Effects Of Solution Chemistry Research Articles

Struvite-based phosphorus recovery from the concentrated bioeffluent by using HFO nanocomposite adsorption: Effect of solution chemistry

Here we reported struvite-based phosphorous recovery from the concentrated desorption effluent of a proprietary hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) nanocomposite (HFO-201) system, and the effect of solution chemistry (alkalinity, salinity, and dissolved organic matter (DOM)) on struvite formation was particularly focused on. The optimum P recovery rate (∼97%) and high quality struvite was obtained at 25°C, pH 9.0–9.5, and the molar Mg:NH4:P ratio of 1.4:4:1. The reaction reached equilibrium within ∼30min, much faster than the reported high purity struvite formation at neutral pH (several days required). It largely relied on the absence of Ca2+ in the desorption effluent due to the Donnon co-ion effect exerted by HFO-201. Thermodynamic modelling with Stockholm humic model revealed that the presence of salinity and DOM resulted in a lower saturation index (SI) of struvite, thus inhibiting P recovery by struvite. Nevertheless, it is favorable to form struvite of large particle size. In addition, increasing the molar Mg:NH4:P ratio from 1:1:1 to 1.4:4:1 could significantly weaken the adverse effect of the high salinity and DOM. Direct addition of Ca2+ could also result in phosphorous recovery, but the P content of the resultant solid (∼4.4%) is much lower than the formed struvite (∼17%). The results indicated that struvite process is a very attractive option to recover P from the desorption effluent, and the effect of solution chemistry is crucial to optimize the process.

Application of a FO/MD-combined system for the desalination of saline solution

The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the effects of draw solution (DS) chemistry on the performance of a forward osmosis (FO)/membrane distillation (MD)-combined system, and to apply the integrated system to the desalination of a saline solution. Extraction of pure water from saline water was conducted by the FO process, and subsequent production of fresh water and recovery of draw solutes from the DS diluted by the FO process were achieved by MD. Experiments at various temperatures, concentrations, and types of DS showed that the diffusion coefficient of the draw solutes and interaction of the salt ions with water molecules caused severe effects on the performance of the integral system, along with the temperature and concentration of the DS. This study suggests that optimum operating conditions and selection of proper draw solutes with higher diffusion coefficients and lower hydrophilicities can make the FO/MD-combined process a promising candidate for the desalination of saline water.

Tuning solution chemistry for morphology control of lithium-ion battery precursor particles

Many battery materials are synthesized via calcination of precursor particle powders with a lithium source. The precursor particles frequently are made via coprecipitation reactions, and a number of combinations of coprecipitation agents have been demonstrated previously. Detailed control over the morphology of precursor particles and the resulting final electrode materials would be highly desirable, but currently detailed understanding of the impact of synthesis conditions on precursor morphology are lacking. Herein, tunable monodisperse MnCO3 particles for Li-ion battery precursors of varying size and shape were synthesized through batch coprecipitation. The effect of solution chemistry on final particle morphology was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy and considered in the context of solution equilibrium calculations and nucleation and growth of precipitate crystals. The tunability of MnCO3 particle morphology with reagent concentration was demonstrated with transitions from rhombohedra to cubes to spheres to smaller spheres with regards to overall secondary particle structures. Other experimental factors were also examined to further understand the processes resulting in the transitions in MnCO3 morphology. Precursor particles were calcined to form LiMn2O4 to verify the ability to maintain the tunable morphology in the final battery materials and to confirm suitability for battery cathodes.

Beyond temperature: Clumped isotope signatures in dissolved inorganic carbon species and the influence of solution chemistry on carbonate mineral composition

