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Mohammadzadeh M, Bello A, Lassen SB, Brandt KK, Risteelä S, Leiviskä T. Pilot-scale adsorption of pharmaceuticals from municipal wastewater effluent using low-cost magnetite-pine bark: Regeneration/enumeration of viable bacteria with a study on their biotoxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2025; 268:120774. [PMID: 39761781 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.120774] [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: 09/25/2024] [Revised: 01/02/2025] [Accepted: 01/03/2025] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
A low-cost and renewable magnetite-pine bark (MPB) sorbent was evaluated in continuous-flow systems for the removal of various pharmaceuticals from municipal wastewater effluent following membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment. A 33-day small-scale column test (bed volume: 791 cm3) was conducted using duplicate columns of biochar (BC, Novocarbo) and activated carbon (AC, ColorSorb) as reference for two columns of BC and MPB in order to compare the efficiency of AC and MPB. After the small-scale column test, the pharmaceutical concentrations were generally below the detection limit. In the next stage, a four-month pilot-scale adsorption test was performed using a large column (bed volume: 21 L) filled with BC and MPB. A variety of compounds were removed after the pilot-scale column, including trimethoprim (99.7%), hydrochlorothiazide (81.8%), candesartan (26.0%), carbamazepine (86.1%), ketoprofen (89.4%), clindamycin (86.6%), oxazepam (91.3%), sulfadiazine (38.6%), sulfamethoxazole (58.3%), tramadol (88.9%), zopiclone (73.5%), venlafaxine (93.7%), furosemide (93.5%), fexofenadine (91.6%) and losartan (81.2%). The enumeration of viable bacteria in the pilot-scale column samples revealed that regenerating the BC-MPB bed with NaOH increased bacterial counts in the treated water due to the desorption of adsorbed bacteria from the bed. A biotoxicity study using the Nitrosomonas europaea bioreporter strain indicated that the wastewater was generally non-toxic to this nitrifying bacterium and regeneration of pilot-scale column samples caused short-time toxicity immediately after regeneration. The study confirms that MPB is efficient for the adsorption of pharmaceuticals and can be applied in column mode with a support material such as BC. Therefore, MPB is a viable alternative for AC for the remediation of pharmaceutical-contaminated wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdiyeh Mohammadzadeh
- Chemical Process Engineering, P.O. Box 4300, FIN-90014 University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Adedayo Bello
- Chemical Process Engineering, P.O. Box 4300, FIN-90014 University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Simon Bo Lassen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Kristian Koefoed Brandt
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Sofia Risteelä
- Oulu Waterworks, P.O. BOX 35, FI-90015, City of Oulu, Finland
| | - Tiina Leiviskä
- Chemical Process Engineering, P.O. Box 4300, FIN-90014 University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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2
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Guo B, Kan E, Zeng S. Enhanced adsorption of aqueous perfluorooctanoic acid on iron-functionalized biochar: elucidating the roles of inner-sphere complexation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 955:176926. [PMID: 39426545 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 09/16/2024] [Accepted: 10/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/21/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is ubiquitously detected in various water bodies, which raises the urgent need for developing effective and economic remediation methods in response to its health risks. The adsorptive removal of PFOA by biochar (BC) is regarded as a simple, effective, and economical technique. However, engineered BCs, including FeCl3-activated BC, for PFOA removal and adsorption mechanisms have been ill-studied. In this study, a FeCl3-activated dairy manure-derived biochar (Fe@MBC) was prepared via one-step pyrolysis/activation, and its properties and adsorption characteristics were compared with a pristine manure-derived biochar (P-MBC). The FeCl3 activation largely increased the surface area of Fe@MBC and the deposition of FexOy minerals on surface of Fe@MBC while significantly elevating the surface roughness of Fe@MBC. The maximum adsorption capacity of Fe@MBC for PFOA (233 mg·g-1) was five times higher than that of P-MBC (46 mg·g-1). PFOA adsorption was favorable at low solution pH and was independent on ionic strength, which supported the major contribution by inner-sphere complexation rather than out-sphere complexation. This mechanism was further confirmed by the disappearance of FeO peak on Fourier transform infrared spectrum and the blue-shift of Fe binding energies on X-ray photoelectron Fe 2p spectrum of Fe@MBC after PFOA adsorption. Fe@MBC maintained a near 100% adsorption capacity for PFOA after 4 cycles of chemical regeneration. Fe@MBC also exhibited efficient removal for PFOA and other PFAS compounds at trace levels in the lake water and wastewater treatment plant effluent. Thus, this study highlights a promising insight for selectively eliminating PFASs from water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binglin Guo
- Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, 3136 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 76401, USA
| | - Eunsung Kan
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 76401, USA.
