Adsorption Of Metal Ions Research Articles

Competitive adsorption of quinary heavy metal ions onto chestnut shell activated carbon

For several decades, heavy metals have been a source of environmental pollution and the scientific community is continually asked for facing this threat. This study investigated the performance of an activated carbon made from chestnut shell (CNS-AC) in adsorbing Cd(II), Cr(VI), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) in single and quinary-metal systems. The CNS-AC was characterized using FT-IR, TGA/DTG, FEG-SEM, EDX, and BET. Experimental results revealed that the adsorption follows the pseudo-second order kinetics, both in single and quinary systems. The equilibrium results reflect the Langmuir equilibrium model, with maximum adsorption capacities (mg.g−1) varying from 21.34 for Cd(II) to 73.16 for Zn(II); in single-metal systems, and from 9.80 for Cd(II) to 33.33 for Cu(II); in the quinary-metal systems. The overall maximum adsorption capacity in quinary-metal solution was of 113.22 mg g−1, higher than qm for each single-metal system. Furthermore, it was found that Cd(II) and Zn(II) pollution abatement to the standard limits was achieved in only one stage while two stages were enough to achieve the related pollution abatement for the other metals. A computational investigation was conducted using the Gaussian 09 and Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods, assuming the generation of organometallic complexes between the functionalized activated carbon and the metal ions. CNS-AC's carboxyl and amine functional groups seemed to be involved in the metal ions adsorption. The calculated bonding energies between the adsorbent and metal ions decreased in the following order Cu(II) < Cr(VI) < Ni(II) < Zn(II) < Cd(II). Correspondingly, experimental results revealed an actual competition between heavy metals for adsorption sites where Zn(II), Ni(II), and Cd(II) removal was hindered by the other metal ions occurrence while Cr(VI) and Cu(II) removal rates have remained broadly unchanged. The new insights brought by the theoretical study combined to the experimental investigation highlights the CNS-AC efficacy as adsorbent for Cd(II), Cr(VI), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) removal.

Design, preparation, and performance of different adsorbents based on carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate hydrogel beads for selective adsorption of Cadmium (II) and Chromium (III) metal ions

Developing cost-effective and efficient adsorbents for heavy metals in multicomponent systems is a challenge that needs to be resolved to meet the challenges of wastewater treatment technology. Two adsorbents were synthesized, characterized, and investigated for the removal of Cd2+ and Cr3+ as model heavy metals in their single and binary solutions. The first adsorbent (ACZ) was a nanocomposite formed of O-Carboxymethyl chitosan, sodium alginate, and zeolite. While, the other (ACL) contained ZnFe layered double hydroxides instead of the zeolite phase. Adsorbents were characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM, and swelling degree analysis. For single heavy metal adsorption isotherms, data for both adsorbents was best fitted and indicated a multilayer adsorption nature. For binary adsorption, Langmuir model with interacting parameters showed the best results compared to other models for both pollutants. For single system, Avrami model was found to be the best model representing the adsorption kinetics data, which indicates that the mechanism of adsorption follows multiple kinetic orders that may change during duration of adsorption process. Numerous interaction mechanisms can occur between the heavy metals and functional groups in the synthesized hydrogels such as NH2, COOH, and OH groups leading to efficient adsorption of metal ions.

Development of a composite MoS2/PEI nanofiltration membrane for radionuclides efficient removal from aquatic environments

The simultaneously efficient removal of radionuclides and heavy metals is an important and challenging topic for aquatic environmental protection. In this work, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) with heavy metal ion adsorption capacity and positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) were used to fabricate a novel layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly composite membrane by a simple alternating immersion method. The unique structure with positive charge ensures high removal for toxic metals (RCs(I) = 99.83 %, RSr(II) = 100 %, RHg(II) = 99.2 %, RPb(II) = 98.13 %, RAs(III) = 98.5 %). The inherent low resistance channels in MoS2 provided the optimized composite membrane an elevated water flux. Long-term experiments and membrane regeneration also demonstrated that the membrane possesses exceptional stability and reusability in removing low levels of radionuclides Cs(I) and Sr(II) from water. This study confirms the feasibility of the MoS2-PEI composite membrane for the treatment of contaminated waters containing radionuclides and heavy metals.

