Recovery Applications Research Articles

Research on the Development Dilemma and Path of the Commercial Operation Mode of High-Level Sports Events in China under the Background of New Quality Productivity

This paper deeply discusses the development dilemma and the potential breakthrough path encountered by the commercial operation mode of high-level sports events in China under the background of the emerging concept of new quality productivity. Through detailed analysis of the core essence of new productivity and its diversified application in the sports industry, such as information technology in live broadcast and data analysis, biotechnology in the scientific application of athletes training and recovery, and new material technology in sports equipment innovation, this paper comprehensively examines the present situation of high level sports commercial operation in China. On this basis, the paper further analyzes the current challenges in policy environment, management experience, product development and profit distribution, and at the same time also reveals the new opportunities brought by new quality productivity for the commercialization of sports events. Finally, in view of the above difficulties, this paper puts forward a series of forward-looking and operable optimization paths, aiming to promote the commercial operation mode of high-level sports events in China to a more mature and efficient direction.

Insights into multivalent metal removal-assistant anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge: Impact factor identification and mechanism clarification of metal removal

The study investigated the impact factors of metal removal and their role in enhancing anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS), aiming to identify key mechanisms. By optimizing the sludge concentration, it found that a sludge suspension solid range of 10–30 g/L significantly improved the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation, and yielded SCOD of 93.8–177.1 mg/g volatile suspension solid after 8 h, respectively, which was 3.67–4.77 times higher than the control. Correspondingly, the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was significantly enhanced. At the optimal sludge suspension solid of 10–30 g/L, the SCFAs were 1.28–1.51 times higher than that of the control. Furthermore, the study evaluated the performance of different metal removal reagents and discovered that microporous COOH reagent outperformed gel SO3H and macroporous SO3H reagent. The macroporous COOH reagent achieved 1.54 and 1.22 times higher SCOD values and significantly enhanced the production of SCFAs, demonstrating its superiority in metal removal and fermentation enhancement. Moreover, the research revealed that sludge concentration and metal removal agent types influenced the activities of key enzymes involved in anaerobic fermentation. Additionally, the macroporous COOH reagent showed the most efficient ability to remove metal ions, contributing to increased nutrient recovery in terms of nitrogen (NH4+-N) and total phosphorus (TP) release during the acidification process. In summary, the enhancing mechanism of metal removal-assistant anaerobic fermentation was discussed from the sludge floc concentration, the skeleton structure and the ion exchange group type. The identified mechanism significantly improves fermentation efficiency and facilitate the organic recovery, representing an innovative approach for wide application in WAS management and resource recovery.

Application and thermodynamic analysis of iron and chromium fractional recovery and phosphoric acid regeneration from iron phosphate pre-solution

Chromium and phosphate both are significant contaminants in water resources. This study investigates their separate removal and recovery from pre-solution through a stepwise precipitation and regeneration process. A comprehensive thermodynamic analysis revealed that the process could be optimized by controlling pH values, with the optimal operational window predicted by constructing lgc-pH diagrams of the Fe3+-Cr3+-Al3+-Mg2+-Ca2+-H3PO4-H2C2O4 system. Calcium carbonate was used as the precipitant, while sulfuric acid served to regenerate phosphoric acid. The results revealed that the precipitation of Fe3+ was predominant at pH ∼ 2.5, whereas chromium enrichment occurred at pH ∼ 3.5. Additionally, treating the post-precipitation solution with sulfuric acid not only recycled phosphate but also removed residual Ca2+ from the liquid. The precipitation efficiency of chromium exceeded 90 %, reducing the residual soluble chromium content to 54 mg/L. Eventually, the continuous experiment for the actual pre-solution revealed that chromium was enriched in the calcium phosphate residue, and phosphate was successfully regenerated at a solution pH of ∼ 0.6. This environmentally friendly and sustainable process efficiently recovers chromium while regenerating phosphoric acid, highlighting its potential for practical applications.