| | - Shengquan Zeng
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 76401, USA; School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210042, China
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Choi G, Kan E, Lee JH, Choi Y. Insight into the performance and microbial community of anaerobic digestion treating cow manure with a novel iron-functionalized activated biochar. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 364:143058. [PMID: 39121954 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143058] [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: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
The main objective of this research was to evaluate the impacts of FeCl3-activated biochar (FA-BC) on anaerobic digestion (AD) treating cow manure. The study focused on improving AD performance and understanding microbial community structure with the addition of FA-BC, while comparing FA-BC with other conductive additives, such as pristine biochar (P-BC), NaOH-activated biochar (NA-BC), and magnetite. Key findings indicated that FA- BC significantly enhanced the AD performance, supported by an increase in CH4 yield of 11-16% and a reduction in the lag phase by 51%. The high surface area and electrical conductivity of FA-BC synergistically facilitated direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET), leading to these improvements. On contrast, P-BC and NA-BC were not efficient in enhancing the AD performance due to relatively low electrical conductivity. P-BC also improved the CH4 yield, but less effectively than FA-BC. The effects of NA-BC varied with its dosage, showing inhibition at higher dosages due to excessive surface area. Magnetite, despite its high conductivity, made the limited enhancement in CH4 yield owing to its low surface area. Additionally, the statistical analyses revealed that each additive differently affected specific bacterial and archaeal groups depending on their physical and chemical properties. Thus, these findings suggest that FA-BC would be a highly promising additive for enhan cing AD systems, with potential applications in waste management and renewable energy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyucheol Choi
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA
| | - Eunsung Kan
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA.
| | - Jin Hyung Lee
- Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunjeong Choi
- Department of Civil, Urban, Earth, and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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Tang S, Zhang L, Zhu H, Jiang SC. Coupling physiochemical adsorption with biodegradation for enhanced removal of microcystin-LR in water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 937:173370. [PMID: 38772489 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
To innovate the design of water treatment technology for algal toxin removal, this research investigated the mechanisms of cyanotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR) removal by a coupled adsorption-biodegradation. Eight types of woody carbonaceous adsorbents with and without Sphingopyxis sp. m6, a MC-LR degrading bacterium, were tested for MC-LR removal in water. All adsorbents showed good adsorption capability, removing 40 % to almost 100 % of the MC-LR (4.5 mg/L) within 48 h in batch experiments. Adding Sphingopyxis sp. m6 continuously promoted MC-LR biological removal, and successfully broke the barrier of adsorption capacity of tested adsorbents, removing >90 % of the MC-LR in most of the coupled adsorption-biodegradation tests, especially for those adsorbents had low physiochemical adsorption capacity. Variance partitioning analysis indicated that mesopore was the dominant contributor to adsorption capacity of MC-LR in pure adsorption treatments, which acted synergistically with electrical conductivity, polarity and total functional groups on the absorbent. Pore structure was the key factor beneficial for the growth of Sphingopyxis sp. m6 (51% contribution) and subsequent MC-LR biological removal rate (80 % contribution). Overall, pinewood-based carbonaceous adsorbents (especially pinewood activated carbon) exhibited the highest adsorption capacity towards MC-LR and provided the most favorable conditions for biological removal of MC-LR, largely because of their high mesopore volume, total functional groups and electric conductivity. The research outcomes not only deepened the quantitative understanding of mechanisms for MC-LR removal by the coupled process, but also provided theoretical basis for future materials' selection and modification during the practical application of coupled process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengyin Tang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 92697, United States; Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lixun Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 92697, United States; Institute of Environment and Ecology, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Haoxin Zhu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 92697, United States
| | - Sunny C Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 92697, United States.
