Adsorption Capacity Research Articles

Adsorption behavior and mechanism of lead by starch/tobermorite composite hydrogel.

Tobermorite (TOB) is a synthetic inorganic mineral material with a montmorillonite-like layered structure that removes heavy metals from water, and its incorporation into starch-based hydrogels can optimize the stability and adsorption properties of the hydrogels; it can also significantly reduce the storage pressure of fly ash (FA) and reduce environmental pollution. This study utilized starch/tobemolite/acrylic acid (LR/TOB/AA) as the raw material, successfully synthesizing a starch-tobemolite composite hydrogel (LR-TOB/AA) using aqueous solution polymerization. The hydrogel exhibits excellent water absorption and retention capabilities, as well as a significant adsorption effect on Pb(II). The influence of adsorption duration, starting concentration, temperature, and hydrogel incorporation on Pb(II) adsorption was examined by intermittent adsorption experiments. The maximal adsorption capacity of Pb(II) was 900.25 mg/g, surpassing the majority of reported hydrogel adsorbents, as determined by Langmuir isothermal adsorption model fitting. Following five adsorption-desorption cycles, the hydrogel's adsorption of Pb(II) persisted above 90 %.

Porous N, P co-doping Ti3C2Tx MXene for high-performance capacitive deionization

The emerging energy-saving and environmentally friendly capacitive deionization (CDI) technology has attracted more and more attention. However, it remains a great challenge to develop CDI electrode materials with excellent comprehensive properties. Herein, the porous N, P co-doping Ti3C2Tx MXene (N, P-Ti3C2Tx) was prepared successfully by combining simple flocculation with an annealing process. Benefitting from the synergistic effect of the combination of porous structure and co-doping of N and P heteroatoms, the N, P-Ti3C2Tx exhibits substantial specific surface area, which provides more surface bounding active sites for electrochemical reactions, thus assisting to boost the CDI performance. As a result, the N, P-Ti3C2Tx exhibited an admirable salt (Na+) adsorption capacity of 53.3 mg g−1 and exceptional recycling property. Impressively, the N, P-Ti3C2Tx also exhibited superior desalination performance of Pb2+, characterized by an exceptionally high desalination capacity of up to 168.2 mg g−1 at 1.2 V, and the corresponding desalination rate reached 0.047 mg g−1 s−1. Additionally, the deionization mechanism involved was elucidated through a series of characterizations. This work will furnish an effective avenue for the innovative design of MXene-based electrode materials toward high-performance CDI.

Synthesis of doped titanium-based lithium adsorbents with excellent stability and adsorption performance by solid state reactions

Titanium-based lithium-ion sieves (LTO) are often employed for lithium recovery from solutions due to their high adsorption uptake. To further reduce the Ti dissolution loss rate and enhance the adsorption performance of LTO, metal-doping was conducted using solid-state reactions in this work, and the effects of incorporated metal elements and doping amounts were investigated. The results indicated that, the doping of 5 % tungsten (W), zirconium (Zr) or cerium (Ce) significantly reduces the titanium dissolution rate from 1.52 % (without doping) to 0.77 %, 1.1 %, and 1.17 % respectively, while the doping of iron (Fe) and molybdenum (Mo) increases the Ti dissolution rate. Simultaneously, the dissolution rates of W, Zr, and Ce (0.15 %, 0.27 %, and 0.66 %) are also significantly lower than those of Fe and Mo (14 % and 24 %). In addition to the record-breaking reduction in the titanium dissolution rate, W doping also substantially enhances the saturated adsorption capacity of lithium to 48 mg g−1 (at 30 °C), 1.37 times that of the undoped LTO (35 mg g−1), demonstrating great potential for lithium recovery.

Electrochemically Switchable Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile for Controllable Recovery of Copper in Wastewater Based on Reversible Adsorption/Desorption Regulation.