“Clumped-isotope” thermometry is an emerging tool to probe the temperature history of surface and subsurface environments based on measurements of the proportion of 13C and 18O isotopes bound to each other within carbonate minerals in 13C18O16O22− groups (heavy isotope “clumps”). Although most clumped isotope geothermometry implicitly presumes carbonate crystals have attained lattice equilibrium (i.e., thermodynamic equilibrium for a mineral, which is independent of solution chemistry), several factors other than temperature, including dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) speciation may influence mineral isotopic signatures. Therefore we used a combination of approaches to understand the potential influence of different variables on the clumped isotope (and oxygen isotope) composition of minerals.We conducted witherite precipitation experiments at a single temperature and at varied pH to empirically determine 13C–18O bond ordering (Δ47) and δ18O of CO32− and HCO3− molecules at a 25°C equilibrium. Ab initio cluster models based on density functional theory were used to predict equilibrium 13C–18O bond abundances and δ18O of different DIC species and minerals as a function of temperature. Experiments and theory indicate Δ47 and δ18O compositions of CO32− and HCO3− ions are significantly different from each other. Experiments constrain the Δ47–δ18O slope for a pH effect (0.011±0.001; 12⩾pH⩾7). Rapidly-growing temperate corals exhibit disequilibrium mineral isotopic signatures with a Δ47–δ18O slope of 0.011±0.003, consistent with a pH effect.Our theoretical calculations for carbonate minerals indicate equilibrium lattice calcite values for Δ47 and δ18O are intermediate between HCO3− and CO32−. We analyzed synthetic calcites grown at temperatures ranging from 0.5 to 50°C with and without the enzyme carbonic anhydrase present. This enzyme catalyzes oxygen isotopic exchange between DIC species and is present in many natural systems. The two types of experiments yielded statistically indistinguishable results, and these measurements yield a calibration that overlaps with our theoretical predictions for calcite at equilibrium. The slow-growing Devils Hole calcite exhibits Δ47 and δ18O values consistent with lattice equilibrium.Factors influencing DIC speciation (pH, salinity) and the timescale for DIC equilibration, as well as reactions at the mineral–solution interface, have the potential to influence clumped-isotope signatures and the δ18O of carbonate minerals. In fast-growing carbonate minerals, solution chemistry may be an important factor, particularly over extremes of pH and salinity. If a crystal grows too rapidly to reach an internal equilibrium (i.e., achieve the value for the temperature-dependent mineral lattice equilibrium), it may record the clumped-isotope signature of a DIC species (e.g., the temperature-dependent equilibrium of HCO3−) or a mixture of DIC species, and hence record a disequilibrium mineral composition. For extremely slow-growing crystals, and for rapidly-grown samples grown at a pH where HCO3− dominates the DIC pool at equilibrium, effects of solution chemistry are likely to be relatively small or negligible. In summary, growth environment, solution chemistry, surface equilibria, and precipitation rate may all play a role in dictating whether a crystal achieves equilibrium or disequilibrium clumped-isotope signatures.

Surface complexation modeling of adsorption of Cd(II) on graphene oxides

Graphene oxides (GOs) were synthesized by modified Hummers method and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectra and Raman spectra. The characteristic results indicated that GOs presented a variety of oxygen-containing functional groups. Effect of solution chemistry (i.e., contact time, pH, ionic strength, temperature and initial concentration) on the adsorption of Cd(II) onto GOs was investigated by batch techniques. The adsorption of Cd(II) on GOs significantly increased with increasing pH from 4.0 to 6.0, and then high-level adsorption was observed at pH>6.0. The adsorption of Cd(II) on GOs was independent of ionic strength over a wide range of pH, indicating that inner-sphere surface complexation dominated the Cd(II) adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd(II) on GOs calculated from Langmuir model at pH3.5 and 293K was 111.11mg/g. The thermodynamic parameters calculated from temperature-dependent isotherms indicated that the adsorption of Cd(II) on GOs was an exothermal and spontaneous processes. The result from surface complexation modeling indicated that the pH-edge adsorption of Cd(II) on GOs can be fitted by ionic exchange and surface complexation sites very well. The results indicated that the GOs can potentially be served as a promising adsorbent for the immobilization of heavy metals in environmental cleanup due to its high adsorption capacity.

Sludge-Derived Biochar for Arsenic(III) Immobilization: Effects of Solution Chemistry on Sorption Behavior.