Technology Focus: EOR Operations (November 2024)

International agreements and national policies on environmental sustainability are changing the outlook for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) globally. These changes are highlighted by both monetary and intellectual commitments by oil companies around the world. Saudi Aramco has pledged $1.5 billion toward sustainable technology. In practice, members of Aramco’s EXPEC Advanced Research Center have collaborated with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals to develop sustainable surfactants for use in high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-salinity carbonate reservoirs. They used no or only green solvents to produce soluble, stable surfactants with the potential for biodegradability. In Colombia, Ecopetrol is committed to reducing CO2 emission by 25% by 2030. As part of its efforts, it has been optimizing polymer injection in Chichimene, a heavy-oil field. By estimating life cycle greenhouse-gas emissions and energy consumption, it was able to show that polymer injection and its associated carbon intensity reduction could prevent the emission of 3,200 tons CO2 equivalent. To comply with the UK’s North Sea Transition Deal, which mandates a 50% reduction in offshore oil and gas emissions by 2030, Ithaca Energy and Energy Research Norway is using life-cycle assessment to guide more efficient heavy-oil recovery. By using low-dose polymer injection, instead of alternatives such as thermal EOR, it was able to increase exergy while also reducing CO2 emissions by 35%. In these studies, we already see the effect of the energy transition as companies turn away from traditionally effective but environmentally burdensome EOR methods such as steam injection and new polymers that show equal, if not greater, effectiveness with a reduced environmental cost. As we move forward with further regulation and innovation, it will be interesting to see how emerging technological developments in polymers, nanofluids, and even artificial intelligence can help producers meet both the economic and environmental criteria to maintain profitable fields. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 218653 Coinjection EOR Technology Increases Recovery and Reduces Greenhouse-Gas Emissions by G. Wasylchuk, GERI SPE 218690 Steam Generation Using Renewables Energy—An Integrated Approach for Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications by Mustafa Al Ajmi, Petroleum Development Oman, et al. SPE 218962 Reaching a Million Barrels in an Abu Dhabi Field by Focusing on Operations Efficiency by Masud J. Akhtar, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, et al.

Interface kinetic manipulation enabling efficient and reliable Mg3Sb2 thermoelectrics

Development of efficient and reliable thermoelectric generators is vital for the sustainable utilization of energy, yet interfacial losses and failures between the thermoelectric materials and the electrodes pose a significant obstacle. Existing approaches typically rely on thermodynamic equilibrium to obtain effective interfacial barrier layers, which underestimates the critical factors of interfacial reaction and diffusion kinetics. Here, we develop a desirable barrier layer by leveraging the distinct chemical reaction activities and diffusion behaviors during sintering and operation. Titanium foil is identified as a suitable barrier layer for Mg3Sb2-based thermoelectric materials due to the creation of a highly reactive ternary MgTiSb metastable phase during sintering, which then transforms to stable binary Ti-Sb alloys during operation. Additionally, titanium foil is advantageous due to its dense structure, affordability, and ease of manufacturing. The interfacial contact resistivity reaches below 5 μΩ·cm2, resulting in a Mg3Sb2-based module efficiency of up to 11% at a temperature difference of 440 K, which exceeds that of most state-of-the-art medium-temperature thermoelectric modules. Furthermore, the robust Ti foil/Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 joints endow Mg3Sb2-based single-legs as well as modules with negligible degradation over long-term thermal cycles, thereby paving the way for efficient and sustainable waste heat recovery applications.

Low-Energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy improves locomotor functions, tissue regeneration and modulating the inflammation induced FGF1 and FGF2 signaling to protect damaged tissue in spinal cord injury of rat model: An experimental animal study.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that results in severe motor function impairments. Current therapeutic options remain limited, underscoring the need for novel treatments. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has emerged as a promising noninvasive approach for treating musculoskeletal disorders and nerve regeneration. This study explored the effects of low-energy ESWT on locomotor function, tissue regeneration, inflammation, and mitochondrial function in a rat SCI model. Experiments were performed using locomotor function assays, CatWalk gait analysis, histopathological examination, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining. The findings demonstrated that low-energy ESWT had a dose-dependent effect, with three treatment sessions (ESWT3) showing superior outcomes compared to a single session. ESWT3 significantly improved motor functions (run patterns, run average speed, and maximum variation, as well as the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) score) and promoted tissue regeneration while reducing inflammation. ESWT3 significantly decreased levels of IL-1β, IL6 and macrophages (CD68) while increasing leucocyte (CD45) infiltration. Additionally, ESWT3 upregulated NueN and mitofusin 2 (MFN2), suggesting enhanced neuronal health and mitochondrial function. Moreover, ESWT3 modulated the expression of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1), FGF2, their receptor FGFR1 and phosphorylation of ERK, aiding tissue repair and regeneration in SCI. This study highlights the potential of low-energy ESWT as an effective noninvasive treatment for SCI, demonstrating significant improvements in motor recovery, tissue regeneration, anti-inflammatory effects, and mitochondrial protection. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of ESWT and its therapeutic application for SCI recovery.

