Removal Rate Of Cr Research Articles

Evaluation of Cr(VI) Removal from Tanning Effluents Using Magnetic Nanoparticles of Fe3O4 Synthesized with Olea europaea Bone Extract.

The tanning industry generates effluents with high chromium content, which require treatment prior to discharge into the sewage system. This article explores the use of magnetic magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions, such as tanning effluents. The MNPs were synthesized by coprecipitation reaction using the Olea europaea extract as a reducing agent. Subsequently, they were characterized by dynamic light scattering spectroscopy (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). MNPs with irregular morphology and diameters ranging from 73.28 to 162.90 nm were obtained. Cr(VI) removal was performed using jar test methodology, and its efficiency was evaluated in the laboratory for different initial Cr(VI) (mg/L) concentration and nanoparticle (g/L) concentration. A kinetic study was developed and indicated that the equilibrium adsorption mechanism corresponds to a pseudo-second-order model. Furthermore, the isotherm analysis revealed that chromium adsorption best fits the Langmuir isotherm. Finally, Cr(VI) removal rates from 85% to 100% were achieved in tanning and retanning effluents.

Fabrication of abundantly functionalized dendritic biochar composites as adsorbents for the high-efficiency removal of heavy metal ions and dyes

A novel polymer modified biochar composite material (MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA)) with dendritic structure, abundant functional groups and easy recovery was synthesized, which exhibited excellent removal capacity for Cr(VI), Lemon-Yellow (LY) and Malachite Green (MG). The prepared MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA) was characterized via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transmission infrared spectra (FT-IR), proving to be with abundant functional groups and pore structure. The adsorption capacities for Cr(VI), LY and MG were 421.79, 1169.14 and 1231.53 mg/g, respectively, surpassing the capacities of most previously reported materials in recent years. Additionally, the effects of many factors on adsorption performance were explored. Experimental results indicated that the adsorption of Cr(VI), LY and MG on MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA) followed pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. Furthermore, MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA) still displayed excellent removal capacity for Cr(VI), LY and MG after five reuse cycles. Moreover, different real water samples such as lake water, tap water were used to measure removal efficiency of Cr(VI), LY and MG. The results indicated that removal rates of Cr(VI), LY, and MG were not less than 86.26 %, 98.25 %, and 97.98 %. Meanwhile, MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA) could maintain removal rate of 85.35 % even after continuously filtering a large number of pollutants solution in adsorption column, revealing its promising applicability for efficient removal of dyes and heavy metal ions. Surprisingly, MNBC@p(HGMA-co-PSS-b-AA) not only quickly adsorbed Cr(VI), but also enabled the concentration of Cr(VI) after adsorption to meet the World Health Organization standard for drinking water. Additionally, FT-IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggested that adsorption mechanisms for Cr(VI) were hole filling, redox reaction and electrostatic interaction and adsorption mechanisms for LY and MG were hole filling, π–π interaction, π–π electron donor–acceptor (π–π EDA) interaction, electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bond.

Reductive sequestration of Cr (VI) by phosphorylated nanoscale zerovalent iron

The cracked phosphorylated nanoscale zerovalent iron (p-nZVI) has a strong electron selectivity towards the reductive removal of many heavy metal ions in waters. However, the unintended environmental risk after interactions with impurities or wastewater are not involved. Therefore, in this study, the phosphate group was successfully adsorbed into p-nZVI, and the cracked p-nZVI was successfully prepared with an optimal P/Fe ratio of 0.5%. The dosages of p-nZVI and temperatures were positively correlated with the removal rates. The removal process of Cr(VI) was more suitable by the Langmuir isothermal model（R2 > 0.99). The process of Cr (VI) (10, 20 and 40 mg/L) removal more fitted the pseudo first-order reaction model, while the process of Cr (VI) (60, 80 mg/L) removal more fitted the pseudo second-order reaction model. The Cr (VI) removal rates gradually decreased when the pH was increased. Dissolved oxygen slowed nanoiron reaction rates. The order of inhibition on the reactivity towards Cr(VI) was SiO32− > SO42− > PO43− > NO3− > HCO3−.The facilitation followed the order of Cd2+>Cu2+>Mg2+>Mn2+>Ca2+. Ca2+ showed an inhibitory effect, but all other cations showed different degrees of facilitation. The promotion effect is relatively similar in presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+. HA had a significant inhibitory effect. Environmental friendly p-nZVI had a good effect in simulated groundwater, seawater, river water and secondary effluent of the urban sewage treatment plant. The main pathway to remove Cr (VI) was in situ reduction by p-nZVI. The improved adsorption and reduction effect of p-nZVI on heavy metal ions in water was due to the structural change and the phosphate group.