Within the context of circular economy and industrial ecology, adsorption offers an effective manner for recycling resources from wastewater, but controllable desorption remains a challenge. Inspired by metal-thiol binding and reversible thiol-disulfide redox transformation in biological systems, this study reports the development of a reversible adsorption/desorption (RAD) system for controllable recovery of copper based on electrochemically switchable sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN). Density functional theory calculations offered theoretical prediction for the formation of S-Cu bonds and reversible weak interaction between S-S bonds and Cu2+. The SPAN anchored onto titanium suboxide ceramic foam (SPAN@TiSO) could regulate Cu2+ adsorption/desorption stimulated by the electrode potential, indicated by the adsorption capacity of 243.3 mg g-1 (30 min) at 0.2 V vs SHE and a desorption efficiency of 98.4% (5 min) at 0.8 V vs SHE. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the reversible redox transformation of S-S/-S- groups in SPAN was responsible for selective adsorption and rapid desorption in response to the electrode potential. This study provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of an electrochemically switchable polymer to build up a reversible RAD system for controllable recovery of heavy metals in wastewater, making value-added resource recovery more efficient, more intelligent, and more sustainable.

Persulfate oxidation of plant-based indigo wastewater enhanced by Aspergillus niger

Due to a lack of effective treatments and processes, the substantial amount of wastewater generated during plant indigo production causes environmental issues, impacting the production's sustainability. This study found that the constituents of plant indigo wastewater influence using activated carbon on persulfate. After the activated carbon treatment, the wastewater contained 78.87% sugar and 28.09% saponins. Aspergillus niger (A. niger) exhibited a high degradation performance against sugars and saponins, owing to the activities of cellulase, β-glucosidase, and β-glucuronidase. The degradation improved the activation ability of activated carbon for persulfate, with the removal rates of 46.87% and 31.62% for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC), respectively. Further analyses indicated that the A. niger treatment significantly increased the level of reactive oxygen species in the oxidation system and improved the microstructure, porosity, and adsorption capacity of activated carbon. Through the synergy of response surface analysis, prediction, and validation, we significantly reduced COD and TOC concentrations to 225.8 and 185.6mg/L (removal rates of 96.7% and 94.1%), respectively. These findings are essential for promoting the sustainable development of plant indigo production.

Constructing SDBS-intercalated MoS2 nanosheets confined and near-vertically grown on network biochar adsorbent: Insights into highly efficient co-adsorption of ciprofloxacin and lead ions

To overcome the problems of the weak adsorption ability of biochar to heavy metal ions (HMIs) and competitive adsorption between HMIs and antibiotics during co-adsorption, the adsorbent material in which 2D sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate-intercalated molybdenum disulfide nanosheets confined and growing near-vertically on 3D network biochar (SDBS-MoS2/BC) was synthesized. The SDBS-MoS2/BC demonstrated good adsorption ability for ciprofloxacin (CIP) and lead ions (Pb2+). Notably, the adsorption capacity of SDBS-MoS2/BC for the target in the binary system remains higher than in the single system, even at elevated concentrations of the competing target (Qmax,CIP = 393.701 mg g−1, Pb2+: 100 mg/L; Qmax,Pb = 264.550 mg g−1, CIP: 100 mg/L). This may be due to the improvement in the utilization of edge/interlayer adsorption sites by the near-vertical SDBS interlayer expansion of MoS2 as a heavy metal ion anchor. Furthermore, the spatial difference between the upper edge site of near-vertical SDBS-MoS2 and the BC plane, that is, the “longitudinal steric effect”, can separate the CIP and Pb2+ adsorptions in a different horizontal plane to avoid competitive adsorption. The underlying adsorption mechanism was elucidated through a series of experiments and the analysis of characterization results. Furthermore, the load of the SDBS-MoS2/BC sponge-packed column can continuously remove contaminants from water. The rapid, anti-interference, multifunctional and reusable properties make SDBS-MoS2/BC promising for excellent environmental treatment.

