Actual Bodies Research Articles

Nitrogen-doped metal-free granular activated carbons as economical and easily separable catalysts for peroxymonosulfate and hydrogen peroxide activation to degrade bisphenol A.

The fabrication of low-cost, highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and easily separable metal-free heterogeneous catalysts for environmental remediation remains a challenge. In this study, granular nitrogen-doped highly developed porous carbons with a particle size of 0.25-0.30mm were prepared by preoxidation and subsequent NH3 modification of a commercially available coconut-based activated carbon, and used to activate peroxymonosulphate (KHSO5) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to degrade bisphenol A (BPA). The nitrogen-doped carbon (ACON-950) prepared by NH3 modification at 950°C, with the addition of only 0.15g/L could remove 100% of 50mg/L BPA in 150min, and more than 90% of the removed BPA was due to degradation. The removal rates of total organic carbon of ACON-950/KHSO5 and ACON-950/H2O2 systems reached 60.4% and 66.2% respectively, indicating the excellent catalytic activity of ACON-950. The reaction rate constant was significantly positively correlated with the absolute content of pyridinic N (N-6) and graphitic N (N-Q) and negatively and weakly positively correlated with pyrrolic N (N-5) and defects. Quenching experiments combined with electron paramagnetic resonance demonstrated that singlet oxygen was the dominant reactive oxidative species for BPA degradation. ACON-950 was characterized before and after the degradation reaction using N2 adsorption-desorption analyzer, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results confirmed the prominent contribution of both the N-6 and N-Q to the catalytic performance of nitrogen-doped carbons. The reusability of ACON-950 and its application in actual water bodies further demonstrated its remarkable potential for the remediation of organic pollutants in wastewater.

Stretchable spring‐sheathed yarn sensor for 3D dynamic body reconstruction assisted by transfer learning

AbstractA wearable sensing system that can reconstruct dynamic 3D human body models for virtual cloth fitting is highly important in the era of information and metaverse. However, few research has been conducted regarding conformal sensors for accurately measuring the human body circumferences for dynamic 3D human body reshaping. Here, we develop a stretchable spring‐sheathed yarn sensor (SSYS) as a smart ruler, for precisely measuring the circumference of human bodies and long‐term tracking the movement for the dynamic 3D body reconstruction. The SSYS has a robust property, high resilience, high stability (>18 000), and ultrafast response (12 ms) to external deformation. It is also washable, wearable, tailorable, and durable for long‐time wearing. Moreover, geometric, and mechanical behaviors of the SSYS are systematically investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In addition, a transfer learning algorithm that bridges the discrepancy of real and virtual sensing performance is developed, enabling a small body circumference measurement error of 1.79%, noticeably lower than that of traditional learning algorithm. Furtherly, 3D human bodies that are numerically consistent with the actual bodies are reconstructed. The 3D dynamic human body reconstruction based on the wearing sensing system and transfer learning algorithm enables excellent virtual fitting and shirt customization in a smart and highly efficient manner. This wearable sensing technology shows great potential in human‐computer interaction, intelligent fitting, specialized protection, sports activities, and human physiological health tracking.image

Enhanced deep dehalogenation of brominated DBPs on vitamin B12 composite electrodes by the synergistic effect of UV irradiation: Accelerated formation of Co-Br bonds and enhanced mediation by atomic H*

Complete dehalogenation of halogenated organic pollutants has attracted increasing attention, and electrocatalytic reduction processes are considered prospective technologies due to their high selectivity for carbon-halogen bonds. In this study, a vitamin B12 (VB12) composite electrode was prepared and applied to remove the refractory tribromoacetic acid (TBAA). The reduction process dominated by the VB12 composite electrode showed a degradation efficiency of 55.2 % for 200 μg/L TBAA within 60 min. Interestingly, UV irradiation considerably increased the efficiency of TBAA for dehalogenation on the VB12 composite electrode. The photoelectrochemical co-catalytic system of a VB12 composite electrode coupled with UV (LP UV 254 nm) could remove 92.2 % of TBAA in 20 min with a rate constant 12 times higher than the VB12-only electrolysis system. The in situ Raman characterization and cyclic voltammetry tests confirmed that the accelerated formation of Co-Br bonds and the enhanced atomic H* mediated ability were responsible for improving debromination efficiency. The degradation of TBAA mainly underwent chemical reactions of debromination and mineralization. Acetic acid, formic acid, formaldehyde, and Br- were the major transformation products of TBAA. Acidic conditions favoured TBAA removal in the UV synergistic VB12 electrolytic system, and excellent cycling stability of debromination was obtained in complex aqueous environments (actual bodies of water containing various inorganic and organic matter). This research provides an efficient dehalogenation technology for halogenated micropollutants and novel perspectives on the scientific design of photoelectrochemical dehalogenation processes.

