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Liu K, Wang M, Zhang Q, Dutta S, Zheng T, Valix M, Tsang DCW. Negative-carbon recycling of copper from waste as secondary resources using deep eutectic solvents. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133258. [PMID: 38113734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Copper plays a crucial role in the low-carbon transformation of global communities with prevalent use of electric vehicles. This study proposed an environmentally friendly approach that utilizes a deep eutectic solvent (DES), choline chloride-ethylene glycol (ChCl-EG), as green solvent for the selective extraction of copper from scrap materials. With hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent, the copper species from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) scraps were efficiently leached by the DES through oxidation-complexation reactions (conditions: 25 min, 20 °C, and 5 wt% H2O2). Molecular dynamics and density functional theory were performed to simulate the intricate cascade of interactions between copper species and hydrogen bond donors/acceptors of DES, providing insights into the mechanistic processes involved. Copper was selectively recovered from the DES leachate containing impurities (e.g., Pb2+, Sn2+, and Al3+) through electrodeposition via a diffusion-controlled reaction under a constant potential mode. A comprehensive life cycle assessment of the process demonstrated that the utilisation of DES in the extraction of copper from waste PCBs could result in significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (-93.6 kg CO2 eq of 1000 kg waste PCBs), thus mitigating the carbon footprint of global copper use through the proposed solvometallurgical recycling process of secondary resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mengmeng Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qiaozhi Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, 117576, Singapore
| | - Shanta Dutta
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tianle Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Marjorie Valix
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel C W Tsang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
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Xie YX, Cheng WC, Wang L, Xue ZF, Xu YL. Biopolymer-assisted enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation for immobilizing Cu ions in aqueous solution and loess. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:116134-116146. [PMID: 37910372 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30665-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater, discharged in copper (Cu) mining and smelting, usually contains a large amount of Cu2+. Immobilizing Cu2+ in aqueous solution and soils is deemed crucial in preventing its migration into surrounding environments. In recent years, the enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) has been widely applied to Cu immobilization. However, the effect of Cu2+ toxicity denatures and even inactivates the urease. In the present work, the biopolymer-assisted EICP technology was proposed. The inherent mechanism affecting Cu immobilization was explored through a series of test tube experiments and soil column tests. Results indicated that 4 g/L chitosan may not correspond to a higher immobilization efficiency because it depends as well on surrounding pH conditions. The use of Ca2+ not only played a role in further protecting urease and regulating the environmental pH but also reduced the potential for Cu2+ to migrate into nearby environments when malachite and azurite minerals are wrapped by calcite minerals. The species of carbonate precipitation that are recognized in the numerical simulation and microscopic analysis supported the above claim. On the other hand, UC1 (urease and chitosan colloid) and UC2 (urea and calcium source) grouting reduced the effect of Cu2+ toxicity by transforming the exchangeable state-Cu into the carbonate combination state-Cu. The side effect, induced by 4 g/L chitosan, promoted the copper-ammonia complex formation in the shallow ground, while the acidic environments in the deep ground prevented Cu2+ from coordinating with soil minerals. These badly degraded the immobilization efficiency. The Raman spectroscopy and XRD test results tallied with the above results. The findings shed light on the potential of applying the biopolymer-assisted EICP technology to immobilizing Cu ions in water bodies and sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xin Xie
- School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Wen-Chieh Cheng
- School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China.
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an, 710055, China.
