Heavy Metal Solutions Research Articles

Valorization of carbon soot ash for the selective capture of lead ions from industrial waste water–A waste to resource approach

Landfills are struggling to accommodate the increasing amounts of carbon soot ash waste from oil refineries. Due to extensive industrial productions, large quantities of lead ions are released into the environment, which not only pollutes the environment but also affects flora and fauna. In this work, these urgent environmental issues will be tackled by studying the use of modified carbon soot ash for specific heavy metal adsorption. Carbon soot ash modified with chemical leaching and physical ball-milling was loaded onto the surface of graphene oxide. This adsorbent was found to selectively adsorb and remove toxic lead ions (>99%) from a mixed heavy metal solution. The adsorption efficiency was found to increase with temperature (20–60 °C) and pH (2–8). Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetics were found to fit the adsorption process through curve fitting, where the adsorbent reached a maximum capacity of 194.55 mg/g. Potential mechanisms for lead adsorption and metal specificity are also discussed here. This work aligns with the waste-to-resource pathway, where waste carbon soot ash is diverted from landfilling and is formulated as a specific heavy metal adsorbent, that shows promise for environmental remediation.

Conversion of acidified lignin containing sulfur discharged from a biorefinery process into neutralized biochar: Characterization and metal adsorption

The objectives of this study were to produce biochars using sulfur-rich acidified lignin discharged from a biorefinery process and to evaluate their physicochemical properties and Pb adsorption capacity. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, the lignin acidified by the desulfurization process was converted to neutralized biochar (LBC), which exhibited high carbon content and stability. The carbon content of biochar manufactured at a pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C or higher was over 90 % and showed no significant difference, and their surface structures were found to be different, as revealed through XRD and FTIR analyses. The adsorption capacity of Pb by LBC increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature, and their adsorption capacity was well described by the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model. In particular, the internal diffusion effect on the adsorption capacity of Pb was greater for LBC900 than for LBC600. In complex heavy metal solutions, LBC selectively exhibited high affinity for Pb, while the adsorption capacity of other metals was significantly reduced. The adsorption mechanism of Pb by LBC was verified through various analytical methods, and these results demonstrated that the adsorption of Pb by LBC was influenced by functional groups existing on the surface and inside of LBC and by some cation exchange.

Characterization of Tfgal-9: A galectin in innate immune system of Trachidermus fasciatus - Insights into its sequence analysis, expression patterns, and in vitro bioactivities

An in-depth understanding of the immune system of endangered species is crucial for successful conservation efforts. Galectins, as members of the lectin family, play a crucial role in the fish innate immune system. Galectin-9 (Tfgal-9) was cloned from endangered species Trachidermus fasciatus, revealing a cDNA sequence of 1453 bp with an open reading frame of 900 bp encoding a protein of 299 amino acids. Tfgal-9 protein features two repeated carbohydrate-binding domains, each characterized by two conserved galactose-binding sites (H-NPR and WG-EER), and it possesses neither a signal peptide nor a transmembrane domain. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that Tfgal-9 was widely expressed across all examined tissues, with the highest expression in the intestine, followed by the blood, heart and brain. Expression was notably up-regulated in the blood, skin, liver, stomach, and heart when challenged with LPS. Following induction by the heavy metal solution containing Cu, Pb, Cd, and Hg, the expression Tfgal-9 was dramatically induced to 32 times higher than that of the control group in the brain. The recombinant Tfgal-9 protein exhibits calcium-independent binding and agglutination of selected bacteria and yeast. Antimicrobial activity of recombinant Tfgal-9 protein against Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed using the cylinder-plate method. In vitro antioxidant experiments showed that radical scavenging activity of DPPH was 50.38 % when Tfgal-9 concentration reached 200 μg/mL. These results indicate that Tfgal-9 may play important roles in the immune response against microbial infections and the maintaining of redox homeostasis.

