Superior Adsorption Performance Research Articles

Rotating hydrothermal route to red mud derived uniform hierarchical porous flowerlike boehmite (γ-AlOOH) microspheres: Force analysis on formation mechanism and superior adsorption performances for anionic dyes removal

Towards increasingly severe worldwide pollution of industrial solid waste red mud (RM) released from aluminum industry, constitutional valuable element Al has been successfully separated for a novel mild rotating hydrothermal synthesis (150 °C, 12 h, 5 Hz) of the uniform hierarchical porous flowerlike boehmite (γ-AlOOH) microspheres in the presence of appropriate urea, which exhibit distinctly small average diameter (1.52 μm) and narrow particle size distribution (PSD: 1.12–1.97 μm), as well as high specific surface area (129.37 m2 g−1). On the one hand, the rotating hydrothermal synthesis promotes the mass and heat transfer, enabling γ-AlOOH microspheres at a lower temperature within a shorter time. On the other hand, moderate rotation provides predominant shear force, rendering the uniform γ-AlOOH microspheres with small average diameter and narrow PSD. The optimal AlOOH–U2M-R5Hz microspheres demonstrate satisfactory adsorption performance for Congo Red (CR) and Methyl Blue (MB), with the maximum adsorption capacities of 602.4 and 1208.7 mg g−1, respectively. Various isotherm models of Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich are utilized, adsorption kinetics are analyzed, adsorption mechanism is uncovered based on hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction. The increase in the temperature or the presence of coexisting cations facilitates the adsorption of CR, whereas coexisting anions weaken the adsorption of CR on the AlOOH–U2M-R5Hz microspheres. Furthermore, the excellent recycling performances and especially dynamic adsorption (retainment of removal efficiency of approx. 99.0% within 1000 min) as well as authentic water bodies (e.g. tap water and river water) simulated wastewater treatment undoubtedly indicate great practical applications of the AlOOH–U2M-R5Hz microspheres, towards cleaner aluminum production and cost-effective sustainable solution to anionic dye-bearing wastewater.

Study on the adsorption performance and regeneration of lignin-derived graphitic carbon for H2S

In pursuit of effective adsorption materials for malodorous gases such as H2S and to broaden the utilization avenues of lignin waste, this study employed the direct pyrolysis method to synthesize three types of alkali lignin graphitized carbons, namely C-800, KC-700, and KEC-700. Among them, KEC-700 exhibits a high specific surface area of 1672.9 m2/g, significantly superior H2S adsorption performance compared to other materials, an adsorption breakthrough time of up to 220 min, and a sulfur capacity of 67.1 mg/g. Structural analysis showed that the more oxygen-containing functional groups of lignin charcoal and the larger specific surface area facilitated the adsorption of H2S. After reaching adsorption saturation, the degree of graphitization of lignin carbon diminishes. The H2S adsorption products primarily manifest as elemental sulfur and sulfate within the pores of lignin carbon measuring less than 2 nm. Through thermal regeneration, the charcoal effectively eliminates the elemental sulfur adsorption product. Nevertheless, sulfate removal proved unsatisfactory, as the adsorption efficiency of KEC-700 following two thermal regenerations was approximately 41% of that observed for fresh samples.

Nanoarchitectonics of porous carbon derived from urea-impregnated microporous triazine polymer in KOH activator for adsorptive removal of sulfonamides from water

A microporous covalent-organic polymer (triazine polymer, referred to as MCTP), was synthesized and subsequently carbonized, after loading urea and KOH (serving as an additional nitrogen source and activator, respectively), through high-temperature pyrolysis. This process resulted in materials named KUCDCs, which exhibited high porosity and a broader range of pore sizes compared to carbon materials produced without the addition of urea and KOH, referred to as CDC. KUCDCs, CDC, and commercially available activated carbon (AC) were evaluated for their ability to remove sulfonamide drugs, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfachlorpyridazine (SCP), from aqueous solution. Among these materials, KUCDC-800, which was carbonized at a temperature of 800 °C, demonstrated superior adsorption performances for sulfonamides, attributed to its high porosity, nitrogen content, and presence of surface oxygen groups. The adsorption capacities for SMX and SCP on KUCDC were notably higher than those on AC and MDC, with maximum capacities (Q0) of 619 and 554 mg/g for SMX and SCP, respectively. Notably, KUCDC-800 stands out as a recyclable adsorbent with the highest reported Q0 for SMX to date under near-neutral conditions. The exceptional performance of KUCDC in adsorbing SMX could be explained by its high porosity and surface functionalities for hydrogen bonding interactions with the adsorbate.

