Heavy Ion Research Articles

Unleashing the potential of Cajanus cajun biochar polymer composite for Cu (II) removal: mechanism, modification, and application.

This study introduces a cost-effective approach to fabricating a porous and ionically surface-modified biochar-based alginate polymer networks composite (SBPC) through air drying. The study critically analyzes the role and concentrations of various components in the success of SBPC. Characterization techniques were employed to evaluate the microstructure and adsorption mechanism, confirming the ability of the adsorbent's carboxyl and hydroxyl groups to eliminate various heavy metal ions in water simultaneously. The SBPC demonstrated high copper binding capacities (937.4mg/g and 823.2mg/g) through response surface methodology (RSM) and column studies. It was also influential in single and natural systems, exhibiting competitive behavior and efficient removal of Cu2+. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics strongly correlate with experimental data, with R2 values of 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. SBPC showed remarkable stability, up to 10 desorption cycles, and achieved 98% Cu2+ adsorption efficiency and 91.0% desorption. Finally, the cost analysis showed a cost of 125.68 INR/kg or 1.51 USD/kg, which is very low compared to the literature. These results highlight the potential of SPBC and show that it provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for removing Cu2+ from a real system.

Effect of hydrogen, helium and dose rate on the evolution of dislocation loop in pure iron during in-situ ion irradiation

Simulating neutron irradiation with ion irradiation requires considering the comprehensive effects of hydrogen, helium and dose rate to fully understand the microstructure evolution of material in an irradiation environment. Here, the characterization and evolution of dislocation loops in pure iron were investigated under heavy ion irradiation with four different injected gas ion types (Fe+, Fe++H2+, Fe++He+and Fe++H2++He+) and under dual-beam (Fe++He+) irradiation with four different dose rates using in-situ transmission electron microscopy at 723 K. Comparing to the single-beam (Fe+) irradiation, the additional injection of H or He, or co-injected H and He, mainly promoted the nucleation of dislocation loops at the early stage of irradiation and enhanced loop growth after that. Among them, the simultaneous irradiation of triple beams (Fe++H2++He+) was most pronounced. Moreover, triple-beam (Fe++H2++He+) irradiation resulted in the highest ratio of the rotation of loop habit-plane. Under dual-beam (Fe++He+) irradiation, the results demonstrated that as the dose rate increased, the loop density increased and the loop size decreased. Moreover, the fraction of 〈100〉 loops at low dose rate was noticeably greater than that at high dose rate. The results of the current work provide important references for a better understanding of the effectiveness of ion irradiation in simulating neutron irradiation.

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.

Heavy Metal Ion Adsorbent in Aqueous Solution: A Review on Chitosan and Chitosan Composites

One prominent contributor to environmental degradation is the presence of heavy metal ions, which are commonly introduced into ecosystems through diverse channels, including mining operations, paint manufacturing, battery production, and agricultural practises. The unprocessed waste from these industries typically undergoes direct discharge into rivers and seas, thereby adversely influencing the potable water supply and marine ecosystem. This results in the accumulation of heavy metals within living organisms and subsequent environmental degradation that poses a significant risk to human health, as their prolonged consumption can harm various organs and the nervous system. Therefore, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have established stringent regulations regarding the allowable levels of heavy metal intake, particularly concerning potable water consumption. The imperative lies in surmounting this challenge by discovering the optimal technique for extracting heavy metals. This paper examines the primary methods of eliminating heavy metal ions using chitosan-based materials. Specifically, the methods under scrutiny include electrocoagulation (E.C.), bioremediation, ion-exchange, membrane filtration (purification), and adsorption. Adsorption, as a highly efficient method, presents itself as a viable strategy for the remediation of dyes in textile wastewater due to its advantageous characteristics. Notably, this approach obviates the need for extensive spatial requirements and exhibits a commendably swift treatment duration. Chitosan exhibits promising adsorptive characteristics owing to its advantageous physical attributes, including crystalline structure, porous nature, and particle dimensions, all of which synergistically enhance the adsorption capacity of chitosan. Research findings indicate that the adsorption characteristics of chitosan are subject to variation contingent upon the distinct heavy metal ions under consideration and the specific experimental parameters employed. Hence, optimising these parameters becomes imperative to attain enhanced chitosan adsorption capabilities for heavy metal ion removal.

