Chemical Waste Research Articles

Emulsification and pH Control for Sustainable Thermochemical Fluids Reactivity

Managing chemical reactivity is crucial for sustainable chemistry and industry, fostering efficiency, reducing chemical waste, saving energy, and protecting the environment. Emulsification is used for different purposes, among them controlling the reactivity of highly reactive chemicals. Thermochemical fluids (TCFs), such as NH4Cl and NaNO2 salts, have been utilized in various applications, including the oil and gas industry. However, the excessive reactivity of TCFs limits their applications and consequently negatively impacts the potential success rates. In this study, an emulsification technique was employed to control the high reactivity of TCFs explored at 50% and 70% in diesel, using three distinct emulsifier systems at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% to form water-in-oil emulsions. The reactivity of 4M neat TCFs and emulsified solutions was examined in an autoclave reactor as a function of triggering temperatures of 65–95 °C, volume fraction, and emulsifier type and concentration. Additionally, this study explores an alternative method for controlling TCF reactivity through pH adjustment. It investigates the impact of TCFs at pH values ranging from 6 to 10 and the initial pressure on the resulting pressure, temperature, and time needed to initiate the TCF’s reaction. The results revealed that both emulsification and pH adjustment have the potential to promote sustainability by controlling the reactivity of TCF reactions. The findings from this study can be utilized to optimize various downhole applications of TCFs, enhancing the efficiency of TCF reactions and success rates. This paper presents in detail the results obtained, and discusses the potential contributions of the examined TCFs’ reactivity control techniques to sustainability.

Digital Manufacturing System of Custom Wigs with Measurable 3D Images

Wigs are major important means for improving life quality of the increasing people suffered from hair loss through their image enhancements. For the production of custom made wigs, there requires a mold that reproduces the wearer’s head dimension and the shape of hair loss. The conventional method for this is to make a resin film that adheres to the wig wearer’s head using vinyl tape, and to make a wig pattern with drawing the shape of hair loss onto the film, and to produce a head mold with this pattern, and then to plant hair in a wig cap made based on this mold and wig pattern. This method requires highly skilled manual work, and generates a large amount of chemical waste during the manufacturing process, and takes a long manufacturing period. However, the digital automation of measuring head dimension and the shape of hair loss can replace or omit the production of wig patterns. In this study, a 3D head image capable of actual measurement was implemented by using a 3D polygon head shape measurement device and a camera, which makes a digital production system possible, which can replace the manual wig pattern production process for custom wigs.

Application of Mixture Design for Optimization of Smoke Signal Formulation: A Comparative Study of KClO3 and KNO3 as Oxidizers

Smoke signals are traditionally used in military contexts, but in recent times, they have gained popularity among civilians. The M18 smoke grenade was designed with a highly reactive oxidizer, KClO3, and substituting it with a safer oxidizer, notably KNO3, is one way that helps provide a safer choice for civilian use. However, providing optimal formulations for both formulations helps in deciding whether KNO3 can be substituted for the traditional KClO3 oxidizer. One of the techniques for enhancing smoke formulation is the Design of Experiments (DOE). Many researchers these days are focusing on substituting the smoke chemicals for a safer option using a trial-and-error process. However, from the standpoint of environmental contamination, numerical testing to identify the most significant output causes air pollution and chemical waste, which is not only costly but also endangers sea life if not properly disposed of. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize the smoke formulation in order to decrease waste and air pollution as well as enable future mass production of the product for both military and civilian use. The purpose of this paper is to implement the mixture design tool of the DOE approach to determine the optimal formulation of smoke signals using KClO3-based formulations, as well as to provide a comparative analysis of substituting KNO3 to optimize KClO3-based formulations in terms of time and smoke emission. From the KClO3-based formulation (28.68 wt.% KClO3, 23.47 wt.% C12H22O11, 34.39 wt.% dye, and 13.46 wt.% MgCO3) with an average time of 73.43 seconds, an acceptable formulation with a data means of 73.43, substituting with KNO3 oxidizer gave an average of 80.18 seconds, in which the smoke emission was slightly thinner compared to KClO3. As a result, KNO3 can be used as an alternative oxidizer to KClO3, and the KClO3-optimized formulation can be considered a baseline for smoke formulation for future research.

