The widespread release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) into natural environments raises questions about the interactions of these colloids with natural organic matter (NOM), which directly influence their mobility, reactivity, and fate. While NP surface charge is recognized as a key factor in these interactions, evidence linking charge to molecular mechanisms remains limited. Cationic and anionic NPs were used in this study to investigate how NPs surface charge affects interactions with humic acid (HA), using fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results reveal that cationic NPs exhibit more important interactions with HA than anionic NPs, confirming that surface charge of NPs plays a key role on their interactions with HA. Complementary comparison showed that NP size and surface functionalization do not significantly impact these interactions, reinforcing surface charge as the important factor. Thermodynamic analyses at 270 nm, provide insights that these interactions involve carboxylic acid groups in HA. In addition, these analyses indicate that anionic NPs interact primarily through hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces. Finally, HA-NP interactions are more pronounced with an acidic pH than at neutral one, highlighting additional processes associated with charge modification.
Synopsis
Nanoparticle surface charge governs interactions with humic acid, affecting their environmental fate in natural waters and soils.
{"title":"Interactions of positively and negatively charged iron-based engineered nanoparticles with organic matter: The case of humic acid","authors":"Malak Dia , Denis Courtier-Murias , Pierre-Emmanuel Peyneau , Béatrice Bechet","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) into natural environments raises questions about the interactions of these colloids with natural organic matter (NOM), which directly influence their mobility, reactivity, and fate. While NP surface charge is recognized as a key factor in these interactions, evidence linking charge to molecular mechanisms remains limited. Cationic and anionic NPs were used in this study to investigate how NPs surface charge affects interactions with humic acid (HA), using fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results reveal that cationic NPs exhibit more important interactions with HA than anionic NPs, confirming that surface charge of NPs plays a key role on their interactions with HA. Complementary comparison showed that NP size and surface functionalization do not significantly impact these interactions, reinforcing surface charge as the important factor. Thermodynamic analyses at 270 nm, provide insights that these interactions involve carboxylic acid groups in HA. In addition, these analyses indicate that anionic NPs interact primarily through hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces. Finally, HA-NP interactions are more pronounced with an acidic pH than at neutral one, highlighting additional processes associated with charge modification.</div><div><strong>Synopsis</strong></div><div>Nanoparticle surface charge governs interactions with humic acid, affecting their environmental fate in natural waters and soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100085"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145518949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100081
Yuki Z. Maeda , Hongyan Wu , Jing Liu
Environmental interfacial processes, from acid rain to acidic wastewaters, drive dissolution of carbonate-rich solids and CO2 release. In this study, we investigate particle size effects on CO2 emission kinetics in reaction between eggshell, a model porous bioceramic, with acetic acid (CH3COOH). Five particle size fractions of eggshells, including dimensions above and below the natural shell thickness, were tested. Time-resolved CH3COOH concentration measurements revealed that there are two regimes in dependence of CO2 emission rates on the particle sizes. Simply breaking the shells does not lead to a clear enhancement in the reaction rate. However, finer particles, particularly those approaching or smaller than the shell thickness, exhibited markedly higher initial rates due to exposure of internal pore networks upon fracture. For all particle sizes, the reaction rates decrease with acid depletion and reduced reactive surface availability with time. No noticeable difference was observed by the presence of CO2 bubbles on the reaction kinetics. These results highlight the role of particle size, morphology, and internal porosity in governing acid–carbonate interfacial reaction kinetics, with implications for porous carbonate dissolution in natural and engineered systems.