Recycling sewage sludge by pyrolysis has attracted increasing attention for pollutant removal from wastewater and soils. This study scrutinized As(III) sorption behavior on sludge-derived biochar (SDBC) under different pyrolysis conditions and solution chemistry. The SDBC pyrolyzed at a higher temperature showed a lower As(III) sorption capacity and increasingly nonlinear isotherm due to loss of surface sites and deoxygenation-dehydrogenation. The Langmuir sorption capacity on SDBC (3.08-6.04 mg g) was comparable to other waste-derived sorbents, with the highest As(III) sorption on SDBC pyrolyzed at 400°C for 2 h. The As(III) sorption kinetics best fit with the pseudo-second-order equation, thus suggesting the significance of the availability of surface sites and initial concentration. Sorption of As(III) was faster than that of Cr(VI) but slower than that of Pb(II), which was attributed to their differences in molar volume (correlated to diffusion coefficients) and sorption mechanisms. The X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed an increase of oxide oxygen (O) with a decrease of sorbed water, indicative of ligand exchange with hydroxyl groups on SDBC surfaces. The As(III) sorption was not pH dependent in acidic-neutral range (pH < 8) due to the buffering capacity and surface characteristics of the SDBC; however, sorption was promoted by increasing pH in the alkaline range (pH > 8) because of As(III) speciation in solution. An increasing ionic strength (0.001-0.1 mol L) facilitated As(III) sorption, indicating the predominance of ligand exchange over electrostatic interactions, while high concentrations (0.1 mol L) of competing anions (fluoride, sulfate, carbonate, and phosphate) inhibited As(III) sorption. These results suggest that SDBC is applicable for As(III) immobilization in most environmentally relevant conditions.

Thermodynamic Assessment of Effects of Solution Conditions on Precipitation and Recovery of Phosphorus from Wastewater

Abstract Chemical modeling calculations and batch tests were carried out to investigate the effect of solution chemistry on formation of phosphate precipitation in synthetic flushed dairy manure wastewater for phosphorus recovery. Saturation index (SI) of different calcium phosphate precipitates in solution with a PO43− concentration range of 0.032–9.8 mM (1–300 mg P/L), Ca/P molar ratio of 1–20, pH value of 5.0–12.0, and the CO32− concentration of 0–100 mM was calculated separately using the geochemical aquatic modeling program, PHREEQC. Results show that the SI of calcium phosphate is the logarithmic function of Ca2+ and PO43− concentration, increasing with the increase of Ca2+ and PO43− concentrations. SI of calcium phosphate is the polynomial function of the solution pH value. SIs of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) increase with the growth of the pH value, while the SIs of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (DCPD) reach the maximum value at pH 9.0–9.5 and...

Ciprofloxacin adsorption on graphene and granular activated carbon: kinetics, isotherms, and effects of solution chemistry

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a commonly used antibiotic and widely detected in wastewaters and farmlands nowadays. This study evaluated the efficacy of next-generation adsorbent (graphene) and conventional adsorbent (granular activated carbon, GAC) for CIP removal. Batch experiments and characterization tests were conducted to investigate the adsorption kinetics, equilibrium isotherms, thermodynamic properties, and the influences of solution chemistry (pH, ionic strength, natural organic matter (NOM), and water sources). Compared to GAC, graphene showed significantly faster adsorption and reached equilibrium within 3 min, confirming the rapid access of CIP into the macroporous network of high surface area of graphene as revealed by the Brunner–Emmet–Teller measurements analysis. The kinetics was better described by a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting the importance of the initial CIP concentration related to surface site availability of graphene. The adsorption isotherm on graphene followed Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 323 mg/g, which was higher than other reported carbonaceous adsorbents. The CIP adsorption was thermodynamically favourable on graphene and primarily occurred through π − π interaction, according to the FTIR spectroscopy. While the adsorption capacity of graphene decreased with increasing solution pH due to the speciation change of CIP, the adverse effects of ionic strength (0.01–0.5 mol L−1), presence of NOM (5 mg L−1), and different water sources (river water or drinking water) were less significant on graphene than GAC. These results indicated that graphene can serve as an alternative adsorbent for CIP removal in commonly encountered field conditions, if proper separation and recovery is available in place.

Quantitative characterization of hydroxyl radical generation in a goethite-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction

In order to find out the truth of influence of solution chemistry on the oxidation efficiency of a goethite-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction, the amount of hydroxyl radicals (OH) was quantified by using coumarin as its trapping agent to produce the only fluorescent derivative 7-hydroxycoumarin (7-HC), because OH was the reactive species responsible for the oxidation activity of Fenton reactions. The concentration of OH achieved maximum at solution pH of 3 and decreased with an increase of solution pH value. However, considerable amount of OH can also generate at near neutral pH (i.e. pH 6 and 7). The concentration of OH was increased both with increasing of goethite and H2O2 dosages, but H2O2 could compete with coumarin to scavenge OH to reduce the formation of 7-HC when the concentration of H2O2 was too high. Anions inhibited OH generation followed an order of H2PO4−>SO42−>Cl−>NO3−>ClO4−. Higher concentrations of Cl− and SO42− resulted in greater inhibition of OH generation. Results of this study demonstrated that the influence of solution chemistry on the oxidation efficiency of the goethite-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction was greatly attributed to the effect of solution chemistry on the amount of OH formed in the process of reaction.