The persistent DDT footprint of ocean disposal, and ecological controls on bioaccumulation in fishes

Globally, ocean dumping of chemical waste is a common method of disposal and relies on the assumption that dilution, diffusion, and dispersion at ocean scales will mitigate human exposure and ecosystem impacts. In southern California, extensive dumping of agrochemical waste, particularly chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants such as DDT, via sewage outfalls and permitted offshore barging occurred for most of the last century. This study compiled a database of existing sediment and fish DDT measurements to examine how this unique legacy of regional ocean disposal translates into the contemporary contamination of the coastal ocean. We used spatiotemporal modeling to derive continuous estimates of sediment DDT contamination and show that the spatial signature of disposal (i.e., high loadings near historic dumping sites) is highly conserved in sediments. Moreover, we demonstrate that the proximity of fish to areas of high sediment loadings explained over half of the variation in fish DDT concentrations. The relationship between sediment and fish contamination was mediated by ecological predictors (e.g., species, trophic ecology, habitat use), and the relative influence of each predictor was context-dependent, with habitat exhibiting greater importance in heavily contaminated areas. Thus, despite more than half a century since the cessation of industrial dumping in the region, local ecosystem contamination continues to mirror the spatial legacy of dumping, suggesting that sediment can serve as a robust predictor of fish contamination, and general ecological characteristics offer a predictive framework for unmeasured species or locations.

Development of Small-Scale Kits and Flipbooks for Practical Acid-Base Instruction

Practicum is essential to learning because it provides practical learning opportunities in building students' knowledge. Learning using the practical method can explain abstract theories into concrete ones and can be analyzed in more detail so that this method can improve cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills. Practical activities in schools currently still use large amounts of chemicals. The resulting waste is only thrown in the trash or the drain. Disposal of large amounts of chemical waste will affect the surrounding environment. Based on this background, the researcher aims to develop a small-scale practical kit and flipbook for instructions on practical acid and base solutions. This type of research is development research (R&D) and uses the ADDIE development model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). Material and language experts and media experts validate products. Product trials were carried out at SMAN 15 Tangerang Regency. The results of the validation of the small-scale practicum kit and flipbook practicum instructions were material 87% (very feasible), language 80% (feasible), and media 84% (very feasible). The product trial results stated that the small-scale practical kit and practical flipbook instructions were suitable for use in the learning process

Fabrication of Robust Forward Osmosis Membrane by Assembling FeOxCly Nanoparticles

AbstractOwing to its inherent advantages like low‐energy consumption, low‐fouling propensity, and high recovering ability over high‐pressure‐driven membrane processes, the future of membrane technology is shifting toward forward osmosis (FO). However, the utility of FO in challenging areas is hindered by the lack of suitable FO membranes. Here, the development of innovative FO membranes by depositing weakly magnetic and positively charged FeOxCly nanoparticles on a negatively charged nylon membrane (FeOx‐Nyl) is reported. Remarkably, the FeOx‐Nyl membrane possesses outstanding stability in an aqueous medium and survived in both acidic (pH = 3.3) and basic (pH = 12.2) solutions. Upon varying the loading amount of FeOxCly, the water flux of the FeOx‐Nyl membrane varies from 27.8 to 61.3 LMH (from 5 to 30 mg). Due to its hydrophilic nature, the FeOx‐Nyl membrane exhibits excellent flux recovery rates (FRR), up to ≈70%. The outstanding robustness and high flux of FeOx‐Nyl are exploited in challenging applications like recovering reactive chemical wastes and dehydration of acetic acid.

Sustainable and Advanced LED-Implanted Microfluidic Photoreactor with Coupled Optical Fiber Enabling Efficient Photocatalytic Synthesis Beside Online Reaction Progress Monitoring.

The conventional methods for the photoinduced synthesis of benzimidazoles may need further improvement regarding a safer and energy-efficient synthesis platform with in-process monitoring for maximum yield within a much reduced reaction time. This work describes the use of a novel optofluidic Lab-on-a-Chip technology for safer, energy-efficient, and expedited synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives in excellent yields along with real-time quantitative measurement during product formation. This innovative method involves synthesis within LED-embedded microfluidic reactors, allowing for rapid synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives via photoinduced condensation cyclization reactions of aryl aldehydes and o-phenylenediamines using a Rose Bengal/fluorescein photocatalyst. It results in good to excellent yields (85-94%) in a notably shorter period of time (10 min) as compared to that for the batch protocol reaction (2-3 h). The incorporation of a reaction-monitoring microfluidic device precisely connected to the microfluidic reactor (microreactor) unit successfully avoids interference from light sources, ensuring consistent UV-vis spectroscopic observations of the produced benzimidazole derivatives. This LED-embedded microfluidic device's capability of photoinduced synthesis, along with real-time spectroscopic analysis, represents a promising breakthrough in organic synthesis. The proposed approach minimizes the potential for accidents, prevents waste of chemicals, maximizes atom economy, and designs an energy-efficient synthesis route, along with real-time in-process monitoring.

