamic foaming capacity and lead to improved removal efficiency of 40%. The results demonstrated that the foam-enhanced solution flushing approach was efficient with a low usage of surfactin.

In situ removal of dissolved and suspended contaminants from a eutrophic pond using hybrid sand-filter

In this study, in situ hybrid sand filters were designed to remove dissolved and suspended contaminants from eutrophic pond. Currently, there are no attempts made to eradicate dissolved as well as suspended contaminants from eutrophic water system in a single step. Monitoring studies revealed that examined pond contain high chlorophyll-a content (101.8 μg L(-1)), turbidity (39.5 NTU) and total dissolved solids concentration (0.04 g L(-1)). Samples were further exposed to extensive water quality analysis, which include examining physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, turbidity and chlorophyll-a), metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni) and anions (NO3, NO2, PO4, SO4, Cl, F and Br). To tackle pollutants, filtration system was designed to comprise of several components including fine sand, coarse sand/sorbent mix and gravel from top to bottom loaded in fiberglass tanks. All the filters (activated carbon, Sargassum and zeolite) completely removed algal biomass and showed potential to decrease pH during entire operational period of 20 h at 120 L h(-1). To examine the efficiency of filters in adverse conditions, the pond water was spiked with heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni). Of the different filter systems, Sargassum-loaded filter performed exceedingly well with concentrations of heavy metals never exceeded the Environmental protection agency regulations for freshwater limits during total operational period. The total uptake capacities at the end of the fifth event were 24.9, 20.5, 0.58, 5.2, 0.091 and 2.8 mg/kg for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb, respectively.

Urban runoff treatment using nano-sized iron oxide coated sand with and without magnetic field applying

Increase of impervious surfaces in urban area followed with increases in runoff volume and peak flow, leads to increase in urban storm water pollution. The polluted runoff has many adverse impacts on human life and environment. For that reason, the aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of nano iron oxide coated sand with and without magnetic field in treatment of urban runoff. In present work, synthetic urban runoff was treated in continuous separate columns system which was filled with nano iron oxide coated sand with and without magnetic field. Several experimental parameters such as heavy metals, turbidity, pH, nitrate and phosphate were controlled for investigate of system efficiency. The prepared column materials were characterized with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) instruments. SEM and EDXA analyses proved that the sand has been coated with nano iron oxide (Fe3O4) successfully. The results of SEM and EDXA instruments well demonstrate the formation of nano iron oxide (Fe3O4) on sand particle. Removal efficiency without magnetic field for turbidity; Pb, Zn, Cd and PO4 were observed to be 90.8%, 73.3%, 75.8%, 85.6% and 67.5%, respectively. When magnetic field was applied, the removal efficiency for turbidity, Pb, Zn, Cd and PO4 was increased to 95.7%, 89.5%, 79.9%, 91.5% and 75.6% respectively. In addition, it was observed that coated sand and magnetic field was not able to remove NO3 ions. Statistical analyses of data indicated that there was a significant difference between removals of pollutants in two tested columns. Results of this study well demonstrate the efficiency of nanosized iron oxide-coated sand in treatment of urban runoff quality; upon 75% of pollutants could be removed. In addition, in the case of magnetic field system efficiency can be improved significantly.

Adsorption of Mn2+ from aqueous solution using Fe and Mn oxide-coated sand

The adsorption of Mn2+ onto immobilized Mn-oxide and Fe-oxide adsorbent such as manganese oxide-coated sandl (MOCS1), manganese oxide-coated sand2 (MOCS2), iron oxide-coated sand2 (IOCS2), and manganese and iron oxide-coated sand (MIOCS) was investigated. The effects of pH (5.5 to 8.0) and temperature (25 to 45 degrees C) on the equilibrium capacity were examined. Equilibrium studies showed that there is a good fit with both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm, which indicates surface heterogeneity and monolayer adsorption of the adsorbents. Kinetic data showed high correlation with the pseudo second-order model, which signifies a chemisorption-controlled mechanism. The activation energies, activation parameters (deltaG, deltaH, deltaS), and thermodynamic parameters (deltaG0, deltaH0, deltaS0) confirmed that adsorption with MIOCS was endothermic and more spontaneous at higher temperature while an opposite trend was observed for the other adsorbents. Thermodynamic studies showed that adsorption involved formation of activated complex, where MOCS 1 and MIOCS follow a physical-chemical mechanism, while MOCS2 and IOCS2 follows purely chemical mechanism.