Enhancement of Gaseous o-Xylene Elimination by Chlorosulfonic Acid-Modified H-Zeolite Socony Mobil-5.

It is important to develop effective strategies for enhancing the removal capacity of aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by modifying conventional porous adsorbents. In this study, a novel HZSM-5 zeolite-supported sulfonic acid (ZSM-OSO3H) was prepared through ClSO3H modification in dichloromethane and employed for the elimination of gaseous o-xylene. The ClSO3H modification enables the bonding of -OSO3H groups onto the HZSM-5 support, achieving a loading of 8.25 mmol·g-1 and leading to a degradation in both crystallinity and textural structure. Within an active temperature range of 110-145 °C, ZSM-OSO3H can efficiently remove o-xylene through a novel reactive adsorption mechanism, exhibiting a removal rate exceeding 98% and reaching a maximum breakthrough adsorption capacity of 264.7 mg. The adsorbed o-xylene derivative is identified as 3,4-dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid. ZSM-OSO3H demonstrates superior adsorption performance for o-xylene along with excellent recyclability. These findings suggest that ClSO3H sulfonation offers a promising approach for modifying various types of zeolites to enhance both the elimination and resource conversion of aromatic VOCs.

One-step preparation of highly efficient adsorbents: Adsorption study of DMP on porous carbon macrobody based on sodium alginate

Porous carbon is a carbon material with a high surface area and abundant pore structure, holding extensive potential applications in the adsorption field. However, current porous carbon materials are complicated to prepare, and most are in powder form, making them difficult to separate from water after adsorption and prone to secondary pollution. This study uses sodium alginate (SA) as a precursor and K2CO3 one-step method to prepare sodium alginate-based macromaterials that can skillfully solve the above problems and explore its adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic characteristics for dimethyl phthalate (DMP). This study's meticulous control of experimental details enabled the fabrication of macroscopic materials. The appropriate temperature and activator blending ratio are critical to material agglomeration. (At 800 °C in a small ceramic boat, macroscopic material C800–2 was prepared with an activator ratio of K2CO3: sodium alginate at 2:1 and under low acid concentration acid washing (0.2 mol/L HCl)). Excessive pyrolysis temperature can lead to severe chemical bond loss, potentially preventing material agglomeration. Excessive doping of the activator may result in carbon framework collapse. While maintaining the macroscopic structure, C800–2 enhanced a 3.8-fold increase in total pore volume and a 4.6-fold increase in surface area. Moreover, at 313 K, its saturated adsorption of DMP reached an impressive 614.98 mg/g. C800–2 material exhibits excellent interference resistance and regeneration capability. The study achieves one-step fabrication of macroscopic materials while retaining superior adsorption performance, providing fundamental data for material engineering applications.

Remediation of Alizarin Yellow GG from aqueous sources by Quasi-UiO-66; Box-Bencken design optimization and adsorption cherctization

This study develops a defect-engineered quasi-UiO-66 MOF adsorbent with enhanced performance for removing the organic dye Alizarin Yellow GG. Introducing structural defects and controlled thermal treatment to generate exposed metal sites significantly improved adsorption capacity, providing insights for designing advanced MOF adsorbents. This research successfully developed a controlled thermal partial ligand elimination. This process introduced structural modifications, forming additional open zirconium sites and hierarchical pores within the framework. These unique features contributed to the superior adsorption performance of the Q-UiO-66 adsorbent towards the organic dye Alizarin Yellow GG, exhibiting an unprecedented uptake capacity of 398.2 mg.g−1. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including FT-IR, FE-SEM, BET, XRD, and elemental analyses, were employed to understand the adsorbent’s properties. Furthermore, the optimization of the adsorption process was done using the Box-Behnken design approach, and the adsorption behavior was well-described by the Langmuier-Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The findings highlight the significant potential of this novel, defect-engineered Q-UiO-66 MOF adsorbent for effective dye removal applications.