Eco-Friendly Microwave Synthesis of Sodium Alginate-Chitosan Hydrogels for Effective Curcumin Delivery and Controlled Release.

In this study, we developed sodium alginate-chitosan hydrogels using a microwave-assisted synthesis method, aligning with green chemistry principles for enhanced sustainability. This eco-friendly approach minimizes chemical use and waste while boosting efficiency. A curcumin:2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin complex was incorporated into the hydrogels, significantly increasing the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the structure and successful incorporation of curcumin, in both its pure and complexed forms, into the polymer matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed distinct thermal transitions influenced by the hydrogel composition and physical cross-linking. Hydrogels with higher alginate content had higher swelling ratios (338%), while those with more chitosan showed the lowest swelling ratios (254%). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed a porous structure as well as successful incorporation of curcumin or its complex. Curcumin release studies indicated varying releasing rates between its pure and complexed forms. The chitosan-dominant hydrogel exhibited the slowest release rate of pure curcumin, while the alginate-dominant hydrogel exhibited the fastest. Conversely, for curcumin from the inclusion complex, a higher chitosan proportion led to the fastest release rate, while a higher alginate proportion resulted in the slowest. This study demonstrates that the form of curcumin incorporation and gel matrix composition critically influence the release profile. Our findings offer valuable insights for designing effective curcumin delivery systems, representing a significant advancement in biodegradable and sustainable drug delivery technologies.

Efficient Real-Time Droplet Tracking in Crop-Spraying Systems

Spray systems in agriculture serve essential roles in the precision application of pesticides, fertilizers, and water, contributing to effective pest control, nutrient management, and irrigation. These systems enhance efficiency, reduce labor, and promote environmentally friendly practices by minimizing chemical waste and runoff. The efficacy of a spray is largely determined by the characteristics of its droplets, including their size and velocity. These parameters are not only pivotal in assessing spray retention, i.e., how much of the spray adheres to crops versus becoming environmental runoff, but also in understanding spray drift dynamics. This study introduces a real-time deep learning-based approach for droplet detection and tracking which significantly improves the accuracy and efficiency of measuring these droplet properties. Our methodology leverages advanced AI techniques to overcome the limitations of previous tracking frameworks, employing three novel deep learning-based tracking methods. These methods are adept at handling challenges such as droplet occlusion and varying velocities, ensuring precise tracking in real-time potentially on mobile platforms. The use of a high-speed camera operating at 2000 frames per second coupled with innovative automatic annotation tools enables the creation of a large and accurately labeled droplet dataset for training and evaluation. The core of our framework lies in the ability to track droplets across frames, associating them temporally despite changes in appearance or occlusions. We utilize metrics including Multiple Object Tracking Accuracy (MOTA) and Multiple Object Tracking Precision (MOTP) to quantify the tracking algorithm’s performance. Our approach is set to pave the way for innovations in agricultural spraying systems, offering a more efficient, accurate, and environmentally responsible method of applying sprays and representing a significant step toward sustainable agricultural practices.

Simultaneous estimation of prasugrel and aspirin in bulk drugs by chemometric methods

A UV–Vis spectrophotometric method enhanced by chemometric techniques, specifically Principal Component Regression (PCR) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression, was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of prasugrel (PRA) and aspirin (ASP) in bulk drugs and pharmaceutical formulations. The method demonstrated high accuracy, precision, and robustness, achieving mean recoveries of 100.63% for PRA and 100.08% for ASP with relative standard deviations (RSD) below 3%. Both PCR and PLS models showed excellent predictive capabilities, with RMSEP values of 0.45–0.48 for PRA and 0.78–1.13 for ASP, indicating the models’ reliability. In line with green and white chemistry principles, the method minimizes environmental impact by reducing solvent consumption and waste generation compared to traditional chromatographic methods. The Analytical Eco-Scale score was 84, reflecting excellent compliance with green chemistry standards. The method’s simplicity, low energy consumption, and reduced chemical waste further support its alignment with sustainability goals. However, acetonitrile, a hazardous solvent, was still used in small quantities, and solvent recycling was not implemented, slightly affecting the eco-score. To evaluate the method’s greenness, the RGB12 algorithm was applied, achieving a high score of 94.4%, with the majority of parameters related to reagent consumption, waste production, energy efficiency, and safety scoring optimally. The method’s safety, cost-effectiveness, and minimal environmental footprint make it suitable for routine pharmaceutical analysis, particularly in quality control environments where resource efficiency and sustainability are prioritized. Thus, the developed method offers a sustainable, efficient, and environmentally friendly solution for the simultaneous analysis of prasugrel and aspirin in pharmaceutical formulations, making it a valuable tool for routine analysis in the pharmaceutical industry.