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Srikhaow A, Win EE, Amornsakchai T, Kiatsiriroat T, Kajitvichyanukul P, Smith SM. Biochar Derived from Pineapple Leaf Non-Fibrous Materials and Its Adsorption Capability for Pesticides. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:26147-26157. [PMID: 37521671 PMCID: PMC10373191 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Non-fibrous materials (NFMs) are typically discarded during pineapple leaf fiber processing. The underutilized NFM waste was proposed for use in this work as a raw material for the production of biochar . The removal of pesticides (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, or methomyl) from water was then investigated using the NFM derived biochar (NFMBC). The pseudo-second-order kinetic data suggested chemisorption of pesticide on NFMBC. While acetamiprid or imidacloprid adsorption on NFMBC occurred primarily via multi-layered adsorption (best fitted with the Freundlich isotherms), the Sips adsorption isotherms matched with the experimental data, implying heterogeneous adsorption of methomyl on the biochar surface. The adsorption capacities for acetamiprid, methomyl, and imidacloprid are 82.18, 36.16, and 28.98 mg g-1, respectively, which are in agreement with the order of the polarity (low to high) of pesticides. Adsorption capacities indicated that the NFMBC preferably removed low-polarity pesticides from water sources. Since pineapple leaves provide fibers and NFMs for materials development, this study should promote an extended agro-waste utilization approach and full-cycle resource management in pineapple fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assadawoot Srikhaow
- Center
of Sustainable Energy and Green Materials and Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Ei Ei Win
- Center
of Sustainable Energy and Green Materials and Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Taweechai Amornsakchai
- Center
of Sustainable Energy and Green Materials and Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Tanongkiat Kiatsiriroat
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, 239, Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang
Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Puangrat Kajitvichyanukul
- Department
of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, 239, Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang
Mai 50200, Thailand
- Sustainable
Engineering Research Center for Pollution and Environmental Management,
Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, 239, Huay Kaew Road, Muang District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Siwaporn M. Smith
- Center
of Sustainable Energy and Green Materials and Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
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Zeng S, Kan E. Escherichia coli inactivation in water by sulfate radical-based oxidation process using FeCl 3-activated biochar/persulfate system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160561. [PMID: 36574557 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160561] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic microbes in water present great risks to environments, water resources, and human health. In the present study, for the first time, a FeCl3-activated bermudagrass-derived biochar (FA-BC) was applied to activate persulfate (PS) for E. coli inactivation. The PS activation was ascribed to the presence of Fe0 and Fe3O4 on the surface of FA-BC, and SO4·- radicals were proved to be the main role for E. coli inactivation using FA-BC activated PS system (FA-BC/PS). Decreasing the pH (5-9) and increasing the PS concentration (50-300 mg/L), reaction temperature (20-50 °C), and FA-BC dosage (100-500 mg/L) resulted in the enhancement of disinfection efficiency of E. coli using FA-BC/PS. 6.21 log reductions of E. coli were achieved within 20 min under the optimal conditions (500 mg/L FA-BC, 200 mg/L PS, pH 7, and 20 °C with 107 CFU/mL E. coli in DI water). The FA-BC/PS effectively eliminated various initial concentrations of E. coli (105-108 CFU/mL). The E. coli inactivation rate decreased from 0.1426 min-1 to 0.0883, 0.1268 min-1, and 0.1093 min-1 with the presence of 10 mg/L humic acid, 100 mg/L Cl-, and 100 mg/L HCO3-, respectively. In addition, after three cycles of disinfection tests using FA-BC/PS, the E. coli inactivation rate only slightly decreased from 0.1426 to 0.1288 min-1. The FA-BC/PS also effectively removed the E. coli in real stormwater with a 99.2 % inactivation efficiency within 180 min. The FA-BC/PS in fixed-bed column tests revealed the continuous and high inactivation of E. coli in water. Increasing the FA-BC amount (1.5 %-5 %) and PS concentration (50-200 mg/L) and decreasing the flow rate (2-4 mL/min) caused the lower E. coli concentration in effluent. Therefore, the FA-BC/PS can be considered as a promising and efficient technique for water disinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengquan Zeng
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA; Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA
| | - Eunsung Kan
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA; Department of Wildlife, and Natural Resources, Tarleton State University, TX 76401, USA; Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA.