A highly stable electrochemical sensor with antifouling and antibacterial capabilities for mercury ion detection in seawater

The monitoring of heavy metal ions in ocean is crucial for environment protection and assessment of seawater quality. However, the detection of heavy metal ions in seawater with electrochemical sensors, especially for long-term monitoring, always faces challenges due to marine biofouling caused by the nonspecific adsorption of microbial and biomolecules. Herein, an electrochemical aptasensor, integrating both antifouling and antibacterial properties, was developed for the detection of Hg2+ in the ocean. In this electrochemical aptasensor, eco-friendly peptides with superior hydrophilicity served as anti-biofouling materials, preventing nonspecific adsorption on the sensing interface, while silver nanoparticles were employed to eliminate bacteria. Subsequently, a ferrocene-modified aptamer was employed for the specific recognition of Hg2+, leveraging the aptamer's ability to fold into a thymine-Hg2+-thymine (T-Hg2+-T) structure upon interaction, and bringing ferrocene nearer to the sensor surface, significantly amplifying the electrochemical response. The prepared electrochemical aptasensor significantly reduced the nonspecific adsorption in seawater while maintaining sensitive electrochemical response. Furthermore, the biosensor exhibited a linear response range of 0.01–100 nM with a detection limit of 2.30 pM, and realized the accurate monitoring of mercury ions in real marine environment. The research results offer new insights into the preparation of marine antifouling sensing devices, and it is expected that sensors with antifouling and antimicrobial capabilities will find broad applications in the monitoring of marine pollutants.

Review on recent advancements of 2D MXene-based nanostructures on different possible approaches for wastewater treatment

In this review, a brief perspective of MXene (since 2011) with recent research for new and advanced applications for wastewater treatments through various approaches have been discussed. Current information’s about MXenes are summarized to fully understand their nature, promising properties and reduce the challenges that have opened the new era of their uses. Primarily, the existing modest problem is the availability of potable water to sustain healthy human-chain and entire ecosystem, as contaminated water has harsh consequences and poses serious threats to human-health worldwide. In the current stage, supply of potable water for society with cheap and low-cost technology has become the key requirement for the growing economy. Efficient techniques to remove several contaminants (including dyes, heavy metal ions, pharmaceutical or organic products) from wastewater have been transformed gradually to mitigate this scarcity. In this direction, MXene based nanostructures have become a promising material for the wastewater treatment. These structures have unique hydrophilicity, high surface area, a good photocatalytic activity, and wonderful adsorption capacity for contaminates. Numerous advanceshavebeen observed in the optimized rational designs of MXene-derived nanocomposites and their applications in wastewater purification. Hence, timely updates are necessary to emphasize on toxic removals and characterizations including merits and demerits of these MXene-based nanostructures. Thus, this study summarizes the guidelines for the synthesis and applications of MXene-based nanocomposites in wastewater purification, which may stimulate the scientific community to develop a variety of MXene-derived nanostructures with well-defined structures, constitution, and enhanced physicochemical properties for effectively removal of noxious pollutants from wastewater using cost-effective and feasible techniques.

Elliptic and triangular flow of charmonium states in heavy ion collisions

Elliptic and triangular flow of charmonium states in heavy ion collisions

Boron and Nitrogen Co-Doped Porous Graphene Nanostructures for the Electrochemical Detection of Poisonous Heavy Metal Ions