A model characterising the fractal supercritical adsorption behaviour of methane in shale: Incorporating principles, methods, and applications

The pore structure of shale is patently heterogeneous, with a conventional adsorption model being difficult to characterise the complex adsorption behavior of methane in shale. Therefore, a model is being proposed to characterise the fractal supercritical adsorption behavior of methane in shale. The principles and derivation of the model have been described in detail. The results showed that the adsorption characteristic parameters relating to different scale pores were affected by temperature and fractal dimension to different degrees. In addition, the relationship between isosteric heat of adsorption (qst) and adsorption capacity of different samples revealed different trends. The absolute values of ΔS of FC-66 and FC-72 decreased linearly. This might have been because of the fact that the adsorption saturation’s inflection point, which caused a fall in the absolute value of the entropy change (ΔS), was not reached. Compared with traditional adsorption models, the proposed model could reflect menthane’s adsorption in shale more accurately. The research results provide theoretical support for the evaluation of deep shale gas reserves, including the optimisation of exploitation strategies.

Hydroxyl and amino co-modified imidazole based ionic liquid functionalized TS-1 molecular sieve for efficient CO2 capture

Herein, an integrative solid adsorbent of [AHOPMIm]Cl with hydroxyl and amino groups functional sites modified TS-1 molecular sieve is designed and fabricated for efficient CO2 adsorption. The optimal [AHOPMIm]Cl/TS-1 exhibits 73% enhancement in CO2 adsorption capacity compared with the TS-1 molecular sieve, even outperforming other state of the art adsorbent systems. The greatly improved CO2 adsorption capacity is mainly attributed to the strong adsorption of amino groups on the ionic liquids surface, which can form low-temperature stable amino ester species. Moreover, it is preserved that the hydroxyl groups on the surface of ionic liquids can form stable hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms in CO2, and coordinate with amino groups to capture CO2 from different directions based on in situ DRIFTS and DFT. The porous TS-1 molecular sieve provides a structural basis for the uniform dispersion, effective support, and enhanced CO2 adsorption capacity of ionic liquids. A new design concept for constructing ionic liquid-based composite adsorbent with dual functional sites using TS-1 molecular sieve as a carrier is provided, and the avenues for efficient CO2 adsorption are paved.

Sodium titanate (Na2Ti4O9) nanoribbons for effective removal of organic dyes from water: Experimental and computational studies

In this work, Na2Ti4O9 nanoribbons (NTRs) were synthesized using the hydrothermal method for its potential application in water treatment. The NTRs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, and surface area analyzer. The adsorption of organic dyes, including cationic methyl green (MeG) and methylene blue (MB) model pollutants, onto the NTRs was explored for the first time. Various parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration, regeneration, contact time, the effect of temperature, and thermodynamics were studied to determine the efficiency of NTRs for removing both dyes from water. A variety of isotherm and kinetic models were applied to fit the dye adsorption data at pH 7.0, providing insights into the adsorption mechanism and process kinetics. Kinetic data for both dyes fit well with pseudo-second-order and mixed 1,2-order models. The isotherm data agreed well with Langmuir-Freundlich and Sips models. At the studied temperatures of 298.2, 318.2, and 328.2 K, the maximum adsorption capacities for MeG (353.2, 367.7, and 443.2 mg·g−1) are significantly higher than for MB (29.3, 52.6, and 67.2 mg·g−1), indicating a stronger affinity for MeG, with adsorption efficiency improving as temperature increases. The MeG samples at 328.2 K exhibited interesting behavior. After adsorption, the samples became colorless, with a final pH near 7.0, indicating effective dye removal. However, the color faintly reappeared at pH 4.0, suggesting pH-dependent behavior and incomplete dye removal. The adsorption mechanism on the NTRs surface was investigated using Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations.

