Sono-assisted enhanced adsorption of eriochrome Black-T dye onto a novel polymeric nanocomposite: kinetic, isotherm, and response surface methodology optimization

Experimental validation off-line a nonlinear controller for removal of chromium using non-living cells of Yarrowia lipolytica

The removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] using non-living cells of Yarrowia lipolytica was investigated. Batch and continuous studies on removal of Cr (VI) achieved 97% and 99% removal from aqueous phase, respectively. The specific uptake values at pH of 2 in batch process were 40.73 ± 1.3 mg/g and 30.09 ± 0.23 mg/g on non-living cells, when 100 and 200 mg/L of metal Cr (VI) concentrations were used. In order to investigate the regulation of Cr (VI) under continuous operation based on reaction volume numerically a new class of feedback controller from structure polynomial was designed. The proposed methodology was used to an experimentally kinetic model for a removal Cr (VI) from Yarrowia lipolytica biomass was showed satisfactory closed-loop performance the proposed controller. Starting from an off-line optimization performed in simulation, we present the controller implementation, focussing on the methodology required to could be suitable for implementation in real time. In our experimental results, we highlight some discrepancies between simulation and reality despite these differences, the controller managed to perform convergence to removal Cr (VI). Finally, the results validated with off-line samples suggest that the proposed control could be suitable for in application in potential scenarios for wastewater treatment.

UV-blocking and photocatalytic properties of Ag-coated cotton fabrics with Si binders for photo-degradation of recalcitrant dyes in aqueous solutions under sunlight

Textile wastewater laden with dyes has emerged as a source of water pollution. This possesses a challenge in its effective treatment using a single functional material. In respond to this technological constraint, this work presents multifunctional cotton fabrics (CFs) within a single, streamlined preparation process. This approach utilizes the adherence of Ag NPs (nanoparticles) using Si binder on the surface of CFs, resulting in Ag-coated CFs through a pad dry method. The prepared samples were characterized using scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray electroscopy (SEM-EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR). It was found that the FT-IR spectra of Ag NPs-coated CFs had peaks appear at 3400, 2900, and 1200 cm-1, implying the stretching vibrations of O-H, C-H, and C-O, respectively. Based on the EDX analysis, the presence of C, O, and Ag related to the coated CFs were detected. After coating the CFs with varying concentrations of Ag NPs (1%, 2% and 3% (w/w)), they were used to remove dyes. Under the same concentration of 10 mg/L and optimized pH 7.5 and 2 h of reaction time, 3% (w/w) Ag-coated CFs exhibited a substantial MB degradation of 98 %, while removing 95% of methyl orange, 85% of rhodamine B, and 96% of Congo red, respectively, following 2 h of Vis exposure. Ag NPs had a strong absorption at 420 nm with 2.51 eV of energy band gap. Under UV irradiation, electrons excited and produced free radicals that promoted dyes photodegradation. The oxidation by-products included p-dihydroxybenzene and succinic acid. Spent Ag-coated CFs attained 98% of regeneration efficiency. The utilization of Ag-coated CFs as a photocatalyst facilitated treated effluents to meet the required discharge standard of lower than 1 mg/L mandated by national legislation. The integration of multifunctional CFs in the treatment system presents a new option for tackling water pollution due to dyes.

High adsorptive performance of chitosan-microalgae-carbon-doped TiO2 (kronos)/ salicylaldehyde for brilliant green dye adsorption: Optimization and mechanistic approach