Thermodynamic and kinetic controls on cotransport of Pantoea agglomerans cells and Zn through clean and iron oxide coated sand columns

Recent observations that subsurface bacteria quickly adsorb metal contaminants raise concerns that they may enhance metal transport, given the high mobility of bacteria themselves. However, metal adsorption to bacteria is also reversible, suggesting that mobility within porous medium will depend on the interplay between adsorption-desorption kinetics and thermodynamic driving forces for adsorption. Till now there has been no systematic investigation of these important interactions. This study investigates the thermodynamic and kinetic controls of cotransport of Pantoea agglomerans cells and Zn in quartz and iron-oxide coated sand (IOCS) packed columns. Batch kinetic studies show that significant Zn sorption on IOCS takes place within two hours. Adsorption onto P. agglomerans surfaces reaches equilibrium within 30 min. Experiments in flow through quartz sand systems demonstrate that bacteria have negligible effect on zinc mobility, regardless of ionic strength and pH conditions. Zinc transport exhibits significant retardation in IOCS columns at high pH in the absence of cells. Yet, when mobile bacteria (non attached) are passed through simultaneously with zinc, no facilitated transport is observed. Adsorption onto cells becomes significant and plays a role in mobile metal speciation only once the IOCS is saturated with zinc. This suggests that IOCS exhibits stronger affinity for Zn than cell surfaces. However, when bacteria and Zn are preassociated on entering the column, zinc transport is initially facilitated. Subsequently, zinc partly desorbs from the cells and redistributes onto the IOCS as a result of the higher thermodynamic affinity for IOCS.

The adsorptive removal of disinfection by-product precursors in a high-SUVA water using iron oxide-coated pumice and volcanic slag particles

The main objective of this work was to study the effectiveness of iron oxide-coated pumice and volcanic slag particles in removing disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors from a raw drinking water source with high specific UV absorbance (SUVA(254)) value. Iron oxide coating of particles significantly increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) uptakes and decreased DBP formation after chlorination compared to uncoated particles. pH values close to neutral levels during adsorption and chlorination provided DOC, trihalomethane and haloacetic acid reductions around 60-75% employing 6 g/L coated particle dosage. Higher degree of DOC and DBP reductions (>85%) were obtained with increasing particle dose. The uptake of bromide by iron oxide surfaces was negligible and increasing bromide concentrations (up to 550 μg/L) did not negatively impact the DOC uptake. However, due to competition between natural organic matter (NOM) and bicarbonate for the iron oxide surfaces, increasing bicarbonate alkalinity levels reduced DOC uptakes. Overall, the results indicated that the iron oxide-coated pumice/slag particles are effective adsorbents to remove NOM and control DBP formation in waters with relatively high DOC and SUVA(254) levels. However, they may not be effective for waters with alkalinity levels above 250 mg CaCO(3)/L.

Adsorption of arsenic(V) by iron-oxide-coated diatomite (IOCD)

PURPOSES AND AIMS: Economically efficient methods for removing arsenic from the drinking water supply are urgently needed in many parts of the world. Iron oxides are known to have a strong affinity for arsenic in water. However, they are commonly present in the forms of fine powder or floc, which limits their utility in water treatment. In this study, a novel granular adsorbent, iron-oxide-coated diatomite (IOCD), was developed and examined for its adsorption of arsenic from water.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An industrial-grade diatomite was used as the iron oxide support. The diatomite was first acidified and dried and then coated with iron oxide up to five times. The prepared IOCD samples were characterized for their morphology, composition, elemental content, and crystal properties by various instruments. Experiments of equilibrium and kinetic adsorption of As(V) on IOCD were conducted using 0.1- and 2-L polyethylene bottles, respectively, at different pH and temperatures.