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Zhong-Fei Xue
- School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Yin-Long Xu
- School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an, 710055, China
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Shi C, Zuo X, Yan B. Selective recovery of nickel from stainless steel pickling sludge with NH 3-(NH 4) 2CO 3 leaching system. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2023; 44:3249-3262. [PMID: 35319346 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2022.2056085] [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: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The recovery of valuable metals from stainless steel pickling sludge(SSPS) has great economic and environmental benefits. In this study, a new method is proposed for selective recovery of nickel from SSPS by NH3-(NH4)2CO3 ammonia leaching system. The Eh-pH diagram was used to analyze Ni, Fe, Cr leaching behavior during the ammonia leaching process. Nickel can be leached as the complex [Ni(NH3)n]2+, whereas Fe and Cr remain as precipitates in the leaching slag. The effects of NH3·H2O concentration, liquid-solid ratio, reaction temperature, and reaction time on the leaching efficiency of nickel in the ammonia leaching system were analyzed and optimized by single-factor study and response surface analysis, and the kinetics were analyzed. The optimal conditions for Ni leaching were found to be 28.28 min, 54.07 °C, a liquid-solid ratio of 23.7:1, and NH3·H2O concentration of 5.10 mol/L. Each factor had a greater effect on the rate of Ni leaching in the following order: liquid-solid ratio > NH3·H2O concentration > leaching time > leaching temperature. The ammonia leaching recovery system was controlled by chemical reaction and the activation energy was 58.17 KJ/mol. The results of scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersion spectrum (SEM-EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that the leaching slag was in granular form with agglomerated particles and particle size of approximately 2.8 μm The major components of the leaching slag were Fe(OH)3, Fe2O3, Fe(OH)2, Cr(OH)3, and Cr2O3. Therefore, this study provides a new and effective way of using the resources of SSPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhong Shi
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants School of Water Resources and Environment, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangmeng Zuo
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants School of Water Resources and Environment, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Yan
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants School of Water Resources and Environment, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Agrawal R, Bhagia S, Satlewal A, Ragauskas AJ. Urban mining from biomass, brine, sewage sludge, phosphogypsum and e-waste for reducing the environmental pollution: Current status of availability, potential, and technologies with a focus on LCA and TEA. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 224:115523. [PMID: 36805896 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Rapid industrialization, improved standards of living, growing economies and ever-increasing population has led to the unprecedented exploitation of the finite and non-renewable resources of minerals in past years. It was observed that out of 100 BMT of raw materials processed annually only 10% is recycled back. This has resulted in a strenuous burden on natural or primary resources of minerals (such as ores) having limited availability. Moreover, severe environmental concerns have been raised by the huge piles of waste generated at landfill sites. To resolve these issues, 'Urban Mining' from waste or secondary resources in a Circular Economy' concept is the only sustainable solution. The objective of this review is to critically examine the availability, elemental composition, and the market potential of the selected secondary resources such as lignocellulosic/algal biomass, desalination water, sewage sludge, phosphogypsum, and e-waste for minerals sequestration. This review showed that, secondary resources have potential to partially replace the minerals required in different sectors such as macro and microelements in agriculture, rare earth elements (REEs) in electrical and electronics industry, metals in manufacturing sector and precious elements such as gold and platinum in ornamental industry. Further, inputs from the selected life cycle analysis (LCA) & techno economic analysis (TEA) were discussed which showed that although, urban mining has a potential to reduce the greenhouse gaseous (GHG) emissions in a sustainable manner however, process improvements through innovative, novel and cost-effective pathways are essentially required for its large-scale deployment at industrial scale in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Agrawal
- TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre, Sustainable Agriculture Division, TERI Gram, The Energy and Resources Institute, Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, Haryana, 122103, India.
| | - Samarthya Bhagia
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - Alok Satlewal
- Department of Bioenergy, DBT-IOC Centre for Advanced Bioenergy Research, Research and Development Centre, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Faridabad, Haryana, 121007, India.
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1512 Middle Dr, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA; Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, The University of Tennessee Institution of Agriculture, 2506 Jacob Dr, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
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5
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Li XT, Huang ZS, Huang Y, Jiang Z, Liang ZL, Yin HQ, Zhang GJ, Jia Y, Deng Y, Liu SJ, Jiang CY. Responses of microbial community to geochemical parameters on vertical depth in bioheap system of low-grade copper sulfide. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161752. [PMID: 36690115 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161752] [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: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of the microbial community in bioleaching system is essential for control process parameters and enhance the leaching efficiency. Due to the difficulty of sampling, microbial distribution, community succession and bioleaching activity along the vertical depth of bioleaching heaps remain unresolved. This study investigated the geochemical parameters and microbial community structure along a depth profile in a bioleaching heap and leachate. 80 ore samples at different heap depths and 9 leaching solution samples from three bioheaps of Zijin Copper Mine were collected. Microbial composition, mineral types and geochemical parameters of these samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and a series of chemical measurement technologies. The results revealed that the pH, Cu, Fe and the total sulfur contents were the major factors shaping the composition of the microbial communities in the bioleaching system. The extent of mineral oxidation increased as the sample depth increases, followed by the increasing of sulfur oxidizers. The abundance of sulfur and iron oxidizers including members of Acidithiobacillus, Sulfobacillus and Acidiferrobacter were significantly higher in the leaching heap than in the leaching solution, meanwhile, they showed strong positive interactions with other members within the same genera and iron oxidizer Leptospirillum and Ferroplasma. Besides, Acidithiobacillus negatively interacted with heterotrophs such as Sphingobium, Exiguobacterium, Brevundimonas and so on. On the contrast, members of Leptospirillum and unclassified Archaea were significantly abundant in the leaching solution and revealed strong interactions with members of Thermoplasmatales. The main conclusion of this study, especially the leaching potential of microorganisms prevailing in bioheaps and their relationships with geochemical factors, provides theoretical guidance for future process design such as the control of processing parameters and microbial community in heap leaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhong-Sheng Huang
