Removal Efficiency Of Cu Research Articles

Recycling of water treatment plant sludge for copper adsorption from aqueous solutions

Recent studies have explored various adsorbent materials that are low-cost, available in quantity, and effective for heavy metal removal, one of them is the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) sludge. The study aimed to investigate the potential of recycling Water Treatment Plant sludge into an adsorbent for Cu (II) removal. The sludge adsorbent was carbonized by using a furnace at 600°C for 2 hours. This study was conducted in batch. The adsorbent effectiveness was analyzed by varying the dosage, contact time, and activation of the sludge adsorbent on Cu (II) removal. The adsorption isotherm was analyzed using the Langmuir and Ferundlich models, and the kinetic study used pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order model. The results showed the removal efficiency of Cu (II) for both activated and non-activated sludge adsorbents reached 98.6–99.9%. The addition of dosage did not affect the increase in Cu (II) adsorption capacity. Activation of the adsorbent increased the adsorption capacity of Cu (II) with the equilibrium time at 60–90 min, shorter than the non-activated adsorbent at 90–120 min. The adsorption isotherm model for both adsorbent types fitted well to the Langmuir model, indicating the adsorption process occurs in a single layer on a homogeneous surface. The adsorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order with a high correlation coefficient. Water treatment sludge, an industrial by-product, has the potential to be an effective and low-cost adsorbent material for Cu removal.

Enhanced Pollutant Removal and Antifouling in an Aerobic Ceramic Membrane Bioreactor with Bentonite for Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment.

This study examined the impact of adding bentonite clay (concentration of 1.5 to 10 g/L) to a pilot-scale aerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor (AeCMBR) for treating pharmaceutical wastewater (PhWW). The hydraulic retention time (HRT) was maintained at 24 h; the dissolved oxygen was between 2 mg/L (on) and 4 mg/L (off) throughout operation. Organic and nitrogen pollution removal rates and heavy metal (Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) reduction rates were assessed. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency exceeded 82%. Adsorption improved ammonia (NH4+) removal to 78%; the addition of 5 g of bentonite resulted in a 38% improvement compared with the process without bentonite. The average nitrate concentration decreased from 169.69 mg/L to 43.72 mg/L. The average removal efficiencies for Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 86%, 68.52%, 46.90% and 56.76%, respectively. Bentonite at 5 g/L significantly reduced membrane fouling. The cost-benefit analysis enabled us to predict that the process will meet the multiple objectives of durability, treatment performance and economic viability. The combination of an AeCMBR and bentonite adsorption has proven to be a valuable solution for treating highly polluted wastewater.

Agricultural waste-based biochars for sustainable removal of heavy metals from stabilized landfill leachate.

In this work, biochars were used as adsorbents to remove Cu, Cd, and Zn ions in a real stabilized leachate from a controlled landfill. Oak fruit shells biochar (OFSBC) and date palm fibers biochar (DPFBC) were obtained by pyrolysis of oak fruit shells and date palm fibers at 700°C and 400°C, respectively. OFSBC and DPFBC showed well-developed structures and high specific surface areas (520.16 m2/g and 470.46 m2/g, respectively). Equilibrium adsorption of heavy metal ions on DPFBC and OFSBC occurred after 4h and 2h of stirring. The removal efficiencies of Cu, Cd, and Zn ions were 97.01%, 94.40%, and 80.59% with DPFBC and 90.10%, 88.33%, and 76.16% using OFSBC, respectively. The Avrami fractional order model was appropriate for describing kinetic adsorption. Increasing the dose of adsorbent improves heavy metal ion retention. Thermodynamic tests have proven the spontaneous and endothermic adsorption of these heavy metals. The electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, complexation, metal-π bending, and surface precipitation and pore filling were regarded as the most predominant heavy metal retention mechanisms from the landfill leachate onto the biochar surface. Separately, the DPFBC showed the best performance than OFSBC regarding the improvement of leachate quality. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), and phosphorus (P) were respectively removed at an efficiency of 53.57%, 29.17%, 36.07%, and 37.5%, respectively. Thus, the results allow highlighting that the adsorption on DPFBC and OFSBC can be an effective alternative in the practice of landfill leachate treatment.