Adsorption and removal of Pb (II) via layer double hydroxide encapsulated with chitosan; synthesis, characterization adsorption isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics, & optimization via Box-Behnken design

The study aimed to enhance the stability and efficiency of removing bivalent Pb(II) by encapsulating AlNi-layered double hydroxide (LDH) in chitosan and itaconic acid to create an adsorbent with chemically active sites. The resulting material, AlNi-LDH/CS, underwent thorough property analysis using XRD, FT-IR, XPS, EDX, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm, and FESEM to find out what textural characteristics it has. Specifically, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms were utilized to assess the textural properties of AlNi-LDH/CS. The Al/Ni-LDH/CS surface displayed a specific surface area of 71.95 m2/g and an average pore size of 2.537 nm, consistent with the platelets' external surface. The effects of dose, pH, temperature, and starting concentration on the adsorption process were also investigated in this study. The adsorption characteristics have been examined by means of equilibrium and adsorption kinetics. The adsorption process adhered to the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models. The predominant adsorption process was found to be chemisorption, which had an adsorption energy of 28.42 kJ·mol−1. An endothermic and spontaneous adsorption process is suggested by the increase in metal absorption at increasing temperatures. The Box-Behnken design software was utilized to establish the optimal adsorption parameters as pH 5, a dosage of 0.2 g of AlNi-LDH/CS per 25 mL, and an adsorption capacity of 453.05 mg/g for the Pb(II) arsenate solution. For the composite sponge to be most effective in adsorbing arsenate and be used in water purification procedures, these factors are essential. The adsorption process was successfully improved with few planned tests by applying the Box-Behnken design and response surface technique aspects of the Design-Expert software. An evaluation of the adsorbent's reusability using six successive cycles of adsorption and desorption confirmed its stability and showed no discernible decrease in removal efficiency. Additionally, it retained its original chemical composition before and after reuse, showcased consistent efficiency, and maintained uniform XRD data.

Modulating structure of Ce-UiO-66 by introducing fluorinated terephthalic acid for enhanced removal efficiency of antibiotics: Insights into degradation kinetics and pathways

In this work, the 2-fluoroterephthalic acid with asymmetric structure and high electronegative F species was introduced in the assembly of Ce-UiO-66 catalysts to increase the defect density and enlarge pore structure for enhancement in removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole. Owing to the strong coordination ability from high electronegative F species of 2-fluoroterephthalic acid with Ce-oxo nodes, the designed CUF exhibited improved interfacial properties (accelerated electron transfer rate, available active sites and enhanced interaction with PMS), which was favorable for the exploration and accessibility of active sites with sulfamethoxazole and PMS to decrease the adsorption barrier and accelerate PMS activation. As a result, the CUF catalysts exhibited higher adsorption capacity (173.4 mg/g) than that of CUH (117.8 mg/g), the enhanced degradation efficiency of sulfamethoxazole with a rate constant higher than 2.3 times CUH, good elimination (>95 %) of methylene blue, tetracycline and ibuprofen. In addition, the CUF/PMS system possessed satisfactory stability in wide solution pH, recycling and real water and good potential application in continuous wastewater treatment based on the designed dynamic catalytic reactor. This work provided deep insight into the design of catalysts with high adsorption performance and degradation efficiency based on the structure–activity relationship.

Magnetic bentonite with organic modification highly efficient for adsorption of Ce(III) and Y(III)

A simple organic magnetic adsorbent (PAA-MBent) was synthesized using 2-hydroxyphosphonylacetic acid and applied to the adsorption of Ce(III) and Y(III). It was confirmed that the phosphoryl groups could effectively regulate the homogeneous loading of magnetic particles on the bentonite during the synthesis process, and the hydroxyl and phosphoryl groups can be sufficiently used on the surface of bentonite to increase the abundance of adsorption sites, which have favorable coordination with Ce(III) and Y(III). The experimental results showed that the maximal adsorption capacity was increased to 99.11 mg/g and 65.65 mg/g for Ce(III) and Y(III), respectively, which was 2.52 and 2.91 times higher than magnetic bentonite. The adsorption behavior conformed to the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption of Ce(III) by PAA-MBent performed better than that of Y(III). The adsorption efficiency was affected by ionic strength and site inhibition of coexisting cations, and its adsorption selectivity was mainly disturbed by the competition of Al ions. The results after adsorption identified the key adsorption mechanisms as ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, functional group complexation, and hole filling. After five cycles, the adsorbent still exhibited good adsorption and magnetic recovery performance. These results reveal that PAA-MBent is promised to be a novel, inexpensive and effective adsorbent for the removal of Ce(III) and Y(III) from contaminated water.

