Adsorption kinetic models for the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution by clay liners in landfills

Liners are commonly used in engineered waste disposal landfill to minimize the potential contamination of the aquatic environment. The adsorption behavior of Cu(II) from aqueous solution onto clay admixed with various mix ratios of quarry fines was investigated. The amount of Cu(II) adsorption increases with increase in contact time. The copper removal efficiencies of the composite mixture gradually decrease from 94.53 % (raw clay) to 85.59 % (20 % of quarry fines with clay), and appreciable decrease in percent removal 75.61 % was found with 25 % of quarry fines with clay. The kinetic adsorption data were analyzed by pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Bhattacharya–Venkobachar and Natarajan–Khalaf kinetic models to classify adsorption process mechanisms. Kinetic experimental data were good agreement with pseudo-second-order kinetic model with the degree of fitness of the data (R ²) 0.9999 for the adsorption of Cu(II). The results revealed that quarry fines can be used with optimum of 20 % replacement of natural clay for removal of Cu(II) as a liner material in landfills.     

Competitive adsorption of metal ions onto goethite–humic acid-modified kaolinite clay

A binary mixture of humic acid and geothite was prepared and used to modify kaolinite to produce geothite–humic acid (GHA)-modified kaolinite adsorbent useful for the adsorption of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺ from Single and Quinary (5) metal ion systems. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) and specific surface area of GHA-modified kaolinite clay adsorbent were found to be 40 meq/100 g and 13 m²/g, respectively, with the CEC being five times that of raw kaolinite clay (7.81 meq/100 g). The Langmuir–Freundlich equilibrium isotherm model gave better fit to experimental data as compared with other isotherm models. In Quinary metal ion system, the presence of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ appears to have an antagonistic effect on the adsorption of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺, while the presence of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ shows a synergistic effect on the adsorption of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺. The GHA-modified kaolinite showed strong preference for the adsorption of Pb²⁺ in both metal ion systems. Brouers–Weron–Sotolongo (BWS) kinetic model gave better fit to kinetic data compared with other kinetic models used. Data from BWS kinetic model indicate that adsorption of metal ions onto GHA-modified adsorbent in both metal ion systems followed strictly, diffusion-controlled mechanism with adsorption reaction proceeding to 50 % equilibrium in <2 min in the Single metal ion system and <1 min in the Quinary metal ion system. Adsorption of metal ions onto GHA-modified kaolinite is fairly spontaneous and endothermic in nature in both metal ion systems although the rate of metal ion uptake and spontaneity of reaction are reduced in the Quinary metal ion system.     

Adsorptive removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) onto mixed-waste activated carbon: kinetic,thermodynamic, and competitive studies and application to real wastewater samples

This work aimed to investigate the adsorption characteristics, both kinetically and thermodynamically, of Cu(II) and Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions onto mixed-waste activated carbon, as well as to study the competitive behavior found in mixed heavy metal solution systems. This study shows that activated carbon prepared from mixed waste is an effective adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solutions, with the aim of detoxifying industrial effluents before their safe disposal onto water surfaces. The adsorption process was characterized in terms of kinetic and thermodynamic studies. In addition, the influence of presence of Cu(II) and Pb(II) in a competitive system was investigated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacities were gained at a pH of 6 with a contact time of 180 min, a metal solution concentration of 300 ppm, and an adsorbent dose of 0.3 g/L. The adsorption process was found to follow a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG ^o, ΔH ^o, and ΔS ^o showed that the sorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. A competitive study demonstrated the applicability of mixed-waste activated carbon to adsorb Cu(II) and Pb(II) from a solution of mixed metals. In addition, the adsorption capacity was found to be as effective as other adsorbents reported in the literature. The developed adsorptive removal procedure was applied for treatment of real wastewater samples and showed high removal efficiency.     