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan, China; Zijin Mining Group Company Limited, Shanghang 364200, Fujian, China
| | - Ye Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zong-Lin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hua-Qun Yin
- Key Laboratory of Biometallurgy of Ministry of Education, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Guang-Ji Zhang
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yan Jia
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Ye Deng
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Cheng-Ying Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Xie YX, Cheng WC, Wang L, Xue ZF, Rahman MM, Hu W. Immobilizing copper in loess soil using microbial-induced carbonate precipitation: Insights from test tube experiments and one-dimensional soil columns. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130417. [PMID: 36410249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biomineralization as an alternative to traditional remediation measures has been widely applied to remediate copper (Cu)-contaminated sites due to its environmental-friendly nature. Immobilizing Cu is, however, a challenging task as it inevitably causes inactivation of ureolytic bacteria. In the present work, a series of test tube experiments were conducted to derive the relationships of Cu immobilization efficiency versus pH conditions. The Cu speciation transformation that is invisible in the test tube experiments was investigated via numerical simulations. Apart from that, the one-dimensional soil column tests, accompanied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy analysis, mainly aimed not only to investigate the variations of Cu immobilization efficiency with the depth but to reveal the underlying mechanisms affecting the Cu immobilization efficiency. The results of the test tube experiments highlight the necessity of narrowing pH ranges to as close as 7 by introducing an appropriate bacterial inoculation proportion. The coordination adsorption of Cu, while performing the one-dimensional soil column tests, is encouraged by alkaline environments, which differs from the test tube experiments where Cu2+ is capsulized by carbonate precipitates to prevent their migration. The findings highlight the potential of applying the microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology to Cu-rich water bodies and Cu-contaminated sites remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xin Xie
- PhD student, School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Wen-Chieh Cheng
- Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Lin Wang
- PhD student, School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Zhong-Fei Xue
- PhD student, School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Md Mizanur Rahman
- Professor in Geotechnical Engineering, UniSA STEM, ScaRCE, University of South Australia, SA 5000, Australia.
| | - Wenle Hu
- PhD student, School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering (XAUAT), Xi'an 710055, China.
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He Z, Xu Y, Wang W, Yang X, Jin Z, Zhang D, Pan X. Synergistic mechanism and application of microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and inorganic additives for passivation of heavy metals in copper-nickel tailings. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 311:136981. [PMID: 36283435 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Tailings are one of the largest quantities of hazardous waste in the world, and their treatment is difficult and expensive. In this work, a new, low-cost technique coupling microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and inorganic additives was proposed, optimized, and applied. The results showed that CaO was the best additive among the six tested, with an optimum dosage of 5%. A 90-day experiment indicated that the MICP-CaO coupled technique was highly effective for all the concerned heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr) in the Cu-Ni tailings. During the stabilization period (20-90 days), the passivation rates were stable at 78.8 ± 2.9% (Cu), 78.1 ± 1.0% (Ni), 89.2 ± 1.0% (Pb), and 97.8 ± 0.5% (Cr), 2%-866% higher than the single technique of either MICP or CaO. Multiple analyses demonstrated that the synergistic effect of MICP and CaO produced a large amount of calcite (1.5% of the tailings). This calcite cemented the tailings particles, sequestrated heavy metal ions into the lattices, and played a key role in heavy metal passivation. Moreover, CaO and MICP improved the strength and compactness of solidified body, respectively. This work demonstrates the feasibility of the MICP-CaO coupled technique in tailings solidification, which can be applied in practical projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanfei He
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiting Xu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoliang Yang
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Zhengzhong Jin
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Daoyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
| | - Xiangliang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
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Assessment of Chemical Properties, Heavy Metals, and Metalloid Contamination in Floodplain Soils under the Influence of Copper Mining: A Case Study of Sibay, Southern Urals. ECOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/ecologies3040039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The ecotoxicological condition of soils around mining areas is most often unsatisfactory, which affects entire ecosystems and human health. This research sought to analyze the morphological, agrochemical properties, and content of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Zn) and metalloids (As) of soils located in a floodplain. The study was conducted within the city of Sibay (Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia). The soil samples were collected from the floodplains of the rivers Karagayly and Khudolaz. According to morphological studies, the soil cover was represented by the Lithic Leptosols, Stagnic Phaeozems, and Fluvisols. The results showed that the soils were characterized by high values of organic matter, potassium, and low levels of phosphorus. Soils that were located away from the city in the Karagayly River were not contaminated. However, the floodplain areas pertaining to the urban district and located near the quarries were characterized by severe anthropogenic soil pollution, disrupted integrity of the soil cover, decreased vegetation, and accumulating labile forms of heavy metals and metalloids. The highest degree of pollution was observed in the floodplain soil of the river Khudolaz where all elements exceeded the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) level. Soils in the floodplain of the Karagayly river were marked by an increased degree of contamination of Zn: exceeding MPC by 1.6 times. With the trend toward an arid climate, the ecotoxicological condition of floodplain soils is an important challenge.