High-performance copper terephthalic acid metal-organic framework/gum Arabic/carrageenan composite beads for efficient lead(II) removal from aqueous solutions

Lead (Pb(II)) contamination poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. This study investigates a new approach for Pb(II) removal from polluted water using copper terephthalic acid metal-organic framework/gum Arabic/potassium carrageenan (MGC) composite beads. We synthesized copper terephthalic acid MOF, potassium carrageenan beads, and MGC composite beads to evaluate their adsorption potential. Characterization of the synthesized adsorbents was performed using TGA, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, ATR-FTIR, zeta potential, SEM, and TEM analyses, revealing that MOF > MGC > KG in thermal stability. The MGC composite exhibited a high specific surface area (398.03 m2/g) with mesopores and diverse functional groups, alongside a pH of zero point charge (pHpzc) of 6.8 and a small particle size (20 nm). The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity for Pb(II) removal by MGC reached 374.7 mg/g under optimized conditions (20 °C, pH 5, 60 min shaking time, 3.0 g/L adsorbent dosage). The adsorption data fit well with the Pseudo-First-Order kinetic model and Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The adsorption process was physical, favorable, and endothermic. EDTA was used as a desorption agent, showing that the composite beads retained 97 % efficiency after ten cycles, highlighting MGC's potential as a sustainable strategy for Pb(II) remediation.

Removal of phosphate from wastewater using zirconium/iron embedded chitosan/alginate hydrogel beads: An experimental and computational perspective

Adsorptive removal of phosphate plays a crucial role in mitigating eutrophication. Herein, the Zr/Fe embedded chitosan/alginate hydrogel bead (Zr/Fe/CS/Alg) is reported as an effective phosphate adsorbent. This polymer nanocomposite is synthesized by the in-situ reduction of the metals on the polymer matrix. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by the FTIR, SEM-EDX, TGA, BET, and XPS. The adsorbent showed a maximum phosphate adsorption capacity of 221.72 mg/g at pH 3. The experimental data fit well with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics model, indicating a heterogeneous multilayer surface formation and a chemisorption-dominated adsorption process. Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo (MC) calculations revealed high negative adsorption energy due to the chemisorption of phosphate on the adsorbent. Hence, the major interactions such as electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and inner-sphere complexation of phosphate adsorption and Zr/Fe/CS/Alg hydrogel beads were investigated from the experimental and computational analysis. The negative values of thermodynamic parameters indicated a spontaneous, exothermic, and less random adsorption process. The synthesized adsorbent exhibited excellent selectivity toward phosphate and maintained 73 % efficiency after six adsorption/desorption cycles. The Zr/Fe/CS/Alg hydrogel beads reduced the phosphate concentration in real wastewater samples from 19.02 mg/L to 0.985 mg/L, suggesting that these nanocomposite hydrogel beads could be a promising adsorbent for real-world applications.