Heavy metal poisoning has a life-threatening impact on the human body to aquatic ecosystems. This necessitates designing a convenient green methodology for the fabrication of an electrochemical sensor that can detect heavy metal ions efficiently. In this study, boron (B) and nitrogen (N) co-doped laser-induced porous graphene (LIGBN) nanostructured electrodes were fabricated using a direct laser writing technique. The fabricated electrodes were utilised for the individual and simultaneous electrochemical detection of lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) ions using a square wave voltammetry technique (SWV). The synergistic effect of B and N co-doping results in an improved sensing performance of the electrode with better sensitivity of 0.725 µA/µM for Pb2+ and 0.661 µA/µM for Cd2+ ions, respectively. Moreover, the sensing electrode shows a low limit of detection of 0.21 µM and 0.25 µM for Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions, with wide linear ranges from 8.0 to 80 µM for Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions and high linearity of R2 = 0.99 in case of simultaneous detection. This rapid and facile method of fabricating heteroatom-doped porous graphene opens a new avenue in electrochemical sensing studies to detect various hazardous metal ions.

Cellulose-Based Hydrogels for Wastewater Treatment: A Focus on Metal Ions Removal.

The rapid worldwide industrial growth in recent years has made water contamination by heavy metals a problem that requires an immediate solution. Several strategies have been proposed for the decontamination of wastewater in terms of heavy metal ions. Among these, methods utilizing adsorbent materials are preferred due to their cost-effectiveness, simplicity, effectiveness, and scalability for treating large volumes of contaminated water. In this context, heavy metal removal by hydrogels based on naturally occurring polymers is an attractive approach for industrial wastewater remediation as they offer significant advantages, such as an optimal safety profile, good biodegradability, and simple and low-cost procedures for their preparation. Hydrogels have the ability to absorb significant volumes of water, allowing for the effective removal of the dissolved pollutants. Furthermore, they can undergo surface chemical modifications which can further improve their ability to retain different environmental pollutants. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the application of hydrogels in the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated wastewater, particularly focusing on hydrogels based on cellulose and cellulose derivatives. The reported studies highlight how the adsorption properties of these materials can be widely modified, with a wide range of adsorption capacity for different heavy metal ions varying between 2.3 and 2240 mg/g. The possibility of developing new hydrogels with improved sorption performances is also discussed in the review, with the aim of improving their effective application in real scenarios, indicating future directions in the field.

The coupling of sulfide and Fe-Mn mineral promotes the migration of lead and zinc in the redox cycle of high pH floodplain soils

In this study, we investigated the impact of fluctuating water levels on the distribution of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in soil and sediments at a historical Pb-Zn smelting site along the Xiangjiang River. Despite the high pH levels (7 to 11) in the study area, which generally inhibits heavy metal solubility, we found that regular changes in water levels still affect Pb-Zn movement. Soil analysis revealed distinct redox zones within the unconfined aquifer, as shown by the variable Fe/Mn and Ce/Ce* ratios. Advanced techniques such as Mn K-edge XAFS, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and TOF-SIMS indicated persistent Fe-Mn redox cycling and highlighted the presence of Pb and Zn-rich manganese oxides near sulfur-bearing minerals. These findings suggest that acidic microzones produced by the oxidation of sulfur-bearing minerals become "refuges" for microbial and heavy metal activity. Considering that sulfur-containing minerals are widespread waste types in nonferrous metal smelting sites, these findings are instructive for a better understanding of the transformation mechanisms of heavy metal ions in nonferrous metal smelting-polluted environments and for guiding pollution remediation strategies.

Probing Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions via Photon Anisotropic Flow Ratios. A Brief Review

The anisotropic flow of photons produced in relativistic nuclear collisions is known as a promising observable for studying the initial state and the subsequent evolution of the hot and dense medium formed in such collisions. The investigation of photon anisotropic flow coefficients, vn, has attracted high interest over the last decade, involving both theory and experiment. The thermal emission of photons and their anisotropic flow are found to be highly sensitive to the initial state of the fireball, where even slight modifications can lead to significant variations in the final state results. In contrast, the ratio of photon anisotropic flow stands out as a robust observable, exhibiting minimal sensitivity to the initial conditions. Here, we briefly review the studies of the individual elliptic and triangular flow parameters of photons as well as their ratios and how these parameters serve as valuable probes for investigating the intricacies of the initial state and addressing the challenges posed by the direct photon puzzle.

