Metal-modified silica adsorbents for removal of humic substances in water

Synthesis of Porous MgAl-LDH on a Micelle Template and Its Application for Efficient Treatment of Oilfield Wastewater

In this paper, a series of porous hierarchical Mg/Al layered double hydroxides (named as LDH, TTAC-MgAl-LDH, CTAC-MgAl-LDH, and OTAC-MgAl-LDH) was synthesized by a simple green hydrothermal method using wormlike micelles formed by salicylic acid and surfactants with different carbon chain lengths (0, 14, 16, and 18) as soft templates. BET, XRD, FTIR, TG, and SEM characterizations were carried out in order to investigate the structure and properties of the prepared materials. The results showed that the porous hierarchical CTAC-MgAl-LDH had a large specific surface area and multiple pore size distributions which could effectively increase the reaction area and allow better absorption capability. Benefiting from the unique architecture, CTAC-MgAl-LDH exhibited a large adsorption capacity for sulfonated lignite (231.70 mg/g) at 25 °C and a pH of 7, which outperformed the traditional LDH (86.05 mg/g), TTAC-MgAl-LDH (108.15 mg/g), and OTAC-MgAl-LDH (110.51 mg/g). The adsorption process of sulfonated lignite followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and conformed the Freundlich isotherm model with spontaneous heat absorption, which revealed that electrostatic adsorption and ion exchange were the main mechanisms of action for the adsorption. In addition, CTAC-MgAl-LDH showed a satisfactory long-time stability and its adsorption capacities were still as high as 198.64 mg/g after two adsorption cycles.

Optimization of the photocatalytic degradation of phenol using superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in aqueous solutions

The present work was carried out to remove phenol from aqueous medium using a photocatalytic process with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) called SPIONs. The photocatalytic process was optimized using a central composite design based on the response surface methodology. The effects of pH (3-7), UV/SPION nanoparticles ratio (1-3), contact time (30-90 minutes), and initial phenol concentration (20-80 mg L-1) on the photocatalytic process were investigated. The interaction of the process parameters and their optimal conditions were determined using CCD. The statistical data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance. We developed a quadratic model using a central composite design to indicate the photocatalyst impact on the decomposition of phenol. There was a close similarity between the empirical values gained for the phenol content and the predicted response values. Considering the design, optimum values of pH, phenol concentration, UV/SPION ratio, and contact time were determined to be 3, 80 mg L-1, 3, and 60 min, respectively; 94.9% of phenol was eliminated under the mentioned conditions. Since high values were obtained for the adjusted R2 (0.9786) and determination coefficient (R2 = 0.9875), the response surface methodology can describe the phenol removal by the use of the photocatalytic process. According to the one-way analysis of variance results, the quadratic model obtained by RSM is statistically significant for removing phenol. The recyclability of 92% after four consecutive cycles indicates the excellent stability of the photocatalyst for practical applications. Our research findings indicate that it is possible to employ response surface methodology as a helpful tool to optimize and modify process parameters for maximizing phenol removal from aqueous solutions and photocatalytic processes using SPIONs.

Combining iron affinity-based fractionation with non-targeted LC-ESI-TOFMS for the study of iron-binding molecules in dissolved organic matter

The low solubility of inorganic iron(III) in seawater leads to very limited availability of this important micronutrient for marine organisms. Estuarine or oceanic iron is almost entirely bound to organic ligands of mainly unknown chemical structure. In this context, riverine input of iron rich, land-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) can play an important role in coastal areas and investigation of potential Fe-ligands in DOM is of high interest. Previous studies have suggested that iron is predominantly bound to the high molecular weight fraction of DOM, but distributed over the entire size range. Logically, structural elucidation needs to start from the smallest building blocks. A model study targeting low molecular weight iron-binding constituents in Suwannee River natural organic matter (NOM) using Fe-loaded Chelex or silica for immobilized-metal affinity (IMAC)-based fractionation was undertaken. The binding strengths of different compounds could be qualitatively assessed using a differential analysis workflow. IMAC-fractionated samples were acidified and analyzed via liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and molecular formulas were assigned using state of the art software. A total of 144 Fe-binding constituents in Suwannee River NOM were found to be of interest with the largest number observed to interact with Chelex at pH 4 (55%), and the smallest with silica at neutral pH (24%). Most binding constituents were found in the lignin- and tannin-type region of the van Krevelen plot. Results from this study support the hypothesis that very low molecular weight constituents (below 300 Da) can play a role in the iron binding mechanism of DOM and demonstrate that the employed analytical workflow is suitable for their detection.

Adsorption behaviour of hydrogarnet for humic acid

Discharge of humic acid (HA) in aqueous environments is a key health and aesthetic issue. The present work investigates the use of hydrogarnet as a novel adsorbent for HA. Hydrogarnet was hydrothermally synthesized with different solvents to control the chemical composition. Hydrogarnet with three types of chemical compositions had better adsorption properties for HA than hydrogarnet with a single chemical composition. Controlling the chemical composition of hydrogarnet increased the number of hydroxyl groups and the overall binding energy of the system, leading to changes in the zeta potential. The enhancement of these adsorption properties is related to the increased numbers of hydroxyl groups on the surface and their diverse binding energies.