Enhanced Fe(ii)/Fe(iii) cycle by boron enabled efficient Cr(vi) removal with microscale zero-valent iron.

Recently, researchers have been paying much attention to zero-valent iron (ZVI) in the field of pollution remediation. However, the depressed electron transport from the iron reservoir to the iron oxide shell limited the wide application of ZVI. This study was aimed at promoting the performance of microscale ZVI (mZVI) for hexavalent chromium (Cr(vi)) removal by accelerating iron cycle with the addition of boron powder. It was found that the addition of boron powder enhanced the Cr(vi) removal rate by 2.1 times, and the proportion of Cr(iii) generation after Cr(vi) removal process also increased, suggesting that boron could promote the reduction pathway of Cr(vi) to Cr(iii). By further comparing the Cr(vi) removal percentage of Fe(iii) with or without the boron powder, we found that boron powder could promote the percentage removal of Cr(vi) with Fe(iii) from 10.1% to 33.6%. Moreover, the presence of boron powder could decrease the potential gap values (ΔEp) between Fe(iii) reduction and Fe(ii) oxidation from 0.668 V to 0.556 V, further indicating that the added boron powder could act as an electron sacrificial agent to promote the reduction process of Fe(iii) to Fe(ii), and thus enhancing the reduction of Cr(vi) with Fe(ii). This study shed light on the promoted mechanism of Cr(vi) removal with boron powder and provided an environmentally friendly and efficient approach to enhance the reactivity of the mZVI powder, which would benefit the wide application of mZVI technology in the environmental remediation field.

Enhanced photoreduction efficiency of Cr(VI) driven by visible light in a new Zr-based metal-organic framework modified by hydroxyl groups.

While metal-organic framework (MOF) photocatalysts have demonstrated a unique Cr(VI) photoreduction capability in recent decades, their performance is still insufficient for practical applications because of their low Cr(VI) uptake and poor visible light response. To cope with these drawbacks, a new OH-modified Zr-based MOF, termed HCMUE-1, was successfully prepared via a solvothermal method in this work. The complete characterization of HCMUE-1 was performed through various techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtained data exhibited the excellent Cr(VI) photoreduction efficiency of HCMUE-1, reaching up to 98% after 90 min and almost 100% after 120 min under visible light illumination in a low acidic medium. Noteworthily, HCMUE-1 retained the same Cr(VI) removal rate for at least seven cycles without considerable loss. Further experimental investigations demonstrated that the structural stability and surface morphology of HCMUE-1 were retained after photoreduction. Moreover, the photocatalytic reduction mechanism of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was interpreted through a series of systematic experimental measurements. These results indicate that HCMUE-1 possesses potential as an efficient photocatalyst for reducing toxic Cr(VI) species from wastewater in real-life conditions.

Biosynthesis of biogenic ferrous sulfide as a potential electron shuttle for enhanced Cr(VI) removal by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1

Biological reduction of Cr(VI) is considered to be one of the most efficient approaches for bioremediation of Cr(VI) contaminated sites, but the slow electron transfer rate between microorganisms and Cr(VI) is a bottleneck for its practical application. The addition of ecofriendly electron shuttle can provide an effective solution to this bottleneck. In this study, a novel electron shuttle of biogenic ferrous sulfide (Bio-FeS) was biosynthesized by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1(MR-1) and employed to improve the extracellular electron transfer (EET) rate from MR-1 strain to Cr(VI) and accelerate reduction of Cr(VI). Results showed that the Cr(VI) removal rates by MR-1 was remarkably increased by 12.4 times with the addition of Bio-FeS as electron shuttle. The Cr(VI) reduction was highly pH dependent. Electrochemical analysis confirmed that the presence of Bio-FeS can accelerate EET process. The mechanism analysis indicated that Bio-FeS enhance Cr(VI) reduction by MR-1 through promoting the secretion of more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and enhancing EET rate. Most of Cr(VI) was converted to Cr(III) by MR-1, and then is removed from the solution in the form of precipitations, and EPS play a crucial role in Cr(VI) reduction, adsorption and complexation. This study demonstrates the significant influence of Bio-FeS on Cr(VI) reduction and provides a promising technology for the development of cost-effective Cr(VI) remediation technologies.