Radiative corrections for factorized jet observables in heavy ion collisions

I look at the renormalization of the medium structure function and a medium induced jet function in a factorized cross section for jet substructure observables in Heavy Ion collisions. This is based on the formalism developed in [1], which uses an Open quantum system approach combined with the Effective Field Theory (EFT) for forward scattering to derive a factorization formula for jet observables which work as hard probes of a long lived dilute Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) medium. I show that the universal medium structure function that captures the observable independent physics of the QGP has both rapidity and UV anomalous dimensions that appear due to medium induced Bremsstrahlung. The resulting Renormalization Group (RG) equations correspond to the BFKL equation and the running of the QCD coupling respectively. I present the first results for the numerical impact of resummation using these RG equations on the mean free path of the jet in the medium. I also briefly discuss the prospects of extending this formalism for a short lived dense medium.

Nitrogen self-doped desiccated coconut–derived carbon dots as optical nanoprobe sensor for the detection of heavy metal ion Hg2+

Nitrogen self-doped desiccated coconut–derived carbon dots as optical nanoprobe sensor for the detection of heavy metal ion Hg2+

Utilizing transcriptomics and proteomics to unravel key genes and proteins of Oryza sativa seedlings mediated by selenium in response to cadmium stress

BackgroundCadmium (Cd) pollution has declined crop yields and quality. Selenium (Se) is a beneficial mineral element that protects plants from oxidative damage, thereby improving crop tolerance to heavy metals. The molecular mechanism of Se-induced Cd tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa) is not yet understood. This study aimed to elucidate the beneficial mechanism of Se (1 mg/kg) in alleviating Cd toxicity in rice seedlings.ResultsExogenous selenium addition significantly improved the toxic effect of cadmium stress on rice seedlings, increasing plant height and fresh weight by 20.53% and 34.48%, respectively, and increasing chlorophyll and carotenoid content by 16.68% and 15.26%, respectively. Moreover, the MDA, ·OH, and protein carbonyl levels induced by cadmium stress were reduced by 47.65%, 67.57%, and 56.43%, respectively. Cell wall metabolism, energy cycling, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems in rice seedlings were significantly enhanced. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expressions of key functional genes psbQ, psbO, psaG, psaD, atpG, and PetH were significantly up-regulated under low-concentration Se treatment, which enhanced the energy metabolism process of photosystem I and photosystem II in rice seedlings. At the same time, the up-regulation of LHCA, LHCB family, and C4H1, PRX, and atp6 functional genes improved the ability of photon capture and heavy metal ion binding in plants. Combined with proteome analysis, the expression of functional proteins OsGSTF1, OsGSTU11, OsG6PDH4, OsDHAB1, CP29, and CabE was significantly up-regulated under Se, which enhanced photosynthesis and anti-oxidative stress mechanism in rice seedlings. At the same time, it regulates the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. It up-regulates the expression response process of IAA, ABA, and JAZ to activate the synergistic effect between each cell rapidly and jointly maintain the homeostasis balance.ConclusionOur results revealed the regulation process of Se-mediated critical metabolic pathways, functional genes, and proteins in rice under cadmium stress. They provided insights into the expression rules and dynamic response process of the Se-mediated plant resistance mechanism. This study provided the theoretical basis and technical support for crop safety in cropland ecosystems and cadmium-contaminated areas.

Natural mineral raw materials as granular filtering materials in industrial and waste water treatment

Analysis of currently existing methods of natural and waste water treatment from heavy metals has shown that one of the most promising is the sorption method using natural inorganic materials as sorbents: zeolite, diatomite, and vermiculite. The relevance of the topic is dictated by the need to develop an original technology of wastewater treatment and water treatment, which allows constant monitoring of the level of pollution of natural waters by industrial wastewater from metallurgical enterprises. The proposed methods of sorbent modification create a basis for studying the structure, porosity, and sorption capabilities of the mentioned natural materials. All three minerals: zeolite, diatomite, and vermiculite belong to highly porous, structured materials, promising for use as stable sorption systems in water treatment and water purification. The influence of physical and chemical characteristics of natural sorbents and the application of new promising environmentally safe materials and reagents for water treatment are considered. The sorption of copper ions on natural zeolite material before and after its modification by hydrothermal method was investigated. The activity of sorbents was estimated by the value of sorption capacity, i.e. the amount of heavy metal ions absorbed by a unit mass of sorbent based on zeolite and its modified form.