Adsorption and sensing performances of vacancy defects and Cu-embedded GaN/MoTe2 heterostructure for harmful gases: A DFT study

By utilizing density functional theory (DFT), we explore the adsorption and sensing performance of NO, NO2, SO2 and CO on intrinsic GaN/MoTe2 heterostructure, vacancy-defective GaN/MoTe2 heterostructures and Cu-embedded GaN/MoTe2 heterostructures, respectively. The results indicate that the VGa-GaN/MoTe2 heterostructure exhibits higher adsorption energy (yielding more negative values) for all four gases, demonstrating superior adsorption performance compared to the intrinsic system. Similarly, the Cu-GaN/MoTe2 heterostructure also improves the adsorption performance for nitrogen oxides. Meanwhile, the Cu-MoTe2/GaN heterostructure also significantly outperforms the intrinsic systems in terms of adsorption performance for the four harmful gases. Particularly, the Cu-MoTe2/GaN heterostructure has an adsorption energy of −2.22 eV for NO2 and a charge transfer amount of up to 0.72 e, indicating a strong chemical interaction between the adsorption system and gas molecules. Therefore, Cu-MoTe2/GaN is a potential ideal gas adsorption material. This work offers a theoretical foundation for transition metal-doped semiconductor heterostructures for future research.

Facile fabrication of cyclotriphosphazene crosslinked quercetin hollow nanocapsules by dual catalyst strategy for superfast and efficient removal of crystal violet over a wide pH range

A novel cyclotriphosphazene crosslinked quercetin (QuH) nanoadsorbent was manufactured at room temperature through precipitation copolycondensation between quercetin and hexacyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) with the help of dual catalyst. The obtained QuH had a hollow porous structure with specific surface area of 30.18 m2 g−1, an average diameter of 178 nm, and a huge negative surface charge. The adsorption efficiency of QuH was evaluated using water sample polluted with cationic dye crystal violet (CV). Results revealed that the QuH nanoadsorbent delivered an amazing adsorption amount of 840 mg g−1 within one minute and an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 1159 mg g−1 in 120 min for CV at 298.15 K and an initial CV concentration of 300 mg L−1. Moreover, the nanoadsorbent kept a high adsorption ability for CV over a wide pH range of 3–9. The coexisting ion Na+ could promote the CV adsorption, whereas Ca2+ inhibited the CV adsorption. The retention of adsorption capacity could be up to 96 % after five cycles. The superior adsorption performance of QuH for CV was proposed to be the collaborative contribution of electrostatic interaction, ion exchange, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and pore filling effect based on the study of adsorption kinetics, isotherm, thermodynamics, and mechanism analysis.

The Tribological and Adsorption Performance of Chlorophenyl Silicone Oil Using Different Ceramic Materials under High Temperature

With the development of technical requirements, the current challenges faced by bearing materials mainly revolve around high-temperature conditions and the trend towards material lightweighting. Full ceramic bearings are the new candidate due to their excellent properties. This article details the tribological and adsorption performance of chlorophenyl silicone oil (CPSO) as a high-temperature lubricant in ceramic tribological systems (ZrO2, Al2O3, and Si3N4). Among the three ceramic tribological systems, the lubrication performance can be ordered as Si3N4 > Al2O3 > ZrO2, as the wear rates of the ZrO2 and Al2O3 tribo-systems are almost 1135.67 and 283.33 times larger than that of the Si3N4 tribo-system, respectively. The observed results can be explained by the superior adsorption performance of CPSO on a Si3N4 ceramic surface, which was calculated by molecular dynamic simulation. The molecular dynamic simulation results show the adsorption energy of CPSO/Si3N4 is almost 54.09 and 61.18 times higher compared to that on ZrO2 and Al2O3 ceramics. These findings provide experimental and theoretical insights for understanding the lubrication performance of CPSO in a full ceramic tribo-system.