Facile synthesis of direct Z-scheme PPy/NH2-UiO-66 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction, industrial electroplating wastewater treatment, and tetracycline degradation

Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts generally have excellent redox ability and robust removal efficiency for contaminants in water. Herein, we combined p-type PPy and n-type NH2-UiO-66 by ball milling to prepare a direct Z-scheme PPy/NH2-UiO-66 photocatalyst with ultra-high redox potential. Notably, the optimized efficiency of PPy/NH2-UiO-66 (the mass ratio of PPy to NH2-UiO-66 is 1 wt%, named PPy/NU-1) rapidly reduced Cr(VI) (>95%, 60 min) and TC degradation (>90%, 180 min) at 100 W LED light. Moreover, the PPy/NU-1 has high stability and good anti-interference ability, which can effectively remove Cr(VI) from industrial electroplating wastewater, and the Cr(VI) removal rate is 99%, which meets the industrial wastewater standard and has the potential attraction of actual wastewater treatment. In addition, the techniques of UV-Vis diffuse reflection, electron spin resonance (ESR), photoluminescence (PL), and photoelectrochemical measurement showed that PPy/NH2-UiO-66 composites improved the light capture ability, thereby improving the photocatalytic efficiency. The PPy/NU-1 has a very high redox potential by constructing a Z-scheme heterojunction, enhances the interfacial charge transfer ability, and improves the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. Finally, the mechanism of the Z-scheme was systematically by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and p-phthalic acid (TA) transformation, ESR experiments, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work provides a strategy for the preparation of visible photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic activity and provides new insights for interfacial charge transfer and molecular oxygen activation.

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents as the green media for highly efficient extraction of Cr(VI) over a broad pH range and low oil-water ratio

The occurrence of Cr(VI) ions in aquatic ecosystems poses serious public health risks, making the development of effective removal technology for Cr(VI) ions urgent. This study presents a green and effective method for extracting Cr(VI) ions using hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) composed of tetran-octyl ammonium bromide and carboxylic acids. The results show that the extraction efficiency of [N8888][Br]-C6OOH(1:2) for Cr(VI) is as high as 98.2 % for high concentration of Cr(VI) (500 mg⋅g−1) with a low oil–water ratio of 1:66. Surprisingly, these HDESs demonstrate remarkable efficacy in extracting Cr(VI) ions over a broad pH range and at a low oil–water ratio, even in the presence of multiple competing ions. A serious of kinetic, thermodynamic, and spectroscopic experiments suggested that the extraction mechanism of Cr(VI) ions is a synergistic dissolution diffusion and ion exchange. As a proof of concept, we have successfully demonstrated the application of prepared HDESs for extracting trace amounts of Cr(VI) ions from H3PO4 solutions with varying mass fractions, and the extraction process resulted in a Cr(VI) removal rate that achieved 99.7 %. Furthermore, the extraction performance HDESs for Cr(VI) ions remained nearly unchanged after eight cycles of continuous extraction and regeneration. Impressively, a precipitation method was also employed to convert the isolated Cr(VI) ions into valuable BaCrO4. The research findings provide valuable insights for the development of highly efficient Cr(VI) extractants.

Fabrication of Iron-Containing Biochar by One-Step Ball Milling for Cr(VI) and Tetracycline Removal from Wastewater.