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.

Recent Advancement in the Development of Detection and Removal of Heavy Metal Ions by Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review

Abstract: Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems, because of the non-degradable nature of heavy metals and their accumulation in the food chain, which poses a severe threat to the environment and human health even at low concentrations. Most of these metal ions can coordinate with biological molecules and disturb their function. Exposure to heavy metals can cause different health threats such as endothelial dysfunction, allergy, infant mortality, cancer, neurological diseases, respiratory diseases, oxidative stress, cardiovascular disorders and kidney diseases. Therefore the detection and removal of these toxic species are very important. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are green solvents and have excellent applications in many fields. They contain nonsymmetrical ions that have low lattice energy, low vapor pressure, dipolar nature, nonflammability, low volatility, low melting points, excellent thermal and chemical stability and high solubility. DESs are also better in terms of the availability of raw materials, easy synthetic procedure, low cost of their starting materials and their easy storage. DESs have an excellent ability for the detection and removal of heavy metal ions. In this review, we discussed various DES-based spectrophotometric and fluorimetric chemosensors for the detection of heavy metal ions in different matrixes. Additionally, we have also explored the capabilities of different DESs in removing heavy metals.

Analysis of the Structure of Heavy Ion Irradiated LaFeO3 Using Grazing Angle X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

Crystalline ceramics are candidate materials for the immobilization of radionuclides, particularly transuranics (such as U, Pu, and Am), arising from the nuclear fuel cycle. Due to the α-decay of transuranics and the associated recoil of the parent nucleus, crystalline materials may eventually be rendered amorphous through changes to the crystal lattice caused by these recoil events. Previous work has shown irradiation of titanate-based ceramics to change the local cation environment significantly, particularly in the case of Ti which was shown to change from 6- to 5-fold coordination. Here, this work expands the Ti-based study to investigate the behavior in Fe-based materials, using LaFeO3 as an example material. Irradiation was simulated by heavy ion implantation of the bulk LaFeO3 ceramic, with the resulting amorphous layer characterized with grazing angle X-ray absorption spectroscopy (GA-XAS). Insights into the Fe speciation changes exhibited by the amorphized surface layer were provided through quantitative analysis, including pre-edge analysis, and modeling of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), of the GA-XAS data.

Performance of laser ion source LION operated at Brookhaven National Laboratory

LION is a laser ion source that has been in operation at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to provide heavy ions for NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) and Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). It is the first laser ion source to supply stable ion beams for a long-term operation for users at a large accelerator facility in the world. LION is located at the upstream end of the heavy ion accelerator complex at BNL and supplies singly charged ion beams of various ion species. LION has been in operation since 2014 and is planned to be upgraded in 2024. This paper summarizes the operational performance achieved by LION.

Progress of the laser ion source upgrade (LION2) for RHIC and NSRL program at Brookhaven National Laboratory

At Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the LION2 ion source is being constructed to replace an existing laser ion ablation ion source (LIS) at the EBIS facility, which provides heavy ion beams of multiple ion species for the operation of NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) and Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The LION1 ion source currently provides singly charged ions of Li, B, C, O, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zr, Nb, Ag, Tb, Ta, W, Au, Bi, and Th with a rapid-species-change capability. An electron beam ion source, Extended-EBIS captures, confines, and ionizes the ions to high charge state, suitable for injection and acceleration by an RFQ accelerator. Typically, single pulses of the LIS ion species for NSRL are changed sequentially during Galactic Cosmic Ray experiments, while multiple pulses of a given ion beam are provided quasi-simultaneously for RHIC. LION2 will have the same capability of the rapid-species-change with improved beam performance and reliability. LION2 is being constructed in a remote assembly location and is expected to finish in December 2023. The removal of LION1 and installation of LION2 is planned during the December 2023 or summer 2024 shutdown.