Low Fouling Molecular Selective Channels through Self-assembly of Cross-linked Block Copolymer Micelles for Selective Separation of Dye and Salt.

We report the solvent-evaporation and ionic cross-linking mediated self-assembly of the shell cross-linked micelles of the amphiphilic triblock copolymer containing middle poly(methyl methacrylate) block (hydrophobic) and poly(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate end blocks (hydrophilic) on the membrane substrate to create molecular selective channels. The formation of selective channels on the substrate is attributed to the local increase of micelle concentration upon solvent evaporation, which leads to the core-core hydrophobic interaction. The post-ionic cross-linking of the shell part further reduces the intermicelle distance, thereby creating interstices for selective separation. The TUF-1:1 membrane prepared by the self-assembly of the cross-linked micelles (triblock copolymer:halide-terminated PEG-based = 1:1 w w-1) and by the post-ionic cross-linking shows molecular weight cutoff of 3000 g mol-1 and pure water permeance of 52 L m-2 h-1 bar-1. The membrane shows 99.5-99.9% rejection of Congo red and Direct red-80 in the presence or absence of salts and Na2SO4 to dye separation factor of about 900. The added functionality (PEG) in the micelle structure provides good fouling-resistant properties toward dye and bovine serum albumin. This work provides the membrane formation mechanism and the advantages of the membrane for fractionation and resource recovery applications.

Water-soluble chitosan polymer for enhanced oil recovery in the carbonate reservoir

Numerous surfactants, nanoparticles and polymers have been developed and utilized for enhanced oil recovery applications, irrespective of their environmental impact. Most of these oilfield chemicals were prepared through multi-steps from fossil-based starting materials using hazardous solvents. However, there is a desire to advance eco-friendly and sustainable materials to reduce CO2 emissions and enhance the sustainability of oil production. Herein, we propose the development of chitosan salt, a solely green polymer, prepared in water in the presence of acetic acid (0.1% v/v). The resulting water-soluble polymer demonstrated excellent stability under reservoir conditions and was tested for enhanced oil recovery in the carbonate reservoir. The oil-wet rock wettability was significantly reduced after using chitosan salt solution. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were used to show the oil displacement at different pores regions using relaxation time (T2 distribution). Imbibition and coreflooding experiments showed that the chitosan salt is able to increase the enhanced oil recovery by extra 16.2% which surpass the recovery obtained from commercial surfactants such as α-olefin sulfonate (AOS) and cetrimonium bromide (CTAB). This study shows that green materials are promising candidates for oil recovery and upstream applications.

AI Applications in Adult Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review Using AI

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. With the advancements in sensor technologies and data availability, artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise of improving the amount, quality and efficiency of care and enhancing the precision of stroke rehabilitation. We aimed to identify and characterize the existing research on AI applications in stroke recovery and rehabilitation of adults, including categories of application and progression of technologies over time. Data were collected from peer-reviewed articles across various electronic databases up to January 2024. Insights were extracted using AI-enhanced multi-method, data-driven techniques, including clustering of themes and topics. This scoping review summarizes outcomes from 704 studies. Four common themes (impairment, assisted intervention, prediction and imaging, and neuroscience) were identified, in which time-linked patterns emerged. The impairment theme revealed a focus on motor function, gait and mobility, while the assisted intervention theme included applications of robotic and brain–computer interface (BCI) techniques. AI applications progressed over time, starting from conceptualization and then expanding to a broader range of techniques in supervised learning, artificial neural networks (ANN), natural language processing (NLP) and more. Applications focused on upper limb rehabilitation were reviewed in more detail, with machine learning (ML), deep learning techniques and sensors such as inertial measurement units (IMU) used for upper limb and functional movement analysis. AI applications have potential to facilitate tailored therapeutic delivery, thereby contributing to the optimization of rehabilitation outcomes and promoting sustained recovery from rehabilitation to real-world settings.