Research Progress in Electrochemical Detection and Removal of Micro/Nano Plastics in Water

Micro/nano plastics （M/NPs） are widely dispersed in the soil， atmosphere， and water environment due to their small particle size， easy adsorption， and strong migration， and have been detected in all major water bodies in recent years. As a type of emerging pollutant， the physiological toxicity of M/NPs has a great impact on human health. The current bottleneck in this research field lies in the precise detection and efficient removal of M/NPs. Electrochemical technology， owing to its advantages of simple portability， sensitivity， and low cost in the detection of M/NPs， has the advantages of environmental friendliness， controllable reaction， and high efficiency in the removal of M/NPs， demonstrating enormous application potential. Based on the pollution status of M/NPs， the application of electrochemical technology to the detection and removal of M/NPs in the water environment was elaborated and summarized. The electrochemical sensing methods of M/NPs and the principles and characteristics of sensor recognition of M/NPs were analyzed. The removal efficiency and influencing factors of M/NPs in water by electro-flocculation， electro-adsorption， electro-oxidation， and electro-reduction technologies were also discussed. The results indicated that the detection of M/NPs particles using electrochemical sensing methods exhibited good characterization performance， and M/NPs could be efficiently removed through electrochemical techniques such as electrocoagulation， electro-adsorption， electro-oxidation， and electro-reduction. The influencing factors of electrochemical technology on the detection and removal of M/NPs were mainly related to sensor devices， electrode materials， material interface regulation， parameter conditions， and reactor systems. In the future， researchers should focus on the design of sensors， the development of electrode materials， and the optimization of reaction processes， which are expected to realize the application of M/NPs from laboratory detection and removal to actual water bodies.

MOF derived MnFeOX supported on carbon cloth as electrochemical anode for peroxymonosulfate electro-activation and persistent organic pollutants degradation

In this work, metal–organic-framework (MOF) derived MnFeOX (MD-MnFeOX) was loaded onto carbon cloth (CC) formed MD-MnFeOX/CC anode. Subsequently, the ability of MD-MnFeOX/CC anode to electrochemically (EC) activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of persistent organic pollutants was tested by introducing an electric field. The degradation results indicated that the MD-MnFeOX/CC/EC/PMS system had a degradation ability of 90.20 % for tetracycline (TC) within 20 min at a very low current density of 5 mA/cm2, which was significantly higher than that of CC/EC/PMS (53.75 %) and the reported conventional synthesized double transition metal oxide/EC/PMS electrocatalytic system. In addition, the system had excellent stability and low energy consumption (0.79 kWh/m3). The influencing factors of the degradation efficiency of the system were analyzed, and the degradation ability of the system in actual water bodies was tested. The results demonstrated that the system maintained a stable degradation efficiency in various influencing factors and actual water bodies, proving that the system could degrade organic pollutants in complex water bodies. Mechanistic analysis showed that singlet oxygen (1O2) played a dominant role in the MD-MnFeOX/CC/EC/PMS system. Finally, the pathway for TC degradation in this system was explored. This experiment provides an economically feasible method to improve the electrocatalytic performance of CC electrodes.

Embodying a self-avatar with a larger leg: its impacts on motor control and dynamic stability.

Several studies have shown that users of immersive virtual reality can feel high levels of embodiment in self-avatars that have different morphological proportions than those of their actual bodies. Deformed and unrealistic morphological modifications are accepted by embodied users, underlying the adaptability of one's mental map of their body (body schema) in response to incoming sensory feedback. Before initiating a motor action, the brain uses the body schema to plan and sequence the necessary movements. Therefore, embodiment in a self-avatar with a different morphology, such as one with deformed proportions, could lead to changes in motor planning and execution. In this study, we aimed to measure the effects on movement planning and execution of embodying a self-avatar with an enlarged lower leg on one side. Thirty participants embodied an avatar without any deformations, and with an enlarged dominant or non-dominant leg, in randomized order. Two different levels of embodiment were induced, using synchronous or asynchronous visuotactile stimuli. In each condition, participants performed a gait initiation task. Their center of mass and center of pressure were measured, and the margin of stability (MoS) was computed from these values. Their perceived level of embodiment was also measured, using a validated questionnaire. Results show no significant changes on the biomechenical variables related to dynamic stability. Embodiment scores decreased with asynchronous stimuli, without impacting the measures related to stability. The body schema may not have been impacted by the larger virtual leg. However, deforming the self-avatar's morphology could have important implications when addressing individuals with impaired physical mobility by subtly influencing action execution during a rehabilitation protocol.