Tailorable MBene aerogel with the lowest evaporation enthalpy for solar seawater desalination and wastewater purification

Growing global water scarcity has fueled the quest for sustainable and effective desalination solutions under lower energy requirements. However, it has a common strategy that has led to reducing the enthalpy of evaporation of water during solar-driven interfacial evaporation by dual-layer aerogels with effective mechanical robustness. Here, we introduce a novel class of 2D transition metal boride (MBene) integrated into the hydratable polymeric network of Polyvinyl alcohol/Chitosan/Polyurethane (MPCP) for an “all-in-one” solar evaporator. This dual-layer aerogel possesses both photothermal properties (for evaporating seawater) and reduced evaporation enthalpy (resulting in lower energy requirements). The MPCP aerogel gains broadband light absorption, and effective heat localization and exploits the polar groups on the polymer chains to interact with water molecules, resulting in reduced enthalpies of evaporation of 1132 J g−1 for water and 1245 J g−1 for seawater, which promotes excellent solar steam generation performance with a high evaporation rate of 2.83 kg/m2h under 1 kW m−2 solar intensity. The MBene aerogel has favorable endurance and versatility in effectively treating a wide range of polluted wastewater sources, such as organic dyes and heavy metal solutions, with high efficiency and exceptional longevity under real seawater tests over 20 consecutive days. This work could guide the development of MBenes for efficient solar-driven water evaporation and wastewater remediation.

Enhanced removal of lead ions from wastewaters by electrochemical adsorption using nitrogen-doped Ti3C2Tx MXene

As a two-dimensional material containing transition metal carbides and nitrides, MXene is often used in capacitive deionization for its excellent hydrophilic and pseudocapacitive properties. Nitrogen doping is widely used to improve the adsorption properties of certain materials. However, the effect of nitrogen doping on the electrochemical adsorption properties of MXene remains unclear. In this work, nitrogen-doped Ti3C2Tx MXene was synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method to achieve highly selective and efficient removal of Pb(II) at a constant cell voltage. The concentration of Pb(II) decreased from 4.95 to 0.02 mg L−1 in a 100 mg L−1 NaCl supporting electrolyte after electrosorption. The removal efficiency of Pb(II) reached 99.5%, whereas it was only 15.2% for Na+. The introduction of nitrogen functional groups increased the electrical conductivity and layer spacing of MXene, thereby improving the pseudocapacitive adsorption performance in the presence of Pb(II). The complexation function of the Ti-OH group on nitrogen-doped Ti3C2Tx surface increased and contributed to the selective adsorption of Pb(II). The removal efficiency of Pb(II) increased with increasing solution pH and cell voltage, reaching the maximum value at pH 5.0 and 1.5 V, respectively. The effect of supporting electrolyte type on the removal of Pb(II) was negligible. In addition, the removal efficiency for mixed heavy metal ion solutions, including Cu(II), Ni(II), and Pb(II), exceeded 79.0%. It exhibited the highest removal efficiency for Pb(II) at 97.9%. After five cycles of electrochemical adsorption–desorption, the nitrogen-doped Ti3C2Tx maintained a stable Pb(II) removal efficiency of 97.0%. This work provides a promising material for the electrochemical removal of low-concentration heavy metal ions from wastewaters.

Experimental study on freezing temperature and its influencing factors of loess contaminated by heavy metals

This paper attempts to reveal the freezing temperature and its influencing factors of heavy metal-contaminated loess by adopting two cooling methods: fast and slow grading. As a result, Lanzhou loess was used as an experimental material to make polluted soil with varying heavy metal concentrations and initial water content. The pollutant elements included Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, and Pb. The findings demonstrate that: 1) The slow cooling rate causes supercooling, jumping, and a progressive decrease in the temperature of the polluted soil. Different cooling methods have no obvious effect on freezing temperature. Furthermore, the freezing temperature of contaminated soil varies depending on its water content. The impact of increasing water content on freezing temperature is not evident; 2) The freezing temperature of loess decreases with the increase of heavy metal ion content. The freezing temperature of loess polluted by Zn, Ni and Cd ions decreased linearly with the increase of ion content. The influence of cations on the freezing temperature of loess is as follows: Zn2+> Ni2+> Cd2+> Cr3+> Pb2+> Cu2+. The influence order of anions is Cl− > SO42−; 3) The freezing temperature of loess containing heavy metal ions is about equal to the freezing temperature of the corresponding heavy metal solution plus the freezing temperature of loess itself. The freezing temperature of heavy metal-polluted loess follows the temperature superposition principle.