The application of polyethyleneimine draw solution in a combined forward osmosis/nanofiltration system

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study is to investigate the effect of solution chemistry of branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) draw solute and to evaluate the PEI draw solute in a combined forward osmosis (FO)/nanofiltration (NF) system. Pure water was extracted from feed solution using the FO process, and the separation of pure water was achieved by the NF process. Lower molecular weight PEI showed higher water flux than higher molecular weight PEI, due to the lower internal concentration polarization caused by a higher diffusion rate and the easy permeation of pure water by lower viscosity of the draw solution (DS). The FO water flux was determined by the osmotic pressure induced by protonation/deprotonation of PEI, and the reverse draw solute flux was determined by the combination of PEI size due to the speciation and electrostatic interaction between the membrane and PEI. This study shows that the Js/Jw value of PEI at pH 7 was smaller than those of sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate. The recovery of PEI DS using NF has a higher value (99.4%) than of sodium chloride (20.6%) and magnesium sulfate (97.0%); this means that PEI would be a promising draw solute in an FO–NF combined system for the saline water desalination. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42198.

Solution Chemistry, Substrate, and Processing Effects on Chemical Homogeneity in Lead Zirconate Titanate Thin Films

The effects of chemistry, substrate, and processing conditions on through‐thickness cation distributions are explored in solution‐derived morphotropic composition lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films. Films prepared from chelate‐based and conventional sol–gel chemistries were spin cast onto Pt/ZnO/SiO2/Si and Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates and pyrolyzed at 300°C, 350°C, and 400°C prior to crystallization at 700°C either in a preheated furnace or via rapid thermal processing. For films crystallized within a conventional furnace on Pt/ZnO/SiO2/Si substrates no chemical gradients were observed. All films prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates had increased titanium concentrations near the PZT/Pt interfaces, and the source is shown to be titanium diffusing from the substrate metallization stack. The effect of heating method and rate was explored in films prepared on Pt/ZnO/SiO2/Si substrates with 15°C, 50°C, and 100°C/s heating rates within a rapid thermal annealer. Only one solution chemistry‐heating rate combination resulted in the formation of a chemical gradient: a conventional sol–gel chemistry and a 50°C/s heating rate. Infrared spectroscopy of pyrolyzed gel films showed absorption spectra differences in the bonding structure between the two chemistries with the conventional sol–gel‐derived films exhibiting a signature more similar to that of a PbTiO3 gel, suggestive of a gel‐structure source of gradient formation during crystallization.

Effect of solution chemistry on the characteristics of hydrothermally grown WO3 for electroactive applications

Hydrothermally grown tungsten trioxide coatings were prepared at 95°C using different metal sulfates. Morphology of the oxides was altered from grains to flower- and urchin-like structures using potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate and lithium sulfate, respectively. The flower-like structures presented the highest deintercalated charge, 35mCcm−2 with time response of 96s. In addition, they indicated a charge transfer resistance across the tungsten trioxide–electrolyte interface of 752Ω. These outcomes imply that they are promising candidates for electroactive applications.

Effects of feed solution chemistry on low pressure reverse osmosis filtration of cesium and strontium

The objective of this study was to identify the removal mechanisms of radionuclides by reverse osmosis (RO) membranes under conditions relevant to full-scale water treatment. For this purpose, the effects of feed solution chemistry on the removal of Cs and Sr by a low pressure RO system was investigated by systematically varying membrane surface charge, ionic composition, and organic matter concentrations. The results showed that the effects of solution chemistry on the filtration of Cs and Sr were related to their hydrated ionic radius, resulting in the predominance of the Donnan’s effect and electrostatic interactions, respectively. Consequently, the rejection of Cs increased more pronouncedly than Sr with the increases of feed concentration. Due to the Donnan’s effect, different anions decreased the rejection of Cs to different extents in accordance to the order of anions’ radii as SO42−>Cl−>NO3−>F−. The variations in Sr rejection were influenced by the electrostatic interactions between Sr2+ and the membrane. In addition, humic acid (HA) lowered the rejection of Cs and caused significant membrane flux decline, but did not change the rejection of Sr. Sr also aggravated HA fouling of the membrane.