Simple ball milling technology can simultaneously improve the adsorption performance of adsorbents for heavy metals and organic pollutants and has attracted increasing attention. Iron-modified biochar (Fe@MBC) was prepared by one-step ball milling, and the characterization results proved that FeCl3 was successfully loaded on biochar. The removal rates of Cr(VI) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) by Fe@MBC were increased by 88.27% and 82.64% compared with BC. The average pore size, oxygen-containing functional groups and graphitization degree of Fe@MBC are higher than those of BC, which is more conducive to promoting adsorption. The adsorption isotherms show that the adsorption of Cr(VI) and TC on the Fe@MBC surface conforms to the Langmuir type of single-layer adsorption and the Freundlich model of multilayer adsorption, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities of Cr(VI) and TC are 25.46 and 66.91 mg·g-1, respectively. Kinetic experiments show that the adsorption process is more consistent with the pseudo-second-order model of chemical adsorption. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) and TC on the Fe@MBC surface is a spontaneous endothermic process that becomes more obvious as the temperature increases. The increase in solution pH has a significant impact on the removal rate of Fe@MBC. When the pH value increased from 3 to 11, the adsorption rates decreased by 53.74% and 17.16%, respectively. The presence of PO43-, CO32-, K+, and Cu2+ significantly affects the adsorption of TC by Fe@MBC, and PO43- and CO32- also affect the adsorption of Cr(VI). Mechanistic studies show that ion exchange, electrostatic interaction, pore filling, and hydrogen bonding contribute to the removal of Cr(VI) and TC by Fe@MBC. The removal mechanism of Cr(VI) also involves complexation and redox reactions, and the removal mechanism of TC involves π-π bonds and van der Waals forces. The results show that Fe@MBC is a green and efficient adsorbent.

Carbon sphere@layered double hydroxides filled cellulose nanofibers aerogel for Cr(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution

ABSTRACT Carbon sphere@layered double hydroxides filled cellulose nanofibers (ACS@LDHs/CNF) aerogel was successfully synthesized. The removal rate of Cr(VI) using ACS@LDHs/CNFs aerogel at a solid-liquid ratio of 1 g/L was 89.4%, which was higher compared to the removal rate of 65.2% using LDHs alone. The adsorption capacity of ACS@LDHs/CNFs for Cr(VI) was determined to be 44.9 mg/g. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, and the isotherm data showed good agreement with the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) onto ACS@LDHs/CNFs aerogel was also investigated. Additionally, the ACS@LDHs/CNFs aerogel demonstrated consistent high adsorption efficiency over 4 consecutive cycles of adsorption-regeneration.

Poly(2-vinylpyridine)/MCM-41 Composites with Micropores and Switchable Mesopores for the Removal of Cr(VI).

Porous structure design and reversible regulation of pore size during adsorption-desorption are crucial to the removal of pollutants in water such as Cr(VI). In this paper, micropores and switchable mesopores were constructed on MCM-41 to further improve adsorption-desorption performance of Cr(VI) via the confinement effect of micropores and opening and closing of mesopores. 2-Vinylpyridine was introduced and polymerized into the pores and on the pore mouth of MCM41 modified by C═C group (AM41) under the irradiation of ultraviolet light. The obtained samples (PM41) possessed mesopores (2.73 nm) and micropores (1.36 nm), where mesopores could open or close under different pH and micropores showed the confinement effect because their pore size is close to Cr(VI) diameter (0.87 nm). Compared with MCM-41, the introduction of poly(2-vinylpyridine) enhanced obviously its adsorptive ability and it trapped most of the Cr(VI) (99%) in solution, 12 times higher than that of the parent sample. The change of pore size is favorable to the cycle performance, and after 3 times recycling, the removal rate of Cr(VI) by PM41-20 remained above 88%. Langmuir isotherm showed a better data correlation than the Freundlich model. Cr(VI) in solution was removed by electrostatic interaction between the pyridine group and Cr(VI) and the confinement effect from micropores.

Electrochemical activation of biochar and energy-saving hydrogen production by regulation of biochar-assisted water electrolysis

Biochar-assisted water electrolysis (BAWE)hasthepotentialto reduce the electricity consumption of hydrogen production. However, prolonged electrolysis leads to over-oxidation of biochar, reduced reactivity, and decreasing hydrogen production at cathode. Herein, we proposed the electrochemical activation of biochar via limited biochar oxidation reaction (BOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in BAWE process, and the upgraded biochar was employed to remove Cr(VI). Distinct biochar was first pyrolyzed from three kinds of representative biomass components, cellulose, lignin, and their mixture at different temperatures. All of them exhibited excellent BOR activity, especially the biochar derived by the pyrolyzed cellulose and lignin at 800 °C (MBC-800) required a potential as low as 1.319 V vs. RHE@1 mA cm−2 using Pt electrode in 1 M KOH and achievedaFaraday efficiencyalmost 100%for hydrogen production. BAWE presented an energy-saving electrical consumption of 4.98 kWh Nm−3 H2 compared to the conventional water electrolysis of 5.32 kWh Nm−3 H2. Electrochemical oxidation enriched the oxygen-containing groups on biochar surface, which significantly improved its reductivity towards Cr(VI) and complexation with Cr(III), leading to the removal rate of Cr(VI) more than doubled. Results showed the achievement of electrochemical activation of biochar by limited electrooxidation. These findings provide a new route for the high-value utilization of biochar and energy-saving electrolytic hydrogen production.