Enhanced Adsorption of Aqueous Pb(II) by Acidic Group-Modified Biochar Derived from Peanut Shells

Using peanut shells, a sustainable agricultural waste product, as its raw material, the acid group-modified biochar (AMBC) was prepared through phosphoric acid activation, partial carbonization, and concentrated sulfuric acid sulfonation for efficient removal of lead ion from aqueous solutions. Characterization techniques such as N2 isothermal adsorption–desorption, SEM, XRD, FT-IR, TG-DTA, and acid–base titration were utilized to fully understand the properties of the AMBC. It was found that there were high densities of acidic oxygen-containing functional groups (-SO3H, -COOH, Ph-OH) on the surface of the AMBC. The optimal adsorption performance of the AMBC for Pb(II) in water occurred when the initial concentration of Pb(II) was 100 mg/L, the pH was 5, the dosage of the adsorbent was 0.5 g/L, and the contact time was 120 min. Under the optimal conditions, the removal ratio of Pb(II) was 76.0%, with an adsorption capacity of 148.6 mg/g. This performance far surpassed that of its activated carbon precursor, which achieved a removal ratio of 39.7% and an adsorption capacity of 83.1 mg/g. The superior adsorption performance of AMBC can be caused by the high content of acidic oxygen-containing functional groups on its surface. These functional groups facilitate the strong binding between AMBC and Pb(II), enabling effective removal from water solutions.

Construction of a gelatin aerogel catalyst functionalized with LaCoO3 and g-C3N5 for efficient ciprofloxacin degradation via adsorption and peroxymonosulfate activation

Three-dimensional porous gelatin-based aerogels functionalized with LaCoO3 and nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N5) were successfully fabricated via a freeze-drying approach. Herein, the gelatin-based aerogels served as excellent adsorbents and catalysts activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to efficiently degrade ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solutions. In comparison to the pristine gelatin aerogel (GA), the optimized functionalized aerogel (GA–LCCN-1.5) demonstrated a 17.0% superior CIP adsorption performance. Remarkably, GA–LCCN-1.5 exhibited 95.7% removal efficiency for CIP, attributed to the effective generation of •OH, SO4•−, and 1O2 via PMS activation. In addition, high degradation efficiencies over 84.1% were maintained throughout a broad pH range of 3–9. Notably, GA–LCCN-1.5 demonstrated outstanding stability and reusability, with 93.2% CIP removal efficiency even after five reuse cycles indicating significant promise in real applications. Radical quenching and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis suggest that CIP degradation was dominated by radical and non-radical routes through GA–LCCN-1.5 catalyzed PMS decomposition. Besides, the plausible CIP degradation mechanisms were systemically analyzed and proposed. The toxicities of CIP and the intermediate by-products were evaluated and reported. The findings of this study and insights demonstrate a facile construction of a biopolymer-based aerogel catalyst for synergistic and efficient PMS activation for the removal of antibiotics in water.

Surface enriched ternary hybrid via interfacial polymerization as an effective adsorbent for dye removal

