Iron In Solution Research Articles

Indium-Iron Oxide Nanosized Solid Solutions as Photocatalysts for the Degradation of Pollutants under Visible Radiation.

A series of solid solutions of indium and iron oxides with different In/Fe ratios (InxFeyO3, with x + y = 2) were synthesized in the form of nanoparticles (diameter of ca. 30-40 nm) with the purpose of generating enhanced photocatalysts with an intermediate band gap compared to those of the monometallic oxides, In2O3 and Fe2O3. The materials were prepared by co-precipitation from an aqueous solution of iron and indium nitrates and extensively characterized with a combination of techniques. XRD analysis proved the formation of the desired InxFeyO3 solid solutions for Fe content in the range 5-25 mol%. UV-Vis absorption analysis showed that the substitution of In with Fe in the crystalline structure led to the anticipated gradual decrease of the band gap values compared to In2O3. The obtained semiconductors were tested as photocatalysts for the degradation of model organic pollutants (phenol and methylene blue) in water. Among the InxFeyO3 solid solutions, In1.7Fe0.3O3 displayed the highest photocatalytic activity in the degradation of the selected probe molecules under UV and visible radiation. Remarkably, In1.7Fe0.3O3 showed a significantly enhanced activity under visible light compared to monometallic indium oxide and iron oxide, and to the benchmark TiO2 P25. This demonstrates that our strategy consisting in engineering the band gap by tuning the composition of InxFeyO3 solid solutions was successful in improving the photocatalytic performance under visible light. Additionally, In1.7Fe0.3O3 fully retained its photocatalytic activity upon reuse in four consecutive cycles.

Hippocampal iron overload and spatial reference memory impairment: Insights from a rat model

BackgroundBrain iron overload may induce neuronal death and lead to cognitive impairment. The hippocampus is a critical limbic structure involved in memory. This study aimed to investigate iron overload and its role in hippocampal damage and memory impairment using a rat model. MethodsYoung rats (2 weeks old) received intraperitoneal injections of high-dose iron solution (Group H, n = 10), low-dose iron solution (Group L, n = 10) and normal saline as control (Group D, n = 5). The Morris water maze (MWM) test was performed on all rats to evaluate their spatial reference memory by assessing their escape latency time and number of platform crossing. The iron content and neuronal damage in hippocampal tissue sections of the rats were assessed semi-quantitatively using diaminobenzidine (DAB)-enhanced Perl’s Prussian blue (PPB) staining, and their correlation with spatial reference memory performance was evaluated. ResultsThe escape latency in Group H was significantly longer compared to Groups L and D (P < 0.05). The number of platform crossings was significantly lower in Group H than in Group L or D (P < 0.001). The neuronal cells in Group H had more brown iron deposits than those of Groups L and D. There were significant correlations between the severity of structural damage in the hippocampal tissue and the number of platform crossings (P1 = 0.001 for Group H; P2 = 0.043 for Group L). ConclusionThis study showed an association between hippocampal iron-induced structural damage and spatial reference memory impairment in a rat model. This work should advance our understanding of hippocampal iron overload on cognitive functioning.

Impregnation Effect of Synthesized Fe3O4 Nanoparticles on the Jabon Wood’s Physical Properties

This study focused on characterizing synthetic magnetite (Fe3O4-NP) and evaluating the impregnated jabon wood’s physical properties. The co-precipitation method used for the synthesis of Fe3O4-NP, namely by mixing the iron solution (n/n Fe2+:Fe3+=1:2) with the strong base of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (MG-S) and weak base of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) (MG-W) as precursors. The impregnation stage uses parameters of a -0.5 bar vacuum for half an hour and 2 bar pressure for 2 hours with magnetite concentrations of 1; 2.5; 5% w/v in a demineralized water solvent. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) confirmed the presence of Ferrum content and Fe-O functional group in both Fe3O4-NPs produced. The Fe3O4-NP size was also measured via the X-ray diffraction analysis, namely 34.54 nm for the MG-S and 39.24 nm for the MG-W. Magnetic strength obtained was 7.51 mT for the MG-S and 8.58 mT for the MG-W. The impregnated jabon wood’s physical properties also improved with indications of an increase in wood density, weight percent gain (WPG), bulking effect (BE), anti-swelling efficiency (ASE), and a decrease in water absorption (WA). The results showed the best treatments were MG-S 2.5% and MG-W 5%.