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Zeng S, Kan E. Sustainable use of Ca(OH) 2 modified biochar for phosphorus recovery and tetracycline removal from water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 839:156159. [PMID: 35609690 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To prevent possible secondary pollution from phosphorus-loaded biochar (BC) in agricultural systems, this study investigated the sustainable use of Ca(OH)2 modified wood biochars (Ca-BCs) for P recovery while significantly lowering the tetracycline (TC) adsorption onto Ca-BCs. Ca-BCs were prepared via calcination of mixtures of Ca(OH)2 and wood BC under 100-500 °C for removing P and TC from water. Compared to the pristine BC (without Ca(OH)2 modification), Ca-BC100 (Ca-BC prepared at 100 °C) showed a significant increase of P adsorption capacity from 4.00 to 138.70 mg/g due to reactive interaction between P and Ca(OH)2 on Ca-BC while decrease of TC adsorption capacity from 62.17 to 20.86 mg/g owing to decrease of surface area from 260.50 to 120.26 m2/g. Batch adsorption tests implied that the P adsorption on Ca-BC100 would occur mainly via electrostatic attraction (pH > 2.1) and formation of hydroxylapatite (Ca5(PO4)3(OH)) between phosphate and Ca(OH)2. In addition, Ca-BC100 reacted with TC via electrostatic attraction (pH > 7.6), complexation, hydrogen bond, and π-π interactions. P and TC adsorption onto Ca-BC100 was a chemical, endothermic, and spontaneous process. The dynamic adsorption experiments using a fixed bed column filled with Ca-BC100 indicated that Ca-BC100 could continuously and effectively remove P and TC from water. Ca-BC100 also effectively lowered P and COD in the dairy wastewater. Under the environmentally relevant conditions, continuous treatment of water containing P and TC using the pristine BC followed by Ca-BC100 showed the pristine BC removed 96% of TC and only 6% of P from water while Ca-BC100 made high recovery of P (94% of P) with negligible TC. Therefore, Ca-BC100 could be used for effective recovery of P with negligible TC from wastewater, and then applied to agricultural systems as a sustainable and safe P-rich biofertilizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengquan Zeng
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA
| | - Eunsung Kan
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering & Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA; Department of Wildlife, and Natural Resources, Tarleton State University, TX 76401, USA.
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Adsorbents Used for Microcystin Removal from Water Sources: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10071235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria in water sources, driven by climate change and eutrophication, is of great concern worldwide today. Cyanobacterial blooms can negatively affect water bodies and generate harmful secondary metabolites, namely microcystins (MCs), which significantly impair water quality. Various adsorbents used for MC removal from water sources were assessed in this investigation. Activated carbon constitutes the most widely used adsorbent for treating contaminated waters due to its high affinity for adsorbing MCs. Alternative adsorbents have also been proposed and reported to provide higher efficiency, but the studies carried out so far in this regard are still insufficient. The mechanisms implicated in MC adsorption upon different adsorbents should be further detailed for a better optimization of the adsorption process. Certainly, adsorbent characteristics, water pH and temperature are the main factors influencing the adsorption of MCs. In this context, optimization studies must be performed considering the effectiveness, economic aspects associated with each adsorbent. This review provides guidelines for more practical field applications of the adsorption in the treatment of waters actually contaminated with MCs.
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Hayoun B, Escudero-Curiel S, Bourouina M, Bourouina-Bacha S, Angeles Sanromán M, Pazos M. Preparation and characterization of high performance hydrochar for efficient adsorption of drugs mixture. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.118797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Activation of persulfate by biochar for the degradation of phenolic compounds in aqueous systems. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL ADVANCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2021.100201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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