A Sustainable Recycling Approach to Regenerate Graphite from Industrially Sourced Failed Anodes

Recycling graphite from Li-ion battery (LIB) waste plays an important role in increasing the accessibility of graphite resources and sustainable recovery. This presentation describes our work to purify graphite from failed (i.e., out-of-specification) anodes in LIB manufacturing by focusing on the most common contaminant: copper, used as the current collector in LIB anodes.A new, three-step scalable and environmentally friendly approach was used to provide a cost-effective and sustainable method in industrial settings to recycle failed anodes during the early stages of battery manufacturing.The study aimed to understand the differences between new, battery-grade graphite and recycled graphite from anode production waste. In particular, focus was placed on the effect of metallic Cu residues on electrochemical performance. The efficiency of Cu removal from graphite was quantified by Microwave Plasma – Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES) analysis of leachates. The following experimental parameters were studied to maximize Cu leaching efficiency: solid-to-liquid ratio, temperature, acid concentration, time and stirring speed.The surface morphology and elemental composition of leached and thermally treated purified graphite were analysed by Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The specific surface area and crystallographic parameters were measured by Braunauer–Emmett–Teller Analysis (BET) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), respectively. The electrochemical performance was evaluated by galvanostatic cycling with potential limitation versus Li+/Li. These five techniques were carried out on the solid residues after each stage of the regeneration procedure. The results were compared with battery-grade graphite to assess the effectiveness of our sustainable recycling approach to reuse graphite from failed anodes in LIBs.

P-Morpholinomethylcalix[4]arene incorporated polyacrylonitrile nanofibers as selective adsorbent for removal of Cu+2 from aqueous environment

ABSTRACT In this study, p-morpholinomethylcalix[4]arene (p-MC4) was synthesized using Mannich reaction and utilized for the fabrication of polyacrylonitrile nanofibers impregnated with p-morpholinomethylcalix[4]arene (PAN/p-MC4) using electrospinning. The nanofibers were prepared by blending 12% solution of PAN with 20% solution of p-MC4. The PAN/p-MC4 NFs were thoroughly evaluated for their removal efficiency of Cu2+ from the aqueous media. The selectivity of PAN/-p-MC4 nanofibers was also examined by adsorbing a set of metal ions with same charge and similar ionic radius. The results of distribution ratio showed that PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers have superior selectivity for Cu2+ as compared to other heavy metal ions. The relative selectivity coefficients of PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers were found to be 25.2, 14.1, 8.9, and 4.03 for Cu2+/Ni2+, Cu2+/Co2+, Cu2+/Cd2+ and Cu2+/Pb2+, respectively. This indicates that PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers have a higher selectivity for Cu2+ ions. Numerous parameters such as pH, time, adsorbent dosage and analyte concentration were optimized to evaluate the maximum adsorption capacity of nanofibers for Cu2+. Adsorption isotherm models showed that the adsorption is promising and follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Whereas, PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers followed pseudo- second order kinetics during adsorption experiments. The PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers showed excellent adsorption capacity (q o ) of 65.35 mg/g for Cu2+ at pH 5 in 60 min under shaking speed of 120 rpm. Moreover, PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers had been used to remove Cu2+ from real surface water samples. According to the results, PAN/p-MC4 nanofibers are more effective adsorbent for removing Cu2+ from contaminated water.

MOF-525 and Fe-loaded MOF-525 for the selective adsorption removal of Cu(Ⅱ) and Cr(VI)

Two Zr-MOFs (including MOF-525 and MOF-525(Fe)) are synthesized and used to evaluate the adsorption performances for Cu(Ⅱ) and Cr(VI). Batch experiments demonstrate MOF-525 exhibits excellent adsorption removal for Cu(Ⅱ) and MOF-525(Fe) shows excellent adsorption removal for Cr(VI). The isotherms characteristic results indicate MOF-525 is micropores and conformed to type I, while MOF-525(Fe) is mesopores and conformed to type Ⅳ. The removal efficiency of Cu(Ⅱ) by MOF-525 is sharply increased from 26.1 % to 99.7 % and that of Cr(VI) by MOF-525(Fe) is decreased slightly from 99.6 % to 95.5 % as the pH increased from 3.0 to 8.0; besides, the adsorption capacity of Cu(Ⅱ) is enhanced in the presence of Cl− or PO43−, but that of Cr(VI) is significantly decreased. The adsorption processes of both MOF-525 for Cu(II) and MOF-525(Fe) for Cr(VI) are fitted better to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model, indicating they are mainly monolayer chemisorption. In addition, adsorption thermodynamics results demonstrate the adsorption processes are endothermic and spontaneous physisorption. The adsorption mechanisms investigations further revealing that the electrostatic interaction, reducing action, and coordination interaction are involved in the adsorption removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI); moreover, the surface precipitation is existed in the adsorption of Cu(II) and the hydrogen bonding is found in that of Cr(VI).