Insight into a novel composite biosorbent by incorporating chitosan into electrolytic manganese residue for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions

A novel adsorbent was obtained by using a typical solid waste electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) and a green material chitosan (CS) for the Cr(VI) removal from the aqueous environment. The tagged mineral phases and elements in the EMR were successfully detected in the synthesized composites according to the XRD and SEM-EDS results. Furthermore, the characteristic peak of metal and hydroxyl group binding appeared at 779 cm−1, and the Si-O bending vibration at 454 cm−1 in the FT-IR pattern of the synthesized composites indicating the functional Fe and Mn hydroxyl groups and the silicates in EMR were all successfully grafted onto the CS. This obtained composite showed a high Cr adsorption capacity with a maximum adsorption capacity of 133.64 mg·g−1, and the Cr(VI) removal rate could maintain a high level of 94.6 % after five adsorption–desorption cycles. Its adsorption isotherm matched with the Langmuir model, and the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-first-order model. According to the response surface CCD model, the optimal conditions for Cr(VI) removal were pH at 2, contact time at 53.0 min, and initial concentration at 100 mg·L-1. For the removal mechanism, Cr(VI) anions could be easily electrostatic adsorbed by –NH3+, or chelated with the Fe and Mn oxides. Meanwhile, partial Cr(VI) (∼35.7 %) was reduced into Cr(III) by the abundant hydroxyl group of chitosan on the surface of the as-obtained materials, and then the free Cr(III) could be easily chelated with three chitosan monomers. This work opens up a novel and green methodology to modify chitosan and reuse the solid waste EMR.

Performance evaluation of sulfidated nanoscale iron for hexavalent chromium removal from groundwater in sequential batch study.

Chromium [Cr] contamination in groundwater is one of the serious environmental concerns due to the carcinogenicity of its water-soluble and mobile hexavalent [Cr(VI)] form. In spite of the existence of multiple precipitation and adsorption-based Cr(VI) remediation technologies, the usage of sulfidated nano zerovalent iron (S-nZVI) has recently attracted researchers due to its high selectivity. Although S-nZVI effectively immobilized Cr(VI), its long-term performance in multiple shifted equilibrium has not been explored. In this contribution, influences of S-nZVI dosage, initial concentration of Cr(VI), pH, ionic strength, total hardness, sulfate, carbonate, and silicate were probed in ultrapure water. Further experiments were performed in synthetic groundwater to investigate the effects of initial concentration of Cr(VI) in the pH range of 4-8 for 1g L-1 S-nZVI dosage. Cr(VI) removal rate was quantified in groundwater without pH fixation. Finally, a comparative study between conventional nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) and S-nZVI was conducted in sequential batch reactors to investigate their respective efficiencies during repeated usage. Mechanistic interpretation of the processes governing the immobilization of Cr(VI) was done by integrating the results of these experiments with the metadata. While aggregation due to magnetic properties and rapid oxidation of Fe decreased the efficiency of nZVI with repeated usage, sulfidation minimized the passivation and favored an extended reducing environment because of continuous electron transfer from iron and sulfur components.

PANI/MCM-41 adsorption for removal of Cr(VI) ions and its application in enhancing electrokinetic remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil.