Methylene blue (MB) is a carcinogenic pollutant that can negatively affect both human health and marine life. Developing effective adsorbents for MB removal is therefore crucial for ensuring safe human life and mitigating environmental issues. Herein, we present an interfacial polymerization to synthesize polydopamine assisted multi-walled carbon nanotubes stitched graphene oxide (PDA@MWNTs/GO) as an effective adsorbent for MB removal. Stitching the PDA layer interfacially onto MWNTs/GO effectively prevents disintegration, diminishes agglomeration/restacking issues, and maximizes adsorption sites. The inherent catecholamine functionality within the PDA layer significantly enhances hydrophilicity. These distinctive characteristics endowed the PDA@MWNTs/GO composite with exceptional adsorption capacity for the cationic MB. The effects of MB concentration, pH, and temperature on the dye solution were thoroughly investigated. The results of the adsorption isotherm and kinetics analysis revealed conformity with the Langmuir isotherm model and adherence to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Moreover, PDA@MWNTs/GO demonstrated removal efficiency, exceeding 90% after three consecutive cycles of reuse. The adsorption mechanism was driven by electrostatic attraction and π–π stacking. The superior adsorption performance, attributable to the diverse functionalities and high removal efficiency, demonstrates the potential of PDA@MWNTs/GO as an efficient adsorbent for MB and can also function for other cationic dye impurities.

Fabrication of the NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-NO2 hybrid material and its efficient adsorption and removal of rhodamine B in wastewater

In this work, the hybrid material NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-NO2 was synthesized by grafting an amino-functionalized titanium-based metal–organic framework (NH2-MIL-125(Ti)) with 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine-nitro (TpPa-NO2) moieties. The resulting composite material exhibited remarkable removal efficiency owing to the synergistic effects derived from the combination of the NH2-MIL-125(Ti) and TpPa-NO2 components. The material demonstrated excellent stability and recyclability, making it a promising candidate for the treatment of wastewater containing rhodamine-B (Rhd-B). Some characterization techniques were employed to elucidate the structural features and surface morphology of the hybrid material. The adsorption capacity of NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-NO2 for Rhd-B dye was evaluated, and the results revealed an exceptional removal efficiency of 99.96 % and a high adsorption capacity of 25.54 mg/g, highlighting the superior adsorption performance of the material. The adsorption process was found to follow Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating that chemisorption is the predominant mechanism governing the uptake of Rhd-B dye onto NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-NO2.

Investigation of regeneratable biopolymer-based aerogels for heavy metal decontamination from water: Quantum chemical analysis and experimental investigation

Heavy metals pose a significant threat to human health and ecological security due to their high toxicity, mobility, and persistence in the environment. Herein, the synthesis of a novel cellulose nanofiber-based aerogel using non-toxic biopolymers such as sodium alginate and polyglutamic acid to eradicate lead, zinc, and copper from water is described. The physical characterisation and the adsorption performance of the aerogels were evaluated in both monolithic and bead configurations. The study revealed superior adsorption performance for the aerogel beads compared to the monolithic configuration. The aerogel beads achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 171.7 mg/g, 100.0 mg/g, and 142.0 mg/g for lead, zinc, and copper respectively. The aerogel beads exhibited a higher specific surface area compared to the monolithic aerogels. The presence of functional groups including carboxyl, amino, and hydroxyl groups on the aerogels likely facilitated the adsorption through coordinate bond formation and electrostatic interactions. Density Functional Theory calculations supported the role of oxygen and nitrogen containing groups on the aerogel in capturing heavy metal ions. The aerogels displayed a remarkable regeneration ability and were reused 20 times, without any significant reduction in the adsorption performance indicating its potential as a sustainable adsorbent for heavy metals removal from water.

A novel zirconium glyphosine carbon nanotube composite for fast and ultraeffective In(Ⅲ) capture

Extraction of In(Ⅲ) from the tail liquid of zinc ore which possesses the large amounts of Zn(Ⅱ) and the characteristics of highly acidity, remains a critical challenge. Adsorption method can be considered as an effective and green strategy to recovery In(Ⅲ). However, the adsorption capacity of mostly reported adsorbents is unsatisfactory toward In(Ⅲ) in the acidic environment. In this work, an effective In(Ⅲ) trap is developed by using a mild, simple strategy that introduces zirconium glyphosine coordination networks in situ loaded on carbon nanotube. Benefiting from the characteristics of abundant carboxyl and phosphate groups, excellent hydrophilicity and thermal stability, the resultant zirconium glyphosine carbon nanotube composite (xZrGP-CNT) exhibits remarkable adsorption capacity (193.72 mg g-1) toward In(Ⅲ) under pH 2.5 exceeded most of the reported adsorbents, and its adsorption behavior is consistent with pseudo-second order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. In addition, the obtained 2ZrGP-CNT shows prominent kinetics that reaches equilibrium only within 2 h, superior selectivity and excellent regeneration performance for In(Ⅲ) capture, which indicates the highly encouraging potential for the recovery of In(Ⅲ) in practical ore fluids. Our work poses a new way to recovery of In(Ⅲ) under acidic environments with superior adsorption performance and broadens the potential of organocphosphonates for recovering In(Ⅲ).