Preparation of biomass carbon dots/carboxymethyl cellulose-based fluorescent hydrogel: Combines selective detection and visual adsorption for Copper(II)

Abstract In this study, we used nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs), which were synthesized via the hydrothermal method of corn-stover biomass as raw material and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as the nitrogen source, introduced them into the carboxymethyl cellulose-based hydrogel to prepare an environmentally friendly fluorescent cellulose-based hydrogel (NCDs/CMC-PAM). NCDs/CMC-PAM was also used for simultaneous fluorescence monitoring and removal of Cu (II) in aqueous solution. The chemical and physical structures, adsorption behaviors and fluorescent properties of NCDs/CMC-PAM were investigated. The results showed that NCDs/CMC-PAM exhibited a well-linear response range of fluorescence response for Cu (II) (0∼100 μM, detection limit of 3.42 μM). NCDs/CMC-PAM showed maximum adsorption capacities of 237.71 mg/g for Cu (II), the adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, which is an exothermic spontaneous reaction with an increase in entropy. It can still maintain 79.03% of the original adsorption capacity after six cycles (pH=6). The adsorption mechanisms of NCDs/CMC-PAM for Cu (II) are intraparticle diffusion, electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and ligand interaction. Hence, the present study provides a new green way to synthesize an adsorbent that can be applied for the adsorption and detection of heavy metal ions.

The hyper-crosslinked aniline polymer@MOFs hybrid materials reinforced with active ionic sites for efficient and fast Cr(VI) removal

The adsorption of toxic metal ions by composite materials of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has attracted significant attention in recent years. In this work, a series of hybrid materials HPAN@M−x consisting of protonated hyper-crosslinked aniline polymer (HPAN) and MOFs were synthesized via the Friedel-Crafts reaction between aniline and dimethoxymethane in the presence of MIL-101(Cr), followed by protonation with hydrogen bromide. These hybrid materials exhibited enhanced adsorption rate and capacity for Cr(VI) ions compared to both individual MIL-101(Cr) and HPAN. The effects of the ratio of aniline to MIL-101(Cr), solution pH, adsorption temperature, impurity ions on the removal of Cr(VI) ions were systematically investigated. Notably, HPAN@M−b not only achieved an adsorption capacity up to 290.9 mg·g−1 in 7 min but also exhibited excellent cycling stability by maintaining a high Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 95.6 % after five cycles. The enhanced adsorption performance is attributed to the synergistic effect between MIL-101(Cr) and HPAN. Mechanism studies indicated that the removal for Cr(VI) ions involved a combination of ion exchange and electrostatic adsorption processes. Additionally, the desorbed Cr(VI) ions were transformed into added-value barium chromate (BaCrO4) precipitates, allowing for resource utilization of Cr(VI) ions. This study represents a significant advancement towards developing MOFs-based hybrid materials for practical treatment of chromium-containing wastewater.

Hyperbranched polymeric membranes for industrial water purification

This work aims at the preparation and characterization of dual-layer (DL) nano-fibrous mat (NFM) of hydrophobic and mechanical stable polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nano-fibers (NFs), as a supporter, and polyamide 6 (PA)/chitosan (Ch) NFs as a top hydrophilic coating layer.PAN and PA fibers, as residual wastes from textile processes, were collected and dissolved in their proper solvents. PAN was electro-spuned under certain conditions of electro-spinning (voltage, flow rate, and distance between spinneret and collector) to obtain PAN-NFM. Different ratios of PA/Ch composite were prepared and then electro-spun above the PAN-NFM that was previously prepared to obtain hydrophobic/hydrophilic functional dual-layer nano-fibrous membrane (DLNFM). The efficiency of the prepared DLNFM for capturing dye residues and heavy metals from wastewater was investigated.The viscosities of the prepared composite solutions were measured. The prepared dual-layer nano-fiber membranes (DLNFMs) were chemically and physically characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyzer. The potential of the prepared mats for the adsorption of some heavy metal ions, i.e., Cu+2, Cr+3, and Pb+2 cations in addition to dyes from wastewater was evaluated. The effect of using different concentrations of PA/Ch composite as well as the thickness of the obtained DLNFM on the filtration efficiency was studied.The results of this study show the success of functional DLNFM in dye and heavy metal removal. The maximum removal efficiency of acid dyes was reached to 73.4 % and of reactive dye was approximately 61 % for PAN/PA-1.25%Ch DLNFM after 3 days at room temperature. The removal efficiency percent of heavy metal ions reached to 54 % by DLNFM. Additionally, the results showed that 0.08 mm is the ideal thickness for maximum absorption capacity. This value is correlated with the membrane's highest Ch percentage, which is (PAN/PA-1.25%Ch). Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the presence of the Ch polymer strengthened the produced bi-layered membrane to achieve the highest thermal stability when compared to the other nano-fibrous membranes (NFMs), with the breakdown temperature of the Ch functionalized dual-layer membranes (DLMs) reaching approximately 617 °C and a maximum weight loss of 60 %.