Supramolecular-Coordinated Nanofiltration Membranes with Quaternary-Ammonium Cyclen for Efficient Lithium Extraction from High Magnesium/Lithium Ratio Brine

Ion-selective membranes (ISM) with sub-nanosized pore channels hold significant potential for applications in saline wastewater treatment and resource recovery. Herein, novel synergistic ion channels featuring bi-periodic structures were constructed through the coordination of functional Cyclen (quaternary_1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, Q_Cyclen) and Cu2+-m-Phenylenediamine (Cu2+-MPD) to develop supramolecular membranes for lithium extraction. The exterior quaternary ammonium-rich sites exhibit a significant Donnan exclusion effect, resulting in tremendous mono/divalent (Li+/Mg2+) ion selectivity; while the interior regular-confined channels of Cyclen yield a fast vehicular pathway, facilitating water molecules and Li+ ion-selective transport. The optimized membrane exhibited an increased water permeance of 19.2 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1 and simultaneously promoted Li+/Mg2+ selectivity (achieving a selectivity of 18.5 under a Mg2+/Li+ mass ratio of 30), surpassing the trade-off limit of conventional nanofiltration membranes. Due to the acquired excellent Li+/Mg2+ selectivity, lithium extraction from simulated salt-lake brines was successfully achieved through a two-stage nanofiltration process, reducing the Mg2+/Li+ mass ratio from 40 to 1.1. This work validates the applicability of macrocyclic with intrinsic sub-nanosized channels and desired multifunctionality for developing high-performance ISM for efficient lithium separation and beyond.

Optimisation of Brayton cycle CO2-based binary mixtures: An application for waste heat recovery of marine low-speed diesel engines exhaust gas

The energy-saving capabilities and efficient operation of marine low-speed diesel engines (MLDE) is a key emphasis for the main power source for ocean transportation. The purpose of the supercritical carbon dioxide recompression Brayton cycle (SCRBC) is to capture and utilise waste heat emitted by the engine's exhaust gas. However, the SCRBC performance will be severely affected by the large temperature fluctuations of ocean-going vessels during operation and high ambient temperatures in the cabin. A SCRBC model was built using the exhaust gas test data as the boundary conditions and validated using the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) test data. The physical characteristics of the working fluids were evaluated by adding other fluids to CO2 in specific proportions to modify the critical point and increase cycle efficiency. The results demonstrated that employing CO2-based binary working fluids with low alkane and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) enhanced the recovery power, with the most significant increase obtained by the addition of 16.48 % H2S, which increased the power by 9.72 kW and improved the Brayton cycle efficiency by 3.31 %. Compared to the MLDE at 100 % load, the total efficiency increased by 1.77 % and the BSFC decreased by 6.76 (g kW−1 h−1) using CO2-H2S as the working fluid. The analysis of the SCRBC system component exergy losses showed that the cooler had the highest exergy losses. Adding other fluids to CO2 reduced the exergy losses of each component with the SCRBC system exergy losses decreasing from 162.97 to 129.90 kW and the exergy loss efficiency decreasing from 24.24 % to 22.65 %. The use of CO2-based binary working fluids specifically designed for ambient temperature may be expanded to other engines to enhance the efficiency of waste heat recovery.

Thermally-switchable adsorbent for selective uranium extraction from wastewater

Uranium extraction from uranium-containing wastewater is a promising solution to the uranium resource shortage, but the extraction process faces significant challenges such as poor selectivity, low elution efficiency, and recovery difficulties. In this study, we developed thermally responsive uranium ion-imprinted magnetic mesoporous microspheres (Fe3O4@mSiO2@FIIP) using polymer F-127 as a thermosensitive switch and sodium phytate as a crosslinking monomer, enabling effective uranium recovery from uranium-containing wastewater. By adjusting the adsorption and elution temperatures, Fe3O4@mSiO2@FIIP achieved higher adsorption selectivity and elution efficiency compared to ion-imprinted magnetic mesoporous microspheres without F-127 (Fe3O4@mSiO2@IIP). Additionally, Fe3O4@mSiO2@FIIP demonstrated superior selectivity for uranium ions over other cations compared to non-imprinted magnetic mesoporous microspheres (Fe3O4@mSiO2@NIP). It exhibited excellent salt resistance, reaching adsorption equilibrium within 60 min with a maximum adsorption capacity of 529.5 mg/g. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic assessment (TEA) indicated that Fe3O4@mSiO2@FIIP is more environmentally friendly and economically feasible for treating uranium-containing wastewater. This study provides a new paradigm for synthesizing thermosensitive imprinting materials, holding significant potential for uranium recovery applications.