A composite of chitosan biopolymer with microalgae and commercial carbon-doped titanium dioxide (kronos) was modified by grafting an aromatic aldehyde (salicylaldehyde) in a hydrothermal process for the removal of brilliant green (BG) dye. The resulting Schiff's base Chitosan-Microalgae-TiO2 kronos/Salicylaldehyde (CsMaTk/S) material was characterised using various analytical methods (conclusive of physical properties using BET surface analysis method, elemental analysis, FTIR, SEM-EDX, XRD, XPS and point of zero charge). Box Behnken Design was utilised for the optimisation of the three input variables, i.e., adsorbent dose, pH of the media and contact time. The optimum conditions appointed by the optimisation process were further affirmed by the desirability test and employed in the equilibrium studies in batch mode and the results exhibited a better fit towards the pseudo-second-order kinetic model as well as Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 957.0 mg/g. Furthermore, the reusability study displayed the adsorptive performance of CsMaTk/S remains effective throughout five adsorption cycles. The possible interactions between the dye molecules and the surface of the adsorbent were derived based on the analyses performed and the electrostatic attractions, H-bonding, Yoshida-H bonding, π-π and n-π interactions are concluded to be the responsible forces in this adsorption process.

Microfluidic Fabrication of Monodisperse and Recyclable TiO2-Poly(ethylene glycol) Diacrylate Hybrid Microgels for Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Medium

Nearly monodisperse titanium oxide-polyethylene glycol diacrylate [TiO2-P(EGDA)] hybrid microbeads containing 0.5 wt % TiO2 nanoparticles entrapped within a P(EGDA) cross-linked polymeric network were synthesized using a modular Lego-inspired glass capillary microfluidic device. TiO2-P(EGDA) hybrid microgels were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The fabricated TiO2-P(EGDA) hybrid microgel system showed 100% removal efficiency of methylene blue (MB) from its 1-3 ppm aqueous solutions after 4 h of UV light irradiation at 0.2 mW/cm2 at the loading of 25 g/L photocatalyst beads in the reaction mixture, corresponding to the loading of naked TiO2 of just 0.025 g/L. No decrease in photocatalytic efficiency was observed in 10 repeated runs with recycled photocatalyst using a fresh 1 ppm MB solution in each cycle. The rate of photocatalytic degradation was controlled by the UV light irradiance, catalyst loading, and the initial dye concentration. Physical adsorption of MB onto the surface of composite microgel was also observed. The adsorption data was best fitted with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the Elovich kinetic model. TiO2-P(EGDA) microgel beads are biocompatible, can be prepared with a tunable size in the microfluidic device, and can easily be separated from the reaction mixture by gravity settling. The TiO2-P(EGDA) system can be used for the removal of other toxic dyes and micropollutants from industrial wastewater.

Optimization of stabilized anaerobic landfill leachate treatment using ozonation with metallic compound using response surface methodology

Malaysia encounters a consistent rise in the generation of solid waste and leachate on a daily basis. It should also be noted that leachate has a low degree of biodegradability (BOD5 /chemical oxygen demand [COD]), as shown by its BOD5 /COD ratio. Its high toxicity levels significantly threaten the environment, water bodies, and human well-being. High concentrations of COD, color, and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3 -N) in leachate prevent this wastewater from being allowed to be discharged directly into the water body. Therefore, an effective process to remove the pollutant is desired. The aims of this study are to investigate the performance of ozonation with two metallic compounds, ZrCl4 and SnCl4 , and optimize their performance using response surface methodology (RSM). In this study, the performance of ozonation with ZrCl4 (O3 /ZrCl4 ) recorded better pollutant removals compared with the ozonation with tin tetrachloride (O3 /SnCl4 ), as seen in the removals of 99.8%, 93.5%, and 46.3% for color, COD, and NH3 -N, respectively. These removals were achieved by following the experimental model (optimum experiment condition) generated by RSM at O3 dosage of 31 g/m3 , COD and ZrCl4 dosage ratio (COD, mg/L/ZrCl4 , mg/L) of 1:1.35, with the pH solution of 8.78 and reaction time of 89 min. The R2 of each parameter for this model was recorded as 0.999 (COD), 0.999 (color), and 0.998 (NH3 -N), respectively. These data indicated that the model is well fitted as the predicted data by statistical calculation and in good agreement with the actual data. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The performance of O3 /ZrCl4 and O3 /SnCl4 was examined for remediate stabilized landfill leachate. The performance of O3 /ZrCl4 and O3 /SnCl4 was optimized using RSM, and a set of experimental models was generated and tested. O3 /ZrCl4 recorded the higher removal of COD, color, and NH3 -N compared with O3 /SnCl4 . At best condition, both methods recorded removal as 89% to 99.8% of pollutants in leachate and product clear effluent. This finding gives a new approach to treat landfill leachate effectively and efficiently.