Synthesis of a Cu (II) metal ion adsorbent from biomass ash of Chlorophyta algae

Synthesis of a Cu (II) metal ion adsorbent from biomass ash of Chlorophyta algae

Pilot-scale foam and cast-coated nanocellulose filters for water treatment

AbstractA large variety of substances, for instance heavy metal ions from different sources including mining, industry, and agricultural activities, pollute fresh water sources. Bio-based adsorbents, such as cellulose nanofibers (CNF), have recently been introduced in the process of treating water to remove hazardous pollutants primarily owing to their natural abundance, non-toxicity, and renewability. Surface modification of CNF, e.g. by catalytically oxidising the primary C6-OH groups of CNF selectively into carboxylic (COO−) groups with TEMPO, yields materials that are effective in adsorbing positively charged heavy metal ions, e.g. Cu ions. However, to utilise CNF in continuous processes beyond static, batch-wise adsorption, in particular on (pre-)industrial scale, they need to be immobilised on filter substrates in thin layers and an efficient manner. In this work, we report bio-adsorbent-based filters prepared by coating TEMPO-CNF on viscose filters using two different pilot-scale coating approaches, foam and cast coating. The performance of TEMPO-CNF filters was evaluated in terms of their water permeance as well as adsorption of metal ions including Cu(II) and Ca(II). By foam coating thin layers could be fabricated in a time efficient way facilitating high adsorption capacities (52 mg g−1), whilst by cast coating higher amounts of TEMPO-CNF could be deposited allowing for adsorbing higher absolute amounts (280 mg m−2) of heavy metal ions. Graphical abstract

TPU-assisted adhesive PDMS film for dry or underwater environments

Adhesive polymer films with anisotropic properties on either side have attracted tremendous interest for biomedical and engineering applications. However, developing an innovative solution that provides effective adhesion under both dry and wet conditions remains a considerable challenge. In this study, we devised a novel process for creating adhesive films by casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) onto a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrate. During the curing process, the PDMS layer in contact with the TPU was lightly cross-linked, which significantly increased adhesion. The catalytic reaction used for polymerization was regulated by the TPU, which is known to adsorb metal ions. This adhesive PDMS film (APF) demonstrated outstanding adhesion on various substrates under dry and underwater conditions and maintained adhesion even after repeated use. In practical applications, the APF proved to be an effective waterproof patch by adhering to the surfaces of objects submerged in water.

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 GaN nanosensor for scavenging of toxic heavy metal ions (Mn2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Au3+, Al3+, Sn2+) from water: Application of green sustainable materials by molecular modeling approach