Pioneering computational insights into the structural, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties of A3XN (A=Co, Fe; X=Cu, Zn) anti-perovskites for advanced material applications

This study pioneers the utilization of computer-controlled simulations to elucidate the structural, elastic, electronic, and thermoelectric properties of A3XN anti-perovskites (A = Co, Fe; X = Cu, Zn). Starting with the development of a detailed structural model, structural optimization calculations identify the stable Pm-3m cubic phase, aligning with experimental findings. Also, these optimizations indicate the ferromagnetic phase stability of A3XN anti-perovskites, further supported by positive Curie-Weiss constants of 60 K, 80 K, and 100 K for Co₃CuN, Co₃ZnN, and Fe₃CuN, respectively. The spin-dependent electronic properties, including band structure and density of states, are explored using multiple exchange-correlation (XC) functionals—GGA, GGA + U, and GGA + mBJ. The results uphold the metallic nature of the materials, accompanied by significant spin magnetic moments. Specifically, the calculated values of magnetic moments for Co3CuN, Co3ZnN, and Fe3CuN are 5.08 μB, 3.70 μB, and 7.61 μB, respectively. Furthermore, we compute the Curie temperatures for each compound, 942.48 K for Co3CuN, 692.7 K for Co3ZnN, and 1400.41 K for Fe3CuN, which are substantially elevated, indicating robust ferromagnetic behavior that persists well above ambient conditions. Mechanical properties, including stability, deformation behavior, and ductility, are validated through elastic calculations, with various mechanical anisotropy factors examined. From an application perspective, the thermoelectric characteristics of Co3CuN, Co3ZnN, and Fe3CuN are meticulously evaluated, focusing on parameters like the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, power factor and figure of merit (zT). The analysis highlights promising power factor values of 3.0×1011(W/cm.K2), 4.0×1011(W/cm.K2), and 6.0×1011(W/cm.K2) for Co3CuN, Co3ZnN, and Fe3CuN, respectively, suggesting potential for enhanced efficiency in thermopower generation, particularly in waste heat recovery applications. Furthermore, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of the ground-state optical properties of A3XN, including the dielectric constant, photoconductivity, reflectivity, refractive index, absorption coefficient, and extinction coefficient. The reflectivity spectra demonstrate high reflectivity of 45 % across visible and ultravioletregions, suggesting suitability for applications in coatings designed to mitigate solar heating effects.

Novel Feruloyl Esterase for the Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Screened from the Gut Microbiome of Plastic-Degrading Mealworms (Tenebrio Molitor Larvae).

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) larvae can degrade both plastics and lignocellulose through synergistic biological activities of their gut microbiota because they share similarities in chemical and physical properties. Here, a total of 428 genes encoding lignocellulose-degrading enzymes were screened from the gut microbiome of T. molitor larvae to identify poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)-degrading activities. Five genes were successfully expressed in E. coli, among which a feruloyl esterase-like enzyme named TmFae-PETase demonstrated the highest PET degradation activity, converting PET into MHET (0.7 mgMHETeq ·h-1·mgenzyme-1) and TPA (0.2 mgTPAeq ·h-1·mgenzyme-1) at 50 °C. TmFae-PETase showed a preference for the hydrolysis of ferulic acid methyl ester (MFA) in the presence of both PET and MFA. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulations of TmFae-PETase revealed similar catalytic mechanisms for both PET and MFA. TmFae-PETase effectively depolymerized commercial PET, making it a promising candidate for application. Additionally, the known PET hydrolases IsPETase, FsC, and LCC also hydrolyzed MFA, indicating a potential origin of PET hydrolytic activity from its lignocellulosic-degrading abilities. This study provides an innovative strategy for screening PET-degrading enzymes identified from lignocellulose degradation-related enzymes within the gut microbiome of plastic-degrading mealworms. This discovery expands the existing pool of plastic-degrading enzymes available for resource recovery and bioremediation applications.