Biosorption of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution onto pomegranate seeds: kinetic modeling studies

Hexavalent chromium has been proved to be the reason of several health hazards. This study aimed at evaluating the application of pomegranate seeds powder for chromium adsorption (VI) from aqueous solution. Chromium adsorption percentage (VI) increased with increasing the adsorbent dosage. Chromium adsorption capacity (VI), at pH = 2 and 10 mg/L initial metal concentration, decreased from 3.313 to 1.6 mg/g through increasing dosage of adsorbent from 0.2 to 0.6 g/100 ml. The adsorption rate increased through increase in chromium initial concentration (VI). However, there was a removal percentage reduction of chromium (VI). Chromium adsorption kinetics by different models (pseudo-first-order, modified pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, intraparticle diffusion, Boyd kinetic) was investigated as well. Studies on adsorption kinetic indicated that the experimental data were matched by pseudo-second-order model (R ² = 0.999) better. Obtained results demonstrated the pomegranate seeds can be used as an effective biomaterial and biosorbent for hexavalent chromium adsorption from aqueous solutions.     

华北南部构造煤纳米级孔隙结构演化特征及作用机理

构造煤是在构造应力作用下,煤体发生变形或破坏的一类煤,在世界主要产煤国家皆有分布。构造变形不同程度的改变着煤的大分子结构和化学成分,而且也影响到构造煤的纳米级孔隙结构(<10 0 nm ) ,它是煤层气的主要吸附空间。通过构造煤显微组分和镜质组油浸最大反射率的测定,采用液氮吸附法对不同变质变形环境、不同变形系列构造煤的纳米级孔隙分类、孔隙结构特征进行了深入系统的研究,并结合高分辨透射电子显微镜和X射线衍射对大分子结构和孔隙结构的分析,结果表明:不同类型构造煤纳米级孔径结构自然分类,可将孔径结构划分为过渡孔(15～10 0 nm )、微孔(5～15 nm )、亚微孔(2 .5～5 nm )和极微孔(<2 .5 nm ) 4类。低煤级变形变质环境中随着构造变形的增强,不同类型构造煤过渡孔孔容明显降低,微孔及其下孔径段孔容明显增多,可见亚微孔和极微孔,过渡孔的比表面积大幅度降低,而亚微孔的却增加得较快。从脆韧性变形煤至韧性变形煤,总孔体积、累积比表面积、N2 吸附量随着构造变形的增强,这些结构参数均迅速增加,但中值半径进一步下降。非均质结构煤孔隙参数与弱脆性变形煤相当。中、高煤级变形变质环境形成的各种类型构造煤与低煤级变质变形环境相比,孔隙参数的变化基本一致。但不同类型构造煤的变化又有所区别     

Optimization and design of a continuous biosorption process using brown algae and chitosan/PVA nano-fiber membrane for removal of nickel by a new biosorbent

In this study, nickel ions adsorption from zinc ingot factory wastewater by brown algae (Sargassum glaucescens) and chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol nano-fiber membrane at continuous system was studied. The continuous process included a biosorption reactor and fixed-bed reactor that were optimized by predicting two batch steps with response surface modeling, based on the Box–Behnken in the novel approach. Nano-biosorbent characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis. Maximum biosorption in this continuous system was at pH 6, biosorbent doses 8 g L^?1 S. glaucescens and 0.48 g L^?1 nano-fiber. The study of the reaction rate showed kinetic data best fitted by pseudo-first-order model with R ² > 0.95 than pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models. Biosorption equilibrium data were performed using Langmuir isotherm and Freundlich isotherm, Langmuir isotherm fit better with equilibrium data.     