Adsorption of nitrophenol onto a novel Fe3O4-κ-carrageenan/MIL-125(Ti) composite: process optimization, isotherms, kinetics, and mechanism

Water pollution is a dreadful affair that has incessantly aggravated, exposing our planet to danger. In particular, the persistent nitro aromatic compound like nitrophenols causes anxiety to the researchers due to their hazardous impacts, excessive usage, and removal difficulty. For this purpose, a novel multi-featured composite was constructed based on κ-Carrageenan (κ-Carr), MOF (MIL-125(Ti)), and magnetic Fe3O4 for efficient adsorptive removal of o-nitrophenol (o-NP). Interestingly, BET measurements revealed the high surface area of Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) of about 163.27 m2/g, while VSM showed its excellent magnetic property (20.34 emu/g). The comparison study pointed out the synergistic effect between Fe3O4, κ-Carr, and MIL-125(Ti), forming a composite with an excellent adsorption performance toward o-NP. The adsorption data obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and Freundlich isotherm model was better fitted than Langmuir and Temkin. Furthermore, Langmuir verified the supreme adsorption capacity of o-NP onto Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) since the computed qmax reached 320.26 mg/g at pH 6 and 25 °C. Furthermore, the XPS results postulated that the adsorption mechanism pf o-NP proceeded via H-bonding, π-π interaction, and electron donor-acceptor interactions. Interestingly, Fe3O4-κ-Carr/MIL-125(Ti) composite retained good adsorption characteristics after reusing for five cycles, suggesting its viable applicability as an efficient, renewable, and easy-separable adsorbent for removing nitro aromatic pollutants.

Fabrication of nano-biocomposite for the removal of Eriochrome Black T and malachite green from aqueous solution: isotherm and kinetic studies

The increasing generation of toxic dye wastewater from various enterprises continues to be a serious public health issue and happens to be of environmental concern, posing a significant challenge to existing conventional water treatment facilities. Malachite green (MG) and Eriochrome Black T (EBT) are extremely hazardous and carcinogenic substances; hence it is crucial to remove them from water bodies. A well-known cleaner, more economical, and environmentally friendly treatment method is adsorption. The kind of adsorbent material employed determines how well the treatment procedure works. A physiologically compatible nanocomposite adsorbent (HAP@CT@MNP) was fabricated from laboratory synthesized hydroxyapatite (HAP) and magnetite (MNP) for its application in the wastewater remediation process. The ability of the fabricated nanocomposite to remove the harmful dyes EBT and MG from a simulated wastewater was evaluated. The impact of operational parameters including pH, adsorbate concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature was examined to gauge the maximum adsorption capacity of the developed nanocomposite. The optimum pH for the eradication of EBT and MG were found to be 3 and 7.4, respectively. The maximum capacity evaluated was 222 mg/g and 500 mg/g at room temperature and at contact time of 50 and 40 min respectively. The binding of either EBT or MG followed the monolayer Langmuir model and kinetic studies revealed the suitability of pseudo-second-order model. Studies using spectroscopy and isotherm modeling showed that the main mechanism controlling the adsorption of EBT and MG onto HAP@CT@MNP is physisorption. The efficacy of the adsorbent to be reused with 8% loss in its efficiency reveals the economic viability of HAP@CT@MNP. The current work showed that a biocompatible nanocomposite could be successfully fabricated and used as an enhanced adsorbent for the quick and effective removal of the toxic dyes EBT and MG from wastewater.