In this study, a polyaniline/mesoporous silica (PANI/MCM-41) composite material that can be used as a filler for permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was prepared by in situ polymerization. Firstly, the adsorption capacity of PANI/MCM-41 on Cr (VI) in solution was investigated. The results show that the prepared PANI/MCM-41 exhibits a significant Cr (VI) adsorption capacity (~ 340mg/g), and the adsorption process is more accurately described by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic functions evidenced that the Cr(VI) adsorption was an endothermic spontaneous process. In addition, adsorption-desorption cycle experiments proved the excellent reusability of the material. Subsequently, the material was utilized as a filler in the PRB for the remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil using electrokinetic-permeable reactive barrier (EK-PRB) technology. The results show that compared with traditional electrokinetic remediation, the use of PANI/MCM-41 as an active filler can enlarge the current during remediation and enhance the conductivity of soil, which increases the removal rates of total Cr and Cr(VI) in soil (17.4% and 10.2%).

Enhancing electrokinetic remediation of TPH-Cr(VI) co-contaminated soils with biochar-immobilized bacteria as biological permeable reactive barriers

The co-contamination soil caused by petroleum pollution poses a significant challenge for remediation. The complexity of pollution composition and interaction increases the difficulty of the remediation process. This study established a methodology that employs biochar-immobilized bacteria to enhance the electrokinetic (EK) remediation technique. A 25-day experiment was conducted in the laboratory to remediate co-contaminated soil with total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH) (9252.51 mg/kg) and Cr (VI) (147.17 mg/kg). The results indicate that adding biochar-immobilized bacteria leads to the most effective remediation performance in the EK system. Compared to the standalone EK remediation, TPH removal efficiency increased by 22.57 %, and the removal rate of Cr (VI) increased by 53.15 %. The study also examined the response of microbial communities in the remediation system. The study results on microbial diversity reveal that introducing the EK system reduces the diversity of soil microbial communities. In contrast, incorporating biochar-immobilized bacteria impacts the microbial community structure in the soil, enhancing microbial communities’ stability. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of adding biochar-immobilized bacteria in enhancing EK remediation of co-contaminated soil and its impact on microbial community structure.

Effect of oxide interactions on chromium speciation transformation during simulated municipal solid waste incineration

Chromium released during municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) is toxic and carcinogenic. The removal of chromium from simulated MSWI flue gas by four sorbents (CaO, bamboo charcoal (BC), powdered activated carbon (PAC), and Al2O3) and the effects of four oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO) on chromium speciation transformation were investigated. The results showed that the removal rates of total Cr by the four sorbents were Al2O3 < CaO < PAC < BC, while the removal rates of Cr(VI) by the four sorbents were Al2O3 < PAC < BC < CaO. CaO had a strong oxidizing effect on Cr(III), while BC and PAC had a better-reducing effect on Cr(VI). SiO2 was better for the reduction of Na2CrO4 and K2CrO4 above 1000°C due to its strong acidity, and the addition of CaO significantly inhibited the reduction of Cr(VI). MgCrO4 decomposed above 700°C to form MgCr2O4, and the reaction between MgCrO4 and oxides also existed in the form of a more stable trivalent spinel. Furthermore, when investigating the effect of oxides on the oxidation of Cr(III) in CrCl3, it was discovered that CaO promoted the conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), while the presence of chlorine caused chromium to exist in the form of Cr(V), and increasing the content of CaO and extending the heating time facilitated the oxidation of Cr(III). In addition, silicate, aluminate, and ferrite were generated after the addition of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, which reduced the alkalinity of CaO and had an important role in inhibiting the oxidation of Cr(III). The acidic oxides can not only promote the reduction of Cr(VI) but also have an inhibitory effect on the oxidation of Cr(III) ascribed to alkali metals/alkaline earth metals, and the proportion of acidic oxides can be increased moderately to reduce the generation of harmful substances in the hazardous solid waste heat treatment.