Adsorption Mechanism and Kinetic Characterization of Bituminous Coal under High Temperatures and Pressures in the Linxing‐Shenfu Area

The majority of coalbed methane(CBM) in coal reservoirs is in adsorption states in coal matrix pores. To reveal the adsorption behavior of bituminous coal under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions and to discuss the microscopic control mechanism affecting the adsorption characteristics, isothermal adsorption experiments under hightemperature and high-pressure conditions, low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiments and CO2 adsorption experiments were performed on coal samples. Results show that the adsorption capacity of coal is comprehensively controlled by the maximum vitrinite reflectance(Ro, max), as well as temperature and pressure conditions. As the vitrinite reflectance increases, the adsorption capacity of coal increases. At low pressures, the pressure has a significant effect on the positive effect of adsorption, but the effect of temperature is relatively weak. As the pressure increases, the effect of temperature on the negative effect of adsorption gradually becomes apparent, and the influence of pressure gradually decreases. Considering pore volumes of pores with diameters of 1.7-100 nm, the peak volume of pores with diameters 10-100 nm is higher than that from pores with diameters 1.7-10 nm, especially for pores with diameters of 40-60 nm, indicating that pores with diameters of 10-100 nm are the main contributors to the pore volume. The pore specific surface area shows multiple peaks, and the peak value appears for pore diameters of 2-3 nm, indicating that this pore diameter is the main contributor to the specific surface area. For pore diameters of 0.489-1.083 nm, the pore size distribution is bimodal, with peak values at 0.56-0.62 nm and 0.82-0.88 nm. The adsorption capability of the coal reservoir depends on the development degree of the supermicroporous specific surface area, because the supermicroporous pores are the main contributors to the specific pore area. Additionally, the adsorption space increases as the adsorption equilibrium pressure increases. Under the same pressure, as the maximum vitrinite reflectance increases, the adsorption space increases. In addition, the cumulative reduction in the surface free energy increases as the maximum vitrinite reflectance increases. Furthermore, as the pressure increases, the surface free energy of each pressure point gradually decreases, indicating that as the pressure increases, it is increasingly difficult to adsorb methane molecules.     

Atomic layer deposition surface functionalized biochar for adsorption of organic pollutants: improved hydrophilia and adsorption capacity

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin film coating was applied to improve the hydrophilia of biochar derived from black willow. 2 (2Al, 0.82 wt% Al₂O₃), 5 (5Al, 1.40 wt% Al₂O₃), and 10 (10Al, 2.36 wt% Al₂O₃) cycles of alumina ALD were applied. The biochars were characterized by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption and desorption, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adsorbents were utilized for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution to evaluate their adsorption capacities. The 5Al biochar showed the highest adsorption capacity, compared to the uncoated biochar and other Al₂O₃ coated biochars, due to its improved hydrophilia. The amount of MB adsorbed onto the 5Al biochar was almost three times that adsorbed onto the uncoated biochar during the first hour of adsorption experiments. Adsorption isotherms were modeled with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacities were found to be 26.8 and 35.0 mg/g at 25 °C for the uncoated biochar and 5Al biochar, respectively. The adsorbed MB amount per square meter achieved 1.3 mg/m² onto the 5Al biochar, and it was twice the amount on the uncoated biochar. The experimental data were analyzed by pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics models of adsorption. The pseudo-second-order model better describes adsorption kinetic data for the uncoated biochar and 5Al biochar than the pseudo-first-order model does.     

Stabilization of Fe/Cu nanoparticles by starch and efficiency of arsenic adsorption from aqueous solutions

Due to the severity of arsenic contamination of soil and water resources around the world, finding new adsorbents for arsenic removal from the water is of high importance. The present study investigates the possible use and effectiveness of starch-stabilized Fe/Cu nanoparticles for adsorption of arsenic from aqueous solutions. First, Fe/Cu nanoparticles at various starch concentrations of 0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 wt% were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and zeta potential/particle size analyzer. Then 0.04 wt% stabilized Fe/Cu nanoparticles were tested for the sorption of As(III) and As(V) from synthetic arsenic-contaminated water. To have an understanding about the arsenic adsorption mechanism of nanoparticles, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed before and after adsorption. The results showed that starch provides nanoparticles with a neutral surface and stabilization of nanoparticles is possible with 0.04 wt% or higher concentrations of starch. For 0.04 wt% starch-stabilized Fe/Cu nanoparticles, the adsorption isotherms fit well within the Langmuir equation, with maximum sorption capacities of 90.1 mg/g for As(III) and 126.58 mg/g for As(V) at a pH of 7.0 from the aqueous arsenic solutions. Examining the XPS spectra of nanoparticles before and after adsorption showed that arsenic adsorption by this nanoparticle can be due to the formation of inner-sphere arsenic complexes on the particle surface, and the surface oxygen-containing functional groups involved in adsorption. The high sorption capacity suggests the potential for applying starch-stabilized Fe/Cu nanoparticles to the contaminated waters for removal of arsenic.     