Isoelectric points and points of zero charge of metal (hydr)oxides: 50years after Parks' review

The pH-dependent surface charging of metal (hydr)oxides is reviewed on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the publication by G.A. Parks: "Isoelectric points of solid oxides, solid hydroxides, and aqueous hydroxo complex systems" in Chemical Reviews. The point of zero charge (PZC) and isoelectric point (IEP) became standard parameters to characterize metal oxides in aqueous dispersions, and they define adsorption (surface excess) of ions, stability against coagulation, rheological properties of dispersions, etc. They are commonly used in many branches of science including mineral processing, soil science, materials science, geochemistry, environmental engineering, and corrosion science. Parks established standard procedures and experimental conditions which are required to obtain reliable and reproducible values of PZC and IEP. The field is very active, and the number of related papers exceeds 300 a year, and the standards established by Parks remain still valid. Relevant experimental techniques improved over the years, especially the measurements of electrophoretic mobility became easier and more reliable, are the numerical values of PZC and IEP compiled by Parks were confirmed by contemporary publications with a few exceptions. The present paper is an up-to-date compilation of the values of PZC and IEP of metal oxides. Unlike in former reviews by the same author, which were more comprehensive, only limited number of selected results are presented and discussed here. On top of the results obtained by means of classical methods (titration and electrokinetic methods), new methods and correlations found over the recent 50years are presented.

The use of low-cost adsorbents for wastewater purification in mining industries

Recently, great attention has been paid to the environmental problems in mining industry. At present there are different ways of mineral processing, as well as various methods of wastewater treatment, most of them are expensive. Work is ongoing to find low-cost treatments. In this article, low-cost adsorbents, potentially useful for wastewater treatment on mining and metallurgical plants, are reviewed; their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of their application are compared. Also adsorption of different metals and radioactive compounds from acidic environment similar to composition of mining and metallurgical wastewaters is considered.

Adsorption behavior of Eu(III) on partially Fe(III)- or Ti(IV)-coated silica

The adsorption behavior of Eu(III) onto silica surface, which was partially coated with Fe(III) or Ti(IV), was investigated to determine Fe(III) or Ti(IV) effects on the surface reaction of lanthanides on mineral surfaces in groundwater. Compared with a parallel uncoated silica, the Fe(III)-coated silica did not enhance the adsorption of Eu(III). However, enhanced adsorption of Eu(III) on the Ti(IV)-coated silica was observed by increasing the amount of Ti(IV) on the silica surface.

Coagulant properties of Moringa oleifera protein preparations: application to humic acid removal

This work aimed to characterize the coagulant properties of protein preparations from Moringa oleifera seeds in the removal of humic acids from water. Three distinct preparations were assayed, namely extract (seeds homogenized with 0.15 M NaCl), fraction (extract precipitated with 60% w/v ammonium sulphate) and cMoL (protein purified with guar gel column chromatography). The extract showed the highest coagulant activity in a protein concentration between 1 mg/L and 180 mg/L at pH 7.0. The zeta potential of the extract (-10 mV to -15 mV) was less negative than that of the humic acid (-41 mV to -42 mV) in a pH range between 5.0 and 8.0; thus, the mechanism that might be involved in this coagulation activity is adsorption and neutralization of charges. Reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed in water samples containing 9 mg/L carbon as humic acid when treated with 1 mg/L of the extract. A decrease in colour and in the aromatic content of the treated water was also observed. These results suggested that the extract from M. oleifera seeds in a low concentration (1 mg/L) can be an interesting natural alternative for removing humic acid from water in developing countries. The extract dose determined in the present study does not impart odour or colour to the treated water.

Significance of analytical parameters for the understanding of natural organic matter in relation to photocatalytic oxidation

In this review, special interest was devoted to provide information on the surrogate parameters expressing both quality and quantity of organic matter for the understanding of the photocatalytic oxidation of humic substances. Detailed investigation was directed to the application of photocatalysis with reference to source, origin and modeling of organic matter. Evaluation of the literature findings emphasizes that organic matter taken from natural waters are site specific and should be characterized in detail to be comparable to other studies. Taking into account the photocatalytic degradation studies of natural organic matter, humic substances, humic acids and fulvic acids in slurry systems, a procedure could be deduced that depends on the selection of a standard model sample with a representative concentration, selection of a standard photocatalyst and dose (e.g., TiO2 Degussa P-25, 0.25 mg mL(-1)), application of standardized reaction conditions such as light intensity, pH, and temperature. Furthermore, standardized filtration step avoiding organic leaching and selection of the most suitable analytical parameter are the crucial points to be considered. The use of such a protocol could form a basis for the determination of "relative degradation efficiency" of any sample containing natural organic matter, humic substances, humic acids and fulvic acids regardless of dependency on source and origin.