One-step rapid removal of Cu(II) complexes via dual-active-site MOF catalysis with Peroxymonosulfate: Cooperative oxidation and adsorption

The removal of heavy metal complexes (HMCs) from wastewater is challenging due to their structural stability. Traditional methods require advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for decomplexation, followed by chemical precipitation or adsorption. This study proposes a one-step approach using Co-imidazolate zeolitic framework-67 (ZIF-67) for simultaneous oxidation-decomplexation and in-situ adsorption of HMCs. The ZIF-67/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system achieves 97.8 % removal of Cu(II)-citric acid complex (Cu-CA) in 60 mins, even under alkaline conditions, and demonstrates strong selectivity against ions like Ca, Mg, Na, and humic acid (HA). It effectively treats various contaminated water sources, achieving over 90 % removal efficiency for Cu(II) complexes such as oxalic acid (OA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The mechanism involves sulfate radicals (SO4•−) and singlet oxygen (1O2) for decomplexation, followed by amine groups in MOFs capturing Cu(II) ions through coordination interactions. This work offers a straightforward one-step method for HMCs contamination mitigation.

Heavy metals removal by algae and usage of activated metal-enriched biomass as cathode catalyst for improving performance of photosynthetic microbial fuel cell

Cytotoxic, malignant, and mutagenic pollutants like heavy metals have emerged as a serious global threat to the ecosystem. Additionally, the quantity of noxious metals in water bodies has increased due to expanding industrial activities and the application of incompetent wastewater treatment techniques. Owing to the benefits of eco-friendly phytoremediation, the utilization of algae in photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC) for removal of heavy metals has attracted increasing attention among researchers. Therefore, a successful fabrication and operation of a modular PMFC for simultaneous algal biomass production was exhibited, thus resulting in significant removal efficiency of Cu(II) (94 %) and Co(II) (88 %). Moreover, Co(II)-accumulated algal biochar after thermal activation was utilized as a cathode catalyst for the first time and attained 64.2 mW/m2 of power density through PMFC. Hence, this easily synthesised green cathode catalyst proved its ability to enhance the overall performance of PMFC by attaining higher power output while treating wastewater.

Effective fabrication and characterization of eco-friendly nano particles composite for adsorption Cd (II) and Cu (II) ions from aqueous solutions using modelling studies

The public health and environment are currently facing significant risks due to the discharge of industrial wastewater, which contains harmful heavy metals and other contaminants. Therefore, there is a pressing need for sustainable and innovative technologies to treat wastewater. The main objective of this research was to develop novel composites known as chitosan, Padina pavonica, Fe(III), and nano MgO incorporated onto pomegranate peel with the specific purpose of removing Cd (II) and Cu (II) ions from aqueous solutions. The characterization of these nanocomposites involved the utilization of several analytical methods, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The efficiency of these nanocomposites was evaluated through batch mode experiments, investigating the impact of factors such as pH, initial concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dose on the adsorption of Cu(II) ions. The optimum conditions for the removal of ions were pH = 5 for Cu (II) and 6 for Cd (II), contact time: 120 min, adsorbent dosage: 0.2 g, initial metal ion concentration: 50 mg/L for each metal ion for the present study. The MgO@Pp demonstrated the highest removal efficiencies for Cu(II) and Cd(II) at 98.2% and 96.4%, respectively. In contrast, the CS@Fe-PA achieved removal efficiencies of 97.2% for Cu(II) and 89.2% for Cd(II). The modified MgO@Pp exhibited significantly higher total adsorption capacities for Cu(II) and Cd(II) at 333.3 and 200 mg/g, respectively, compared to CS@Fe-PA, which had capacities of 250 and 142 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption of Cd (II) and Cu (II) ions by MgO@Pp was found to be a spontaneous process. The R2 values obtained using the Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson models were the highest for the MgO@Pp composite, with values of 0.99, 0.988, 0.987, and 0.994, respectively, for Cu (II) and Cd (II). The pseudo-second-order equation was determined to be the best-fit kinetic model for this process. Reusability experiments confirmed that the adsorbents can be utilized for up to four regeneration cycles. Based on the findings of this study, MgO @ Pp is the most promising alternative and could be instrumental in developing strategies to address existing environmental pollution through adsorption.