Next steps for assessing ocean iron fertilization for marine carbon dioxide removal

There are many potential approaches to marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR), of which ocean iron fertilization (OIF) has the longest history of study. However, OIF studies to date were not primarily designed to quantify the durability of carbon (C) storage, nor how wise OIF might be as an mCDR approach. To quantify C sequestration, we introduce a metric called the “centennial tonne,” defined as 1,000 kg of C isolated from atmospheric contact for on average at least 100 years. We present the activities needed to assess OIF from a scientific and technological perspective, and additionally, how it might be responsibly studied and potentially deployed. The five activities include: field studies in the Northeast Pacific; improved modeling for field studies, data assimilation and predictions at larger scales; improvements in monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) for C, and also MRV for tracking ecological and environmental impacts; and developing new iron sources and their delivery, to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. The fifth activity is to understand whether public and community support exists for OIF, and what governance structures might support further research and possible deployment of OIF. This article is written by a multidisciplinary experts group called Exploring Ocean Iron Solutions (ExOIS) that is organized around a responsible code of conduct. Of the mCDR approaches, OIF has the potential to be low cost, scalable, and rapidly deployable. Reducing CO2 emissions must lead the way, but there is also an urgency to decide under what conditions and whether OIF might be deployed or not.

Microplastic in Gastric Fasting Liquid and Associated Gastric Pathology.

To determine the presence of microplastics in the stomach, and the relationship between pathological changes in stomach tissue and microplastics. An analytical study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Internal Medicine, Sorgun State Hospital, Yozgat, Turkiye, from December 2022 to November 2023. Fasting gastric fluid sampling and endoscopic sampling including mucosal and submucosal layers from the antrum were performed. The pH values of the gastric fluids were recorded. Samples were analysed gradually by adding iron solution, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium chloride (NaCl) in a beaker at 75 degrees for 30 minutes. Biopsy materials obtained from antrum were examined histopathologically and reported according to the Sydney classification. The relationship between gastric biopsy results and the presence of microplastic was evaluated using Chi-square test. The significance level was taken as p <0.005. The study included 61 individuals. The presence of microplastics was detected in 17 (27.86%) gastric fluid samples obtained from the individuals. A significant correlation was found between increased activity and inflammation in antrum biopsy and the presence of microplastic (χ2 = 8.55 p = 0.014; χ2 = 25.75, p = 0.001). The relationship between atrophy, metaplasia, and Helicobacter pylori in gastric tissue and the presence of microplastic was statistically insignificant (p >0.05). Microplastics were detected in gastric fasting fluid. These materials can cause histopathologic changes and inflammation in the gastric antrum. H. pylori, Intestinal metaplasia, Inflammation, Microplastic, Plastic, Sydney classification.

Iron extraction from copper slag by additive-free activation roasting-magnetic separation

Iron grain growth during deep reduction roasting is important for iron enrichment from copper slag (CS) through magnetic separation. In this work, a novel method of additive-free activation roasting, including oxidation and subsequent reduction roasting, was proposed to increase the iron grain size, then the iron was extracted by magnetic separation. The phase transformation of CS during activation roasting was studied by TG, XRD, SEM, and EDS. Results showed that the main mineral of fayalite in CS was decomposed into iron oxides and silica during oxidation roasting, and the thickness of iron oxide layer on the particle surface increased with the oxidation temperature. During reduction roasting, the CS and oxidized copper slag (OCS) were ultimately converted into metallic iron and cristobalite solid solution. In the reduced product obtained at 1150 °C, the iron grain sizes were 6.42 μm and 16.62 μm from CS and OCS-1100 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the Fe content in the magnetic concentrate was 72.86 % in the reduced product of CS while that was 87.85 % in the reduced product of OCS-1100 °C with an Fe recovery of ∼ 85 %. This study opens a new direction for iron enrichment from copper slag.