{"title":"Quantifying particle size effects on CO2 evolution at solid–liquid interfaces of calcium carbonate in acidic media","authors":"Yuki Z. Maeda , Hongyan Wu , Jing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100081","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100081","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental interfacial processes, from acid rain to acidic wastewaters, drive dissolution of carbonate-rich solids and CO<sub>2</sub> release. In this study, we investigate particle size effects on CO<sub>2</sub> emission kinetics in reaction between eggshell, a model porous bioceramic, with acetic acid (CH<sub>3</sub>COOH). Five particle size fractions of eggshells, including dimensions above and below the natural shell thickness, were tested. Time-resolved CH<sub>3</sub>COOH concentration measurements revealed that there are two regimes in dependence of CO<sub>2</sub> emission rates on the particle sizes. Simply breaking the shells does not lead to a clear enhancement in the reaction rate. However, finer particles, particularly those approaching or smaller than the shell thickness, exhibited markedly higher initial rates due to exposure of internal pore networks upon fracture. For all particle sizes, the reaction rates decrease with acid depletion and reduced reactive surface availability with time. No noticeable difference was observed by the presence of CO<sub>2</sub> bubbles on the reaction kinetics. These results highlight the role of particle size, morphology, and internal porosity in governing acid–carbonate interfacial reaction kinetics, with implications for porous carbonate dissolution in natural and engineered systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100081"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100082
Nour Kashlan , Ryan Prosser , Erica Pensini
Previous studies report a positive correlation between contaminant hydrophobicity and accumulation in plants. We show that sulfoxides present in garlic, such as alliin, methiin and propiin, phase-separate (i.e., de-solvate, demix) sulfolane from aqueous solutions, as shown by optical microscopy during in vitro experiments conducted using garlic extracts. Sulfolane is a contaminant freely miscible in pure water. However, water interacts more strongly with the sulfoxides alliin, methiin and propiin than with sulfolane, as we demonstrated by computer simulations. This explains why garlic sulfoxides desolvate sulfolane, causing it to behave as a hydrophobic solvent. Garlic uptakes 10.5 ± 0.77 wt% sulfolane relative to water in its cloves from solutions prepared with 10 wt% sulfolane, during a two-week period at 18.5–19.5⁰C, as seen by Fourier transform infrared spectro-microscopy conducted on dissected garlic cloves. Under these conditions, it displays signs of stress and its shoots wilted, but it could nonetheless survive. In contrast, onion plants died. The algae Chlorella vulgaris and Raphidocelis subcapitata also died. They do not contain the sulfoxides found in garlic and did not phase-separate sulfolane from water.
{"title":"Sulfolane desolvation by garlic sulfoxides: Potential link to plant survival upon uptake","authors":"Nour Kashlan , Ryan Prosser , Erica Pensini","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100082","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100082","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies report a positive correlation between contaminant hydrophobicity and accumulation in plants. We show that sulfoxides present in garlic, such as alliin, methiin and propiin, phase-separate (i.e., de-solvate, demix) sulfolane from aqueous solutions, as shown by optical microscopy during <em>in vitro</em> experiments conducted using garlic extracts. Sulfolane is a contaminant freely miscible in pure water. However, water interacts more strongly with the sulfoxides alliin, methiin and propiin than with sulfolane, as we demonstrated by computer simulations. This explains why garlic sulfoxides desolvate sulfolane, causing it to behave as a hydrophobic solvent. Garlic uptakes 10.5 ± 0.77 wt% sulfolane relative to water in its cloves from solutions prepared with 10 wt% sulfolane, during a two-week period at 18.5–19.5⁰C, as seen by Fourier transform infrared spectro-microscopy conducted on dissected garlic cloves. Under these conditions, it displays signs of stress and its shoots wilted, but it could nonetheless survive. In contrast, onion plants died. The algae <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> and <em>Raphidocelis subcapitata</em> also died. They do not contain the sulfoxides found in garlic and did not phase-separate sulfolane from water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100082"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-02DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100080
Asmita De, Sumit Mishra
Amid growing concerns over industrial dye pollution, a new engineered rod-shaped copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF) offers a promising solution for efficient wastewater treatment. Synthesized through self-assembly method, this Cu-MOF was characterized using FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, FESEM, EDX, and TGA to establish its structural and thermal integrity. Electrochemical analysis showed its promising redox behaviour. Cu-MOF distinguishes itself through its remarkable efficiency in degrading Congo Red (CR), a well-known industrial dye pollutant. With a narrow band gap of 2.36 eV, as revealed by UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), the Cu-MOF harnesses UV light efficiently, achieving a 93.5 % degradation rate. The photocatalytic activity was further enhanced by introducing hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a scavenger for charge carriers, curbing recombination losses. A detailed mechanism explaining the degradation process was proposed alongside kinetics studies and mass spectrometric analysis that unveiled the degradation products and suggested a degradation pathway. This study not only highlights the environmental potential of Cu-MOF but also paves the way for advanced materials in wastewater treatment applications.