Polymeric Adsorbent for the Effective Removal of Toxic Dyes from Aqueous Solutions: Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Modeling

AbstractThis study investigates the adsorption behavior of anionic (Congo red, Eosin yellow) and cationic (Malachite green) dyes on synthesized TD polymer particles, highlighting the material's potential as an effective adsorbent for industrial wastewater treatment. Key operational parameters, including initial solution's pH, contact time, initial dye concentration, and temperature, were systematically evaluated to determine their influence on adsorption efficiency. The experimental data demonstrated that the Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit for all three dyes, indicating monolayer adsorption with maximum adsorption capacities of 153.8 mg/g for Malachite green, 49.36 mg/g for Congo red, and 227.9 mg/g for Eosin yellow. Kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption of Malachite green and Congo red followed pseudo‐second‐order kinetics, while Eosin yellow adsorption was better described by the intra‐particle diffusion model. Thermodynamic assessments, including Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°), confirmed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the adsorption processes for Malachite green and Eosin yellow, contrasting with the exothermic behavior observed for Congo red. These findings underscore the versatility and effectiveness of TD polymer particles in removing both anionic and cationic dyes from aqueous solutions. Further research could explore material optimization and real‐world applications to broaden their utility in sustainable water treatment strategies.

Adsorption Capacity Prediction and Optimization of Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Estrogenic Hormone Removal Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Adsorption Capacity Prediction and Optimization of Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Estrogenic Hormone Removal Using Machine Learning Algorithms

New insights into the remediation of chromium-contaminated industrial electroplating wastewater by an innovative nano-modified biochar derived from spent mushroom substrate: Mechanisms, batch study, stability and application

To enhance the adsorption and detoxification capabilities of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) using agricultural spent mushroom substrate (SMS), this study pioneered the preparation of biochar (NBC) from Lentinus edodes spent substrate. Subsequently, nano iron sulfide (FeS) particles were integrated onto NBC with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a stabilizer, resulting in a novel composite biosorption material, nFeS-BC. The adsorption and reduction potential of both NBC and nFeS-BC against Cr(VI) were evaluated through batch experiments, which identified pH as a critical factor influencing adsorption efficiency. Remarkably, nFeS-BC exhibited a superior maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 99.57 mg g−1 and a reduction efficiency of 68.65%, outperforming NBC by 277.73% and 211.76% under optimized conditions, respectively. Characterization techniques including Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) elucidated the removal mechanisms, predominantly attributed to ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, functional group interaction, and redox reaction. The carbon-oxygen functional groups and nano particles were crucial in the adsorption and reduction processes. Compared with NBC, the incorporation of FeS particles increased the specific surface area and pore volume of nFeS-BC by 130.86% and 183.77%, respectively. nFeS-BC owned a shelf-life of up to ∼3 months of use and exhibited excellent performance in the processing of actual electroplating wastewater with q of 16.71 mg g−1 under 0.1 g L−1 dosage. These findings underscore the potential of nFeS-BC as an efficient material for Cr(VI) removal, presenting a novel adsorbent for the sustainable detoxification of contaminated water resources and the potential for using agricultural waste materials in environmental remediation.

Facile synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework/Chitosan cryogel as a robust Scavenger for Diclofenac sodium

Diclofenac sodium (DS), a commonly detected contaminant in aquatic environments, poses a a significant risk to both the ecological balance and the safety of aquatic products. Therefore, efficient removal of DS from water is ergently needed but remains a major challenge. In this study, an environmentally friendly Fe-based metal–organic framework/chitosan (NH2-MIL-53(Fe)/CS) cryogel was prepared through a Schiff base condensation reaction under mild conditions. Taking advantage of the catalytic role of the MOF in accelerating the reaction between CS and 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol, NH2-MIL-53(Fe) powders were incorporated into the polymeric networks within 30 s. Owing to the rich binding sites, the resulting NH2-MIL-53(Fe)/CS cryogel demonstrated remarkable efficacy in eliminating DS from water. The adsorption process reached equilibrium within 120 min with a maximum adsorption capacity of 728.6 mg g−1. A comprehensive mechanistic investigation revealed that the exceptional adsorption capability of the NH2-MIL-53(Fe)/CS cryogel for DS was attributed to the synergistic effect of multiple interactions, including favorable hydrophilicity, electrostatic forces, π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and coordination. Thus, this study provides a straightforward and rapid synthesis route for MOF/CS cryogel, offering a promising adsorbent that combines exceptional adsorption performance with ease of separation. The resulting MOF/CS cryogel holds great potential for the treatment of DS-contaminated wastewater.