Sol–gel synthesis of iron titanates for the photocatalytic degradation of cyanide

Iron titanate mixed metal oxides were synthesized by the sol–gel method through four different routes. The effect of (i) the solvent of iron precursor, (ii) the addition of the chelating agent to the titanium or iron solution and (iii) the molar ratio between the chelating agent and the titanium or iron precursor over the overall percentage of obtained iron titanates was evaluated. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–Vis spectroscopy (UV–Vis) performed on the reaction medium evidenced the formation of acetate complexes of titanium (IV) or iron (III) during the different routes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the obtained materials showed the formation of ilmenite (FeTiO3), pseudorutile (Fe2Ti3O9) and pseudobrookite (Fe2TiO5) in different proportions, as well as hematite (Fe2O3), rutile [TiO2 (R)] and anatase [TiO2 (A)]. The materials with the highest content of iron titanates obtained in each route were characterized and evaluated in the photocatalytic degradation of cyanide using visible light irradiation. UV–Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) showed that the samples exhibited energy bandgap values between 2.31 and 2.90 eV, which agrees with the values reported for iron titanates and evidence the possible activation of the materials under visible light. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen physisorption results showed that the synthesized materials exhibited nanometric particle size and lower surface area (36.7 ± 4.8 m2·g-1) than TiO2 Degussa P-25 (72–155 m2·g-1). The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized materials toward oxidation of CN− exceeded by 56% the activity of pure TiO2. The content of iron titanates in the synthesized materials was found to be the variable with the greatest influence on the photodegradation of cyanide. In addition, an inversely proportional relationship between the pseudorutile content of the materials and their photocatalytic activity was observed.

Preparation of bio-based and phosphorus-free functional coatings for flame retardant, UV-resistance and antibacterial silk fabric

To endow silk with multifunctionality and expand its application fields, the silk fabric was treated with protocatechualdehyde to prepare a novel silk fabric with Schiff base structure (CAT@Silk). Then, CAT@Silk was immersed in iron (III) solution to chelate Fe3+ to obtain flame retardant, antibacterial and UV-resistant silk fabric (CAT@Fe@Silk). Compared with the limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of the original silk, the CAT@Fe@Silk increased from 23.3 % to 35.1 %, and remained 32.4 % even after 20 laundering cycles (LCs), indicating excellent flame retardant durability. The UV protection coefficient of CAT@Fe@Silk was 67.74, which was higher than that of the original sample (21.02). In addition, CAT@Fe@Silk had good antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). This work constructed a dynamic cross-linking network that mimicked the adhesion of mussels generating from the complexation of catechol groups and Fe3+ ions (catechol-Fe3+), which not only endowed silk fabric with good flame retardancy, but also with UV resistance and antibacterial properties, demonstrating good potential application.

Synthesis of Silver Nitrate by Evaporation Chemical Reduction Process as Potential Materials for Silver Nanowires Application

In this study, we conducted the extraction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using the chemical reduction evaporation method, involving silver metal (Ag) with a molarity of 7.716 M and nitric acid (HNO3). The heating process via evaporation was carried out at 85oC for 2 hours. Subsequently, the synthesis of silver nanowires (AgNWs) was performed using a 0.3 M of AgNO3 solution in ethylene glycol (EG), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and Iron (III) Chloride hexahydrate (FeCl36H2O). XRD analysis of the AgNO3 sample revealed an orthorhombic crystal structure with a single AgNO3 phase peak. In AgNWs, three crystalline phases were observed, with the Ag phase being the most dominant. The average crystal size of AgNO3 and AgNWs was 109.42 nm and 22.06 nm, respectively. The average crystal size of the AgNO3 sample may be influenced by the aggregation between crystal nuclei during the heating process. XRF analysis indicated a 98.84% Ag concentration in AgNO3. SEM-EDS analysis showed that the AgNO3 sample had a non-aggregated morphological structure, with particle size measuring 49.46 μm and an overall AgNO3 purity of 92.68%. The SEM image of the AgNWs sample displayed a very homogeneous diameter of ∼200 nm with a length of around 10-20 μm. Meanwhile, AgNWs exhibited a morphology resembling rod-shaped wires with a purity of 68% for Ag.