Advancements in removing common antibiotics from wastewater using nano zero valent iron.

The pollutants such as heavy metals, organic matter, and nitrates in soil and water pose challenges to environmental remediation technology. Nano zero valent iron has shown enormous potential in the field of environmental remediation due to its excellent adsorption performance. By using carbon based materials, rock minerals, biomolecules, etc., as supporting materials for nZVI, and through structural and performance modifications, its performance has been successfully optimized, reducing defects such as aggregation and easy oxidation of the material. This article compares and summarizes the modification effects of different loadings on nZVI, and comprehensively reviews the latest progress, preparation methods, and application of nZVI particles in soil and water remediation. Specifically, this article explores in detail the impact and mechanism of nZVI particles in commonly used antibiotics contaminated environments. Firstly, the combination methods of different types of materials with zero valent iron, as well as the synthesis methods and application scenarios of nZVI, were integrated. Secondly, the interaction mechanism between pollutants and nZVI was introduced in detail, including adsorption, redox reactions, and co-precipitation. Subsequently, environmental factors that affect repair efficiency were emphasized, such as pH value, coexisting components, oxygen, contact time, and temperature. Finally, the challenges faced by the application of nZVI in actual polluted soil and water bodies, as well as the prospects for its long-term efficacy and safety evaluation, are proposed to promote further development in the future.

Optimization and verification of selective removal of organophosphate esters from wastewater by molecularly imprinted adsorbent

Tributyl phosphate (TNBP), a new type of flame retardant, is an emerging pollutant and has been frequently detected in various matrices such as wastewater. Efficient removal of TNBP is critical for wastewater treatment. In this study, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using precipitation polymerization for selective adsorption of TNBP. The results showed that MIP had a porous structure and formed effective imprinting cavities, which was primarily responsible for its superior adsorption ability. The adsorption of TNBP by MIP was carried out following both the pseudo-secondary kinetic model and the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model. MIP adsorbed TNBP rapidly and reached adsorption equilibrium within 30 min with 923 μmol g−1 at 298 K. The adsorption capacity and adsorption rate of MIP were respectively 2 and 5.49 times those of non-molecularly imprinted polymers. In addition, MIP could effectively counter disturbances from external parameters like temperature and pH, exhibiting strong environmental flexibility. MIP can specifically adsorb organophosphate esters, and can selectively adsorb TNBP under the interference of coexisting contaminants such as1,3-diphenylguanidine and isazofos. In actual bodies of water, MIP's highly selective adsorption of TNBP retains its advantage. The selective adsorption of MIP was mainly due to the common phosphate skeleton, and the specific substituent of organophosphate esters played an important role in the imprinting process. Hydrogen bonding might be involved in the polymerization process of TNBP with acrylamide and the adsorption process of TNBP by MIP.MIP exhibited good reuse efficiency, the total adsorption capacity decreased by no more than 25% after 7 reuse cycles. This study provides a simple and efficient method for selective removal of organophosphate from wastewater.

Adsorption and reduction of Cr(VI) by N, S co-doped porous carbon from sewage sludge and low-rank coal: Combining experiments and theoretical calculations