Enhanced plasma grating-induced breakdown spectroscopy for sensitive detection of heavy metal in solution

Plasma grating-induced breakdown spectroscopy (GIBS) has gained notable attention for its capacity in trace metal element detection. This study examined the utilization of plasma grating to create micropores and nanoparticles on a Si sample surface and explored their impact on GIBS. We found that the presence of these features resulted in a significant 2.4-fold enhancement in the spectral intensity of the Si plasma at a laser energy of 2.7 mJ, with micropores structures and nanoparticles promoting the plasma excitation. Furthermore, the effect of micropores structures and nanoparticles on the spectral intensities of Cr and Cd elements in water was investigated. Significantly, the spectral line intensity of heavy metal Cr and Cd in the etched area was about 4.5 and 2.6 times that of the unetched area, and the detection limit for trace levels of Cr and Cd in water was determined to be 6.40 mg/L and 75.0 mg/L, respectively. These findings highlight the promising potential of the enhanced GIBS as a more sensitive method for detecting trace metal elements in water.

Efficient removal of environmentally hazardous heavy metal ions from water by NH2-MIL-101-Fe and MOF-808-EDTA based polyether sulfone adsorbents

The potential of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based polymeric composites for heavy metal removal was analyzed in this study. Two mixed matrix composites, along with NH2-MIL-101-Fe and MOF-808-EDTA, were synthesized. The MOFs were synthesized using the solvothermal method, and the mixed matrix spheres (MMSs) were prepared using the facile dropping method. The MMSs were characterized, and batch adsorption studies were performed at different pH and adsorbent dosages. For both MMSs, the optimum pH was between 5–5.5, and the highest removal rates were obtained for MOF-808-EDTA spheres (94 % Hg2+, 86 % As, 80 % Mn). The optimum adsorbent dosage for MOF-808-EDTA was found to be 5.42 g/L, while for NH2-MIL-101-Fe, it was 7.13 g/L, after which the metal ion removal efficiency was reduced. Langmuir adsorption isotherm was fitted with thermodynamic evaluation of Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy. MOF-808-EDTA demonstrated a greater adsorption capacity of 272.7 mg/g (Hg2+), 151.29 mg/g (As3+), and 125.9 mg/g (Mn2+) than the other MMP. The Gibbs free energy of −20.14 (Hg2+), −12.66 (Mn2+), and −52.61 kJ/mol (As3+) were obtained from the thermodynamic study. The results indicated that the process was exothermic and spontaneous. Breakthrough column studies were performed for MOF-808-EDTA spheres using the pore-surface-diffusion model. The transient column study was conducted for individual heavy metal ion solutions using Addesign™ software to evaluate column exhaustion time, breakthrough time and length of mass transfer zone. Studies with multicomponent solutions of heavy metals also gave potentially promising results in the separation of 92 % of Hg, 84 % As, and 75 % Mn which indicates the prepared adsorbents can be used to remove heavy metal ions from industrial wastewater samples.