Dimerization of Fe(III) Ion in an Aqueous Medium: Mechanistic Modelling and Effects of Ligands.

Aqueous iron solutions generally undergo spontaneous hydrolysis followed by aggregation resulting in the precipitation of nanocrystalline oxyhydroxide minerals. The mechanism of nucleation of such multinuclear oxyhydroxide clusters are unclear due to limited experimental evidence. Here, we investigate the mechanistic pathway of dimerization of Fe(III) ions using density functional theory (DFT) in aqueous medium considering effects of other ligands. Two hydrolyzed monomeric Fe(III) ions in aqueous medium may react to form two closely related binuclear products, the μ-oxo and the dihydroxo Fe2 dimer. Our studies indicate that the water molecules in the second coordination sphere and those co-ordinated to the Fe(III) ion, both participate in the dimerization process. The proposed mechanism effectively explains the formation of dihydroxo and μ-oxo Fe2 dimers with interconversion possibilities, for the first time. Results show, with only water molecules present in the second co-ordination sphere, dihydroxo Fe2 dimer is the thermodynamically and kinetically favored product with a low activation free energy. We calculated the step-wise reaction free energies of dimerization in the presence of nitrate ions in the first and second coordination sphere of Fe(III) ion separately, which shows that with nitrate ions in the second co-ordination sphere, the μ-oxo Fe2 dimer is the kinetically favored product.

Mineral Fusion via Dehydration‐Induced Residual Stress: From Gels to Ceramic Monoliths

AbstractMan‐made ceramics generally undergo harsh manufacturing conditions (e.g., high‐temperature sintering). In contrast, mineral structures with superior mechanical strength are generated in organisms under mild biocompatible conditions. Herein, it is reported that ceramic objects can be directly produced and strengthened by drying purely inorganic gels (PIGs), mimicking the biological tactic of fabricating continuous monoliths from hydrated amorphous precursors. The overall process is easy and biocompatible in that solutions of common iron and molybdate salts are mixed to generate a PIG, consisting of 80 wt% liquid water and amorphous mineral nanoparticles (hydrated iron molybdate: FeMo2H7O11), which, upon drying under mild temperature, turns into a residual stress‐strengthened ceramic block that displays a high mechanical performance (with a hardness/elastic modulus of 1.7/17.5 GPa). Analogous to the well‐known Prince Rupert's drop reinforced by residual stress upon quenching, the uneven volume shrinkage from the outside inwards during dehydration builds up residual stress that enables amorphous mineral fusion (with the assistance of hydration water) and strengthening. Furthermore, a dramatic bandgap reduction is achieved in the dried objects due to local structural changes of the Fe atoms under residual stress. This PIG‐dehydration approach holds promise for green ceramic manufacturing and offers insights into biomineralization puzzles.

A method for the extraction of microplastics from solid biowastes including biosolids, compost, and soil for analysis by µ-FTIR

Few methods exist detailing the extraction of microplastics from organic matrices. A validated method for the successful extraction of microplastics from solid biowastes including biosolids, compost, and soil for spectroscopic analysis by micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FTIR) was developed. Solid dry biowastes were first digested with a wet peroxide oxidation (WPO) with iron (II) solution and 30% hydrogen peroxide followed by sequential density separations with ultra-pure water and 1.8 g cm−3 NaI in an optimised sediment-microplastic isolation (SMI) unit. The average recoveries for spiked microplastics were 92, 95 and 98% for bagged compost, biosolids, and soil, respectively. This method ensures a high microplastic recovery by first chemically disintegrating biowaste aggregates without employing destructive methods like milling and allows for successful density separations where the settled fraction is isolated off from the supernatant, allowing thorough rinsing of the equipment and thus a greater transferal of particles into the vacuum filtering device. Minimal processing steps reduce the instance of introducing contamination and particle loss.•Digestion as a first step to disintegrate aggregates to release entrapped microplastics•Density separation with SMI unit with the method adapted for biowastes•Minimal steps to reduce contamination and particle loss