Role of water chemistry on estrone removal by nanofiltration with the presence of hydrophobic acids

Hydrophobic acid organic matter (HpoA) extracted from treated effluent has been known to improve the rejection of steroid hormone estrone by reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. In this study, the effects of solution chemistry (solution pH and ionic strength) on the estrone rejection by NF membrane with the presence of HpoA were systematically investigated. Crossflow nanofiltration experiments show that the presence of HpoA significantly improved estrone rejection at all pH and ionic strength levels investigated. It is consistently shown that the “enhancement effect” of HpoA on estrone rejection at neutral and alkaline pH is attributed to the binding of estrone by HpoA macromolecules via hydrogen bonding between phenolic functional groups in feed solutions, which leads to an increase in molecular weight and appearance of negative charge. The membrane exhibited the best performance in terms of estrone rejection at pH 10.4 (compared to pH 4 and pH 7) as a result of strengthening the electrostatic repulsion between estrone and membrane with the presence of HpoA. At neutral pH level, the ability of HpoA macromolecules to promote estrone rejection became stronger with increasing ionic strength due to their more extended conformation, which created more chances for the association between estrone and HpoA. The important conclusion of this study is that increasing solution pH and salinity can greatly intensify the “enhancement effect” of HpoA. These results can be important for NF application in direct/indirect potable water reuse.

Adsorption of sulfamethazine by multi-walled carbon nanotubes: effects of aqueous solution chemistry

The adsorption of SMZ by MWCNTs was studied under varied pH, ionic strength, cations and anions in solution. The results indicated that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions were the main adsorption mechanisms, and π–π interaction also played an important role.

Adsorption of perchlorate from aqueous solutions by anion exchange resins: Effects of resin properties and solution chemistry

In this study, the perchlorate sorption behaviors of three various representative anion resins were systematically investigated with respect to sorption kinetics, equilibrium capacity, perchlorate selectivity, thermodynamics and isotherms. Results showed that the equilibrium capacity of the three investigated resins followed the order of Purolite A530E≈magnetic ion exchange resin > Purolite A532E due to the effect of structure type, while magnetic ion exchange resin (MIEX) reached the equilibrium much faster than Purolite A530E and Purolite A532E, which can be attributed to its smaller particle size and larger surface area. Furthermore, the two Purolite resins showed superior perchlorate selectivity than MIEX resin because of matrix and functional groups. The adsorption kinetics for each of three selected resins fitted best with the pseudo-second-order model, indicating the adsorption process was controlled by chemical sorption. While the fitting of intra-particle model implied that intra-particle diffusion was not the only rate-limiting step of the whole process. The isotherm data can be best described by the Freundlich isotherm and the value of intensity of adsorption was larger than 1, suggesting the process was heterogenous and favorable adsorption. The negative ΔG° manifested that the adsorption of perchlorate by each of the three resins was a spontaneous process, and the positive indicated it was also an endothermic and entropy driven process. Besides, the effects of independent variables on the perchlorate sorption of the three resins were also evaluated completely. Results suggested that the removal of perchlorate increased with the increase of resin dosage and temperature for each of the three resins, and the sorption process was nearly independent of solution pH in a wide range of 4–10 for each of the resins.

