Removal of Zn(II) and Mn(II) by Ion Flotation from Aqueous Solutions Derived from Zn-C and Zn-Mn(II) Batteries Leaching

Enhancing Zn (II) recovery efficiency: Bi-divalent nickel-cobalt ferrite spinel NiXCo1-xFe2O4 as a Game-changing Adsorbent-an experimental and computational study

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into NiXCo1-xFe2O4 (x = 0.5) spinel nanoparticles synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal method using Co(NO3)2.6H2O and Ni(NO3)2.6H2O salts. XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and VSM analyses confirmed a cubic structure of NiXCo1-xFe2O4 (x = 0.5) nanoparticles without impurities. These nanoparticles exhibit efficient Zn (II) adsorption characteristics, following Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity was measured to be 666.67 mg g-1 at pH = 7, with mechanisms involving both electrostatic attraction and cation exchange. Desorption studies indicate more than 75% Zn (II) recovery in an acidic environment (pH = 2) after three cycles. Computational analysis was used to validate the experimental results through Molecular Dynamics simulations, initially focusing on NiXCo1-xFe2O4 (x = 0.5). Further exploration involved variations in x at 0.25 and 0.75 to identify the optimal Ni and Co ratio in this bivalent cation spinel ferrite. Computational analyses reveal the superior performance of NiXCo1-xFe2O4 (x = 0.75) in Zn (II) removal, supported by radial distribution analysis, VdW energy, Coulombic energy, mean square displacement (MSD), root mean square displacement (RMSD), and interaction energy. This comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the adsorption behavior and structural stability of NiXCo1-xFe2O4 nanoparticles, showcasing potential applications in Zn (II) removal.

Modelling and Calculation of Raw Material Industry

Scientific and technical issues related to the extraction and processing of raw materials are inextricably linked with environmental concerns. The extraction, transportation and processing of raw materials and the creation of new products place a heavy burden on the environment. Therefore, the development of new technologies for the extraction and processing of raw materials which meet the demand for specific products while respecting environmental resources and saving energy can be considered one of the key challenges of modern science. The development of methods to optimize the course of certain processes related to the raw materials industry, limiting its impact on the environment, and the use of modern measurement techniques or modeling are key areas of research and development for the economy. The aim of this Special Issue was to identify certain important issues, including those related to the raw materials industry and the optimization of its processes, obtaining energy from alternative fuels and research on environmental aspects of industrial activities. The results of the research and analyses presented in the articles show that meeting the objectives in the context of sustainable raw materials industry requires: the optimization of the use of mine deposits and the recovery of materials, reductions in energy consumption, minimizations in emissions of pollutants, the perfection of quieter and safer processes and the facilitation of the recovery of materials-, water- and energy-related modern techniques and technologies.

Enhanced removal of scaling cations from oilfield produced water by carrier mineral floatation

This work reports a novel carrier flotation protocol for removing scaling cations from an oilfield produced water source which significantly reduces the collector consumption by employing natural minerals such as quartz, montmorillonite and talcum as the scaling cations carriers. The scaling cations uptake onto all carrier minerals exhibited homogeneous and monolayer adsorption, which was mainly dominated by physisorption. After adding oleate collector, the scaling cations removal rate was further enhanced, which was attributed to its high affinity with the scaling cations. Notably, the talcum flotation process simultaneously offered a high scaling cations removal rate (76.1%) and mineral recovery rate (98.3%), which achieved a sediment yield reduction of 72.2%. By summarizing the characterization results, the scaling cations removal mechanisms were also proposed. Moreover, high regeneration efficiencies (86.1% and 84.8% for quartz and talcum regeneration within three cycles) were achieved by the proposed regeneration protocol. This carrier flotation protocol with its low collector consumption offered technical promise for scaling cations removal from oilfield produced water.