A novel design of copper selenide/zinc selenide/Nitrogen-doped carbon derived from MOF for sulfadiazine adsorption: Performance and mechanism

Herein, a novel copper selenide/zinc selenide/Nitrogen-doped carbon (Cu2Se/ZnSe/NC) sphere was constructed via a combination of cation exchange, selenization and carbonization approaches with zinc-based metal–organic frameworks (ZIF-8) as precursor for sulfadiazine (SDZ) removal. Compared with the ZnSe/NC, the defective Cu2Se/ZnSe interface in the optimizing Cu-ZnSe/NC2 sample caused a remarkably improved adsorption performance. Notably, the adsorption capacity of 129.32 mg/g was better than that of mostly reported adsorbents for SDZ. And the adsorption referred to multiple-layer physical–chemical process that was spontaneous and exothermic. Besides, the Cu-ZnSe/NC2 displayed fast adsorption equilibrium of about 20 min and significant anti-interference ability for inorganic ions. Specially, the adsorbent possessed excellent stability and reusability, which could also be applied for rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO) dyes removal. Ultimately, the charge redistribution of Cu2Se/ZnSe interface greatly contributes the superior adsorption performance for SDZ, in which electrostatic attraction occupied extremely crucial status as compared to π-π electron-donor–acceptor (π-π EDA) interaction and hydrogen bonding (H-bonding), as revealed by the density function theory (DFT) calculations and experimental results. This study can provide a guideline for design of high-efficient adsorbent with interfacial charge redistribution.

Supercritical CO2 extrusion foaming of highly open-cell poly(lactic acid) foam with superior oil adsorption performance

Addressing marine oil spills and industrial water pollution necessitates the development of eco-efficient oil-absorbing materials. With increasing concern for the environment, there is a consensus to decrease the use of petroleum-based polymers. Herein, lightweight poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blend foams with varying thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) content were fabricated via a solvent-free, eco-friendly supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extrusion foaming technology. The incorporation of TPU significantly enhanced the crystallization rate of PLA, with the semi-crystallization time of PT30 and PT50 blends at 105 °C exhibiting a reduction of 77.2 % and 47.9 %, respectively, compared to neat PLA. The resulting foams exhibited an open-cell structure with excellent selective oil adsorption capabilities. Notably, the PT30 foam achieved a remarkable maximum expansion ratio of 36.0, while the PT50 foam attained the highest open-cell content of 96.2 %. The PT50 foam demonstrated an outstanding adsorption capacity, spanning from 4.7 to 18.8 g/g for diverse oils and solvents, with rapid adsorption kinetics, reaching 94.9 % of the equilibrium adsorption capacity for CCl4 within just 1 min. Furthermore, the PT50 foam retained 95.2 % of its adsorption capacity for CCl4 over 10 adsorption-desorption cycles. This study presents a scalable and sustainable approach for large-scale production of high-performance, bio-based foams, facilitating efficient oil-water separation.