Exploring the efficacy of travertine pervious concrete pavement: A novel approach for urban runoff heavy metal mitigation

To reduce the dependence on natural aggregates and to improve the utilization of solid waste, travertine waste cutting stone pieces were used as aggregate to produce travertine pervious concrete (TPC). This paper focuses on the effect of various factors, including contact time, travertine replacement rate, cement amount used, contact area and competitive adsorption on the removal of Cd2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ by TPC and travertine under the rapid method and immersion method. The results showed that the contact time between TPC and heavy metal solution directly affects the adsorption capacity. The removal rates of Cd2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ (95.28–100.00 %) with the immersion method are greatly higher than that under the rapid method (only 12.38–27.45 %). Encased in cement paste, travertine aggregates in pervious concrete can only remove 1.52–4.80 % of heavy metal ions. As the main adsorbent for heavy metal ions, the cement paste reported in this study can remove almost all heavy metal ions in the solution under the long-term leaching tests. Furthermore, the travertine itself with porosity and high CaO also has a higher ability to remove heavy metals and its removal capacity was also directly affected by the contact area. Under the influence of ternary competitive mechanism, the adsorption capacity of TPC is Pb2+ > Cd2+ > Cu2+. Finally, a laboratory-scale TPC pavement (TPCP) with a rainfall system was built. The 72.17–96.23 % urban runoff could be removed by TPCP in one hour, and the removal rates of TPCP for Cd2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ all exceeded 96.0 % within 30 minutes, demonstrating environmental friendliness.

A Rapid, Efficient Method for Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membrane Room-Temperature Multi-Detachment from Commercial 1050 Aluminum Alloy.

For commercial processes, through-hole AAO membranes are fabricated from high-purity aluminum by chemical etching. However, this method has the disadvantages of using heavy-metal solutions, creating large amounts of material waste, and leading to an irregular pore structure. Through-hole porous alumina membrane fabrication has been widely investigated due to applications in filters, nanomaterial synthesis, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. There are several means to obtain freestanding through-hole AAO membranes, but a fast, low-cost, and repetitive process to create complete, high-quality membranes has not yet been established. Here, we propose a rapid and efficient method for the multi-detachment of an AAO membrane at room temperature by integrating the one-time potentiostatic (OTP) method and two-step electrochemical polishing. Economical commercial AA1050 was used instead of traditional high-cost high-purity aluminum for AAO membrane fabrication at 25 °C. The OTP method, which is a single-step process, was applied to achieve a high-quality membrane with unimodal pore distribution and diameters between 35 and 40 nm, maintaining a high consistency over five repetitions. To repeatedly detach the AAO membrane, two-step electrochemical polishing was developed to minimize damage on the AA1050 substrate caused by membrane separation. The mechanism for creating AAO membranes using the OTP method can be divided into three major components, including the Joule heating effect, the dissolution of the barrier layer, and stress effects. The stress is attributed to two factors: bubble formation and the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the AAO membrane and the Al substrate. This highly efficient AAO membrane detachment method will facilitate the rapid production and applications of AAO films.

Study on heavy metal leaching from steel slag in coastal soft soil and its environmental impact

ABSTRACT To explore the environmental impact of steel slag deposited within a coastal soft soil foundation, the steel slag produced by a steel plant in Fangchenggang city was chosen as a case study. Seawater was collected from the coastal foundation, and water with different levels of salinity was obtained by low-temperature evaporation, filtration, sterilisation, and dilution. Leaching tests of steel slag in artificial seawater with different levels of salinity were carried out according to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). The results showed that with the increase in the leaching time and salinity of the solution, the concentration of heavy metals in solution displayed an upward trend; however, the rate of increase decreased once the concentration reached a certain level. From an environmental perspective, it is not advisable to use steel slag as a filler near drinking water, and steel slag should not be used as a foundation material in the high-salinity coastal soft soil layer.

Diverse Applications of Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy (2D-COS).