RESULTS

Iron oxide (alpha-Fe(2)O(3) hematite) coated onto diatomite greatly improves (by about 30 times) the adsorption of As(V) from water by IOCD as compared to using raw diatomite. This improvement was attributed to increases in both surface affinity and surface area of the IOCD. The surface area of IOCD increased to an optimal value. However, as the IOCD surface area (93 m(2)/g) was only 45% higher than that of raw diatomite (51 m(2)/g), the enhanced As(V) adsorption resulted primarily from the enhanced association of negatively charged As(V) ions with the partial positive surface charge of the iron oxide. The As(V) adsorption decreased when the solution pH was increased from 3.5 to 9.5, as expected from the partial charge interaction between As(V) and IOCD. The adsorption data at pH 5.5 and 7.5 could be well fitted to the Freundlich equation. A moderately high exothermic heat was observed for the As(V) adsorption, with the calculated molar isosteric heat ranging from -4 to -9 kcal/mol. The observed heats fall between those for physical adsorption and chemisorption and are indicative of the formation of a series of ion-pair complexes of As(V) ions with iron oxide surface groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the granular IOCD was successfully developed and employed to remove the As(V) in aqueous solution. The Freundlich isotherm well fitted the equilibrium adsorption data of As(V) onto IOCD, and both the pseudo-second-order model and the pore diffusion model simulated well the adsorption kinetics. Compared to other iron-oxide-based adsorbents reported in the literatures, the adsorption capacity of IOCD is relatively high and its kinetics is fast.

Advanced oxidation of natural organic matter using hydrogen peroxide and iron-coated pumice particles

The oxidative removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from waters using hydrogen peroxide and iron-coated pumice particles as heterogeneous catalysts was investigated. Two NOM sources were tested: humic acid solution and a natural source water. Iron coated pumice removed about half of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration at a dose of 3000 mg l(-1) in 24 h by adsorption only. Original pumice and peroxide dosed together provided UV absorbance reductions as high as 49%, mainly due to the presence of metal oxides including Al(2)O(3), Fe(2)O(3) and TiO(2) in the natural pumice, which are known to catalyze the decomposition of peroxide forming strong oxidants. Coating the original pumice particles with iron oxides significantly enhanced the removal of NOM with peroxide. A strong linear correlation was found between iron contents of coated pumices and UV absorbance reductions. Peroxide consumption also correlated with UV absorbance reduction. Control experiments proved the effective coating and the stability of iron oxide species bound on pumice surfaces. Results overall indicated that in addition to adsorptive removal of NOM by metal oxides on pumice surfaces, surface reactions between iron oxides and peroxide result in the formation of strong oxidants, probably like hydroxyl radicals, which further oxidize both adsorbed NOM and remaining NOM in solution, similar to those in Fenton-like reactions.

Reuse of waste silica as adsorbent for metal removal by iron oxide modification

Silica gel is widely used in research laboratories, especially for the purification of organic compounds. Consequently, waste silica gel is generated in increasing amounts. In this work, waste silica was modified by coating its surface with iron oxide aiming to obtain an effective adsorbent for metal removal from wastewater. In the preparation of the adsorbent, the optimal pretreatment temperature and iron concentration were investigated. The coated waste silica was characterized for BET surface area, pore size, specific pore volume and iron content. Iron oxide-coated waste silica was tested for the adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) from solutions in a batch system. The effect of contact time, pH and salt concentration on metal adsorption was investigated. It was found that the adsorption of metals occurred rapidly and reached equilibrium within 30 min. The pH suitable for metal adsorption was between 6 and 7 and leaching of iron from the coating was observed only at pH 3 or lower. The presence of salt reduced the adsorption efficiency of the adsorbent. The adsorption behavior followed both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms (25 degrees C). Finally, the efficacy of the adsorbents was investigated using aqueous lab waste where removal efficiencies ranging from 62 to 89% were achieved when the initial metal concentrations ranged from 13 to 42 mg L(-1).