Enhanced furfural extraction using neoteric hydrophobic solvents for sustainable biomass recovery and bioenergy applications

The recovery of furfural from hemicellulosic biowastes is important for developing sustainable and renewable energy alternatives to fossil fuels. However, current methods are inefficient and environmentally questionable. To address this issue, this study introduces neoteric hydrophobic solvents, specifically deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and ionic liquids (ILs). Of the 32 solvents tested, thymol:decanoic acid 1:1 (Thy:DecA) DES and trihexyltetradecyl phosphonium bis(trifluoro methylsulfonyl) imide [P14,6,6,6][NTf2] IL were the most effective, with extraction efficiencies of 94.1% and 97.1%, respectively. These solvents outperformed the reference solvent toluene, with an efficiency of 81.2%, while also showing favorable characteristics in multiple investigated criterions. For the first time, excellent performance stability was demonstrated under various operational conditions and reusability over multiple extraction and regeneration cycles. Furthermore, to provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of extraction, computational quantum chemistry modeling was employed, which showed a strong agreement with the experimental results. The development of these new neoteric solvents for furfural recovery from biowaste offers a highly effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional solvents, representing a significant breakthrough in the field of renewable bioenergy production and sustainable materials recovery.

Performance of sCO2 Cycles for Waste Heat Recovery and Techno-Economic Perspective As Gas Turbine Bottoming Cycle

Abstract Supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles are compact and widely adaptable to various heat sources, including the waste heat from gas turbine (GT) exhaust gases. While the addition of a steam cycle enhances the typical 40%-efficiency of GTs up to 60%, their substantial investments render them less appealing for smaller GTs. This creates an opportunity for sCO2 cycles, but a comprehensive comparison of their performance with that of steam across a range of applications remains lacking. Moreover, their applicability to various industrial scenarios based on existing installations is missing from a techno-economic standpoint. To address these needs, four promising sCO2 cycles are optimized and compared with the simple steam cycle. Their techno-economic performances are then investigated for 20 industrial GTs of different size. The analysis yielded performance maps demonstrating comparable performances for sCO2 and steam cycles, as well as significant techno-economic advantages for sCO2 bottoming cycles for smaller GTs. However, when it comes to larger GTs combined with reheats and expansions steam cycles, sCO2 cannot outperform them in current technological standards. Nevertheless sCO2 cycles offers an attractive alternative, facilitating cogeneration. Among the different approaches designed to integrate the heat requirements of amine-based capture, steam cycles have always proved more suitable because of the thermal stability of amines. In conclusion, the research underscores the cost-effectiveness and adaptability of sCO2 cycles for heat recovery applications, particularly as bottoming cycles for smaller GTs, while larger GTs present a challenge.

Multifaceted Impact of Lipid Extraction on the Characteristics of Polymer-Based Sewage Sludge towards Sustainable Sludge Management.

Dewatered sludge (DS) is a sewage sludge with a unique property due to extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and polymer flocculants. These components form a stable 3D polymer network to increase dewatering efficiency, leaving behind valuable materials such as lipids. This article explored the influences of DS particle size on lipid yield and the effects of extraction on the chemical, morphological, and thermal properties of the residual dewatered sludge (RDS). Lipid yields with unimodal distribution were observed across the particle size ranges (<0.5, 0.5-1.0, 1.0-2.0, 2.0-4.0, and 4.0 mm). The highest lipid yield of 1.95% was extracted from 1.0-2.0 mm after 4 h at 70 °C and 0.1 g/mL sludge-to-solvent ratio. Efficiency was influenced by the DS's morphology, facilitating solvent infiltration and pore diffusion. The extraction process reduced water and organic fractions, resulting in higher thermal stability. Bibliometric analysis of "extraction*" and "sewage sludge" shows increasing research interest from 1973 to 2024. Five research clusters were observed: heavy metal speciation and stabilization, sludge and its bioavailability, extraction techniques and resource recovery, contaminants remediation, as well as phosphorus recovery and agricultural applications. These clusters highlight the diverse approaches to researching DS and RDS while promoting sustainable waste management.