{"title":"Rod-shaped copper-based metal-organic framework: An efficient UV-activated photocatalyst for Congo Red degradation","authors":"Asmita De, Sumit Mishra","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100080","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100080","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amid growing concerns over industrial dye pollution, a new engineered rod-shaped copper-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF) offers a promising solution for efficient wastewater treatment. Synthesized through self-assembly method, this Cu-MOF was characterized using FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, FESEM, EDX, and TGA to establish its structural and thermal integrity. Electrochemical analysis showed its promising redox behaviour. Cu-MOF distinguishes itself through its remarkable efficiency in degrading Congo Red (CR), a well-known industrial dye pollutant. With a narrow band gap of 2.36 eV, as revealed by UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), the Cu-MOF harnesses UV light efficiently, achieving a 93.5 % degradation rate. The photocatalytic activity was further enhanced by introducing hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a scavenger for charge carriers, curbing recombination losses. A detailed mechanism explaining the degradation process was proposed alongside kinetics studies and mass spectrometric analysis that unveiled the degradation products and suggested a degradation pathway. This study not only highlights the environmental potential of Cu-MOF but also paves the way for advanced materials in wastewater treatment applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100080"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100079
Zhijie Weng, Shuxin Tu, Jing Sun, Shuanglian Xiong, Menghua Cao
Organosilicon compounds, ubiquitously employed in agricultural, industrial, and environmental remediation, exhibit persistent soil accumulation behaviors. Understanding how these compounds affect acidified and saline-alkaline soils is essential for evaluating their ecological impacts and optimizing their application. This study investigated the effects of four organosilicon compounds dimethyl dichlorosilane (DMDCS), dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and γ-(methacryloyloxy) propyltrimethoxysilane (KH-570)-on the physical and chemical properties of acidic red soil and saline-alkaline soil. Through integrated dynamic light scattering analysis and controlled incubation experiments, we systematically investigated soil structural modification, clay flocculation dynamics, and cadmium adsorption behavior. Results showed DMDCS lowered pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soils, with maximum reductions of 0.88 and 6.5 cmol/kg (red soil) and 0.52 and 9.7 cmol/kg (saline-alkaline soil). KH-570 increased pH and CEC, with maximum increases of 0.10 and 4.2 cmol/kg (red soil) and 0.15 and 6.4 cmol/kg (saline-alkaline soil). DMDCS reduced Cd adsorption by 57.25 % in red soil and 21.28 % in saline-alkaline soil, while D6 and KH-570 enhanced Cd adsorption. Flocculation studies showed that organosilicon compounds promoted clay particle aggregation, with DMDCS having the strongest effect. DMDCS and KH-570 improved soil structure, while D6 and PDMS had little impact. These findings establish structure-activity relationships between organosilicon functionalities and soil modification effects, providing a mechanistic basis for selecting soil amendments in remediation technologies.
{"title":"Effects of organosilicon on the physicochemical properties of acidic and saline-alkaline soils and the flocculation kinetics of clay particles","authors":"Zhijie Weng, Shuxin Tu, Jing Sun, Shuanglian Xiong, Menghua Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100079","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Organosilicon compounds, ubiquitously employed in agricultural, industrial, and environmental remediation, exhibit persistent soil accumulation behaviors. Understanding how these compounds affect acidified and saline-alkaline soils is essential for evaluating their ecological impacts and optimizing their application. This study investigated the effects of four organosilicon compounds dimethyl dichlorosilane (DMDCS), dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and γ-(methacryloyloxy) propyltrimethoxysilane (KH-570)-on the physical and chemical properties of acidic red soil and saline-alkaline soil. Through integrated dynamic light scattering analysis and controlled incubation experiments, we systematically investigated soil structural modification, clay flocculation dynamics, and cadmium adsorption behavior. Results showed DMDCS lowered pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in soils, with maximum reductions of 0.88 and 6.5 cmol/kg (red soil) and 0.52 and 9.7 cmol/kg (saline-alkaline soil). KH-570 increased pH and CEC, with maximum increases of 0.10 and 4.2 cmol/kg (red soil) and 0.15 and 6.4 cmol/kg (saline-alkaline soil). DMDCS reduced Cd adsorption by 57.25 % in red soil and 21.28 % in saline-alkaline soil, while D6 and KH-570 enhanced Cd adsorption. Flocculation studies showed that organosilicon compounds promoted clay particle aggregation, with DMDCS having the strongest effect. DMDCS and KH-570 improved soil structure, while D6 and PDMS had little impact. These findings establish structure-activity relationships between organosilicon functionalities and soil modification effects, providing a mechanistic basis for selecting soil amendments in remediation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100079"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-20DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100078
Jinjiu Zhu , Ke Wang , Shuhui Fan , Aoxing Ouyang , Jiawei Gu , Jianwen Tian , Meiying Liu , Fengjie Deng , Xiaoyong Zhang , Yen Wei
SiO2 nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates for wastewater remediation due to their facile synthesis, tunable morphological characteristics, and customizable surface chemistry. These features enable effective sequestration of various aquatic contaminants. The adsorption capability of pristine silica nanoparticles frequently demonstrates poor efficiency, primarily due to the absence of targeted functional moieties essential for effective molecular binding interactions. This research introduces an innovative approach for nanoparticle surface engineering through the synergistic integration of mussel-inspired chemistry and controlled anionic polymerization, employing 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (PTAC) as the functional monomer to engineer silica nanostructures. The structural and morphological properties of resultant SiO2 composites (designated as SiO2-PDA-PTAC) were confirmed by various techniques. Quantities of laboratory investigations were conducted to assess the adsorption capacity of Congo red (CR) of the synthesized materials. The findings demonstrated a remarkable improvement in adsorption capability, where SiO2-PDA-PTAC hybrid achieved a maximum capacity of 131.30 mg/g—approximately four times higher than that of unmodified silica (32.48 mg/g). Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the spontaneous nature of the adsorption process, characterized by positive entropy changes and endothermic behavior. The experimental data exhibited excellent correlation with established theoretical models, showing high regression coefficients for both pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.9918) and Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.9993). Among various interactions between SiO2-PDA-PTAC and CR, electrostatic interaction played critical roles in adsorption process. SiO2-PDA-PTAC maintained substantial adsorption efficiency through successive regeneration cycles, demonstrating excellent reusability and stability in practical applications, highlighting their potential for practical applications in wastewater treatment.