Preparation of Modified Biochar and Its Adsorption of Cr(VI) in Aqueous Solution

In recent years, wastewater containing heavy metal chromium has been discharged into water bodies. Metal chromium not only destroys the water environment but also poses a threat to human life and health. In order to solve the problem of chromium pollution more effectively, this study used corn straw as raw material to prepare biochar (MB) and used three methods: acid (HCl), alkali (NaOH) and metal salt (FeCl3) to modify biochar (HMB, NaMB and FeMB) and investigated the strengthening effect of modified biochar on Cr(VI) adsorption. The morphology and surface chemical composition of biochar were studied by XRD, SEM, XPS, FITR and other characterization methods. It was found that the modification of HCl, NaOH and FeCl3 improved the physical and chemical properties of MB (such as crystal structure, specific surface area, pore size and surface composite film), thus promoting the adsorption of Cr(VI). At the same time, an adsorption single-factor experiment, adsorption kinetics experiment, isothermal adsorption experiment and cyclic regeneration experiment were carried out on the four adsorbents. The effects of biochar on Cr(VI) adsorption performance under different pH, Cr(VI) initial concentration, biochar dosage and time were compared, and the adsorption mechanism of four adsorbents on Cr(VI) in aqueous solution was studied. It was found that the FeCl3-modified biochar provided more adsorption sites for chromium ions due to the successful loading of Fe, Fe3+ and iron oxide particles onto the MB surface to form a composite film, and the Fe-O groups introduced by the composite film formed a coordinated adsorption with dichromate ions. At 25 °C and pH = 2, FeMB reached saturation at 1440 min, the maximum adsorption capacity was 23.4 mg/g and its removal rate of Cr(VI) remained above 45% after five cycles. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was significantly enhanced.

Assessing the effect of sulfate on the anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled with Cr(VI) bioreduction by sludge characteristic and metagenomics analysis

Methane-driven hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) reduction in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) has attracted much attention. However, whether the presence of sulfate (SO42−) affects the reduction of Cr(VI) is still lacking in systematic studies. This study involved constructing a MFC-granular sludge (MFC-GS) coupling system with dissolved methane (CH4) was used as the electron donor to investigate the effect of SO42− on Cr(VI) bioreduction, sludge characteristic, and functional metabolic mechanisms. When the SO42− concentration was 10 mg/L, the average removal rate of Cr(VI) in the anaerobic stage decreased to the lowest value (22.25 ± 2.06%). Adding 10 mg/L SO42− obviously inhibited the electrochemical performance of the system. Increasing SO42− concentration weakened the fluorescence peaks of tryptophan and aromatic proteins in the extracellular polymeric substance of sludge. Under the influence of SO42−, Methanothrix_soehngenii decreased from 14.44% to 5.89%. The relative abundance of methane metabolic was down-regulated from 1.47% to 0.98%, while the sulfur metabolic was up-regulated from 0.09% to 0.21% when SO42− was added. These findings provided some reference for the treatment of wastewater containing Cr(VI) and SO42− complex pollutants in the MFC-GS coupling system.

Cr(VI) removal from wastewater using nano zero-valent iron and chromium-reducing bacteria.

Significant global efforts are currently underway to alleviate the presence of toxic metals in water bodies, aiming to encourage a sustainable environment. Nevertheless, the scientific community has yet to methodically inspect the performance and mechanisms underlying the interaction between nanomaterials and microorganisms in this context. Therefore, this study seeks to address this knowledge gap by developing a novel system that integrates nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) with chromium-reducing bacteria (CrRB) to efficiently remove Cr(VI) from water sources. The combined use of RBC600 and CrRB resulted in a Cr(VI) removal rate of 77.73%, displaying a substantial improvement of 17.61% compared to the use of CrRB alone. The efficacy of Cr(VI) elimination was observed to be affected by several factors within the system, such as the pH value, the quantity of nZVI added, the degree of CrRB inoculation, and the initial concentration of Cr(VI) at the onset of the experiment. When the pH was adjusted to 5, the complete removal of 200 mg/L Cr(VI) was achieved within 36 h. Increasing the dosage of nZVI to above 2 g/L resulted in the complete elimination of Cr(VI) from the solution within 72 h. This can be attributed to the availability of more reaction sites for the reduction of Cr(VI), facilitated by the higher nZVI dose. Additionally, the increased dose of nZVI allowed for the dissolution of more reactive Fe(II) ions. The characterization analysis, high-throughput sequencing, and fluorescence quantitative PCR results have established that CrRB and its extracellular polymer effectively reduce and complex Cr(VI). This process facilitated the dissolution of the passivated layer on the surface of nZVI, thus significantly enhancing the efficiency of nZVI in responding to Cr(VI). Additionally, the presence of nZVI created a favorable living environment for CrRB, resulting in increased richness and diversity within the CrRB community. These findings provide valuable preliminary insights into the mechanism underlying Cr(VI) elimination by the synergistic interaction between nZVI and CrRB. Therefore, this study establishes a solid theoretical foundations for the application of nano-bio synergy in the remediation of Cr(VI).