Thermochemical and structural study of sodium, iron, and niobium phosphate NASICON solid solutions

Solid solutions NaxFe0.5+0.5xNb1.5-0.5x(PO4)3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1; x = 2) of NASICON structure (sp.gr. R3-c) and NbOPO4 were prepared via solid-state reaction and characterized by electron microprobe analysis, powder X-ray and neutron diffraction, and differential thermal analysis. The decrease of the a- and b-unit cell parameter prevails over the increase in c-parameters, resulting in nonlinear decrease of the unit cell volume with Na content. Enthalpies of drop solution in molten sodium molybdate solvent at 700 °C were measured by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry and were used to derive the enthalpies of formation. Strongly negative enthalpies of formation from elements and from constituent oxides indicate high thermodynamic stability. The mixing enthalpies of solid solutions show negative deviation from the ideality. Negative mixing enthalpies and negative mixing volumes indicate short-range ordering of cations in the structure.

ЭЛЕКТРОЛИЗ РАСТВОРА БРОМИСТО-БРОМНОГО ЖЕЛЕЗА В ЭЛЕКТРОЛИЗЕРЕ ЗАКРЫТОГО ТИПА

In order to optimize the electrolysis process of iron bromide solution, a sealed design of the electro-lyzer has been developed, which will reduce the removal of bromine into the atmosphere. The effect of the concentration of a bromine-bromine iron solution on power consumption and bromine yield has been studied. The expediency of using a closed-type electrolyzer with separation of the cathode and anode spaces using an asbestos polymer diaphragm is shown

Use of ceramic fiber modified with ferrites for the cleaning of flue gases of graphitization furnaces

Gaseous emissions of industrial enterprises as a result of their economic activities adversely affect the ecological situation, and even worsen the sanitary and hygienic working conditions of the personnel. Carrying out chemical reactions in the furnace equipment of metallurgical and electrothermal production, as a rule, lead to the formation of gases containing various toxic impurities, including carbon monoxide, the disposal of which is an important environmental task. As the calculations show, the total amount of annual CO emissions in Ukraine is 704344.218 t/year, which in percentage terms is 31.42% of the total emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, except for carbon dioxide - 2242020.75 t/year. The release of significant amounts of poisonous CO into the atmosphere is a serious problem that must be solved at the level of industrial production. One of the effective directions in the field of purification of industrial gas emissions from toxic carbon monoxide is the application of catalytic technologies due to the use of compositions based on transition metals, especially ferrite materials. Recently, systems for neutralizing toxic gases, including glass fiber catalysts, have become widely popular. The study of the CO oxidation process was carried out on a flow-type installation with a stationary weight of the catalyst. Catalytic purification of the gas mixture from CO was studied in the range of 50-450 °C. The concentration of carbon monoxide in the initial gas mixture at the entrance to the reactor was varied in the range of 1-2 vol. %. If necessary, helium was used as an inert gas. Ceramic fiber was used as a fiberglass support for catalytic systems for the oxidation of gaseous emissions containing CO. Ferrite catalysts were applied to ceramic fiber by the method of impregnation from sulfate solutions of iron, copper, and potassium bichromate. From the temperature dependences of the conversion of carbon monoxide with a concentration of 1-2% on ferrite catalysts on a ceramic fiber carrier, it can be seen that 100% conversion of carbon monoxide is not achieved even at a temperature of 450 ºС. In the case of using a mixture of magnetite and copper ferrite, the degree of conversion of CO was 97% at temperatures above 300 ºС and stably ensured the neutralization of CO until the conversion degree of 98% was reached at a temperature of 450 ºС. At a temperature of 450 ºС, the highest degree of conversion of 99% was ensured by using chromium ferrite, but the specified chromium-ferrite catalyst at a temperature of 400 ºС provided a slightly lower oxidation efficiency, that is, the specified catalyst has less advantages for use in fluctuating gas temperatures in industrial conditions. When magnetite and copper ferrite were used separately, the degree of CO conversion was 40% and 75%, respectively. Therefore, the conducted studies showed that the use of ceramic fiber modified with ferrites can be effectively used for the purification of flue gases of electrode graphitization furnaces, in particular, the neutralization of toxic carbon monoxide. Obtaining ceramic fiber modified with ferrite material does not require significant capital investments, as it is based on the use of liquid waste from etching, copper plating, and chrome plating of galvanic production. Laying ceramic fiber on top of the thermal insulation of the graphitization furnaces of electrode production will also reduce the inflow of oxygen into the porous space and reduce the formation of carbon monoxide, which will contribute to the improvement of the ecological situation at the electrode production. The obtained results on the use of ceramic fiber modified with ferrite material as a catalyst for the neutralization of carbon monoxide are a highly effective and affordable measure to reduce the man-made burden of electrode production on the environment.