Trinary Component Adsorption of Methylene Blue, Methyl Orange, and Methyl Red from Aqueous Solution Using TiO2/Activated Carbon

Porous TiO2/activated carbon (AC) material was synthesized by grafting peroxo-hydro titanium complexes to rice husk-derived activated carbon. It was found that the morphology of TiO2/AC consists of TiO2 fine particles highly dispersed on the AC matrix. The obtained TiO2/AC composites with high surface area and a red shift exhibit an excellent adsorption performance in both single and trinary system toward methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), and methyl red (MR). The isotherm models including extended Langmuir, P-factor, ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) for Langmuir, Freundlich, and Sips models were applied to study the adsorption equilibrium data of trinary solutions. It was found that IAST for Freundlich and Langmuir models were the most suitable one to describe the adsorption of the three dyes on TiO2/AC material. The high maximum adsorption capacities (mmol g-1) in single/trinary mixture were found as 0.452/0.340 for MB; 0.329/0.321 for MO; and 0.806/2.04 for MR. Moreover, the recyclability experiments showed that the adsorbent could be reused through photocatalytic self-cleaning for at least three cycles with stable capacity. Thus, the TiO2/AC can be effectively employed for the removal of dyes from industrial textile wastewater.

Prediction of methyl orange dye (MO) adsorption using activated carbon with an artificial neural network optimization modeling

In this study, methyl orange (MO) dye removal by adsorption utilizing activated carbon made from date seeds (DPAC) was modeled using an artificial neural network (ANN) technique. Instrumental investigations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were used to assess the physicochemical parameters of adsorbent. By changing operational parameters including adsorbent dosage (0.01-0.03 g), solution pH 3-8, initial dye concentration (5-20 mg/L), and contact time (2-60 min), the viability of date seeds for the adsorptive removal of methyl orange dye from aqueous solution was assessed in a batch procedure. The system followed the pseudo 2nd order kinetic model for DPAC adsorbent, according to the kinetic study (R2 = 0.9973). The mean square error (MSE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), relative error (RE), and correlation coefficient (R²) were used to measure the ANN model performance. The maximum RE was 8.24% for the ANN model. Two isotherm models, Langmuir and Freundlich, were studied to fit the equilibrium data. Compared with the Freundlich isotherm model (R² = 0.72), the Langmuir model functioned better as an adsorption isotherm with R² of 0.9902. Thus, this study demonstrates that the dye removal process can be predicted using an ANN technique, and it also suggests that adsorption onto DPAC may be employed as a main treatment for dye removal from wastewater.

Ultrahigh Adsorption Capacity Zirconium-Magnesium Composite Oxide Nanoclusters Remove Malachite Green from Aqueous Media

The environmental pollution caused by organic dyes has damaged serious harm to human life. Hence, a series of Zr-Mg composite oxide nanoclusters with different metal ratios were synthesized by solvothermal method for adsorption of malachite green in aqueous solution. The optimal adsorbent with Zr/Mg metal molar ratio of 1 : 2 presented good adsorption performance, which adsorption capacity reached 12647.60 mg/g, and removal rate of malachite green reached more than 99%. These adsorbents were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and other methods. Influence of initial concentration of malachite green solution, pH, adsorption temperature, and contact time on absorption efficiency was investigated through batch experiments. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model can well describe the adsorption kinetic data. The three-parameter Sips isotherm model was more suitable for predicting the experimental results than Langmuir and Freundlich, and the adsorption process was endothermic.

Application of the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in the Optimization of Acenaphthene (ACN) Removal from Wastewater by Activated Carbon