This second of the two-part series of a comprehensive survey review provides the diverse applications of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) covering different probes, perturbations, and systems in the last two years. Infrared spectroscopy has maintained its top popularity in 2D-COS over the past two years. Fluorescence spectroscopy is the second most frequently used analytical method, which has been heavily applied to the analysis of heavy metal binding, environmental, and solution systems. Various other analytical methods including laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, capillary electrophoresis, seismologic, and so on, have also been reported. In the last two years, concentration, composition, and pH are the main effects of perturbation used in the 2D-COS fields, as well as temperature. Environmental science is especially heavily studied using 2D-COS. This comprehensive survey review shows that 2D-COS undergoes continuous evolution and growth, marked by novel developments and successful applications across diverse scientific fields.

Colorimetric sensor for copper and lead using silver nanoparticles functionalized with fluoresceinamine isomer I

Chemical sensing of heavy metals in aqueous environments offers significant advantages, including a rapid and cost-effective method for estimating their concentrations. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were functionalized with fluoresceinamine (FLA) to detect Cu2+and Pb2+in water. Cysteamine (Cyt) was subsequently added to detect these metals with the naked eye. UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy were conducted to determine the limits of detection (LODs) of each method. All AgNPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The lower LODs using Cu2+and Pb2+ were 4.40 × 10−6 and 1.15 × 10−6 M for UV–Vis titration and 6.53 × 10−6 and 1.39 × 10−6 M for fluorescence, respectively. The recovery percentage for the spectroscopic methods was high at 87 %. Subsequently, cellulose paper sensors were impregnated with AgNPs-FLA and AgNPs-FLA-Cyt to analyze both cations with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 10−3 M. The cellulose paper sensors were characterized using drop shape analysis and fluorescence. These findings demonstrate the potential of colorimetric sensors composed of AgNPs-fluorophores for the rapid estimation of the concentration of specific heavy metals in solution using UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Further, the incorporation of an additional molecule, such as Cyt, linked to AgNPs-fluorophores enabled detection with the naked eye, offering potential utility in water analysis for mining industries characterized by high concentrations of contaminants.

Plants as effective bioindicators for heavy metal pollution monitoring

This study investigated the bioindicator potential of Amaranthus retroflexus L., Plantago lanceolata L., Rumex acetosa L., and Trifolium pratense L. including the use of Lolium multiflorum L. as a reference species, for heavy metal pollution monitoring, in particular Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Nickel (Ni), and Lead (Pb). Controlled heavy metal contamination was applied through irrigation with metal nitrate solutions two levels of contamination (low and high). The study also focused on analyzing heavy metals concentration in plant tissues and related physiological responses. Distinct physiological responses to heavy metal stress were observed among the investigated species, highlighting unique variations in their reactions. Hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde content, and enzymatic activities emerged as reliable indicators of plant stress induced by heavy metal solutions. P. lanceolata displayed elevated Zn concentrations in both roots and leaves (3271 ± 337 and 4956 ± 82 mg kg−1). For Pb, L. multiflorum and P. lanceolata showed highest root concentrations (2964 ± 937 and 1605 ± 289 mg kg−1), while R. acetosa had higher leaf concentration (1957 ± 147 mg kg−1). For Ni, L. multiflorum had the highest root concentration (1148 ± 93 mg kg−1), and P. lanceolata exhibited the highest leaf concentration (2492 ± 28 mg kg−1). P. lanceolata consistently demonstrated the highest Cd concentrations in both roots (126 ± 21 mg kg−1) and leaves (163 ± 12 mg kg−1). These results provide valuable insights for selecting effective bioindicator species to establish control strategies for heavy metal pollution.

Unlocking the potential of biochar: an iron-phosphorus-based composite modified adsorbent for adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) in aqueous environments and response surface optimization of adsorption conditions.

