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Lee CS, Venkatesan AK. Cationic surfactant-assisted foam fractionation enhances the removal of short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances from impacted water. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 362:142614. [PMID: 38878978 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142614] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated that air-bubbling and foam fractionation techniques can efficiently remove long-chain PFAS from contaminated water. However, removing short-chain PFAS is challenging due to its lower surface activity and inability to form self-assembly structures at the air-water interface. In this study, we tested various additives, including salts, surfactants, and polymers, to improve short-chain PFAS (e.g., perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)) removal in non-foaming solutions using a bench-scale system. We found that in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and salt, air-bubbling can significantly remove 0.5 μg L-1 of PFBS and PFBA in deionized water by >99% (15 min) and 81% (60 min), respectively. The decline of surface tension and the formation of thin foam-like layers during bubbling, controlled by the concentration of CTAC, significantly improved the removal of short-chain PFAS. Adding anionic and neutral surfactants showed no removal of short-chain PFAS during bubbling, suggesting the importance of the electrostatic interactions between short-chain PFAS and the cationic CTAC. We observed a 1:1 M ratio between CTAC and PFBS removed from the solution, suggesting the formation of ion pairs in the solution and enhancing the surface activity of the overall neutral (PFAS-CTAC) complex. A mass balance of the system revealed that the primary mechanism by which PFAS was removed from non-foaming waters was through aerosol generation (70-100%). Using the optimized condition, PFAS mixtures (short- and long-chain PFAS, including five recently regulated PFAS by USPEA, 2 nM each) in deionized water and natural groundwater were successfully removed to below detection (>99% removal; <2 ng L-1), except for PFBA (25-73% removal). These results provide an improved understanding of the mechanism by which PFAS is removed during foam fractionation and highlight the need for capturing aerosols enriched with PFAS to prevent secondary contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Shiuan Lee
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan
| | - Arjun K Venkatesan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
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Zhang F, Jacobs AI, Woodall M, Hailes HC, Uchegbu IF, Fernandez-Reyes D, Smith CM, Dziemidowicz K, Williams GR. A one-step method for generating antimicrobial nanofibre meshes via coaxial electrospinning. MATERIALS ADVANCES 2024; 5:5561-5571. [PMID: 38957404 PMCID: PMC11216540 DOI: 10.1039/d4ma00125g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Respiratory diseases, including influenza, infectious pneumonia, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The recent COVID-19 pandemic claimed over 6.9 million lives globally. With the possibility of future pandemics, the creation of affordable antimicrobial meshes for protective gear, such as facemasks, is essential. Electrospinning has been a focus for much of this research, but most approaches are complex and expensive, often wasting raw materials by distributing antiviral agents throughout the mesh despite the fact they can only be active if at the fibre surface. Here, we report a low cost and efficient one-step method to produce nanofibre meshes with antimicrobial activity, including against SARS-CoV-2. Cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) was deposited directly onto the surface of polycaprolactone (PCL) fibres by coaxial electrospinning. The CTAB-coated samples have denser meshes with finer nanofibres than non-coated PCL fibres (mean diameter: ∼300 nm versus ∼900 nm, with mean pore size: ∼300 nm versus > 600 nm). The formulations have > 90% coating efficiency and exhibit a burst release of CTAB upon coming into contact with aqueous media. The CTAB-coated materials have strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ca. 100%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (96.5 ± 4.1%) bacteria, as well as potent antiviral activity with over 99.9% efficacy against both respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2. The CTAB-coated nanofibre mesh thus has great potential to form a mask material for preventing both bacterial and viral respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Zhang
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Amy I Jacobs
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London 30 Guilford Street London WC1N 1EH UK
| | - Maximillian Woodall
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London 30 Guilford Street London WC1N 1EH UK
| | - Helen C Hailes
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street London WC1H 0AJ UK
| | - Ijeoma F Uchegbu
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Delmiro Fernandez-Reyes
- Department of Computer Science, University College London 66-72 Gower Street London WC1E 6EA UK
| | - Claire M Smith
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London 30 Guilford Street London WC1N 1EH UK
| | - Karolina Dziemidowicz
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Gareth R Williams
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
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Li R, Isowamwen OF, Ross KC, Holsen TM, Thagard SM. PFAS-CTAB Complexation and Its Role on the Removal of PFAS from a Lab-Prepared Water and a Reverse Osmosis Reject Water Using a Plasma Reactor. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12901-12910. [PMID: 37579514 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Electrical discharge plasma reactors with argon bubbling can effectively treat long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in contaminated water, and the addition of a cationic surfactant cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) is known to enhance the removal of short-chain PFAAs. However, the roles of PFAA chain length, functional group, and water matrix properties on PFAA-CTAB complexation are largely unknown. This work investigated the bulk liquid removal of different PFAAs by CTAB in the absence of plasma. Stepwise addition of CTAB was subsequently used to efficiently treat PFAAs in a lab-prepared water and a reverse osmosis (RO) reject water using an enhanced contact plasma reactor. The results show that CTAB inhibited the bulk liquid removal of long-chain PFAAs in the absence of plasma likely due to the formation of hydrophilic CTAB-PFAA mixed micelles and competition for interfacial access between long-chain PFAAs and CTAB. On the contrary, CTAB enhanced the removal of short- and ultrashort-chain PFAAs by forming hydrophobic complexes. After 6 h of treatment in the plasma reactor with CTAB, PFAAs were 86 to >99% removed from the lab-prepared water and 29 to >99% removed from the RO reject water. This study provides important insights for overcoming mass transfer limitations for PFAA treatment technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Osakpolo F Isowamwen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Katherine C Ross