Gallium nitride nanocage (GaN_NC) can select toxic heavy metals from water. Therefore, it has been found a selective competition for metal cations in the GaN_NC. The electromagnetic and thermodynamic attributes of heavy metals cations-trapped gallium nitride nanocage (GaN_NC) was depicted by material modeling. The data display that heavy metals cations-trapped in the GaN_NC system are resistant materials, with the firm adsorption zone in the center of the cage. Furthermore, charge transfer from GaN_NC to the heavy metals cations demonstrates clear n-type adsorbing manner. The encapsulation of heavy metals cations occurs via chemisorption. In this article, the behavior of trapping of heavy metal ions of Mn2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Au3+, Al3+ and Sn2+ by gallium nitride nanocone for sensing the water metal cations was observed. The nature of covalent features for these complexes has represented the analogous energy amount and vision of the PDOS for the p states of N and d states of heavy metal cations of Mn2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Au3+, Al3+ and Sn2+ through water treatment. The partial density of states (PDOS) can also evaluate an appointed charge group between Mn2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Au3+, Al3+, Sn2+ and GaN_NC which indicate the most stable complex of metallic visage and a certain degree of covalent specifications between heavy metals cations and gallium nitride nanocage. Furthermore, the NMR analysis indicated the notable peaks surrounding metal elements of Mn2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Au3+, Al3+ and Sn2+ through the trapping in the GaN_NC during ion detection and removal from water; however, it can be seen some fluctuations in the chemical shielding treatment of isotropic and anisotropy tensors. Based on the results in this research, the selectivity of metal ion adsorption by gallium nitride nanocage (ion sensor) has been approved as: Ag+ ˃ Au3+ ˃ Mn2+ ≫ Zn2+ ˃ Sn2+ ˃ Al3+. Using quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIMs) method, intermolecular interactions and corresponding parameters at critical bonding points were also investigated.

Enhanced adsorption and removal of Cd(II) from aqueous solution by amino-functionalized ZIF-8

Zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), which is a special subgroup of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), was synthesized and modified by ethylenediamine (ZIF-8-EDA) to prepare an efficient adsorbent for the high sorption of Cd2+ ions from solution. The synthesized and modified ZIF-8 (ZIF-8-EDA) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The optimum conditions for dosage of adsorbent, initial ion concentration, pH, and contact time were 0.05 g/l, 50 mg/l, 6, and 60 min, respectively, for cadmium ion sorption from aqueous solutions with a removal efficiency of 89.7% for ZIF-8 and 93.5% for ZIF-8-EDA. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium data were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The Langmuir model fitted the equilibrium data better than the Freundlich model. According to the Langmuir equation, the maximum uptake for the cadmium ions was 294.11(mg/g). The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) indicated that the adsorption process was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic at 20–50 °C. Based on the results, the amino functionalized ZIF-8 had improved adsorption performance due to the replacing of the starting linker with organic ligands that had effective functional groups, leading to chemical coordination due to the interaction of metal ions with the non-bonding pair of electrons on the N atoms of the amino functional group. The selectivity toward metal ion adsorption by ZIF-8-EDA was Cd2+ > Pb2+ > Ni2+‏.

Using Phragmites australis plants as activated carbon to remove Mn(II), and Cu(II) ions from different aqueous solutions

This study investigates the use of agricultural byproducts of plants (Phragmites australis) as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of Cu2+ and Mn2+ from their aqueous solutions through the production of (AC). The results showed that the adsorption equilibrium time for both ions was 30 minutes. The results obtained showed that pH=5, pH=6 for Cu2+ and Mn2+ respectively were optimum to adsorption for these ions. The study showed that the weight (0.5 g) of the adsorbent was ideal to achieve the best adsorption and the ability of the adsorbents to adsorb metal ions was as follows: Cu(II) &gt; Mn(II).

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ADSORPTION OF HEAVY METAL IONS Pb2+, Cd2+, AND Ni2+ FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

The aim of the study is to research of the adsorption properties of heavy metal ions Pb2+, Cd2+ and Ni2+ from industrial wastewater. For the adsorption of heavy metal ions, natural clinoptilolite was used, which belongs to the Ai-Dag deposit of the Tovuz-Kazakh region of Azerbaijan. Isotherms and kinetic curves of adsorption of heavy metal ions Pb2+, Cd2+ and Ni2+ were determined. The dependence of the adsorption of heavy metal ions on the pH value is also shown. It was revealed that the separation process proceeds more intensively at pH values ​​of 5-6. It has been established that the maximum adsorption capacity of the clinoptilolite adsorbent for the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Ni2+ ions is 7.5, 6.7, and 5.9 mmol/g, respectively.