Herein, a novel N, S co-doped porous carbon (S5C5-AC) for Cr(VI) removal was prepared by co-hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sewage sludge (SS) and low-rank coal (LC) combining with KOH modification. The results showed that S5C5-AC had excellent adsorption performance on Cr(VI), and lower pH value, higher initial concentration and longer contact time were beneficial for Cr(VI) adsorption. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms revealed that Cr(VI) adsorption by S5C5-AC was homogeneous and dominated by chemisorption. The adsorption isotherm showed that the maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity of S5C5-AC for Cr(VI) was 382.04 mg/g at 25 °C. Furthermore, the results showed that the main mechanisms for Cr(VI) removal were the pore filling, electrostatic interaction and reduction. Moreover, the electron transfer mechanism during the adsorption and reduction process was further explored at the molecular and electronic levels by density functional theory (DFT) and front orbital theory (FOT) simulations. The analysis of DFT and FOT indicated that the synergistic effect between S and N functional groups was exhibited during the Cr(VI) removal process. Considering the existence of synergistic effects between N and S functional groups during adsorption, the S and N content and form were modified collaboratively. Increasing the relative content of pyrrolic N may be the most effective pathway for improving removal performance. Besides that, S5C5-AC exhibited excellent adsorption capacity over a high coexisting ion concentration range and various actual water bodies and regeneration performance, which indicated that S5C5-AC had promising potential for the remediation of wastewater in industrial applications.

Novel UV-LED-driven photocatalysis-chlorine activation for carbamazepine degradation by sulfur-doped NH2-MIL 53 (Fe) composites: Electronic modulation effect and the dual role of chlorine

Chlorine activation-inefficient and the generation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) has indeed limited the application of UV/chlorine process. In this study, the typical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) NH2-MIL53(Fe) were successfully modified with organic ligands containing sulfur functional groups and applied to construct a novel UV-LED-driven heterogeneous chlorine activation system. The generation of intermediate energy levels and the charge redistribution effect on Fe-S bond facilitated the excitation of electrons and realized the effective separation of photohole (hvb+) and photoelectron (ecb-). The involvement of S-NH2-MIL53(Fe) improved the efficiency of UV-LED/chlorine process by 6 times. The effective activation of HOCl/OCl- by hvb+ and ecb- significantly enhanced the yield of HO· and Cl·. More importantly, HOCl/OCl- played a dual role in UV-LED/chlorine/S-NH2-MIL53(Fe) process as a precursor for the generation of free radicals and a catalyst for the enhancement of HO· yield, which could achieve efficient removal of the target pollutants at lower chlorine doses. In addition, the presence of low-valent sulfur species and ecb- accelerated the cycle of Fe(II)/Fe(III) and in-situ generation of HO· and Cl·. The known generation of DBPs in UV-LED/chlorine/S-NH2-MIL53(Fe) process decreased by 37.9% compared to UV-LED/chlorine process. Developing novel UV-LED/chlorine/S-NH2-MIL53(Fe) processes provided a reliable strategy to efficiently purify actual micro-polluted water bodies.

Highly efficient activation of periodate by a manganese-modified biochar to rapidly degrade methylene blue

In this study, the manganese oxide/biochar composites (Mn@BC) were synthesized from Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. The Mn@BC was analyzed via techniques of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The results show that MnOx is successfully loaded on the surface of BC, and the load of MnOx can increase the number of surface functional groups of BC. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows that MnOx loaded on BC mainly exists in three valence forms: Mn(Ⅱ), Mn(Ⅲ), and Mn(Ⅳ). The ability of Mn@BC to activate periodate (PI) was studied by simulating the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The degradation experiment results showed that the MB removal rate by the Mn@BC/PI system reached 97.4% within 30 min. The quenching experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed that Mn@BC can activate PI to produce iodate (IO3•), singlet oxygen (1O2), and hydroxyl radical (•OH), which can degrade MB during the reaction. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to determine the interaction between pH, Mn@BC and PI concentration in the Mn@BC/PI system, and the optimum technological parameters were determined. When pH = 5.4, Mn@BC concentration 0.56 mg/L, PI concentration 1.1 mmol/L, MB removal rate can reach 98.05%. The cyclic experiments show that Mn@BC can be reused. After four consecutive runs, the removal rate of MB by the Mn@BC/PI system is still 82%, and the Mn@BC/PI system also shows high performance in treating MB in actual water bodies and degrading other pollutants. This study provides a practical method for degrading dyes in natural sewage.

Peroxymonosulfate Activation by Cu-OMS-2 Nanofibers for Efficient Degradation of N-Containing Heterocycles in Aquatic Solution.