Synthesis of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Palladium-catalyzed C-H Bond Functionalization

: Nowadays palladium-catalyzed C–H bond activation is a useful approach for the synthetic transformation of organic compounds due to step economy, the use of non-prefunctionalized substrates and reduced chemical wastes. Among the various synthetic strategies, palladium catalyzed intra and inter-molecular C–H bond activation has recently drawn a lot of interest to synthesize the decorated π-conjugated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. In this review, we have focused on recent progress along with previous strategies to synthesize various polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by the use of Pd-catalyzed C–H bond activation. We have also discussed the mechanistic details of the reaction intra and inter-molecular C–H bond activation.

Industrial-grade electrocatalytic synthesis of glycine from oxalic acid and nitrate using a porous PbSnBi catalyst

Electrochemical transformation of oxalic acid and nitrate into glycine is an appealing way for valuable chemical synthesis and waste nitrate treatment. Currently, strategies to electrosynthesis of amino acid through catalyst design have been successfully developed, but it is still of huge challenge to realize industrial grade electrocatalytic synthesis of amino acid. Here, we develope an innovative electrochemical method to synthesize glycine from harnessing nitrate (NO3-) and oxalic acid in an aqueous electrolyte with a porous PbSnBi alloy catalyst. By means of construction the multiple catalytic sites and regulation electrode surface microenvironment, this strategy produces glycine with high Faraday efficiencies of 57.2 %, high yield rates of 1.125 mmol h−1 cm−2cat, and average current density up to 1 A cm−2 at −1.5 V vs. SCE potential after 2 h electrolysis. The recycled electrolysis experiment confirms its good stability and practical potential.

Green tech soil analysis: a comparison of potentially toxic element contents among urban, agricultural, and gold mining areas in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon.

Artisanal gold mining can lead to soil contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), necessitating soil quality monitoring due to environmental and human health risks. However, determining PTE levels through acid digestion is time-consuming, generates chemical waste, and requires significant resources. As an alternative, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) offers a faster, more cost-effective, and sustainable analysis. This study compared total As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, V, and Zn obtained from pXRF with their pseudo-total contents obtained through acid digestion (USEPA method 3051A) in areas influenced by artisanal gold mining in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil. pXRF data and machine learning algorithms were used to predict extractable Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn. Linear regression models were fitted to compare the two methods, and random forest and support vector machine techniques were used to predict extractable contents. The best regression model fits for the pseudo-total PTE contents were those for Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb in agricultural areas (R2 > 0.80); Fe and Mn in gold mining residue (R2 > 0.70); and Ba, Cu and Mn in urban areas (R2 > 0.80). The best models for predicting the extractable PTE contents were those for Cu (R2 = 0.72; RMSE = 2.58mgdm-3) and Zn (R2 = 0.71; RMSE = 1.44mgdm-3) in agricultural areas and for Zn (R2 = 0.72; RMSE = 0.43mgdm-3) in gold mining residue. The results demonstrated that pXRF can characterize and predict PTE contents in mining-impacted areas, offering a sustainable approach to soil quality analysis.

A scenario-customizable and visual-rendering simulator for on-vehicle vibration energy harvesting

The rising demand for renewable energy supply in standalone computing devices has led to the emergence of vibration energy harvesting (VEH) to overcome technical and environmental challenges. For instance, VEH is desirable in IoT scenarios where maintaining a battery supply is non-sustainable or impractical due to many devices or remote circumstances. VEH can be environmentally friendly given that it reduces the reliance on traditional battery production and usage, thus reducing the carbon footprint and chemical waste in disposable batteries. However, a significant hurdle in VEH adoption is the lack of effective simulation tools for generating various application scenarios to describe, validate, or predict the efficacy of the VEH-based devices. It is necessary for designing and implementing a VEH simulator for a variety of realistic application scenarios. Being the first of its kind, this study presents a scenario-customizable and visual-rendering VEH simulation system based on the Unity3D Engine. The proposed simulator features a modular design that consists of several key functional components including vibration scenarios’ creation and manipulation, VEH model specification, Unity-Python Co-computing mechanism, and 3D visualization. This paper also presents two AI-based case studies leveraging the functionality and data provided by the simulator to demonstrate its potential for data-driven research and applications.