Exfoliated MXene nanosheet by double layer forces for preparing magnetic adsorbents of toxic metal ions and recycling with hyperthermic effect

The conventional etching method for exfoliating MXene using hydrofluoric acid solution is time-consuming and inefficient in productivity. A double layer force is generated through polarization among the heterogeneous layers of MXene due to their different dielectric properties. The exfoliated MXene by the polarization method in an acidic solution was employed to synthesize magnetic MXene (MXFe) with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. MXFe was coated on polyacrylonitrile microspheres (PANs) as precursors (PAN@MXFe) by Pickering emulsion polymerization. The core@shell polyvinyltetrazole@MXFe (PVT@MXFe) was obtained as the adsorbent after subsequent cyano-tetrazole conversion of PAN@MFs for the removal of toxic metal ions. The maximum adsorption capacities of Hg(II) on the MXFe and PVT@MXFe coating 2 wt% of MXFe were 579 and 324 mg/g, respectively, indicating the high use efficiency of MXFe. At 8.5 kHz of high frequency, hyperthermia occurs on the PVT@MXFe, facilitating the desorption of the toxic metal ions from the adsorbents. Compared with reuse using an acidic solution, the PVT@MXFe can be reused repeatedly 10 times without obvious damage under the AMF. Our proposed polarization exfoliation method not only provides a novel methodology to exfoliate MXene but also develops an ideal adsorbent for universal adsorption, simple separation, stable regeneration, and low secondary pollution.

Fabrication of chitosan-based fluorescent hydrogel membranes cross-linked with bisbenzaldehyde for efficient selective detection and adsorption of Fe2+

Chitosan, as a natural biomass material, is green, recyclable, sustainable and well biocompatible. The molecular chain is rich in active groups such as amino and hydroxyl groups, and its preparation of fluorescent probes has the advantages of biocompatibility and efficient detection performance. In this study, a bis(benzaldehyde) (BHD) fluorescent functional molecule was designed. Then a series of fluorescent chitosan-based hydrogel films (CSBHD) were prepared using chitosan as raw material and BHD as cross-linking agent. As a fluorescent probe for metal ions, CSBHD was able to efficiently detect Fe2+ with a linear correlation of fluorescence intensity in the range of 0–160 μM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.55 μM. Moreover, it has excellent adsorption performance for Fe2+ ions, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 223.5 g/mg at 500 mg/L Fe2+ concentration. Finally, we characterised the structure and microscopic morphology of CSBHD films and found that CSBHD as a hydrogel film has a high cross-linking density, good water resistance, excellent thermal stability, strong resistance to swelling, and excellent stability in cycling tests. Hence, it has great potential for application in adsorption and detection of Fe2+ ions. It also provides a good strategy for the application of chitosan based fluorescent probe materials in environmental monitoring and heavy metal ion adsorption.

Consecutive high-performance removal of Cu2+ metal ions and Deltamethrin using multifunctional pyrolysis cuttlebone/cotton fabric nanocomposite

A simple technique was developed for the modification of cotton materials that is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and very effective. Waste Cotton fabrics (WCFs) are loaded with propolis extract (PE) for Cu2+ removal. Then, Cu2+ underwent a pyrolysis process with modified cuttlebone (CB) at 900 °C for 5 h. The surface of the prepared materials was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), BET, particle sizes, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and zeta potential analysis. The Cu2+ metal ions from an aqueous solution were removed using WCFs/PE, and DLM was subsequently removed using pyro WCFs/PE/Cu/CB. The as-prepared NPs exhibited the face-centered cubic structure of WCFs/PE/Cu/CB with crystallite sizes ranging from 386.70 to 653.10 nm. FTIR spectra revealed that CB was present on the surface of the resulting WCFs/PE/Cu. SEM revealed the dispersion of a uniformly flower-like morphology over a large area. Sorption studies were performed based on parameters that included pH, dose, contact time, and initial concentration. The adsorption isotherm and the kinetic studies of the DLM adsorption process were applied at a pH of 5.0 and a temperature of 25 °C using several isotherms and kinetic models. The results revealed qmax (20.51 mg/g) with R2 = 0.97, the Langmuir isotherm that best matches the experimental data. Hence, the Langmuir isotherm suggests that it is the model that best describes sorption on homogenous surfaces or surface-supporting sites with various affinities. The correlation coefficient R2, χ2, adjusted correlation coefficient, and error functions like root mean square (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMES), and mean absolute error (MAE) were used to evaluate the best-fit models to the experimental adsorption data. Moreover, cost estimation for the prepared adsorbent WCFs/PE/Cu showed that it costs approximately 3 USD/g, which is a cheap adsorbent compared to other similar adsorbents reported in the literature. The examined WCFs/PE have significant applicability potential for Cu2+-laden wastewater treatment due to their superior Cu2+ metal ions adsorption capability and reusability.The cytotoxicity and safety study showed that at higher concentrations, it resulted in much less cell viability. Additionally, the removal efficiency of Cu2+ metal ions from synthetic, realistic industrial wastewater using WCFs/PE reached up to 96.29 %, demonstrating good adsorption capability. Thus, there is a huge possibility of accomplishing this and performing well. This study paves the way for the reuse and valorization of selected adsorbents following circular economy principles.Two green metrics were applied, the Analytical Eco-scale and the Analytical GREEnness Calculator (AGREE).

