Modeling activated carbon adsorption of target organic compounds from leachate-contaminated groundwaters

Radix Astragali residue-derived porous amino-laced double-network hydrogel for efficient Pb(II) removal: Performance and modeling

Valorizing solid waste for heavy metal adsorption is highly desirable to avoid global natural resources depletion. In this study, we developed a new protocol to valorize Radix Astragali residue (one of the Chinese medicine residues) into a low-cost, chemically robust, and highly permeable (ca. 90%) amino-laced porous double-network hydrogel (NH₂-CNFs/PAA) for efficient Pb(II) adsorption. The NH₂-CNFs/PAA showed (i) excellent Pb(II) adsorption capacity (i.e., 994.5 mg g^-1, ~4.8 mmol g^-1), (ii) fast adsorption kinetics (k_f = 2.01 ×10^-5 m s^-1), (iii) broad working pH range (2.0-6.0), and (iv) excellent regeneration capability (~15 cycles). (v) excellent performance in various real water matrices on Pb(II) removal. Moreover, its high selectivity (distribution coefficient K_d ~2.4 ×10⁶ mL g^-1) toward Pb(II) was owing to the present of abundant amino groups (-NH₂). Furthermore, the fix-bed column test indicated the NH₂-CNFs/PAA can effectively remove 114.6 bed volumes (influent concentration ~5000 μg L^-1) with an enrichment factor 10.9. The full-scale system modeling (i.e., pore surface diffusion model (PSDM)) has been applied to predict the NH₂-CNFs/PAA performance on Pb(II) removal. Overall, we have provided an alternative "win-win" scenario that can resolve the Chinese medicine residues disposal issue by valorizing it into high performance gel-based adsorbents for efficient heavy metal removal.

Effective and selective removal of heavy metals from industrial effluents using sustainable Si-CD conjugate based column chromatography

The present investigation deals with the green synthesis of aqueous-stable and highly fluorescent carbon dots (CD) by hydrothermal treatment of tender leaf extract of Ficus benghalensis. The synthesized CD was characterized. Carbon dots were of an average size of 2.28 nm with a blue-green fluorescence emission at 317 nm and showed high selectivity and specificity for iron and nickel amongst the different tested heavy metals with a LOD of 0.0015 μmol/mL and 0.000014 μmol/mL respectively. Further, we functionalized silica with the prepared carbon dot to generate an adsorbent for purification of contaminated water. A short bed adsorbed column system was designed for determining the efficiency of adsorption. As envisioned approximately, 77% and 74% removal of Fe and Ni was observed when the metal salts were eluted individually. Purification efficacy was analysed using an industrial electroplating effluent, which showed adsorption of 74% and 79% for Fe and Ni respectively.

Capturing Lithium from Wastewater Using a Fixed Bed Packed with 3-D MnO2 Ion Cages

3-D MnO₂ ion cages (CMO) were fabricated and shown to have a high capacity for lithium removal from wastewater. CMO had a maximum Li(I) adsorption capacity of 56.87 mg/g, which is 1.38 times greater than the highest reported value (41.36 mg/g). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the stability of the -Mn-O-Mn-O- skeleton played an essential role in Li adsorption. The lattice clearance had a high charge density, forming a strong electrostatic field. The Dubinin-Ashtakhov (DA) site energy distribution model based on Polanyi theory described the linear increase of Li adsorption capacity (Q₀) with increasing temperature (Q₀ = k₃ × E_m + d₃ = k₃ × (a × T) + d₃). Furthermore, the pore diffusion model (PDM) accurately predicted the lithium breakthrough (R² ≈ 0.99). The maximum number of bed volumes (BVs) treated was 1374, 1972, and 2493 for 200 μg/L at 20, 30, and 40 °C, respectively. Higher temperatures increased the number of BVs that may be treated, which implies that CMO will be useful in treating industrial Li(I) wastewater in regions with different climates (e.g., Northern or Southern China).