Highly nanostructured and carboxylated wood aerogel-based adsorption membrane reconstructed by grafting of polyacrylic acid for efficient removal of heavy-metal ions

A highly nanostructured and carboxylated WA-PAA1.5 membrane was developed to remove heavy-metal ions from wastewater depended on wood nanotechnology and reconstruction of nanostructure by the grafting of polyacrylic acid (PAA). The combination of delignification and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-mediated −oxidation treatment transformed the bulk wood into wood aerogel with a microfibril network in the cell wall, providing abundant active hydroxyl sites. As a result, the PAA polymer was efficiently grafted onto cell wall and filled in the vessel and intercellular space, which reconstructed a highly nanostructured WA-PAA1.5 membrane with rich carboxyl groups (6.5 mmol/g). Correspondingly, the WA-PAA1.5 membrane manifested a superior adsorption capacity for Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Ni2+, which was around 248 mg/g, 268 mg/g, 255 mg/g and 276 mg/g, respectively. These values were significantly higher than most biomass-based adsorption materials due to the synergistic effect of the enhanced carboxyl groups and the reconstructed mesoporous structure. The adsorption mechanism investigation proved the chemical linkage between the carboxyl groups and Cu2+ in wastewater. Meanwhile, the WA-PAA1.5 membrane also displayed excellent recycle performance, in which the removal efficiency of Cu2+ still remained above 85 % after undergoing eight cycles. Furthermore, the multi-layer WA-PAA1.5 filtration device demonstrated exceptional removal efficiency for a variety of heavy-metal ions, indicating the availability in practical wastewater treatment. The prepared WA-PAA1.5 membrane in this study has promising potential to replace the present plastic-based materials for the removal of heavy-metal ions in wastewater because of the facile technology, high removal efficient and sustainability, as well as biodegradability.

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).

Decomplexation of Cu(II)-EDTA by heat assisted CuO catalyzed H2O2: Sequential addition of H2O2, kinetics, mechanism and catalyst reutilization

A Cu-Fenton oxidation, heat assisted CuO catalyzed H2O2 (H2O2/CuO/heat), has been successfully combined with alkaline precipitation to remove Cu complexes from wastewater. The decomplexation process of Cu(II)-EDTA by H2O2/CuO/heat involved heterogeneous and homogeneous Cu-Fenton reactions. The acidic reaction condition (pH 2), higher temperature (80 °C), and higher CuO dosage (2 g/L) could improve the rate-limiting step of reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) in Cu-Fenton reactions of H2O2/CuO/heat to release more reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the decomplexation of Cu(II)-EDTA. With the sequential addition of H2O2, the Cu removal efficiency of Cu(II)-EDTA (3.14 mM) could reach up to 99.86% after 60 min of treatment of H2O2/CuO/heat. ROS including OH•, O2•-, and 1O2 produced by H2O2/CuO/heat were responsible for the decomplexation of Cu(II)-EDTA. Under attacks of ROS, the structure destruction of Cu(II)-EDTA induced the release of Cu ions and the formation of some small molecule organic acids and inorganic anions. The technical feasibility of Cu complexes decomplexation by H2O2/CuO/heat was further demonstrated on the treatment of real Cu-containing electroplating wastewater. In all 30 cycles of experiments, generated CuO sludge could be reutilized and possessed excellent long-lasting catalytic activity. The Cu residual concentration in all cycles could meet the stringent emission standard of pollutants for electroplating.