Transient X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure Spectroscopy Using Broadband Free-Electron Laser Pulses.

A new method for time-resolved X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy that enables faster data acquisition and requires smaller sample quantities for high-quality data, thus allowing the analysis of more samples in a shorter time is introduced. The method uses large bandwidth free electron laser pulses to measure laser-excited XANES spectra in transmission mode. A beam-splitting grating configuration allows simultaneous measurements of the spectra of the incoming X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) pulses and transmission XANES, which is crucial for compensating the pulse-dependent intensity and spectrum fluctuations due to the self-amplified spontaneous emission operation. The implementation of this new methodology is applied on a liquid solution of ammonium iron(III) oxalate jet and is compared to previous results, showing great improvements in the speed of acquisition and spectral resolution, and the ability to measure a large 2-D spectral-time map quickly.

Promjena boje površina drva izloženih vremenskim utjecajima prije i nakon tretmana željezovim (II) sulfatom

Outdoor wood is exposed to various factors that can be described as weathering and cause the wood to grey. The ageing processes can vary greatly depending on the exposure. Parts of wood that are not exposed to external factors, e.g. under the overhanging, are less exposed, and the weathering process is therefore slower. This can be accelerated by solutions based on iron ions. In this way, the wood greys quickly and evenly. However, after iron treatment, the colour also depends on the previous exposure of wood to weathering. In our study, the colour change was observed as a function of weathering time. Before treatment, the samples were exposed to outdoor weathering for different periods of time and then treated with a 5 % solution of pure iron (II) sulphate and commercial iron (II) sulphate. It was determined that the pre-weathering time affected the final colour change, as the samples exposed for five weeks before treatment have comparable colour to naturally weathered wood. At the beginning of exposure, iron (II) sulphate limits mould growth, but after two months, staining fungi develop on the treated samples as well. The growth of blue stain fungi on the treated samples did not significantly affect the colour and visual appearance of the wood treated with iron-based solutions.

Radiation-chemical synthesis and characterization of ferrihydrite from iron (III) nitrate

In this study, 2-line ferrihydrite (2L Fh) nanoparticles (NPles)were synthesized by radiation-chemical method from an alcoholic solution of iron (III) nitrate for the first time. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the synthetic powder exhibited the characteristic pattern of 2L Fh NPles. DSC-TG analysis conducted in air atmosphere further verified the formation of 2L Fh. SEM analysis showed the presence of mesoporous plate-like structures in the 2L Fh powder, consisting of aggregates of NPs with an average size of approximately 20 nm. The absence of impurity peaks on the X-ray diffractograms and energy dispersion spectra (EDX) confirmed the chemical purity of the produced 2L Fh NPles. Additionally, the XPS method detected the presence of nitrogen and carbon adsorbed to the developed surface of the 2L Fh plates. 2L Fh NPles, when dried in air at a temperature of 50 °C, rapidly dissolved in water. 2L Fh NPles alcohol suspensions were stabilized using surfactants polyethylenimine (PEI) and acetylacetone (AcAs). 2L Fh NPles showed good photocatalytic properties when irradiated with ultraviolet light of methyl violet (MV) dye. These 2L Fh NPles, synthesized using an environmentally friendly radiation-chemical method, have immense potential for applications in biomedicine and photocatalysis.