Modeling packed bed sorbent systems with the Pore Surface Diffusion Model: Evidence of facilitated surface diffusion of arsenate in nano-metal (hydr)oxide hybrid ion exchange media

This study explores the possibility of employing the Pore Surface Diffusion Model (PSDM) to predict the arsenic breakthrough curve of a packed bed system operated under continuous flow conditions with realistic groundwater, and consequently minimize the need to conduct pilot scale tests. To provide the nano-metal (hydr)oxide hybrid ion exchange media's performance in realistic water matrices without engaging in taxing pilot scale testing, the multi-point equilibrium batch sorption tests under pseudo-equilibrium conditions were performed; arsenate breakthrough curve of short bed column (SBC) was predicted by the PSDM in the continuous flow experiments; SBC tests were conducted under the same conditions to validate the model. The overlapping Freundlich isotherms suggested that the water matrix and competing ions did not have any denoting effect on sorption capacity of the media when the matrix was changed from arsenic-only model water to real groundwater. As expected, the PSDM provided a relatively good prediction of the breakthrough profile for arsenic-only model water limited by intraparticle mass transports. In contrast, the groundwater breakthrough curve demonstrated significantly faster intraparticle mass transport suggesting to a surface diffusion process, which occurs in parallel to the pore diffusion. A simple selection of DS=1/2 DP appears to be sufficient when describing the facilitated surface diffusion of arsenate inside metal (hydr)oxide nano-enabled hybrid ion-exchange media in presence of sulfate, however, quantification of the factors determining the surface diffusion coefficient's magnitude under different treatment scenarios remained unexplored.

An approach for evaluating nanomaterials for use as packed bed adsorber media: a case study of arsenate removal by titanate nanofibers

The primary goal of this paper is to propose a series of logical testing steps to determine whether a new adsorbent media is suitable for application in packed bed configurations for treating drinking water pollutants. Although the focus of the study is placed on titanate nanofibers, as a never before tested media for arsenate removal, the set of testing processes that encompasses nanomaterial characterization, equilibrium and kinetics tests, and modeling, can be used on any material to quickly determine whether these materials are suitable for water treatment applications in a packed bed configurations. Bundle-like titanate nanofibers were produced by an alkaline synthesis method with Degussa P25 TiO(2). The synthesized nanofibers have a rectangular ribbon-like shape and exhibited large surface area (126 m(2) g(-1)) and high adsorbent porosity (epsilon(P) approximately 0.51). Equilibrium batch experiments conducted in 10 mM NaHCO(3) buffered ultrapure water at three pH values (6.6, 7.6 and 8.3) with 125 microg L(-1) As(V) were fit with the Freundlich isotherm equation (q=KxC(E)(1/n)). The Freundlich adsorption intensity parameter (1/n) ranged from 0.51 to 0.66, while the capacity parameters (K) ranged from 5 to 26 microg g(-1). The pore diffusion coefficient and tortuosity were estimated to be D(P) approximately 1.04 x 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1), and tau approximately 4.4. For a packed bed adsorbent operated at a realistic loading rate of 11.6 m(3) m(-2) h(-1) with particles obtained by sieving the media through US mesh 80 x 120, the external mass transport coefficient was estimated to be k(f) approximately 8.84 x 10(-3) cm s(-1). In this study, surface diffusion was ignored because the adsorbent has high porosity. Pore surface diffusion model (PSDM) was used to predict the arsenate breakthrough curve, and a short bed adsorbent (SBA) test was conducted under the same conditions to verify validity of the estimated values. There was no titanium release in the treated effluent during the SBA test. The pore Biot number (Bi(P)>100) implied that pore intraparticle resistance controls the overall mass transport. The PSDM was used to predict arsenate breakthrough in a simulated full-scale system. The overall combined use of modeling, material characterization, equilibrium, and kinetics tests was easier, cheaper and faster than a long duration pilot tests. While the conclusion regarding the titanate nanofibers is that they are less suitable for arsenate removal from water than commercially available media, there may be other applications where this novel nanomaterial may be suitable because of unique surface chemistry and porosity.