Rapidly reducing cadmium from contaminated farmland soil by novel magnetic recyclable Fe3O4/mercapto-functionalized attapulgite beads

Reducing cadmium (Cd) content from contaminated farmland soils remains a major challenge due to the difficulty in separating commonly used adsorbents from soils. This study synthesized novel millimeter-sized magnetic Fe3O4/mercapto-functionalized attapulgite beads (MFBs) through a facile one-step gelation process incorporating alginate. The MFBs inherit the environmental stability of alginate and enhance its mechanical strength by hybridizing Fe3O4 and clay mineral components. MFBs can be easily separated from flooded soils by magnets. When applied to 12 Cd-polluted paddy soils and 14 Cd-polluted upland soils, MFBs achieved Cd(II) removal rates ranging from 16.9% to 62.2% and 9.8%–54.6%, respectively, within a 12-h period. The MFBs predominantly targeted the exchangeable and acid soluble, and reducible fractions of Cd, with significantly enhanced removal efficiencies in paddy soils compared to upland soils. Notably, MFBs exhibited superior adsorption performance in soils with lower pH and organic matter (OM) content, where the bioavailability and mobility of Cd are heightened. The reduction of Cd content by MFBs is a sustainable and safe method, as it permanently removes the bioavailable Cd from soil, rather than temporarily reducing its bioavailability. The functional groups such as –SH, –OH, present in attapulgite and alginate of MFBs, played a crucial role in Cd(II) adsorption. Additionally, attapulgite and zeolite provided a porous matrix structure that further enhanced Cd(II) adsorption. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that both chemical precipitation and surface complexation contributed to Cd(II) removal. The MFBs maintained 87.6% Cd removal efficiency after 5 regeneration cycles. The surface of the MFBs exposed new adsorption sites and increased the specific surface area during multiple cycles with Cd-contaminated soil. This suggests that MFBs treatment with magnetic retrieval is a potentially effective pathway for the rapid removal of Cd from contaminated farmland soils.

On the performance of Sargassum-derived calcium alginate ion exchange resins for Pb2+ adsorption: batch and packed bed applications

Driven by climate change and human activity, Sargassum blooming rates have intensified, producing copious amount of the invasive, pelagic seaweed across the Caribbean and Latin America. Battery recycling and lead-smelter wastes have heavily polluted the environment and resulted in acute lead poisoning in children through widespread heavy metal contamination particular in East Trinidad. Our study details a comprehensive investigation into the use of Sargassum (S. natans), as a potential resource-circular feedstock for the synthesis of calcium alginate beads utilized in heavy metal adsorption, both in batch and column experiments. Here, ionic cross-linking of extracted sodium alginate with calcium chloride was utilized to create functional ion-exchange beads. Given the low quality of alginates extracted from Sargassum which produce poor morphological beads, composite beads in conjunction with graphene oxide and acrylamide were used to improve fabrication. Stand-alone calcium alginate beads exhibited superior Pb2+ adsorption, with a capacity of 213 mg g−1 at 20 °C and pH 3.5, surpassing composite and commercial resins. Additives like acrylamide and graphene oxide in composite alginate resins led to a 21–40% decrease in Pb2+ adsorption due to reduced active sites. Column operations confirmed Alginate systems’ practicality, with 20–24% longer operating times, 15 times lower adsorbent mass on scale-up and 206% smaller column diameters compared to commercial counterparts. Ultimately, this study advocates for Sargassum-based Alginate ion-exchange beads as a bio-based alternative in Trinidad and developing nations for dealing with heavy metal ion waste, offering superior heavy metal adsorption performance and supporting resource circularity.Graphical

Structural properties and adsorption performance relationship towards three categories of lignin and their derived biochar

The growing interest in utilizing lignin for dye removal has gained momentum, but there is limited information on the intricate relationship between lignin structural characteristics and adsorption efficacy, especially for its biochar derivatives. This study focused on three types of lignin and their corresponding biochar derivatives. Among them, ZnCl2-activated acidic/alkali densified lignin preparation of lignin-derived active carbon exhibited superior adsorption performance, achieving 526.32 mg/g for methylene blue and 2156.77 mg/g for congo red. Its exceptional adsorption capacity was attributed to its unique structural properties, including low alkyl and O-alkyl group content and high aromatic carbon levels. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanisms adhered to pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model, signifying a spontaneous process. Intriguingly, lignin-derived active carbon also demonstrated remarkable recovery capabilities. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of structural attributes on lignin and its biochar's adsorption performance.