Consequence of chitosan treating on the adsorption of humic acid by granular activated carbon

In this work, equilibrium and kinetic adsorption of humic acid (HA) onto chitosan treated granular activated carbon (MGAC) has been investigated and compared to the granular activated carbon (GAC). The adsorption equilibrium data showed that adsorption behaviour of HA could be described reasonably well by Langmuir adsorption isotherm for GAC and Freundlich adsorption isotherm for MGAC. It was shown that pre-adsorption of chitosan onto the surface of GAC improved the adsorption capacity of HA changing the predominant adsorption mechanism. Monolayer capacities for the adsorption of HA onto GAC and MGAC were calculated 55.8 mg/g and 71.4 mg/g, respectively. Kinetic studies showed that film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion were simultaneously operating during the adsorption process for MGAC.

Humic acids removal from water by aminopropyl functionalized rice husk ash

The use of rice husk ash (RHA) as an adsorbent for the adsorption of humic acids from water was studied. Optimum conditions for humic acids adsorption were found in batch method as follows, 60 min equilibrium time and initial in the range of pH 3-4. In addition, RHA was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Again, the adsorption behavior of the modified rice husk ash (RHA-NH(2)) was studied. Optimum conditions for humic acids adsorption were found to be 30 min equilibrium time and initial pH in the range of 3-4. The adsorption capacity of RHA-NH(2) was higher than that of RHA. Experimental adsorption data fitted well with the Langmuir equation and the maximum adsorption capacity was 8.2mg/g. at pH 6. The column method was also performed. The comparative adsorption efficiencies of RHA-NH(2) and commercial activated carbons showed insignificant difference. The RHA-NH(2) adsorbent was applied for humic acids removal from surface water.

Removal of humic substances from water by means of calcium-ion-enriched natural zeolites

The ability of the natural zeolited Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) enriched with calcium ions to remove humic acids from water was evaluated by batch adsorption equilibrium tests and dynamic experiments carried out by percolating humic acid solutions through a small NYT column (breakthrough curves). Under the experimental condition explored, the sorption capacity increases with the ionic strength and has the highest value at pH 7.4. The partition coefficient for a low concentration of humic acid ([humic acid] --> 0), at pH 7.4 in 0.01 M sodium chloride, was approximately 1000 L/kg, versus the value of approximately 100 L/kg in the absence of the alkaline metal salt. Therefore, after humic acids have been adsorbed in a column filled with the calcium-ion-enriched tuff, a reduction of the salt concentration in the ongoing solution enhances the release of the adsorbed material. These findings show that NYT can be used for the removal of humic acids from water.

Removal of some organic pollutants in water employing ceramic membranes impregnated with cross-linked silylated dendritic and cyclodextrin polymers

Triethoxysilylated derivatives of poly(propylene imine) dendrimer, polyethylene imine and polyglycerol hyperbranched polymers and beta-cyclodextrin have been synthesized and characterized. These compounds impregnated ceramic membranes made from Al(2)O(3), SiC and TiO(2) and subsequently sol-gel reaction led to their polymerization and chemical bond formation with the ceramic substrates. The resulting organic-inorganic filters were tested for the removal of a variety of organic pollutants from water. They were found to remove of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (up to 99%), of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (up to 93%), trihalogen methanes (up to 81%), pesticides (up to 43%) and methyl-tert-butyl ether (up to 46%).

Adsorbability and photocatalytic degradability of humic substances in water on Ti-modified silica

From the viewpoint of development of a removal agent for humic substances, we prepared Ti-modified silica gel, SiO2-Ti, from titanium alkoxide and microsized silica gel. The prepared silica agent was investigated in adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of humic substances in water. In these experiments, four humic substances, commercially available Wako humic acid (Wako-HA), Nordic aquatic humic acid (Nordic-HA), Nordic aquatic fulvic acid (Nordic-FA), and Suwannee river fulvic acid (Suwannee-FA), were used, and Freundlich constants (KF and 1/n) and photodegradation rates were evaluated. Wako-HA, which has the highest aromaticity ratio [Ar-OH]/[COOH] and molecular weight, had the highest adsorbability (KF=17.5 (mg/g)(L/mg)(1/n), 1/n=0.67) but the lowest photodegradability (<80%). On the other hand, Suwannee-FA, which has the lowest aromaticity, [Ar-OH]/[COOH] ratio, and molecular weight, afforded lesser adsorbability (KF=7.1 (mg/g)(L/mg)(1/n), 1/n=0.39) but the highest photodegradability (>99%). Nordic-HA and Nordic-FA afforded adsorbabilities similar to that for Suwannee-FA, and medium photodegradabilities between those for Wako-HA and Suwannee-FA. Adsorption and photodegradation capacities of SiO2-Ti were improved with increased Ti content and phosphorescence emission amount, respectively. From XRD analysis, we found that the structure of anatase-type TiO2 features the Ti modifiers of SiO2-Ti. Therefore, humic substance molecules effectively interact with the Ti modifiers and are decomposed by OH radicals generated in situ. We hope that SiO2-Ti will be used as a photodegradation catalyst in water purification plants.