Trichloroethylene adsorption by fibrous and granular activated carbons: aqueous phase, gas phase, and water vapor adsorption studies

The important adsorption components involved in the removal of trichloroethylene (TCE) by fibrous and granular activated carbons from aqueous solutions were systematically examined. Namely, adsorption of TCE itself (i.e., TCE vapor isotherms), water molecules (i.e., water vapor isotherms), and TCE in water (i.e., TCE aqueous phase isotherms) were studied, side-by-side, using 20 well-characterized surface-modified activated carbons. The results showed that TCE molecular size and geometry, activated carbon surface hydrophilicity, pore volume, and pore size distribution in micropores control adsorption of TCE at relatively dilute aqueous solutions. TCE adsorption increased as the carbon surface hydrophilicity decreased and the pore volume in micropores of less than 10 A, especially in the 5-8 A range, increased. TCE molecules appeared to access deep regions of carbon micropores due to their flat geometry. The results indicated that characteristics of both adsorbate (i.e., the molecular structure, size, and geometry) and activated carbon (surface hydrophilicity, pore volume, and pore size distribution of micropores) control adsorption of synthetic organic compounds from water and wastewaters. The important micropore size region for a target compound adsorption depends on its size and geometry.

Heavy metal removal with Mexican clinoptilolite: multi-component ionic exchange

This paper describes the interactions of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) competing for ion-exchange sites in naturally occurring clinoptilolite. Dissolved Pb and Cd were effectively removed within 18 h in batch reactors, with higher removal efficiencies (> 95%) in the acidic pH range. The presence of Cr(VI), which can interact with these metals to form anionic complexes, significantly diminished the Pb and Cd removal efficiencies. A decrease in the efficiency of clinoptilolite to remove Pb was also observed in the high (> or = 10) pH range. This was attributed to the formation of anionic hydroxo-complexes with little affinity for cationic ion exchange sites. Pb outcompeted Cd for ion exchange sites in a flow-through column packed with clinoptilolite (contact time = 10 s). The preferential removal of Pb in column, but not in batch reactors, reflects that competitive retention can be affected by contact time because diffusion kinetics may influence the removal efficiency to a greater extent than equilibrium partitioning. Phenol, which was tested as a representative organic co-contaminant, slightly hindered heavy metal removal in batch reactors. This was attributed to the formation of organometallic complexes that cannot penetrate the zeolite exchange channels. Altogether, these results show that natural zeolites hold great potential to remove cationic heavy metal species from industrial wastewater. Nevertheless, process efficiency can be hindered by the presence of ligands that form complexes with reduced accessibility and/or affinity for ion exchange.

Increased removal capacity for 1,2-dichloroethane by biological modification of the granular activated carbon process

The removal of 5 mg l-1 1,2-dichloroethane [(CH2Cl)2] was studied in two granular activated carbon (GAC) reactors run with hydraulic retention times of below 1 h. One reactor was operated abiotically. The other one was inoculated with microorganisms able to degrade (CH2Cl)2. While the (CH2Cl)2-adsorption capacity of the non-inoculated GAC reactor was exhausted after 20 days, it apparently did not exhaust for at least 170 experimental days in the biologically activated system because (CH2Cl)2 was removed to over 95% as a result of the microbial degradation. The biodegradation was quantified: during the passage through the biologically activated GAC reactor, (CH2Cl)2 (5 +/- 1 mg l-1) disappeared, chloride ions (3.3 +/- 0.2 mg l-1) were produced, and oxygen (4 to 6 mg l-1) was consumed. Removal of 30% of GAC at the entrance of the reactor, which visibly carried most of the biomass, and its replacement by virgin GAC at the end of the column did not change the apparent (CH2Cl)2 removal capacity of the GAC column, indicating that still enough biomass was available to degrade most of the chemical fed. After the addition of the virgin carbon, the effluent concentration fell for a short period of time from about 200 micrograms l-1 to below 100 micrograms l-1, indicating partial adsorption of the non-degraded (CH2Cl)2 at the end of the reactor by the virgin carbon. Thus, the modification of the adsorption process by inoculation and maintenance of bacteria with special degradation capabilities resulted in a lower consumption of GAC and thus led to an extended service life of the GAC columns.