Visible light-induced photocatalytic oxidation of gaseous ammonia on C surface-coated N-TiO2 catalyst: synthesis, properties and mechanism

This paper explores an eco-friendly and efficient photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology aimed at converting NH3 into N2, which holds considerable importance for environmental conservation and human well-being. Building upon previous investigations of N-TiO2 catalysts, the research group successfully synthesized an N-TiO2 catalyst featuring a carbon layer on its surface via mechanical mixing followed by calcination at 400 °C (denoted as C/N-TiO2(1), 1 represents the molar ratio of N and Ti). The analysis concentrated on the influence of C content on the PCO efficiency of NH3, revealing a peak performance correlated with increasing C levels. Notably, the C/N-TiO2(1) catalyst with 3.0 wt% C exhibited remarkable catalytic performance, achieving a conversion rate of 94 % and selectivity of 98 %. The enhancement of catalytic activity and selectivity is primarily attributed to the co-doping of C and N elements. Experimental results indicate that doping with N alone effectively suppresses the recombination of photogenerated carriers under visible light. Furthermore, the simultaneous doping of C and N significantly reduces the band gap energy of TiO2 (3.18 to 2.90 eV), thereby broadening its photoresponse range. Concurrently, more Ov (Oxygen vacancy) are formed under visible light irradiation, which enhances the PCO performance. More importantly, more acidic sites are introduced to improve the catalyst’s adsorption capacity for NH3. Additionally, the impact of various reaction components on the PCO capability of the 3.0 wt% C/N-TiO2(1) catalyst is examined further. The findings indicate that oxygen anion radicals produced from O2 play a critical role in facilitating NH3-PCO. However, the presence of CO2 and extra H2O could hinder the approach of NH3 molecules to the active sites and decrease the longevity of photogenerated ·OH, consequently reducing catalytic effectiveness. This research introduces fresh insights and optimization approaches for enhancing the activity, selectivity, and stability of catalysts.

Deciphering the role of nonylphenol adsorption in soil by microplastics with different polarities and ageing processes.

In the soil environment, microplastics (MPs) commonly coexist with organic pollutants such as nonylphenol (NP), affecting the migration of NP through adsorption/desorption. However, few studies have focused on the interaction between NP and MPs in soil, especially for MPs of different types and ageing characteristics. In this study, non-polar polypropylene (PP) and polar polyamide (PA) MPs were aged either photochemically (144 h) or within soil (60 days), then used to determine the effect of 5 % MPs on the adsorption behaviour of NP (0.1-4.0 mg/L) in soil. Results showed that both ageing processes significantly promoted the conversion of -CH3 groups to C-O and CO on the surface of PPMPs, while PAMPs exhibited amide groups changes and a reduction in average particle size due to ageing. Additionally, both ageing processes promoted the adsorption of NP by soil containing PPMPs, due to an increase in oxygen-containing functional groups and specific surface area. In contrast, the NP adsorption capacity of soil containing PAMPs decreased by 15.4 % following photochemical ageing due to hydrolysis of amide groups, but increased by 21.15 % after soil ageing due to reorganization of amide groups, respectively. The soil-PAMPs systems exhibited a stronger affinity for NP compared to the soil-PPMPs systems, which was primarily attributed to the dominant role of hydrogen bonding. NP was found to be distributed mainly on soil particles in the soil-PPMPs systems, while it tended to be adsorbed by MPs in the soil-PAMPs systems, especially in the soil aged MPs system. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the complex effects of MPs on coexisting pollutants in soil environments, highlighting the effect of MP characteristics on the adsorption of organic pollutants, which is essential for understanding the transport behaviour of organic pollutants.