Integration of metal organic framework nanoparticles into sodium alginate biopolymer-based three-dimensional membrane capsules for the efficient removal of toxic metal cations from water and real sewage

Sodium alginate (SA) biopolymer has been recognized as an efficient adsorbent material owing to their unique characteristics, including biodegradability, non-toxic nature, and presence of abundant hydrophilic functional groups. Accordingly, in the current research work, UiO-66-OH and UiO-66-(OH)2 metal organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles (NPs) have been integrated into SA biopolymer-based three-dimensional (3-D) membrane capsules (MCs) via a simple and facile approach to remove toxic metal cations (Cu2+ and Cd2+) from water and real sewage. The newly configured capsules were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, EDX and XPS analyses techniques. Exceptional sorption properties of the as-developed capsules were ensured by evaluation of the pertinent operational parameters, i.e., contents of MOF-NPs (1–100 wt%), adsorbent dosage (0.001–0.05 g), content time (0–360 h), pH (1–8), initial concentration of metal cations (5–1000 mg/L) and reaction temperature (298.15–333.15 K) on the eradication of Cu2+ and Cd2+ metal cations. It was found that hydrophilic functional groups (-OH and -COOH) have performed an imperative role in the smooth loading of MOF-NPs into 3-D membrane capsules via intra/inter-molecular hydrogen bonding and van der waals potencies. The maximum monolayer uptake capacities (as calculated by the Langmuir isotherm model) of Cd2+ and Cu2+ by 3-D SGMMCs-OH were 940 and 1150 mg/g, respectively, and by 3-D SGMMCs-(OH)2 were 1375 and 1575 mg/g, respectively, under optimum conditions. The as-developed capsules have demonstrated superior selectivity against targeted metal cations under designated pH and maintained >80 % removal efficiency up to six consecutive treatment cycles. Removal mechanisms of metal cations by the 3-D SGMMCs-OH/(OH)2 was proposed, and electrostatic interaction, ion-exchange, inner-sphere coordination bonds/interactions, and aromatic ligands exchange were observed to be the key removal mechanisms. Notably, FTIR and XPS analysis indicated that hydroxyl groups of Zr-OH and BDC-OH/(OH)2 aromatic linkers played vital roles in Cu2+ and Cd2+ adsorption by participating in inner-sphere coordination interactions and aromatic ligands exchange mechanisms. The as-prepared capsules indicated >70 % removal efficiency of Cu2+ from real electroplating wastewater in the manifestation of other competitive metal ions and pollutants under selected experimental conditions. Thus, it was observed that newly configured 3-D SGMMCs-OH/(OH)2 have offered a valuable discernment into the development of MOFs-based water decontamination 3-D capsules for industrial applications.

Self-powered sodium borohydride alkaline fuel cell for efficient removal of lead(II) and copper(II)

Heavy metals in industrial wastewater cause serious environmental pollution and they are easy to accumulate and difficult to degrade. Copper and lead are two typical heavy metals, and it is of great significance to remove them at the same time. This work shows a strategy of reducing and removing Pb(II) and Cu(II) by self-powered non-biological fuel cell (SP-nBFC) with dual-chamber reactor. Therein, sodium borohydride in alkaline solution as fuel (electron donor) was electrooxidized on nicke1 foam (NF) at anode and Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions (electron acceptors) in strong acidic solution were electro-reduced at Bi/MXene/GP cathode (bismuth nanoparticles and MXene modified graphite paper (GP)).Additionally, a proton exchange membrane, Nafion, was introduced into form complete circuit by offering ions channel. The results showed that Cu(II) and Pb(II) were reduced to Cu and Pb, and the SP-nBFC could produce electricity in this process without external energy consumption. The Bi/MXene/GP cathode could increase significantly removal efficiencies of Cu(II) and Pb(II), which were higher than about 37.0 %, 22.5 % for Cu(II) and 25.7 %, 16.3 % for Pb(II) than those of GP and MXene/GP cathode. This system could obtain a high Cu(II) removal efficiency (RE, 99.3 %) and moderate Pb(II) RE of 56.8 %, and acquire Cu and Pb sediments in cathode chamber. Furthermore, the proposed system could generate 923 mV of maximum potential and 1420 mW/m2 of maximum power density in 48 h. Thus, this SP-nBFC system provides a viable method for treatment of Cu(II) and Pb(II) pollution and generating electricity simultaneously, and also has prospective approach for other heavy metals remediation.