- Center for Air and Aquatic Resources Engineering & Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Thomas M Holsen
- Center for Air and Aquatic Resources Engineering & Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Selma Mededovic Thagard
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
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Nunes RF, Metolina P, Teixeira ACSC. Dodecylpyridinium chloride removal by persulfate activation using UVA radiation or temperature: experimental design and kinetic modeling. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:68229-68243. [PMID: 34264490 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15174-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The degradation of dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPC) by SO4•- and HO• radicals, generated by UVA and thermal-activated persulfate (PS) was investigated. Temperatures of 30-50°C were used for the heat activation of PS. In the case of UVA/PS, the effects of [PS]0 and specific photon emission rate (EP,0) were studied through a Doehlert design coupled with statistical analysis and response surface methodology. The results showed high DPC removal (99.8%) and pseudo-first-order degradation rate (kobs = 0.0971 min-1) for [DPC]0 = 4.60 ± 0.11 mg L-1, [PS]0 = 7.75 mmol L-1, and EP,0 = 0.437 μmol photons L-1 s-1, with a major role of SO4•- radicals in comparison with HO•. The specific DPC degradation rate found under these conditions was higher than that observed for thermal activation at 50°C and [PS]0 = 5.5 mmol L-1 (kobs = 0.0712 min-1) over the same time, although complete DPC removal was also achieved in the latter. The positive effect of EP,0 on DPC degradation by the UVA/PS process depends on PS concentrations, with kobs values increasing linearly with [PS]0 in the range 7.75-10 mmol L-1, whereas lower EP,0 values can be compensated by increasing [PS]0 up to about 10 mmol L-1, without significant scavenging. The second-order rate constants of DPC with HO• and SO4•-, estimated by comprehensive kinetic modeling, were 8.26 × 109 and 4.44 × 109 L mol-1 s-1, respectively. Furthermore, higher [DPC]0 would negatively affect the DPC degradation rate by the UVA/PS process, while 62% DPC removal was obtained in WWTP water, which can be considered good given the complexity of the real matrix. Finally, our results shed light on the possibility of using available UVA radiation (4.5%) in solar irradiance on the Earth's surface, making this treatment process more sustainable and cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Frinhani Nunes
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Metolina
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil
| | - Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil
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Poulopoulos SG, Ulykbanova G, Philippopoulos CJ. Photochemical mineralization of amoxicillin medicinal product by means of UV, hydrogen peroxide, titanium dioxide and iron. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2021; 42:2941-2949. [PMID: 31964229 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2020.1720300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, the photochemical degradation of amoxicillin and total organic carbon (TOC) removal in pharmaceutical aqueous solutions was studied using UV irradiation, titanium dioxide, hydrogen peroxide and iron in a batch photoreactor operated for 120-150 min. The effect of the initial concentrations of the target compound, hydrogen peroxide and ferric ions and of their combination was examined. It was found that under direct UV photolysis, considerable TOC removals were obtained only when the initial concentration of amoxicillin (AM) was below 100 mg/L. For initial concentration of AM 250 mg/L, the TOC removals achieved were of no practical use (below 5%). The TOC removals achieved in the presence of TiO2 were lower than 20% in all cases. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the range of 12.2-146.9 mmol/L and initial AM concentration 250 mg/L, for increasing H2O2 concentrations higher TOC removals were achieved up to the concentration of 73.4 mmol/L H2O2. The presence of even very small amounts of Fe(III) in the solution resulted in significantly increased TOC removals; 2.2 times higher than without Fe(III) after 120 min. Fe(III) presence accelerated dramatically the process during the first 60 min. The origin of Fe(III) ions was not important since practically the same results were obtained whether FeCl3 or Fe(NO3)3 was used as source of ferric ions. Adjusting the initial concentrations of AM, Fe(III) and H2O2, TOC removals above 90% were achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros G Poulopoulos
- The Environment & Resource Efficiency Cluster (EREC), Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
- Environmental Science & Technology Group (ESTg), Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Gaukhar Ulykbanova
- The Environment & Resource Efficiency Cluster (EREC), Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
- Environmental Science & Technology Group (ESTg), Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Constantine J Philippopoulos
- Chemical Process Engineering Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Adsorption of 17α-Ethinyl Estradiol and Bisphenol A to Graphene-Based Materials: Effects of Configuration of Adsorbates and the Presence of Cationic Surfactant. ADSORPT SCI TECHNOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1155/2021/9970268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have attracted much attention in recent years. Graphene-based materials (GMs) have been deemed as excellent adsorbents for the removal of EDCs. The objective of the present study was to understand how the cationic surfactants (CTAB; cetyltrimethylammonium nitrate) affect the adsorption of EDCs (17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and bisphenol A (BPA)) on graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxides (RGOs), and the few-layered commercial graphene (CG). It was observed that the presence of CTAB showed different effects on the adsorption of EDCs to different GMs. The adsorption of EDCs on GO was enhanced because of the enhanced hydrophobicity of GMs after the adsorption of CTAB and the newly formed hemimicelles by the adsorbed CTAB, which could serve as the partition phase for EDCs. Moreover, the electron donor-acceptor interaction and cation bridging effect of the –NH4+ group of the adsorbed CTAB between EDCs and GMs could also enhance the adsorption of EDCs to GMs. With the increase of the extent of GM reduction, the adsorption enhancement by the presence of CTAB weakened. This could be attributed to the competition and pore blockage effect caused by the adsorbed CTAB. It is worth noting that the enhancement of CTAB on the adsorption of BPA to GMs was more profound than that of EE2. This is likely because the pore blockage effect plays a less important role in the adsorption of BPA due to its smaller molecular diameter and deformable structure.
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Mondal B, Adak A, Datta P. Degradation of anionic surfactant in municipal wastewater by UV-H2O2: Process optimization using response surface methodology. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2019.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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