Interfacing Langmuir-Blodgett and Pickering Emulsions for the Synthesis of 2D Nanostructured Films: Applications in Copper Ion Adsorption.

This research focuses on developing a 2D thin film comprising a monolayer of silica nanoparticles functionalized with polyethyleneimine (PEI), achieved through a novel integration of Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) and Pickering emulsion techniques. The primary aim was to create a nanostructured film that exhibits dual functionality: iridescence and efficient metal ion adsorption, specifically Cu(II) ions. The methodology combined L-B and Pickering emulsion polymerization to assemble and stabilize a nanoparticle monolayer at an oil/water interface, which was then polymerized under UV radiation to form an asymmetrically structured film. The results demonstrate that the film possesses a high adsorption efficiency for Cu(II) ions, with the enhanced mechanical durability provided by a reinforcing layer of polyvinyl alcohol/glycerol. The advantage of combining L-B and Pickering emulsion technology is the ability to generate 2D films from functional nanoparticle monolayers that are sufficiently sturdy to be deployed in applications. The 2D film's practical applications in environmental remediation were confirmed through its ability to adsorb and recover Cu(II) ions from aqueous solutions effectively. We thus demonstrate the film's potential as a versatile tool in water treatment applications owing to its combined photonic and adsorptive properties. This work paves the way for future research on the use of nanoengineered films in environmental and possibly photonic applications focusing on enhancing the film's structural robustness and exploring its broader applicability to other pollutants and metal ions.

Nanocellulose: A sustainable functional construct for the remediation of heavy metal ions from water

Heavy metals are considered to be a significant pollutant in water bodies, adversely affecting human health by causing various severe diseases after passing down the food chain. The rise in environmental problems due to the usage of non – biodegradable materials leads to the necessity of eco–friendly materials. The abundant and eco-friendly nature of the nanocellulose makes them promising substitutes for non-sustainable materials, nowadays. It is also possible to find the chemical components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) present in a source and the cellulose yield. In this context, nanocellulose has gained considerable attention among nanomaterials as a promising candidate for the adsorption of toxic heavy metal ions because of its large surface area, light weight, low cost, biocompatible nature, etc. Moreover, the numerous surface hydroxyl groups present in its surface make them suitable for the wide range of surface functionalization with different groups. They can thus be used individually or in combination with other materials for excellent adsorption towards various toxic heavy metal ions. The state of research on modified nanocellulose as an adsorbent for heavy metals is principally discussed in this review. Mainly two types of plant-based nanocelluloses; cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), are discussed in detail in this review. The extraction of nanocellulose via a green approach was also covered. This review comprises comprehensive details on the modifications and other relevant properties of nanocellulose which would facilitate the adsorption of toxic heavy metals.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy monitoring and degradation of organic pollutants using a novel nanowire

A multifunctional Ag/AlOOH nanowires (ANW) composite substrate was constructed, which not only accomplishes highly sensitive detection of organic dye molecules, but also has excellent performance in the degradation of pollutants. The ANW in the Ag/ANW substrate possesses a high aspect ratio, which extends the distribution area of Ag and enables a large number of hot spots on the active substrate. Additionally, due to the abundant OH groups on the ANW, there is an increased number of anchor sites for adsorbed metal ions in the Ag/ANW compound, thus contributing to the enhancement and degradation of molecules. Moreover, the constructed multifunctional Ag/ANW nanocomplexes also show great promise for practical applications, providing a reference for the detection and degradation of contaminants.