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MineralMate: A standalone MATLAB-based aide for the magnetic separation of minerals. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10411. [PMID: 36091944 PMCID: PMC9459427 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MineralMate is a standalone MATLAB-based program designed to optimize the workflow associated with the magnetic separation of minerals. For nearly every bulk geochemical analysis some amount of mineral separation must occur, and the use of an electromagnetic separator is ubiquitous and considered as standard practice in many fields. Despite the commonality in which magnetic separation is used, there are considerable shortcomings. Electromagnet overheating and composite mineral grains are frequently encountered, as well as poorly constrained mineral behavior. These complications ultimately reduce the quality of downstream geochemical data. MineralMate is designed to alleviate these shortcomings by quickly and efficiently producing a magnetic separation workflow allowing the user to: (1) identify and compare optimal recovery ranges for different minerals from a bulk mineral assemblage, (2) identify the parameters on a conventional magnetic separator required to magnetically separate composite grains, (3) create/update user-specific magnetic susceptibility databases through empirical data collection, and (4) utilize an alternative magnetic separation equation.
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10
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Nicomel NR, Otero-Gonzalez L, Williamson A, Ok YS, Van Der Voort P, Hennebel T, Du Laing G. Selective copper recovery from ammoniacal waste streams using a systematic biosorption process. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131935. [PMID: 34426295 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131935] [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: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cu-NH3 bearing effluents arise from electroplating and metal extraction industries, requiring innovative and sustainable Cu recovery technologies to reduce their adverse environmental impact. CO32- and Zn are often co-occurring, and thus, selective Cu recovery from these complex liquid streams is required for economic viability. This study assessed 23 sustainable biosorbents classified as tannin-rich, lignin-rich, chitosan/chitin, dead biomass, macroalgae or biochar for their Cu adsorption capacity and selectivity in a complex NH3-bearing bioleachate. Under a preliminary screen with 12 mM Cu in 1 M ammoniacal solution, most biosorbents showed optimal Cu adsorption at pH 11, with pinecone remarkably showing high removal efficiencies (up to 68%) at all tested pH values. Further refinements on select biosorbents with pH, contact time, and presence of NH3, Zn and CO32- showed again that pinecone has a high maximum adsorption capacity (1.07 mmol g-1), worked over pH 5-12 and was Cu-selective with 3.97 selectivity quotient (KCu/Zn). Importantly, pinecone performance was maintained in a real Cu/NH3/Zn/CO32- bioleachate, with 69.4% Cu removal efficiency. Unlike synthetic adsorbents, pinecones require no pre-treatment, which together with its abundance, selectivity, and efficiency without the need for prior NH3 removal, makes it a competitive and sustainable Cu biosorbent for complex Cu-NH3 bearing streams. Overall, this study demonstrated the potential of integrating bioleaching and biosorption as a clean Cu recovery technology utilizing only sustainable resources (i.e., bio-lixiviant and biosorbents). This presents a closed-loop approach to Cu extraction and recovery from wastes, thus effectively addressing elemental sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Ricci Nicomel
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. http://
| | - Lila Otero-Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Adam Williamson
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yong Sik Ok
- Korea Biochar Research Center, APRU Sustainable Waste Management Program and Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Pascal Van Der Voort
- Center for Ordered Materials, Organometallics and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 (S3), 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Hennebel
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gijs Du Laing
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
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