Mobility of trace elements between the river water,the sediments,and the pore water of Las Catonas Stream,Buenos Aires Province,Argentina

The composition of river water, sediments, and pore waters (down to 30 cm below the bed) of Las Catonas Stream was studied to analyze the distribution of trace elements in a peri-urban site. The Las Catonas Stream is one of the main tributaries of Reconquista River, a highly polluted water course in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The semi-consolidated Quaternary sediments of the Luján Formation are the main source of sediments for Las Catonas Stream. The coarse-grained fraction in the sediments is mainly composed of tosca (calcretes), intraclasts, bone fragments, glass shards, quartz, and aggregates of fine-grained sediments together with considerably amounts of vegetal remains. The clay minerals are illite, illite–smectite, smectite, and kaolinite. For the clay-sized fraction, the external surface area values are mostly between 70 and 110 m²g^?1, although the fraction at 15 cm below the bottom of the river shows a lower surface area of 12 m²g^?1. The N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms at 77 K for this sample display a behavior indicative of non-porous or macroporous material, whereas the samples above and below present a typical behavior of mesoporous materials with pores between parallel plates (slit-shaped). As, Cr, Cu, and Cd concentrations increase down to 15 cm depth in the sediments, where the highest trace element and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were found, and then decrease toward the bottom of the core. Except for As, the levels of the other heavy metals show higher concentration in surficial waters than in pore waters. Distribution coefficients between the sediments, pore water, and surficial water phases indicate that As is released from the sediments to the pore and surficial waters. Cu content strongly correlates with TOC (mainly from vegetal remains), suggesting that this element is mainly bound to the organic phase.     

Separation of Cu<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Pb<Superscript>2+</Superscript> by tetraethylenepentamine-modified sugarcane bagasse fixed-bed column: selective adsorption and kinetics

Tetraethylenepentamine-modified sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was prepared to improve its adsorption capacity and selectivity toward Cu²⁺. Adsorption performances of the modified sorbent for Cu²⁺ were studied in batch system. Separation of Cu²⁺ from Pb²⁺ by the modified sorbent fixed-bed column were studied under dynamic system with initial molar concentration ratio \(\left( {C_{0}^{\text{Cu}} /C_{0}^{\text{Pb}} } \right)\) ranging from 1:1 to 1:100. The amount of Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ adsorbed on the saturated column was calculated by the elution curve. Batch experimental results showed that the adsorption capacity of the sorbent for Cu²⁺ increased from 0.12 to 0.21 mmol g^?1 after modification. Dynamic adsorption results showed that the modified SCB had higher adsorption affinity toward Cu²⁺ than Pb²⁺. 0.07 mmol g^?1 of adsorbed Pb²⁺ was pushed off by Cu²⁺ during the competitive adsorption process at \(C_{0}^{\text{Cu}} /C_{0}^{\text{Pb}} = {\text{1:1}}.\) The breakthrough curves and adsorption kinetics of Cu²⁺ in the column could be fitted well by the Yoon–Nelson and modified Yoon–Nelson model, respectively. According to the elution curve, the amount of Cu²⁺ adsorbed on the fixed-bed column were 0.16, 0.16 and 0.15 mmol g^?1, while that of Pb²⁺ were 0.0016, 0.0051 and 0.0094 mmol g^?1 when \(C_{0}^{\text{Cu}} /C_{0}^{\text{Pb}}\) increased from 1:1 to 1:10 and 1:100. Cu²⁺ could be selectively adsorbed and separated from Pb²⁺ by using the modified sorbent fixed-bed column.     