Hydroxyapatite incorporated metakaolin/sludge based geopolymer adsorbent for copper ions and ciprofloxacin removal: Synthesis, characterization and mechanisms

The efficacy of copper Cu(II) adsorption is significantly affected by the presence of antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (CIP). Therefore, researchers are highly interested in conducting extensive investigations on the simultaneous adsorption of Cu(II) and CIP. However, most of the adsorbents exhibited low adsorption capacity of CIP with increasing Cu(II) concentration due to the competition for adsorption sites. Hence, the integration of various adsorbents into a single composite could be an effective way to increase the adsorption sites. Thus, this study aims to incorporate hydroxyapatite (Hap) into metakaolin/sludge based geopolymer adsorbent for simultaneous adsorption of Cu(II) and CIP. The effect of different filler loading of Hap (1–3 %) on the metakaolin/sludge geopolymerization and also on the removal efficiency of Cu(II) and CIP were studied in a single and binary system. Moreover, the effects of varied concentrations of Cu(II) (0–100 mg/L) on the removal efficiency of CIP were investigated. Characterization techniques such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), brunauer-emmett-teller (BET) and neutron tomography imaging were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of the synthesized geopolymer. It was found that the Hap content has a significant impact on the removal efficiency of CIP and Cu(II). The addition of 2 % Hap providing more nucleation site for the increasing geopolymerization (C-A-S-H) and silicoalumino phosphate gel (SAP) leading to the formation of highly cross-linked geopolymer network and abundant active sites which would favour the adsorption. Moreover, the removal efficiency of CIP by 2 % Hap-geopolymer increased (25.6 % to 61.51 %) with increasing Cu(II) concentration by the complexation and bridging effect between Cu(II) and CIP resulting in the formation of GMK25S1-2Hap-Cu(II)-CIP complexes. Therefore, the hybrid method of geopolymer and Hap is an exceptionally efficient approach for the treatment of wastewater that comprises Cu(II) and CIP.

The Potential of Bentonite as a Low-cost Adsorbent for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Multicomponent Aqueous Systems of the Galvanic Industry

Waste water in the galvanic process contains high concentrations of heavy metals that pose a direct danger to humans and the environment. Conventional methods for their removal are quite expensive and generate a large amount of waste. The development of new and improvement of existing methods for the removal of heavy metals from galvanic wastewater are the subject of many studies. Compared to other purification methods, the adsorption is becoming an increasingly popular method of wastewater purification, especially if the adsorbent is cheap, easily available and does not require any other treatment before use. Therefore, the aim of the work was to investigate the possibility of using natural bentonite for the removal of heavy metal ions from multi-component water systems of the galvanic industry. For this purpose, the physico-chemical characterization of natural bentonite was performed, and then the influence of pH value, time and temperature on the adsorption efficiency was examined. The results of adsorption showed that natural bentonite can be used as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions from waste galvanic waters, and that at pH 5 it achieves the maximum removal efficiency for Cu(II):Cr(III):Ni(II) ions in the percentage ratio 100 : 99.990 : 99.998. The results showed that the highest removal efficiency for Cu (II) ions was achieved in the first 10 minutes, and 20 minutes for Cr (III) and Ni (II) ions. The maximum efficiency of Cu (II) removal was achieved at all temperatures, while for Cr (III) 99.99% and Ni (II) 100% maximum efficiency was achieved at 35°C, which indicates that the adsorption process is endothermic. The experimental results of the adsorption of Cu (II) metal ions are in good agreement with the Langmuir and Freundlich theoretical models, while for Cr (III) and Ni (II) ions they are in better agreement with the Langmuir adsorption model.

Highly efficient capacitive deionization of copper(Ⅱ) ions from wastewater in symmetric Ti3C2Tx MXene-based electrode: Performance, optimization and deionization mechanism

Due to the use of Cu(II) ions as catalysts, the production of polyacrylamide generates Cu-containing wastewater, constituting an environmental safety hazard and a waste of resources. This study proposes symmetric Ti3C2Tx MXene-based electrodes for capacitive deionization to remove Cu(II) ions from chemical wastewater as a clean, low-energy, and resource-recyclable method and investigates their performances and mechanisms. Results showed that the adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of Cu(II) ions could reach 49.4 mg·g−1 and 98.6% under the optimal experimental conditions (the initial Cu(II) ions concentration was 100.0 mg·L−1, imposed voltage of 1.0 V, circulation velocity of 25.0 mL·min−1, and the initial pH of 4.0). At the same time, the adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of Cu(II) ions in real copper-containing wastewater were 47.4 mg·g−1 and 97.7%. In addition, by analyzing the changes of the electrode, the mechanism of electroadsorption was determined to include capacitive electroadsorption (double layer with pseudo-capacitance synergy) and cathodic electrodeposition. Ultimately, by applying a reverse voltage, Ti3C2Tx MXene-based electrodes can be rapidly regenerated and recycled for continued use as catalysts. This simple operation has the advantage of potential economic benefits. Therefore, the Ti3C2Tx MXene-based electrodes can be used potentially to remove Cu(II) ions in practical applications for environmental remediation.

