Synthesis, characterization and application of organoclays for adsorptive desulfurization of fuel oil

The adsorption routes of 4IR technologies for effective desulphurization using cellulose nanocrystals: Current trends, challenges, and future perspectives

The combustion of liquid fuels as energy sources for transportation and power generation has necessitated governments worldwide to direct petroleum refineries to produce sulphur-free fuels for environmental sustainability. This review highlights the novel application of artificial intelligence for optimizing and predicting adsorptive desulphurization operating parameters and green isolation conditions of nanocellulose crystals from lignocellulosic biomass waste. The shortcomings of the traditional modelling and optimization techniques are stated, and artificial intelligence's role in overcoming them is broadly discussed. Also, the relationship between nanotechnology and artificial intelligence and the future perspectives of fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies for optimization and modelling of the adsorptive desulphurization process are elaborately discussed. The current study surveys different adsorbents used in adsorptive desulphurization and how biomass-based nanocellulose crystals (green adsorbents) are suitable alternatives for achieving cleaner fuels and environmental sustainability. Likewise, the present study reports the challenges and potential solutions to fully implementing 4IR technologies for effective desulphurization of liquid fuels in petroleum refineries. Hence, this study provides insightful information to benefit a broad audience in waste valorization for sustainability, environmental protection, and clean energy generation.

Designing an efficient organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite for simultaneous oxidative/adsorptive desulfurization of model and real fuel oils

In this study, an efficient organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite was designed for deep oxidative/adsorptive removal of dibenzothiophene (DBT) from model and real fuel oils employing surface molecularly imprinted polymer (SMIP) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). On the surface of silanol-functionalized MCM-48-HPW prepared at different 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPW wt%) as the oxidation catalyst, an imprinted polymethacrylic acid polymer (PMAA) as a selective adsorbent of DBT was formed using different amounts of DBT template. Then, various oxidant/sulfur molar ratios were applied during the desulfurization reactions according to the central composite design (CCD). The successful synthesis of the optimum SMIP-PMAA@MCM-48-HPW nanocomposite was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, N2-adsorption, SEM, TEM, TGA, and NMR techniques. The desulfurization percentage of the model oil reached 98.54% under the optimum conditions, and the catalyst percentage was found to be the most significant parameter for desulfurization efficiency. Comparison experiments showed that the combined role of oxidation and adsorption had an extensive impact on desulfurization efficiency. Under the optimized conditions, 96% DBT from gasoline was removed by the optimum nanocomposite. The optimum nanocomposite showed good stability and could be reused five times without a remarkable decrease in the desulfurization ability.

Transport of dimethyl phthalate on loess with modified bentonite: A batch and column test investigation

Phthalic acid ester (PAE) is a toxic pollutant commonly found in high concentrations in municipal solid waste landfills. Soil-bentonite is widely used as a barrier material to control groundwater contaminants from landfill leachates. Traditional soil-bentonite materials always have a limited capacity for organic pollutant adsorption. To address this issue, the adsorption and transport behavior of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) on loess amended with two kinds of modified bentonite (HTMAC-B, modified with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride; CMC-B, modified with hydrophobic cationic surfactant, and carboxymethyl cellulose) were investigated. The kinetics of DMP adsorption indicates that film diffusion contributes significantly to the kinetic adsorption of DMP on HTMAC-B. The adsorption isotherm results showed that partitioning dominated DMP adsorption on loess with both modified bentonites. Owing to the in-ionic sites in HTMAC-B, which attracted hydrophobic compounds such as DMP, the adsorption capacity of 5 % HTMAC-B-amended loess (LH) was increased by a factor of 3.2. However, because CMC-B provided mostly ionic sites, 5 % CMC-B-amended loess (LC) had a little effect on DMP adsorption. The hydraulic conductivity values of LH and LC were 5.95 × 10^-10 and 1.65 × 10^-11 m/s, respectively. The X-CT result showed that there is a significant porosity change for both LH and LC. Dual-porosity model reveals that the leaching process primarily affects micro-pores, rather than larger pores in the soil matrix. The predicted retardation factors for LH and LC were 38.89 and 9.67, respectively. When using loess-bentonite as barrier material, the amendment of HTMAC-B and CMC-B can help to increase the retardation ability and reduce the permeability, respectively.

Effect of double carbon chains on enhanced removal of phenol from wastewater by amphoteric-gemini complex-modified bentonite

A novle amphoteric-gemini complex-modified bentonite was prepared with a gemini surfactant ethylene bis (tetradecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (EB) on the basis of the bentonite modified by amphoteric modifier dodecyldimethyl betaine (BS). The surface and structural characteristics of modified bentonite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), specific surface area (S_BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN). In addition to studying the enhanced effect of gemini surfactants on phenol adsorption by kinetics and equilibrium adsorption, the influences of modification ratio, pH, temperature and ionic strength were investigated. Results showed that BS + EB complex modification increased the interlayer spacing (IS), TC and TN of bentonite (BT), and S_BET decreased with the increase in its total modification ratio. The adsorption of phenol on modified bentonite reached equilibrium in 20 min, and the adsorption capacities were in the order of BS+50 EB (BS+50% CEC EB)>BS+100 EB > BS+150 EB > BS+25 EB > BS > BT. The adsorption capacities of phenol on BS + EB complex modified bentonite (CMB) increased by 9.98-15.96 and 1.19-3.35 times compared with those on BT and BS single modified bentonite (SMB), respectively. The phenol adsorption capacities decreased with the increases in temperature and pH, while it increased with the augment in ionic strength. This study revealed that double carbon chains increased the organic carbon content more effectively than single carbon chains at low complex modification ratios, thus promoting the adsorption of phenol by hydrophobic partitioning on the bentonite surface.