In this research, the degradation of different types of N-containing heterocycle (NHC) contaminants by Cu-OMS-2 via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation in an aqueous environment was investigated. First, the effects of different reaction parameters were optimized using benzotriazole (BTR) as the model contaminant, and the optimal reaction conditions were 8 mM PMS, 0.35 g/L Cu-OMS-2, and 30 °C. Nine different types of NHC contaminants were effectively degraded under these reaction conditions, and the degradation efficiencies and the mineralization rates of those NHCs were more than 68 and 46%, respectively. Moreover, the Cu-OMS-2/PMS process presented excellent performance at a wide pH ranging from 3.0 to 11.0 and in the presence of some representative anions (NO3- and SO42-) and dissolved organic matter (fumaric acid). The inhibition sequence of anions on BTR removal during the Cu-OMS-2/PMS process was H2PO4- > HCO3- > Cl- > CO32- > NO3- > SO42-. It was also found that 74.5 and 71.3% BTR degradation rates were achieved in actual water bodies, such as tap water and Yellow River water, respectively. Besides, the Cu-OMS-2 heterogeneous catalyst had excellent stability and reusability, and the degradation rate of BTR was still at 77.0% after 5 cycles. Finally, electron paramagnetic resonance analysis and scavenging tests showed that 1O2 and SO4- • were the primary reactive oxygen species. Accordingly, Cu-OMS-2 nanomaterial was an efficient and sustainable heterogeneous catalyst to activate PMS for the decontamination of BTR in water remediation.

Unraveling the role of CH3C(=O)OO• in the degradation of emerging organic contaminants via boosting activation of peracetic acid by iron oxychloride catalyst

Activated peracetic acid (PAA) processes have received increasing focus on the removal of various micropollutants. In this study, iron oxychloride (FeOCl) was used to activate PAA for emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) degradation and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was utilized as the target pollutant. The removal rate of SMX can achieve 90.37% at a neutral condition, and the kobs was 0.0836 min−1. According to the free radical quenching experiment, ESR spectrum, and LC/MS analysis, CH3C(=O)OO• was confirmed to be the main contributor to SMX degradation. The redox cycle of Fe(III)/Fe(II) pairs was the core mechanism of the FeOCl catalysis. A total of six possible transformation products in the FeOCl/PAA system were identified, as well as four possible degradation pathways were proposed. After the FeOCl/PAA treatment, most of the TPs exhibited lower toxicity than SMX itself. The repeatability of FeOCl was still > 80% after four uses, inorganic anions (HCO3– and Cl-) had negligible influences, while humic acid could compete for reactive species and lead to a decrease in the degradation of SMX. Besides, the SMX degradation was almost not affected in the actual water bodies, demonstrating that the FeOCl/PAA process possesses high application potential. The degradation efficiency of FeOCl/PAA systems for other pollutants was also measured, and the removal efficiencies were different due to the selectivity of the CH3C(=O)OO•. Overall, this study comprehensively revealed the oxidation mechanism of the FeOCl/PAA system and provides theoretical support for practical application.

Study on adsorption of salicylic acid and sulfosalicylic acid by MOF–sodium alginate gel beads obtained in a green way

A composite (ZS–UiO–66–NH2) zirconium crosslinked sodium alginate gel beads (ZS)–metal–organic skeleton (UiO–66–NH2) were prepared in this study through in–situ growth under simple, green and mild conditions for removal of the salicylic acid (SA) and sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) from water. The physicochemical properties of ZS–UiO–66–NH2 were characterized using various analytical methods. The influencing factors in the adsorption process including pH of solution, amount of adsorbent, coexisting ions, adsorption time, reaction temperature and equilibrium concentration of SA/SSA were performed in batch adsorption. The experimental results indicated that ZS–UiO–66–NH2 had high stability and could achieve efficient adsorption of SA/SSA in broad pH range (2–9) and salinity (0–0.2 mol·L−1). SA and SSA adsorbed on the composite at 293 K reached high values of 193 and 167 mg·g−1 from Langmuir model, respectively. Kinetic and isotherm studies demonstrated that the adsorption processes were mainly multilayer heterogeneous chemisorption. Thermodynamic data manifested that the two processes were exothermic and spontaneous with increasing entropy. ZS–UiO–66–NH2 can effectively remove SA/SSA from simulated wastewater under different pH and can be reused after elution with a NaHCO3 solution (5 mmol·L−1). The ZS–UiO–66–NH2 composite has great potential for removing SA/SSA from actual water bodies.

Cyano-Regulated Organic Polymers for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic H2 O2 Production in Various Actual Water Bodies.