Visible light N-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-induced photodegradation of Congo red: characterization,kinetics and mechanistic study

In this study, the photocatalytic degradation of Congo red has been investigated in N-doped TiO₂ (N-TiO₂) aqueous suspensions under visible light irradiation. Visible light-active N-TiO₂ was successfully prepared at three different weight contents (2.5, 5, and 7%) employing sol–gel method. It was able to harvest the visible irradiation with wavelength suitable for activation. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, diffused reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption Brunauer–Emmert–Teller, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer were used to characterize the doped catalyst. The samples had a relatively large specific Brunauer–Emmert–Teller surface areas of about 42 m² g^?1 with average X-ray diffraction crystalline size of 52 nm and showed visible light photocatalytic activity at about 408 nm. The impacts of several operating parameters on the Congo red photodegradation process were examined. Langmuir–Hinshelwood model exhibited pseudo-first-order degradation kinetics. N-TiO₂-assisted plausible photodegradation mechanism has been suggested based on the qualitatively detected intermediate compounds.     

Adsorption characteristics of phenol and heavy metals on biochar from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hizikia fusiformis</Emphasis>

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the absorption efficacy of H. fusiformis biochar (HFB) for the removal of phenol and heavy metals from single and mixed solute systems of these species under different experimental conditions. The effects of contact time, pH change, initial phenol concentration, and heavy metal concentration on the adsorption capacity of HFB were investigated. The kinetics and equilibrium models of sorption of the components of the single and mixed solute systems on HFB were also studied. The experimental data were fitted to kinetic and equilibrium models. The batch experiments revealed that 360 min of contact time was sufficient to achieve equilibrium for the adsorption of both phenol and heavy metals. The adsorption of phenol and nickel by HFB followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, which was quite adequate for describing the adsorption mechanism. The equilibrium data for the adsorption of phenol and heavy metals fit well to the Langmuir model with regression coefficients of R ² > 0.819. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities were 10.39, 12.13, 22.25, 2.24, 2.89, and 22.03 mg/g for phenol, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, and Cd²⁺, respectively. Moreover, HFB exhibited optimal sorption under slightly acidic conditions at pH 6. The HFB used in the present study exhibited higher adsorption capacity for the removal of phenol and heavy metals from aqueous solutions compared to documented sorbents. These results demonstrate that HFB is potentially useful for alleviating the harmful effects of phenol and heavy metal in wastewater treatment systems.     

Pore structure and adsorption behavior of shale gas reservoir with influence of maturity: a case study of Lower Silurian Longmaxi formation in China

Knowledge of pore structure and adsorption capacity provides guidance for better studying the origin, hydrocarbon distribution, and productivity of shale gas reservoir. In this study, pore structure characteristics of six shale core plugs with different maturity from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi formation in south China were investigated using the Rock-eval analysis, X-ray diffraction, total organic carbon (TOC) content test, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. To further investigate the influence of maturity, the adsorption behavior of gas shale was experimentally measured, with the maximal pressure being 20 MPa. Rock-eval analysis indicates that Ro is 0.67~1.34%. SEM results show that organic matter (OM) pores are abundant in high-maturity shale sample. The OM pores are mainly irregular to elliptical in shape, the size is 8~100 nm. The TOC content is 0.16~4.21% and shows a positive correlation with the BET surface area. A negative relationship exists between TOC content and average pore diameter, which indicates that abundant nanometer pores are related to the OM. A noticeable characteristic in the pore size distribution curve is that the content of micropores (pore width <?2 nm) increases with the increasing TOC content. Additionally, the thermal maturity results in significant difference in methane adsorption capacity. Maximal adsorption capacity of shale samples is also lineally correlated with TOC content, which increases with maturity. This study provides a quantitative understanding of how maturity affects pore structure and adsorption behavior of shale gas reservoir.     