Economic evaluation of hazardous healthcare waste treatment systems

The cost estimation and assessment of healthcare waste treatment systems (HCWTSs) for preventing financial and environmental damage are essential. This work reports economic analyses of treatment of hazardous–infectious waste based on WHO approach in HCWTSS of 43 hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The waste generation rate for total hospital waste in 43 HCWTSS was 4.42 ± 2.77 kg/active-bed/day. The mean of chemical, sharps, infectious, and general wastes in 43 HCWTSS were 13.79 ± 19.71, 30.29 ± 37.46, 336.28 ± 291.31, and 539.6 ± 383.13 kg/day, respectively. Economic analyses proved that general hospitals spent 1.63 times more than specialized hospitals on treating hazardous–infectious waste per year. The annual cost of treating each kilogram of hazardous healthcare waste in studied HCWTSS was 0.3 dollars. A range of total annual costs in 43 HCWTSS was limited to 7.9–118 thousand dollars. The results of ANOVA test demonstrated that the age and performance levels of hospitals significantly affect the annual capital and operating costs, respectively. Hence, improving recycling knowledge and increasing source-separated recycling should be considered to control the costs in HCWTSS. The results of this work have implications for the hospital managers in especially developing countries to evaluate previously unknown economic analyses and policies and take action to control wasted costs in HCWTSS.

Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals with Mechanochemistry

Chemistry traditionally relies on reactions in solution, but this method is increasingly problematic due to the scale of chemical processes and their economic and environmental impact. Handling residual chemical waste, including solvents, incurs significant costs and environmental pressure. Conversely, novel chemical approaches are needed to address pressing societal issues such as climate change, energy scarcity, food insecurity, and waste pollution. Mechanochemistry, a sustainable chemistry discipline that uses mechanical action to induce chemical reactivity without bulk solvents, is a hot topic in academic research on sustainable and green chemistry. Given its fundamentally different working principles from solution chemistry, mechanochemistry offers more efficient chemical processes and the opportunity to design new chemical reactions. Mechanochemistry has a profound impact on many urgent issues facing our society and it is now necessary to use mechanochemistry to address them. This Minireview aims to provide a guide for using mechanochemistry to meet the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby contributing to a prosperous society. Detailed analysis shows that mechanochemistry connects with most UN SDGs and offers more cost‐efficiency than other approaches together with a superior environmental performance.

Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals with Mechanochemistry.

Chemistry traditionally relies on reactions in solution, but this method is increasingly problematic due to the scale of chemical processes and their economic and environmental impact. Handling residual chemical waste, including solvents, incurs significant costs and environmental pressure. Conversely, novel chemical approaches are needed to address pressing societal issues such as climate change, energy scarcity, food insecurity, and waste pollution. Mechanochemistry, a sustainable chemistry discipline that uses mechanical action to induce chemical reactivity without bulk solvents, is a hot topic in academic research on sustainable and green chemistry. Given its fundamentally different working principles from solution chemistry, mechanochemistry offers more efficient chemical processes and the opportunity to design new chemical reactions. Mechanochemistry has a profound impact on many urgent issues facing our society and it is now necessary to use mechanochemistry to address them. This Minireview aims to provide a guide for using mechanochemistry to meet the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby contributing to a prosperous society. Detailed analysis shows that mechanochemistry connects with most UN SDGs and offers more cost-efficiency than other approaches together with a superior environmental performance.

Green and sensitive method combining ultrasonic solvent extraction, stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption-gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for determination of organotin compounds in sediment

A method integrating ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with thermal desorption-gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (TD-GC–MS/MS) was developed and validated for determining critical organotin compounds (OTCs)—tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT)—in sediment. In preparing a 0.5 g sediment sample, two 1-min cycles of US bath solvent extraction (using equal parts CH3COOH and MeOH), were followed by derivatization with NaBEt4 in the presence of a methanolic-aqueous solution of CH3COONa and SBSE for 1 h, achieving analyte recoveries of 64–94 %. Matrix-matched internal standard calibration and the use of an isotopically labelled recovery standard corrected for analyte losses and matrix effect (ME), ensuring accurate results for triorganotins. However, the method was not suitable for mono- and diorganotins due to low and anomalous recoveries caused by ME. Miniaturizing and optimizing the sample preparation reduced chemicals use and waste, contributing to the method being deemed ’an excellent green analysis’ by the Analytical Eco-Scale assessment. The method achieved a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.081 ng g−1 and an expanded uncertainty (U) value of 15 % for TBT, meeting the environmental quality standards (EQS) criteria of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Its applicability was demonstrated through the analysis of actual sediment samples and natural matrix certified reference materials.