Photocatalytic production of H2 O2 has drawn significant attention in recent years, but the yield rate of current photocatalytic systems is still unsatisfactory. Moreover, the presence of various components in actual water bodies will consume the photogenerated charges and deactivate the catalyst, severely limiting the real applications of photocatalytic H2 O2 production. Herein, a cyano-modified polymer photocatalyst is synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation with subsequent thermal polymerization. The introduction of cyano group and sulfer (S), oxygen (O) elements modulates the microstructure and energy band of the polymer catalyst, and the cyano group sites can effectively adsorb and activate O2 , realizing the generation of H2 O2 in the two-step single-electron oxygen reduction process. The reported system achieves high H2 O2 generation rate up to 1119.2µmol g-1 h-1 in various water bodies including tap water, river water, seawater, and secondary effluent. This simple and readily available catalyst demonstrates good anti-interference performance and pH adaptability in photocatalytic H2 O2 production in actual water bodies, and its photodegradation and sterilization applications are also demonstrated. This study offers new insights in developing polymer catalysts for efficient photocatalytic production of H2 O2 in various water bodies for practical application.

Remote sensing and GIS tool application for tracing the water body of Bangalore area

To comprehend the function of the water bodies at various sizes, such as regional and global, for example, in biogeochemical cycles, it is necessary to more correctly estimate the size, form, and extent of the water bodies. Excluding the few areas with precise maps, scaling upward to vast area regions relies on statistical estimates of the number and size of lakes, rivers, and other water bodies, which explains why estimates are wrong. In comparison to the currently available conventional and frequently used methods of mapping land surface water (LSW), remote sensing offers several extra advantages since it is a more accurate, efficient, and reliable information source with the ability to make multiple high-frequency and repeatable quantities of observations. This project describes the development and technological evolution of the Water Body Map (WBM), which employs an automated algorithm to interpret multi-temporal Landsat images from the USGS database. In this project, we used Landsat 5 band photographs to define a water body map without any cloud cover. Permanent water bodies were separated from temporary water-covered areas by estimating the frequency of water bodies in overlapping, multi-temporal Landsat images. In contrast to past studies, the WBM now makes a more precise distinction between rivers and floodplains by looking at the frequency of water bodies. As a result, it is clear that using multi-temporal images from sources is equally as important for mapping global water bodies as analysis at a higher resolution. The classification's accuracy was confirmed in Hokkaido (Japan) and the United States of America using databases of actual water bodies. Around 70% of lakes N1 km2 have relative water area errors of b25%, and the commission error was diminishing and nearly nonexistent. The Water Body Mapping's overall accuracy should be helpful for much larger scale research projects in hydrology, biogeochemistry, and climate systems, among other things. It can also include a quantification of the kinds of water bodies that are currently present around. Some smaller water bodies were overlooked, primarily because shoreline pixels were not included. The primary goal of this project was to estimate the accuracy of mapping water bodies using Landsat 5 TM data by employing straightforward digital image processing techniques.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Reviewed by: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley April Spisak Boulley, Angeline Warrior Girl Unearthed. Holt, 2023 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781250766588 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781250766595 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 9-12 This stand-alone novel takes place in the same world as Firekeeper’s Daughter (BCCB 08/21), but ten years later and with a focus on Daunis’ now teen nieces, particularly narrator Perry Firekeeper-Birch. Perry and her twin Pauline (an ambitious rule-follower) are both working at Sugar Island Ojibwe Tribe’s summer internship program, though Perry would initially rather be anywhere else than cleaning display cases in the tribal museum. She quickly learns that there is far more to this work than tidying, however, as her boss brings her along to tense meetings with institutions that are resisting the return of cultural items (and some even more unsettling—actual bones, teeth, and bodies of tribal ancestors). Perry is also troubled, as is everyone, by the continued disappearance of Indigenous women, and while she does not mean to stumble into a desperate situation where her own life is in danger, she believes that the answers she may find are worth far more than her own safety. Perry is not one for seeing nuance, and her life trajectory initially seems driven by her own impulsivity as much as anything; her eventual increased perspective and more layered understanding of the world are refreshing in their hard-earned authenticity, especially as she takes a forgiving approach overall to the limitations of all people, including herself. This novel is many things at once: a coming-ofage story of twins who are each struggling to find their places, a murder mystery, a culturally driven exploration of home and belonging, and the same thoughtful, expansive, and careful examination of what it means to be Anishinaabe as Boulley [End Page 321] offered in the previous novel. There’s no illusion that all of this can be captured fully, even within a lengthy text, but that is never the book’s point, instead emphasizing that the world is a place with far more questions than answers. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Boosting charge separation in graphdiyne quantum dots/hollow tubular carbon nitride heterojunction for water pollutant degradation