The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wastewater has raised concerns about human health due to their potential carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. The widespread use of products containing acenaphthene (ACN, one of the 16 priority PAHs) in many industries and large-scale ACN release into the wastewater has resulted in dangerous concentrations of ACN in the environment. As a result, before discharge, it is required to eliminate or reduce its concentration to an acceptable level. Adsorption is an effective method of removing PAHs from wastewater. In this study, the ACN adsorption reaction in sample wastewater was evaluated using activated carbon produced by oil palm leaves. HPLC was used as an analytical method for quantifying ACN in wastewater samples. The initial concentration of ACN in water samples was 9.58 ± 0.5 mg/L. The experiments were conducted using the CCD combined with the RSM and using three independent variables, i.e., pH, activated carbon dosage (g/L), and contact time (min), and one dependent variable, i.e., ACN removal efficiency (%). The ANOVA was used to identify the significance of the developed model in the RSM. Lastly, the RSM was used to optimize the adsorption results. The experimental results determined that the removal of 98.73 ± 1% of ACN (the highest amount) was achieved at pH 7, while the removal of 88.44 ± 1% of ACN (the lowest amount) was achieved at pH 4.5. The adsorption efficiency of ACN was slightly increased by an increase in activated carbon dosage from 0.1 to 3 g/L (<4%). The contact time was the most significant factor in controlling the adsorption efficiency of ACN in wastewater, and not pH value or dosage. The adsorption reaction was quick, and 88–90% of ACN was removed within 5 min of the adsorption reaction, followed by slower adsorption for up to 90 min. The RSM model was developed on the basis of experimental results. An ANOVA determined that the developed model was significant enough to represent the adsorption data as the p-value was <0.05 for the model. The factors pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time were also significant factors (p-value < 0.05). The optimization results showed that pH of 6.96, adsorbent dosage of 2.62 g/L, and contact time of 71.67 min were the optimal conditions for eliminating 98.88% of the ACN. The optimization results were verified in the lab, and a close agreement was found between the predicted results of the RSM and experimental results. The study found that the RSM is an effective tool for optimizing operating variables, as well as for significantly reducing time and experimentation costs.

Evaluation of Contemporary Computational Techniques to Optimize Adsorption Process for Simultaneous Removal of COD and TOC in Wastewater

This study was aimed at evaluating the artificial neural network (ANN), genetic algorithm (GA), adaptive neurofuzzy interference (ANFIS), and the response surface methodology (RSM) approaches for modeling and optimizing the simultaneous adsorptive removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) in produced water (PW) using tea waste biochar (TWBC). Comparative analysis of RSM, ANN, and ANFIS models showed mean square error (MSE) as 5.29809, 1.49937, and 0.24164 for adsorption of COD and MSE of 0.11726, 0.10241, and 0.08747 for prediction of TOC adsorption, respectively. The study showed that ANFIS outperformed the ANN and RSM in terms of fast convergence, minimum MSE, and sum of square error for prediction of adsorption data. The adsorption parameters were optimized using ANFIS-surface plots, ANN-GA hybrid, RSM-GA hybrid, and RSM optimization tool in design expert (DE) software. Maximum COD (88.9%) and TOC (98.8%) removal were predicted at pH of 7, a dosage of 300 mg/L, and contact time of 60 mins using ANFIS-surface plots. The optimization approaches showed the performance in the following order: ANFIS-surface plots>ANN-GA>RSM-GA>RSM.

Design and preparation of functional azo linked polymers for the adsorptive removal of bisphenol A from water: Performance and analysis of the mechanism

In order to effectively remove refractory bisphenol A (BPA) from water, a novel nitrogen doped organic porous functional azo linked polymer (ALP-p) was designed and prepared according to the physicochemical characteristics of propane linked to two phenol hydroxyl groups. This ALP-p was synthesized with 98.5% yield, from pararosaniline and phloroglucinol, via the diazo coupling reaction to produce multiple adsorption functional groups of benzene ring, hydroxyl group and azo group. This functional material showed high adsorption capacity of 357.8 mg/g for 50 mg/L BPA, at 20 °C. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were described by the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir model, respectively. The major adsorption mechanisms were attributed to the high specific surface area (259.8 m²/g) and pore volume (0.56 cm³/g) related surface adsorption and pore diffusion through porous stereoscopic stacking cavity anchorage. The functional group from the three-dimensional skeleton structures of ALP-p for BPA anchoring endowed chemisorption via π-π interaction between benzene rings and hydrogen-bonding (O-H⋯O, C-H⋯N, C-H⋯O and C-H⋯C) with the hydrogen atom of benzene ring, -OH from BPA and -OH, NN from ALP-p, respectively. The coexisting organic pollutants and alkali environment posed a negative effect on adsorption, while salinity had no significant effect on the process. The adsorption capacity and recovery of ALP-p were >93.5% and 81.6% after five cycles of operation.

