Recent Progress on Biosorption of Heavy Metals from Liquids Using Low Cost Biosorbents: Characterization,Biosorption Parameters and Mechanism Studies

A significant number of biosorption studies on the removal of heavy metal from aqueous solutions have been conducted worldwide. Nearly all of them have been directed towards optimizing biosorption parameters to obtain the highest removal efficiency while the rest of them are concerned with the biosorption mechanism. Combinations of FTIR, SEM‐EDX, TEM as well as classical methods such as titrations are extremely useful in determining the main processes on the surfaces of biosorbents. Diverse functional groups represented by carboxyl, hydroxyl, sulfate and amino groups play significant roles in the biosorption process. Solution pH normally has a large impact on biosorption performance. In brief, ion exchange and complexation can be pointed out as the most prevalent mechanisms for the biosorption of most heavy metals.     

Drivers of social media use among African Americans in the event of a crisis

Research has examined the role of social media during the time of a crisis in various fields; however, there is a paucity of research in this area as it relates to tourism. Moreover, few studies have examined at-risk populations, such as tourists, in times of crisis. To assess the drivers of turning to social media during a crisis, a national survey of 1,018 African American travelers was conducted. Respondents were asked to indicate on a 5-point scale the likelihood of turning to social media for information “if they were currently in the middle of their trip and heard that a crisis has just occurred within the immediate vicinity of their current location.” Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to determine drivers on African American travelers’ decisions to use social media during a crisis. These drivers were age, perceptions of risk during their trip, and frequency and type of social media use engaged in on a regular basis. Overall, findings suggested that when controlling for age only, crime, financial, and physical perceptions of risk drove social media use during a crisis, while controlling for age and perception of risk, use of social media in one's daily life showed no influence.