Non-desirable solar energy absorption and poor charge transfer efficiency are two problems that limit the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) photocatalytic techniques. Herein, a metal-free boron-doped graphdiyne quantum dot (BGDs) modified hollow tubular g-C3N4 photocatalyst (BGD/TCN) was synthesized to activate PMS and achieved effective space separation of carriers for degradation of bisphenol A. With 0.5 mM PMS, the degradation rate of bisphenol A (20 ppm) was 0.0634 min−1, 3.7-fold higher than that of TCN itself. The roles of BGDs in the distribution of electrons and photocatalytic property were well identified by experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The possible degradation intermediate products of bisphenol A were monitored by mass spectrometer and demonstrated to be nontoxic using ecological structure activity relationship modeling (ECOSAR). Finally, this newly-designed material was successfully applied in actual water bodies, which further renders its promising prospect for actual water remediation.

Developing a magnetic bismuth-based quaternary semiconductor boosted by plasmonic action for photocatalytic detoxification of Cr(VI) and norfloxacin antibiotic under simulated solar irradiation: Synergistic work and radical mechanism

The development of robust dual-S-scheme heterojunctions has exhibited prominent potential for the photo-degradation of environmental pollutants. Herein, novel dual-S-scheme heterojunction of NiFe2O4/Bi/Bi2WO6/Bi5O7I was constructed by a facile multistep approach for pollutants detoxification under visible-light illumination. The novelty of this work involved the incorporation of a bismuth-based heterostructure with NiFe2O4 to develop a magnetic field for recycling issues. The morphological characteristics revealed the presence of NiFe2O4/Bi/Bi2WO6/Bi5O7I (NFO/BBWO/BOI) in a flower-like structure. The NFO/BBWO/BOI heterojunction displayed the highest photocatalytic activity towards NOR destruction (96.5% in 75 min) and Cr(VI) reduction (95% in 60 min) under LED illumination. The synergistic work between the S-scheme heterojunction and the plasmonic (SPR) effect was behind the boosted photocatalytic performance. On the other hand, the influence of some environmental factors like pH, organic and inorganic substances, catalyst loading, and actual water bodies was also discussed. Besides, NFO/BBWO/BOI reflected facile reusability and excellent stability. The radical detection tests demonstrated the significant participation of all reactive species in NOR oxidation. The photodegradation pathways and intermediates detection of NOR were accurately proposed using the HPLC-TOF-MS system. Finally, the suggested mechanism declared that the synergistic efforts of SPR action and the S-scheme system could effectively stimulate the charge migration with high redox potential to mineralize the NOR and Cr(VI) reduction under visible light illumination.

NaHCO3 activated sludge-derived biochar by KMnO4 modification for Cd(II) removal from aqueous solutions.

The surface flat pristine biochar provides limited adsorption sites for Cd(II) adsorption. To address this issue, a novel sludge-derived biochar (MNBC) was prepared by NaHCO3 activation and KMnO4 modification. The batch adsorption experiments illustrated that the maximum adsorption capacity of MNBC was twice that of pristine biochar and reached equilibrium more quickly. The pseudo-second order and Langmuir model were more suitable for analyzing the Cd(II) adsorption process on MNBC. Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl- and NO-3 had no effect on the Cd(II) removal. Cu2+ and Pb2+ inhibited the Cd(II) removal, while PO3-4 and humic acid (HA) promoted it. After 5 repeated experiments, the Cd(II) removal efficiency on MNBC was 90.24%. The Cd(II) removal efficiency of MNBC in different actual water bodies was over 98%. Furthermore, MNBC owned excellent Cd(II) adsorption performance in fixed bed experiments, and the effective treatment capacity was 450 BV. The co-precipitation, complexation, ion exchange and Cd(II)-π interaction were involved in Cd(II) removal mechanism. XPS analysis showed that NaHCO3 activation and KMnO4 modification enhanced the complexation ability of MNBC to Cd(II). The results suggested that MNBC can be used as an effective adsorbent for treating of Cd-contaminated wastewater.