Green industry work: production of FeCl3 from iron and steel industry waste (mill scale) and its use in wastewater treatment

Mill scale (MS) is considered to be a significant metallurgical waste, but there is no economical method yet to utilize its metal content. In this study, which covers various processes in several stages, the solution of iron in MS, which is the Iron and Steel Industry (I&SI) waste, as FeCl3 (MS-FeCl3) in the thermoreactor in the presence of HCl, was investigated. In the next step, the conditions for using this solution as a coagulant in the treatment of I&SI wastewater were investigated using the jar test. The results of the treated water sample were compared by chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), color, and turbidity analyses using commercial aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) and FeCl3 (C-FeCl3). Additionally, heavy metal analyses were conducted, and the treatment performance of three coagulants was presented. Accordingly, while 2.0 mg/L anionic polyelectrolyte was consumed at a dosage of 4.05 mg/L Al2(SO4)3 at pH 7.0, 0.25 mg/L anionic polyelectrolyte was consumed at a dosage of 1.29 mg/L at pH 5.0 in the C-FeCl3 and MS-FeCl3 studies. Also, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cd, Hg, and Pb removal efficiencies were over 93.56% for all three coagulant usage cases. The results showed that the wastewater treatment performance of MS-FeCl3 by the recycling of MS, which is an I&SI waste, was at the same level as C-FeCl3. Thus, thanks to recycling, waste scale can be used as an alternative to commercial products for green production.Graphical abstract

Mycofiltration of Aqueous Iron (III) and Imidacloprid Solutions, and the Effects of the Filtrates on Selected Biomarkers of the Freshwater Snail Helisoma duryi

To alleviate the burden of water contamination, a newly developed form of bioremediation known as mycofiltration can be employed. Mycofiltration is an environment-friendly technology involving the treatment of contaminated water by passing it through a network of saprophytic fungal mycelium. A mycofilter made of Pleurotus ostreatus was used for the removal of iron (III) and imidacloprid from aqueous solutions. Batch mycofiltration, at a dosage of 1 g of mycofilter per 50 mL, was performed on iron (III) solutions of different concentrations (0.99, 10.7, 22.9, and 27.72 mg/L) and pH (3.3, 7 and 11). For column mycofiltration, the mycofilter was packed into pyrex columns (3.3 × 15 cm) to desired bed heights. Iron (III) and imidacloprid solutions of 18.99 mg/L and 234.70 ng/L, respectively, were filtered at a constant flow rate. Thereafter, Helisoma duryi snails were exposed for 96 h to the respective filtrates, and their catalase and acetylcholinesterase activities were assessed. Batch mycofiltration showed iron (III) removal rates as high as 85%. Column mycofiltration showed removal rates of 94 and 31% for iron (III) and imidacloprid, respectively. Catalase activity was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the snails exposed to iron (III) or imidacloprid filtrates, compared to the snails exposed to the non-mycofiltered media. A significantly higher acetylcholinesterase activity was induced by iron (III) filtrates in comparison with the non-mycofiltered media (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in acetylcholinesterase activity (p > 0.05) in the snails exposed to mycofiltered and non-mycofiltered imidacloprid media. Mycofilter characterisation using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry revealed significant changes in transmittance intensity in the mycofilters used for the iron (III) vs the ones used for the imidacloprid solutions. Mycofiltration was found to improve water quality although iron (III) was removed more effectively than imidacloprid.