Adsorption of natural organic matter from waters by iron coated pumice

Natural pumice particles were used as granular support media and coated with iron oxides to investigate their adsorptive natural organic matter (NOM) removal from waters. The impacts of natural pumice source, particle size fraction, pumice dose, pumice surface chemistry and specific surface area, and NOM source on the ultimate extent and rate of NOM removal were studied. All adsorption isotherm experiments were conducted employing the variable-dose completely mixed batch reactor bottle-point method. Iron oxide coating overwhelmed the surface electrical properties of the underlying pumice particles. Surface areas as high as 20.6m(2)g(-1) were achieved after iron coating of pumice samples, which are above than those of iron coated sand samples reported in the literature. For all particle size fractions, iron coating of natural pumices significantly increased their NOM uptakes both on an adsorbent mass- and surface area-basis. The smallest size fractions (<63 microm) of coated pumices generally exhibited the highest NOM uptakes. A strong linear correlation between the iron contents of coated pumices and their Freundlich affinity parameters (K(F)) indicated that the enhanced NOM uptake is due to iron oxides bound on pumice surfaces. Iron oxide coated pumice surfaces preferentially removed high UV-absorbing fractions of NOM, with UV absorbance reductions up to 90%. Control experiments indicated that iron oxide species bound on pumice surfaces are stable, and potential iron release to the solution is not a concern at pH values of typical natural waters. Based on high NOM adsorption capacities, iron oxide coated pumice may be a promising novel adsorbent in removing NOM from waters. Furthermore, due to preferential removal of high UV-absorbing NOM fractions, iron oxide coated pumice may also be effective in controlling the formation of disinfection by-products in drinking water treatment.

Creating mixed Fe/Al coatings on planar γ-Al2O3 surfaces

Insufficient understanding of the interactions of reactive phases (e.g., Fe and Al oxides) with minerals, other reactive phases and sorbing species has made predicting and modeling metal sorption on natural sediment surfaces difficult. This work develops a method to create mixed Fe/Al planar oxide surfaces by coating well-characterized planar gamma-Al2O3 with ferric iron. The objective is to closely control the Fe/Al ratio as well as the distribution of Fe on the planar surface. Effects of starting Fe(III) concentration, reaction time and number of coating sequences were examined using XPS and ToF-SIMS. No observable trend was seen in Fe/Al ratios by varying the starting Fe(III) concentration or reaction time. For both 4- and 14-day reactions, lower concentrations of Fe(III) produced oxide phases with a homogeneous distribution of Fe at the surface as detected by ToF-SIMS. ToF-SIMS Fe elemental maps of the oxide phases resulting from the highest Fe(III) concentration showed areas of localized Fe deposition. A sequential coating procedure allowed for a closer control of the concentration and spatial distribution of Fe(III) in the resulting oxide phase. This work provides methodology that can be used to create Fe/Al oxide phases whose Fe/Al content can be controlled for use in subsequent sorption studies to better understand the effects of mixed phase oxides on metal ion uptake.

Synthesis and characterization of iron oxide-coated silica and its effect on metal adsorption

To accurately model metal mobility and bioavailability in soils and sediments, systematic adsorption studies are needed in considering heterogeneous, well characterized minerals. Two important surfaces are iron oxide and silica, which are ubiquitous and associated with one another in the environment playing important roles in metal distribution. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of such a system, iron oxide-coated silica. A three-level fractional factorial study was used to determine the optimum conditions for producing goethite-coated silica. The amount of coating achieved was between 0.59 and 21.36 mg Fe g(-1) solid. The most significant factor in coating using either adsorption or precipitation was the particle size of silica, where Fe increased from an average of 0.85 to 9.6 mg Fe g(-1) solid as silica size decreased from 1.5 to 0.2 mm. Other factors investigated, including coating temperature, initial iron concentration, and contact time, were of less importance. The iron oxide coatings were observed to be non-uniform, concentrated in rough concave areas. FTIR revealed a band shift as well as a new band indicating changes in the chemical environment of FeO and SiO bonds; these results along with abrasion studies suggest that the interaction between the oxide coating and silica surface potentially involves chemical forces. Because the nano-sized iron oxide coatings increased surface area, introduced small pores, and changed the surface charge distribution of silica, the coated system demonstrates a greater affinity for Ni compared to that of uncoated silica.