In this work, iron-phosphorus based composite biochar (FPBC) was prepared by modification with potassium phosphate and iron oxides for the removal of heavy metal ions from single and mixed heavy metal (Pb and Cd) solutions. FTIR and XPS characterization experiments showed that the novel modified biochar had a greater number of surface functional groups compared to the pristine biochar. The maximum adsorption capacities of FPBC for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were 211.66mg·g-1 and 94.08mg·g-1 at 293K. The adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by FPBC followed the proposed two-step adsorption kinetic model and the Freundlich isothermal adsorption model, suggesting that the mechanism of adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by FPBC involved chemical adsorption of multiple layers. Mechanistic studies showed that the introduction of -PO4 and -PO3 chemisorbed with Pb(II) and Cd(II), and the introduction of -Fe-O increased the ion exchange with Pb(II) and Cd(II) during the adsorption process and produced precipitates such as Pb3Fe(PO4)3 and Cd5Fe2(P2O7)4. Additionally, the abundant -OH and -COOH groups also participated in the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II). In addition, FPBC demonstrated strong selective adsorption of Pb(II) in mixed heavy metal solutions. The Response Surface Methodology(RSM) analysis determined the optimal adsorption conditions for FPBC as pH 5.31, temperature 26.01°C, and Pb(II) concentration 306.30mg·L-1 for Pb(II). Similarly, the optimal adsorption conditions for Cd(II) were found to be pH 5.66, temperature 39.34°C, and Cd(II) concentration 267.68mg·L-1. Therefore, FPBC has the potential for application as a composite-modified adsorbent for the adsorption of multiple heavy metal ions.

Determination of Binding Constants for the Complexes Between Heavy Metal Ions and Cucurbit[n]uril

AbstractOne of the major concerns worldwide is the rapid increase in water pollution with hazardous heavy metals. The Cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) structure provides an inner hydrophobic cavity accessible through two electrostatically negative portals with polar carbonyl groups, allowing for charged ion–dipole interaction between cationic species with excellent binding affinities. In this work we selected CB[5], and CB[7] for the titrimetric and electrochemical evaluation of the heavy metal complexes formed with Copper(II), Cadmium(II) and Lead(II). The host–guest interaction was found by either attenuation of the redox peaks, the formation of a new peak, or the slight shift in the redox peaks of the heavy metal ions. Titration data were obtained for CB[n] with the heavy metal solutions to determine the molar coefficient of binding. The stoichiometry of the complexes was 1 : 1 by Job′s plot. We calculated the binding constants using the Benesi–Hildebrand method achieving relatively good binding constants (K) ranging from (1.80±0.14)×105–(4.98±0.13)×105 M−1. The results showed that the complexes of Cadmium(II) and Lead(II) with both CB[5] and CB[7] are highly stable in aqueous media. Copper(II) was able to bind to the smaller sized portal of CB[5], whereas with CB[7] the heavy metal ion could not form a favourable complex. This phenomenon suggests that the CB[5] is an ideal host at forming stable host–guest interactions than their larger homologue.

Analytical performance characteristics of Micro-structured surfaces for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopic analysis of liquids

We have previously shown the design and fabrication studies of 3-D micro-structured surfaces, to be used as a sample loading substrate for liquids analysis via dried-droplet LIBS methodology. Among the three designs, the substrate structured with 20-μm diameter cylinders, CYL-20, has shown the highest signal enhancement for the elements, Cu, Cr, and Pb, compared to 5-μm diameter cylinders, CYL-5, and 5-μm side-length triangular prisms, TAP-5, surfaces. Here, in this study, the analytical performance characteristics (LOD, accuracy, and precision) of these micro-structured Si-wafer surfaces are presented in comparison with unstructured surfaces. The dried-droplet residue of aqueous heavy metal solutions of Pb, Cr, and Cu were analyzed at their respective emission wavelengths under optimized experimental conditions. The results obtained from CYL-20 structured surfaces in comparison to 300 nm thin-film coated surfaces indicate up to 17, 11, and 7-fold increases in LIBS signal strength for Cu, Cr, and Pb, respectively. The experiments were performed using single and multi-element standards, and certified reference water samples. Sub-picogram absolute detection limits, 0.8 pg Pb, 0.5 pg Cu, and 0.45 pg Cr were obtained from the analysis of 500 nanoliters standard solutions, via dried-droplet methodology. Results with 70–75% accuracy and 95% precision were obtained from the repeated measurements. Though the results are promising, more extensive fabrication and application studies are required to find optimum structures of different sizes and shapes.