Recovery of Copper and Zinc from Livestock Bio-Sludge with An Environmentally Friendly Organic Acid Extraction.

Pig farmers in Taiwan tend to overdose copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in animal feeds to ensure pig health. The application of Cu- or Zn-rich livestock compost to fields can result in high Cu/Zn residues in surface soil and violate limitations for zinc and copper in land applications. This study aims to extract Cu and Zn from sludge using organic acid or H2O2/organic acids. The livestock bio-sludge was dried and treated with different concentrations of acetic acid (1N, 2N, and 4N). The acid-extracted sludge was then treated with or without adding H2O2 during different periods (4, 24, and 48 h) to investigate the efficiency of acid extraction of Cu and Zn. The supernatant of the acid-extracted product was separated from the residues through centrifugation. Experimental results showed that the treatment set of dried bio-sludge with 2% H2O2 significantly promoted the removal efficiency of Cu and Zn from the bio-sludge (p < 0.01). The best removal efficiency of Cu and Zn from the bio-sludge was 40% and 70%, respectively, using 4N acetic acid in the 48 h group. The study shows a green method for extracting Cu and Zn from livestock sludge, enhancing the sustainability of intensive livestock farming.

A Yokenella regensburgei strain effectively removes Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) through a combination of absorption and mineralization modes

Microbial-based heavy metal removal from wastewater is a widely embraced and environmentally friendly method. Nevertheless, its sustainability and efficacy necessitate further improvement. In this study, the strain Yokenella regensburgei GXAS49-I was isolated and characterized for its bioremediation potential. The strain exhibited remarkable resistance to heavy metals, demonstrating a high removal efficiency of 85 % and 90 % for Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively. The extracellular polymeric substance of GXAS49-I, rich in CO and CO groups, facilitated heavy metal adsorption and played a role in the removal of heavy metal ions. Additionally, GXAS49-I produced hydrogen sulfide, transforming heavy metals into sulfide sediments. Immobilizing GXAS49-I on aerobic granular sludge ensured consistently high removal efficiency for Cu(II) and Pb(II) over four consecutive cycles. The unique dual modes of absorption and mineralization of heavy metals by GXAS49-I, in conjunction with aerobic granular sludge immobilization, position it as an excellent candidate for the sustainable and effective removal of hazardous metals.

Modeling Cu removal from aqueous solution using sawdust based on response surface methodology.

Copper (Cu), as one of the heavy metals widely used in industrial and agricultural activities, has a fundamental role in the pollution of water resources. Therefore, removing Cu from the aqueous solutions is considered an important challenge in the purification of water resources. Thus, in this study, sawdust with a diameter of 260-600 μm was used to remove Cu from the aqueous solutions. At first, sawdust was washed using distilled water and dried at laboratory temperature. Cu absorption experiments in closed conditions were performed based on the central composite design (CCD) model and with a range of initial Cu concentrations equal to 1-25 mgl-1. The amount of changes for other variables, including pH, time, and amount of sawdust, was equal to 2-10, 5-185 (min), and 5-25 (gl-1), respectively. After the completion of each test, the remaining Cu concentration in the solution was measured using atomic absorption, and the percentage of Cu removed was determined from the difference between the initial and final concentrations. The results showed that the CCD model has a favorable ability to predict Cu removal from the aqueous solutions (R2=0.90 and RSME=3.34%). Based on the Pareto analysis, contact time, the amount of sawdust, pH, and the Cu concentration had the most significant effect on removing Cu from the solution. Contact time, amount of sawdust, and pH were directly related, and the amount of dissolved Cu was proportional to the removal of Cu from the solution. Therefore, sawdust is desirable as a natural adsorbent, and the removal efficiency of Cu from solutions with low Cu concentration is very high (94%). In this regard, it is advised to use sawdust in the process of targeting Cu and heavy metals due to its low cost and availability.