Modeling Pb sorption to microporous amorphous oxides as discrete particles and coatings

Hydrous amorphous Al (HAO), Fe (HFO), and Mn (HMO) oxides are ubiquitous in the subsurface as both discrete particles and coatings and exhibit a high affinity for heavy metal contaminants. To assess risks associated with heavy metals, such as Pb, to the surrounding environment and manage remedial activities requires accurate mechanistic models with well-defined transport parameters that represent sorption processes. Experiments were conducted to evaluate Pb sorption to microporous Al, Fe, and Mn oxides, as well as to montmorillonite and HAO-coated montmorillonite. Intraparticle diffusion, a natural attenuating process, was observed to be the rate-limiting mechanism in the sorption process, where best-fit surface diffusivities ranged from 10(-18) to 10(-15) cm(2) s(-1). Specifically, diffusivities of Pb sorption to discrete aluminum oxide, aluminum oxide-coated montmorillonite, and montmorillonite indicated substrate surface characteristics influence metal mobility where diffusivity increased as affinity decreased. Furthermore, the diffusivity for aluminum oxide-coated montmorillonite was consistent with the concentrations of the individual minerals present and their associated particle size distributions. These results suggest that diffusivities for other coated systems can be predicted, and that oxide coatings and montmorillonite are effective sinks for heavy metal ions.

Intraparticle Surface Diffusion of Metal Contaminants and their Attenuation in Microporous Amorphous Al, Fe, and Mn Oxides

Intraparticle surface diffusion is an important and rate-limiting process in the sorption of metal ions to microporous sorbents such as those of hydrous amorphous Al (HAO), Fe (HFO), and Mn (HMO) oxides; these minerals are abundant in the environment, exhibiting a high affinity for metal contaminants. In aquatic systems representative of natural environments, internal micropore surfaces of HAO, HFO, and HMO can account for 40 to 90% of the sorption sites. Surface diffusivities have been observed to range between 10(-16) and 10(-10) cm2 s(-1) for metals including Sr, Cd, Zn, and Ni. The combination of significant microporosity and small diffusivities results in the amorphous oxides acting as natural attenuating sinks.

Removal of metal ions and humic acid from water by iron-coated filter media

Iron oxide is an excellent, regenerable adsorbent, and often controls free metals through adsorption reaction. The utilization of heating process for coating iron oxide on sand surface allowed the media to be used in a packed column. Iron-coated sand was investigated for adsorbing metal ions and natural organic matter from water by batch and column experiments. Chemical analysis (energy dispersive analysis of X-ray, EDAX) was used for characterizing the copper and lead adsorption sites on iron-coated sand. From the batch experiment results, the copper and lead ions could be removed simultaneously by the iron-coated sand in the competition adsorption system. The interaction between copper, lead ions and iron oxide on sand surface was primarily the chemical bonds. The maximum adsorption capacities of iron-coated sand for copper and lead were 0.259 mg Cu/g-sand and 1.211 mg Pb/g-sand, respectively. The presence of humic acid led to increase the adsorption of copper and lead. Results from column experiments indicated that the copper ions, lead ions and humic acid could be removed completely before the breakpoint. Consequently, the iron-coated sand may be applied for the adsorption/filtration of metal ions and natural organic matters from water.

Adsorptive characteristics of cadmium and lead on the goethite-coated sand surface

This study was conducted to develop a heating process for coating crystalline goethite on the sand surface to utilize the adsorbent properties of the coating. Goethite-coated sand was investigated for adsorbing cadmium and lead ions from water by batch and column experiments. Chemical analysis (energy dispersive analysis of X-ray, EDAX) was used for characterizing the cadmium and lead adsorption sites on goethite-coated sand. From the results of the batch experiments, the cadmium and lead ions could be adsorbed effectively on the goethite-coated sand. Maximum adsorption capacity values for cadmium and lead were 319, 704 micrograms-Cd/g-sand and 702, 1241 micrograms-Pb/g-sand at pH = 5.0, pH = 6.0, respectively. The interaction between cadmium, lead ions and goethite on sand surface was primarily to cause the chemical bonding. Results from column experiments indicated that the cadmium and lead ions could be removed higher than 95% before 110, 130 and 66, 85 numbers of pore volume of influent were treated at pH = 5.0 and pH = 6.0, respectively.