Seawater-driven forward osmosis for enriching nitrogen and phosphorous in treated municipal wastewater: Effect of membrane properties and feed solution chemistry

Seawater-driven forward osmosis (FO) is considered to be a novel strategy to concentrate nutrients in treated municipal wastewater for further recovery as well as simultaneous discharge of highly purified wastewater into the sea with low cost. As a preliminary test, the performance of FO membranes in concentrating nutrients was investigated by both batch experiments and model simulation approaches. With synthetic seawater as the draw solution, the dissolved organic carbon, phosphate, and ammonia in the effluent from a membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating municipal wastewater were 2.3-fold, 2.3-fold, and 2.1-fold, respectively, concentrated by the FO process with approximately 57% of water reduction. Most of the dissolved components, including trace metals in the MBR effluent, were highly retained (>80%) in the feed side, indicating high water quality of permeate to be discharged. The effect of membrane properties on the nutrient enrichment performance was investigated by comparing three types of FO membranes. Interestingly, a polyamide membrane possessing a high negative charge demonstrated a poor capability of retaining ammonia, which was hypothesized because of an ion exchange-like mechanism across the membrane prompted by the high ionic concentration of the draw solution. A feed solution pH of 7 was demonstrated to be an optimum condition for improving the overall retention of nutrients, especially for ammonia because of the pH-dependent speciation of ammonia/ammonium forms. The modeling results showed that higher than 10-fold concentrations of ammonia and phosphate are achievable by seawater-driven FO with a draw solution to feed solution volume ratio of 2:1. The enriched municipal wastewater contains nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations comparable with typical animal wastewater and anaerobic digestion effluent, which are used for direct nutrient recovery.

Effects of solution chemistry on adsorption of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by graphenes and carbon nanotubes.

Adsorption of three selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (ketoprofen (KEP), carbamazepine (CBZ), and bisphenol A (BPA)) by two reduced graphene oxides (rGO1 and rGO2) and one commercial graphene was examined under different solution conditions. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and powdered graphite were also investigated for comparison. All adsorption isotherms followed the order of SWCNTs > rGO1 > rGO2 > MWCNTs > graphene > graphite, consistent with the orders of their surface areas and micropore volumes. After surface area normalization, adsorption affinities of the three PPCPs onto graphenes were lower than onto graphite, suggesting incomplete occupation for adsorption sites because of the aggregation of graphene sheets and the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups. The observed pH effects on adsorption correlated well with the pH-regulated distribution of the protonated neutral species of the three PPCPs. Increasing ionic strength from 0 to 20 mM increased KEP adsorption due to the electrostatic screening by Na(+) and Ca(2+). Both humic acid (HA) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) suppressed PPCPs adsorption to all adsorbents, but their impacts onto graphenes were lower than those onto CNTs because of their lower adsorption by graphenes. More severe HA (or SDBS) effect was found on negatively charged KEP at the tested solution pH 6.50 due to the electrostatic repulsion between the same charged KEP and HA (or SDBS). The findings of the present study may have significant implications for the environmental fate assessment of PPCPs and graphene.

Copper corrosion in bentonite/saline groundwater solution: Effects of solution and bentonite chemistry

Copper corrosion has been studied in simulated groundwater with and without added bentonite clay using different electrochemical techniques. The corroded surfaces were characterised by SEM/EDS, Raman spectroscopy and Auger depth profiling. In both environments small amounts of sulphide (0.005mM) control the early corrosion behaviour. Under aerated conditions an initially formed Cu2S film is rapidly converted to a non-protective layer of cuprite and corrosion proceeds with the deposition of an outer layer of atacamite. In the presence of bentonite corrosion proceeds slowly under O2 transport control. No atacamite is observed and the Cu surface appears slightly pitted.

Effects of Humic Acid and Solution Chemistry on the Retention and Transport of Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Saturated Porous Media

When released into natural aquatic systems, cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) may have toxic effects to the ecosystems and public health; it is thus important to understand their environmental fate and transport. This work studied the effects of humic acid (HA) concentrations (0–10 mg L−1) and solution chemistry (ionic strength (IS) and pH) on the retention and transport of CeO2 NPs in water-saturated porous media under environmental relevant conditions. HA and IS showed remarkable effect on the retention and transport of CeO2 NPs in the porous media. Even at low concentrations (i.e., 5 and 10 mg L−1), HA stabilized CeO2 NPs in the suspensions by introducing both negative surface charge and steric repulsion and thus enhanced their mobility in the porous media. When solution HA concentration increased or ionic strength decreased, mobility of CeO2 NPs in the porous media enhanced dramatically. Solution pH, however, had little influence on the mobility of the CeO2 NPs under the tested experimental conditions, and increasing solution pH only slightly increased the transport of the NPs. Mathematical models were applied to describe the experimental data. Predictions from the extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) theory and advection–dispersion–reaction (ADR) model matched the experimental data well.