Biosorption of fluoride by water lettuce (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pistia stratiotes</Emphasis>) from contaminated water

Phytoremediation is a proven low-cost and sustainable method for the removal of toxic pollutants from water. This green technology has been practiced for the past several years all over the world. In the present study, the interaction of fluoride on the surface of the floating aquatic plant water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) during fluoride removal was investigated. Batch kinetic studies were performed to examine the fluoride uptake capacity of the plant with different initial fluoride concentrations such as 3, 5, 10, and 20 mg/L. The effects of various process parameters on fluoride uptake dynamics such as pH, plant biomass, initial fluoride concentration, and time were examined. Freundlich’s isotherm model was found to (R ² = 0.957) fit well to the experimental data. The nature of reaction order followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, when the initial fluoride level in the solution was 5 mg/L. The experimental findings showed that the removal mechanism was driven by biosorption phenomenon. High fluoride concentration in the solution reduced the growth ratio of P. stratiotes. The lowest growth ratio of this aquatic macrophyte was found to be 76.80 ± 3.73% at 20 mg/L fluoride concentration. At lower fluoride concentrations such as 3 and 5 mg/L, the growth ratio of the plant was not reduced significantly.     

Behavior of Gd-DTPA in simulated bank filtration

The behavior of Gd-DTPA during bank filtration was simulated in a 30 m column filled with Pleistocene sand and flushed by surface water from a lakeside in Berlin, Germany. The surface water is about a 1:1 mixture of river water and effluents from a sewage treatment plant. Throughout 34 days this water was continuously spiked with Gd-DTPA at a level of 60 μg/L. The broad plateau of the Gd-DTPA pulse declined by 15.4% within 34 days by transmetallation. Nine percentage of the total decline is caused by Y and rare earth elements; the remaining part is attributed to Cu²⁺ which is the most influential metal in surface water. All other metals also contributing to transmetallation are combined with Cu to Cu equivalents because only the rate constant of transmetallation of Cu²⁺ is known. The analytical results of the column effluents prove the pseudo-first-order kinetics of transmetallation based on reversible sorption of metals by pools in the column sediment and disprove biodegradation at noticeable levels. The mass ratio of water to tracer is <10¹⁰.     

Particle-size effects on dissolved arsenic adsorption to an Australian laterite

In this study, arsenic adsorption to an Australian laterite has been examined for a particle-size range between 38 μm and 25 mm. The results show that particle size influences both kinetic and equilibrium characteristics of arsenic adsorption. The equilibrium adsorption capacity increases from around 100 mg kg^?1 for laterite particles coarser than 4 mm, to around 160 mg kg^?1 for laterite particles between 75 μm and 4 mm, and to over 200 mg kg^?1 for laterite particles finer than 75 μm. The kinetic adsorption data can be fitted with the pseudo-second-order reaction model, in particular for finer particles where the film diffusion and/or surface reaction are important processes. The model-fitted rate constant remains steady for laterite particles coarser than 2 mm, increases moderately with particle size in the range between 75 μm and 2 mm, and increases dramatically for laterite particles finer than 75 μm. These arsenic adsorption behaviours can be explained by the relative importance of two particle-size-dependent processes: quick external-surface adsorption (more important for fine particles) and slow intraparticle adsorption (more important for coarse particles). Most of the external-surface adsorption completes in the first hour of the experiment. To apply the studied laterite for dissolved arsenic removal, it is recommended that fine particles, in particular finer than 75 μm, should be used if the contact time is the limitation, and that coarse particles, in particular 2–4 mm, should be used if sufficient contact time is available.     