Membrane compaction in batch reverse osmosis operation and its impact on specific energy consumption

Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane water permeability is measured under cyclic pressure loading conditions corresponding to batch and semi-batch operation modes. Due to the viscoelasticity of the membrane support layer, compaction effects carry forward across multiple pressurization cycles, with the intracycle behavior stabilizing after a large number of cycles. The average membrane permeability of semi-batch RO systems is lower than that of batch RO, since semi-batch RO spends a larger fraction of its cycle time at higher pressures. The instantaneous permeability in batch RO decreases during the cycle as pressure is increased, but at a lower rate than the steady-state permeability variation with applied pressure. Therefore, the batch permeability values are lower at low pressures and higher at high pressures than the corresponding steady-state values. Since more water is recovered in the initial low-pressure stages of a multi-stage RO system, compaction increases the specific energy consumption of batch RO more than that of staged systems. Other loss mechanisms such as channel and minor pressure losses and high-pressure motor+pump efficiency variation with load further result in batch RO becoming energetically inferior to two- or three-stage RO, especially for low-salinity, high recovery applications.

Scalable and facile fabrication of sulfonic-acid-functionalized porous hypercrosslinked polymers for efficient recovery of rare earth elements from tailing wastewater

The separation and enrichment of rare earth elements (REEs) from tailing wastewater is of great significance for the sustainable supply of REEs and environmental remediation. As Al3+ exhibits extreme similar properties with REE3+, selective recovery of REE3+ from the sulphate tailing wastewater remains a considerable challenge. Based on the difference in the binding stability of REE3+ and Al3+ with sulfate ions, the utilization of sulfonic acid groups may provide a promising method for enhancing the selectivity of REE3+/Al3+ in the sulphate aqueous solution. Herein, a series of sulfonic-acid-functionalized hyper-crosslinked polymers (SHCP-Ps) were successfully synthesized through a facile, scalable and one-step method catalyzed by chlorosulfonic acid, which has the advantages of high sulfonic acid density (3.27 mmol/g), specific surface area (1044.6 m2/g), abundant micropores and superhydrophilicity. These properties result in SHCP-P exhibiting fast adsorption kinetics (30 min) and high adsorption capacities (106.78 mg/g (La), 111.99 mg/g (Eu) and 126.27 mg/g (Lu)). Additionally, it exhibits extremely high REE3+/Al3+ selectivity (SF(La/Al) = 6929, SF(Eu/Al) = 4810, SF(Lu/Al) = 3003) in sulfate medium, surpassing that of most existing REEs adsorbents. Upon application of SHCP-P to actual wastewater, the recovery rate of total REE3+ was observed to reach 87 %, while the adsorption rate of Al3+ was found to be 0. Simultaneously, SHCP-P exhibits both high reusability and magnification synthesis capabilities. The results indicate that SHCP-P has significant potential for industrial applications in the selective recovery of REEs from tailing wastewater.

Enhancing the emulsification and demulsification efficiency of switchable surfactants through molecular dynamics simulation: The roles of surfactant concentration, salinity, and structure

This study aims to investigate the impacts of a surfactant structure, surfactant concentration, and salt content on switchable emulsification processes through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Specifically, we focus on assessing the properties and behaviors of water/tetradecane systems containing CO2-switchable acetamidine surfactant N’-dodecyl-N, N-dimethylacetamidine (C12DMAA) and C18 naphthalene sulfonate (C18PS), both of which are relevant to enhanced oil recovery processes. Utilizing MD simulations, we comprehensively explore the influence of the molecular composition of switchable surfactants, salinity, and surfactant concentration on the reversible processes of emulsification and demulsification in a complex oil/water/C18PS/C12DMAA system. This system can be activated through the injection of CO2 or N2 gas. Various analyses, including molecule mobility, hydration behavior, void volume analysis, a solvent accessible surface area (SASA), a diffusion coefficient, and relative concentration profiles, are employed to gain insights into the emulsification and demulsification processes. Our study reveals that lower surfactant concentrations result in the formation of partial emulsions, while the presence of salt disrupts surfactant hydration and weakens emulsification properties. Additionally, we observe that the impact of hydrogen bonding interactions is less pronounced at lower surfactant concentrations. Furthermore, the MD simulations provided insights into the interplay of a surfactant monomer number and alkyl phenyl introduction with a solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) and a void volume. Understanding these factors is crucial for designing and optimizing emulsion systems, particularly in oil recovery processes. The findings advance our understanding of CO2/N2-switchable surfactants, offering insights into their potential for sustainable development in the petroleum industry. This research contributes to the optimization of switchable surfactants, providing a foundation for improved emulsification processes in enhanced oil recovery applications.