A 96-position platform for magnetic sorbent-based dispersive microextraction: Application to the determination of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol in saliva of cannabis smokers

BackgroundIn order to obtain sustainable analytical methods, it is essential to develop kinetically efficient sample preparation strategies in which equilibria are reached faster, as dispersive extraction techniques. In addition, the higher the reduction in size, the higher number of extraction vessels can be located and thus the higher number of samples can be simultaneously treated. All this increases sample throughput, and contributes to the reduction of chemical waste, and energy and sample consumption. In this sense, multiposition extraction platforms are smart strategies to achieve these goals, but they are scarcely developed for dispersive extraction techniques. ResultsTaking miniaturized stir bar sorptive dispersive microextraction (mSBSDME) as a starting point, a 96-position extraction platform has been developed using a 96-position stirring plate and a tailor-designed 3D-printed support for locating the miniaturized extraction vessels, achieving a high-throughput miniaturized sample preparation strategy. In order to show the applicability of this novel platform, the determination of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in human saliva has been carried out and applied to samples collected after the consumption of marijuana and legal CBD-rich cannabis. Only 100 μL of saliva were needed for the analysis and good analytical features in terms of linearity (at least up to 500 ng mL−1), limits of detection (0.7 and 2.8 ng mL−1 for THC and CBD, respectively), and precision (RSD ≤ 14 %) were achieved. SignificanceThe miniaturization of the vessel allows the use of small volumes of sample (i.e., a few microliters) and the treatment of 96 samples in parallel, being the first proposal for carrying out dispersive sorbent-based microextraction under the concept of 96-well format. Additionally, this new workflow contributes to the development of analytical methods that meet the three pillars of sustainability, i.e., greenness and easily affordable in terms of economics and applicability.

Sorbents based on foamed phosphate glass for collecting petroleum oil products from contaminated soils and water surfaces

Relevance. The need to clean from pollution soils and water areas contaminated with oil and chemical industry wastes. Physico-chemical methods are one of the effective ways of cleaning, provided that sorbents are applied in time to collect contaminants from the surface of water areas and landscapes. Sorption is the most efficient and cost-effective method for relatively small scale pollution. Despite the variety of existing sorbents, in most cases when cleaning up accidental spills, first of all, economic benefits and oil capacity value of the sorbent are guided. However, such essential criteria as: 1) main purpose (type of polluted surface and nature of pollution); 2) physical and chemical properties, including structural characteristics and acid-base adsorption centers; 3) peculiarities of oil or other pollutants adsorption. Taking into account these factors, it is possible to develop and improve the formulation of sorbents based on phosphate foams. Introduction of various modifying additives into material composition is likely to expand their field of application. Aim. Development of formulation and technological features of obtaining new phosphate sorbents in relation to their intended purpose: for collecting oil and petroleum product spills from soil or water surfaces. Methods. Gravimetric, microscopic spectroscopic, statistical and comparative methods. Results and conclusions. The authors have compared sorbents no. 1 and 2 in terms of physical and chemical properties, morphology and cleaning efficiency. Based on our laboratory studies, we concluded that sorbent no. 1 is better suited for sorption from aqueous surfaces and sorbent no. 2 is better suited for soil cleaning. Both sorbents have the potential to improve their technological properties. This allows refining the formulation of these materials with further testing in laboratory and field conditions, for example, at oil spill sites. For this purpose, it is possible to change the material composition using a different foaming agent, applying modifying additives and varying the temperature mode of firing. Development of new compositions and methods of sorbent foaming will make it possible to select optimal characteristics for each type of contamination. The author proposed as well to create phosphate biosorbent obtained by immobilization of fungi and bacteria on the surface of highly porous carrier. In this case, after sorption of pollution, adsorbed substances will undergo biodegradation with the formation of safe products, and the sorbent will perform the role of fertilizer.