In-situ polymerization of PANI nanocone array on PEN nanofibrous membranes for solar-driven interfacial evaporation

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) holds great potential for desalination, but it also poses challenges to application performance. Herein, a novel polyaniline (PANI) modified polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN) electrospun nanofibrous membranes (PANI@PEN) was developed by introducing PDA and CTAB, which increased the polymerization amount of PANI and controlled its morphology by sequential in-situ polymerization, aiming to enhance its SDIE comprehensive performance. This unique structure can generate multiple diffuse reflections under sunlight, resulting in the highest water evaporation rate of the nanofibrous membrane at 1.822 kg m−2 h−1, while evaporation rate at 1.527 kg m−2 h−1 for a 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution. Due to the good flexibility of PEN polymer substrate, the obtained membranes can be easily arched, showcasing an interesting ability to collect salt through salt deposition. Meanwhile, PEN also provides a robust skeleton, endowed PANI@PENs with corrosion-resistant, capable of desalination in acidic media, purifying heavy metal ion solutions through evaporation, as well as good mechanical properties for reusability. The study potentially provides a strategy for utilizing dopamine and CTAB loaded on high-performance polymer nanofibrous membranes and the convenient in-situ polymerization to generate advanced photothermal PANI. This strategy paves a way to enable high-performance engineering polymer, PEN, with solar-thermal evaporation capabilities, further opening its potential applications in seawater desalination and industrial wastewater purification.

Thio-groups decorated covalent triazine polyamide (TTPA) for Hg2+ adsorption: Efficiency and mechanism

In this work, the thio-modified covalent triazine polyamides, TTPA-1 (1.5/1) and TTPA-2 (1/1), were successfully synthesized from the diester containing S and melamine, and applied to the adsorption of Hg2+ in the aqueous solution. We have systematically investigated the factors that can affect the adsorption process, such as the dosage of the adsorbent, the contact time, the temperature of the heavy metal solution, the initial concentration of the ions, the pH, the co-existing substances, and the desorption. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model can describe the adsorption of Hg2+ well, and the equilibrium adsorption time is 180 min, respectively. The most appropriate adsorption isotherm model is Langmuir, and the maximum Hg2+ adsorption capacities calculated at 25°C are 685 (TTPA-1) and 657 (TPPA-2) mg g−1. Repeatable experiments have shown that it can be reused more than 10 times without any loss. The adsorption mechanism of TTPA-1 (-2) was elucidated by combining experimental results, spectral characterization (SEM and XPS, etc.) and the density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations. These results indicate that TTPA-1 (-2) could have a good potential for the removal of the Hg2+ metal ions from wastewater.

Usefulness of the Biomass of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) for The Elimination of Chromium (VI) from Polluted Waters

The tobacco plant is capable of accumulating heavy metals in its different parts, making it a good candidate for use in bioremediation, although there are few reports in which the biomass of this plant is used for the removal of heavy metals in solution. Also, cigarette residues are an environmental problem, so the use of these residues is an opportunity to obtain biomass for the removal of heavy metals from polluted environments. The objective of this work was to determine the removal capacity of Cr (VI) by commercial tobacco biomass, finding that 1 g of biomass removal 72 mg/L of the metal at 24 h, pH 2.0, 28 °C and 100 rpm, while at higher temperatures the removal is higher, and if the concentration of the metal is increased (1 g/L), its removal capacity is reduced, since 64.72% is removed at 24 h at 28 °C, although at 60 °C, 1 g/L is removal at 8 hours. If the concentration of the bioadsorbent is increased, the metal removal does not increase. Finally, 5 g of biomass eliminates 66.1% and 74% of Cr (VI) present in naturally contaminated soil (100 mg/g) and water (100 mg/L), respectively.