A Literature Review of Modelling and Experimental Studies of Water Treatment by Adsorption Processes on Nanomaterials

A significant growth in the future demand for water resources is expected. Hence researchers have focused on finding new technologies to develop water filtration systems by using experimental and simulation methods. These developments were mainly on membrane-based separation technology, and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants which play an important role in wastewater treatment by means of adsorption technology. In this work, we provide valuable critical review of the latest experimental and simulation methods on wastewater treatment by adsorption on nanomaterials for the removal of pollutants. First, we review the wastewater treatment processes that were carried out using membranes and nanoparticles. These processes are highlighted and discussed in detail according to the rate of pollutant expulsion, the adsorption capacity, and the effect of adsorption on nanoscale surfaces. Then we review the role of the adsorption process in the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants in wastewater. We summarise the comparison based on decomposition ratios and degradation efficiency of pollutants. Therefore, the present article gives an evidence-based review of the rapid development of experimental and theoretical studies on wastewater treatment by adsorption processes. Lastly, the future direction of adsorption methods on water filtration processes is indicated.

The efficient removal of diclofenac sodium and bromocresol green from aqueous solution by sea urchin-like Ni/Co-BTC bimetallic organic framework: adsorption isotherms, kinetics and mechanism

A novel adsorbent based on nanostructured Ni/Co-BTC bimetallic organic framework (namely Ni/Co-BTC MOF) was successfully prepared by a simple solvothermal method. Adsorption experiments showed that the optimal molar ratio of...

The Adsorption Performance of Polyaniline/ZnO Synthesized through a Two-Step Method

Polyaniline/Zinc oxide (PANI/ZnO) were prepared using a two-step method, and the morphology and the structure of PANI/ZnO composites were characterized through a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Factors such as the content of ZnO, the adsorption time and the mass of the adsorbent, and the kinetic equation of PANI/ZnO as adsorbents for the adsorption of methyl orange solution were studied. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency of methyl orange by polyaniline with the increase of adsorbent mass firstly increased and then decreased. Among the composites with the same quality, PANI composites with 8% ZnO have a better adsorption effect for methyl orange, and the maximum adsorption ratio can reach 69% with the increase of adsorption time at 0.033 g; With the increase of adsorbent mass, the adsorption efficiency of PANI composites with 8% ZnO increased continuously. When the mass increased from 0.033 g to 0.132 g, the adsorption rate increased from 69% to 93%, and the adsorption of the methyl orange solution by PANI/ZnO composites was more in line with the quasi-second-order kinetic equation.

Adsorption and reduction of carcinogenic organics by ordered semi-crystalline poly-m-chloroaniline

Poly-m-chloroaniline has been synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of m-chloroaniline and confirmed by spectroscopic studies. Powder X-ray diffraction and FESEM studies confirmed ordered arrangement in poly-m-chloroaniline. The peak at lower angle such as 7.09° having d spacing of 12.53 Å shows ordered structure of PmClA which was further confirmed by layered morphology in the FESEM images. FTIR spectra confirm the stretching and vibration mode of polymeric m-chloroaniline ring. BET surface area and pore diameter of PmClA were found to be 121 m2/g and 15.184 nm. Poly-m-chloroaniline was found to have better adsorption capacity toward anionic dyes over cationic dyes. The anionic dye (IC and EY) was 98 and 99% removed in just 25 min, whereas the cationic dye (MG and Rh6G) was 87 and 83% removed in 30 min. Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and pseudo second-order kinetic equation fitted the data best. Mechanism of adsorption has also been proposed. This is suggested that polymeric materials can be used for purification of water. The reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to amino compounds using organocatalyst has been done for the first time.