Biosorption of heavy metals by organic carbon from spent mushroom substrates and their raw materials

The use of agricultural wastes as biosorbents is gaining importance in bioremediation of heavy metal-polluted water and soils, due to their effectiveness and low cost. This work assesses the Cd, Pb and Cu adsorption capacity of the raw materials used in the production of substrates for mushroom production (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus) and the spent mushroom composted (SMC), based on the functional groups of their organic carbon. The raw materials studied included agricultural wastes (wheat straw, wheat and rice poultry litter, grape pomace) and inorganic substances (gypsum and calcareous sand). Organic carbon from wastes and their composting products were characterized by CP-MAS ¹³C NMR. Langmuir adsorption isotherms of metals were plotted for each raw material, composting step, spent A. bisporus and P. ostreatus substrates and the final SMC. The maximum adsorption capacities of SMC were 40.43, 15.16 and 36.2 mg g^?1 for Cd, Pb and Cu, respectively. The composting process modified the adsorption properties of raw materials because of the enhanced adsorption of Cd and Cu and decreased adsorption capacity of Pb. CP-MAS ¹³C NMR and potentiometric titration were used to identify the functional groups of the organic carbon responsible for the metal adsorption. The content of cellulose was correlated with Pb adsorption (p < 0.001), alkyl and carboxyl carbon with Cd adsorption (p < 0.001), and N-alkyl (p < 0.001) and carboxyl (p < 0.010) groups with Cu adsorption. These results are valuable to develop new biosorbents based on agricultural wastes and demonstrate the high potential of SMC to adsorb heavy metals from polluted environments.     

Fabrication of a nanocomposite from an agricultural waste and its application as a biosorbent for organic pollutants

Cellulose/SiO₂ nanocomposite (CSNC) was successively prepared using a banana peel waste as a template for silica. X-rays diffraction confirmed the presence of both cellulosic and silica phases with the silica phase as the primary phase. Electron microscopes images showed a compact hexagonal morphology with an average particle size of 20 nm. The FTIR analysis ascertained the presence of hydroxyl groups, and the thermal analysis showed the high thermal stability of CSNC. The sorption ability of CSNC for methylene blue was examined in both aqueous solutions and a real sample. The adsorption was followed by pseudo-second-order reaction and obeyed Langmuir isotherm. Calculated thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic, suggesting a chemisorption mode. The calculated adsorption capacity was 78.75 and 58.81 mg g^?1 in aqueous dye solution and real sample, respectively, suggesting the applicability of CSNC for field uses. The correlation between the composite components and its performance is suggested to be investigated in the future by changing the type of agricultural waste as well as the nanooxide.     

Sorption-desorption behavior of strontium-85 onto montmorillonite and silica colloids

Strontium-90 (⁹⁰Sr) is one of the major radioactive contaminants found in DP Canyon at Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. Radioactive surveys found that ⁹⁰Sr is present in surface water and shallow alluvial groundwater environments in Los Alamos National laboratory (LANL). Colloids may influence the transport of this radionuclide in surface and groundwater environments in LANL. In this study, the authors investigated the sorption/desorption behavior of radioactive Sr on Ca-montmorillonite and silica colloids, and the effect of ionic strength of water on the sorption of Sr. Laboratory batch sorption experiments were conducted using ⁸⁵Sr as a surrogate for ⁹⁰Sr. Groundwater, collected from Well LAUZ-1 at DP Canyon and from Well J-13 at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, and deionized water, were used. The results show that 92–100% of the ⁸⁵Sr was rapidly adsorbed onto Ca-montmorillonite colloids in all three waters. Adsorption of ⁸⁵Sr onto silica colloids varied among the three waters. The ionic strength and Ca²⁺ concentration in groundwater significantly influence the adsorption of ⁸⁵Sr onto silica colloids. Desorption of ⁸⁵Sr from Ca-montmorillonite colloids is slower than from silica colloids. Desorption of ⁸⁵Sr from silica colloids was faster in LAUZ-1 groundwater than in J-13 groundwater and deionized water. The results suggest that clay and silica colloids may facilitate the transport of Sr along potential flowpaths from DP Canyon to Los Alamos Canyon.