{"title":"Preparation of SiO2 composites for efficient removal of Congo red via the combination of mussel-inspired surface modification and anionic ring-opening polymerization","authors":"Jinjiu Zhu , Ke Wang , Shuhui Fan , Aoxing Ouyang , Jiawei Gu , Jianwen Tian , Meiying Liu , Fengjie Deng , Xiaoyong Zhang , Yen Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100078","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100078","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates for wastewater remediation due to their facile synthesis, tunable morphological characteristics, and customizable surface chemistry. These features enable effective sequestration of various aquatic contaminants. The adsorption capability of pristine silica nanoparticles frequently demonstrates poor efficiency, primarily due to the absence of targeted functional moieties essential for effective molecular binding interactions. This research introduces an innovative approach for nanoparticle surface engineering through the synergistic integration of mussel-inspired chemistry and controlled anionic polymerization, employing 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (PTAC) as the functional monomer to engineer silica nanostructures. The structural and morphological properties of resultant SiO<sub>2</sub> composites (designated as SiO<sub>2</sub>-PDA-PTAC) were confirmed by various techniques. Quantities of laboratory investigations were conducted to assess the adsorption capacity of Congo red (CR) of the synthesized materials. The findings demonstrated a remarkable improvement in adsorption capability, where SiO<sub>2</sub>-PDA-PTAC hybrid achieved a maximum capacity of 131.30 mg/g—approximately four times higher than that of unmodified silica (32.48 mg/g). Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the spontaneous nature of the adsorption process, characterized by positive entropy changes and endothermic behavior. The experimental data exhibited excellent correlation with established theoretical models, showing high regression coefficients for both pseudo-second-order kinetics (<em>R</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.9918) and Langmuir isotherm (<em>R</em><sup>2</sup> = 0.9993). Among various interactions between SiO<sub>2</sub>-PDA-PTAC and CR, electrostatic interaction played critical roles in adsorption process. SiO<sub>2</sub>-PDA-PTAC maintained substantial adsorption efficiency through successive regeneration cycles, demonstrating excellent reusability and stability in practical applications, highlighting their potential for practical applications in wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100078"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-31DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100077
Rosemary Thomas , Pramod M. Gurave , Bhanu Nandan , Rajiv K. Srivastava
The growing risk of oil spills from industrial operations has created an urgent requirement for efficient contamination remediation solutions. Conventional methods are often labor-intensive, resource-demanding, and environmentally harmful. Three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds, akin to lattice girders in building construction, offer structural durability and can serve as highly efficient oil sorbent. The fabrication of 3D scaffolds is a preferred method for removing contaminants, particularly oil from oily wastewater, owing to their exceptional oil sorption capacity. Present research examined the development of a new, high-temperature-stable adsorbent material for oil spill remediation. Polyetherimide (PEI) based macroporous scaffolds were fabricated via high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating and freeze-drying to exploit their high oil sorption capacity and high temperature stability. The scaffolds were crosslinked with ethylenediamine (EDA) to increase their mechanical resiliency and utility for multiple use cycles. Characterization techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM, FTIR and gravimetric tests were carried out to evaluate the structure and efficacy of the scaffolds. Oil sorption capacity of scaffolds was assessed at room temperature and at 150°C, and a significant increase in sorption capacity was found at high temperature. Kinetic modeling using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models revealed that physisorption is the dominant mechanism. Wettability of the scaffolds was investigated using capillary pressure measurements which demonstrated an easy oil adsorption into the porous framework. To complement the detailed performance metrics provided, this study also presents an in-depth discussion of the underlying mechanisms, emphasizing multi-stage oil adsorption involving bulk diffusion, film diffusion, and intraparticle transport. Capillary-driven wicking and the scaffold’s open-cell architecture facilitate rapid oil uptake. Current study has demonstrated the application of PEI-based HIPE scaffolds as a very efficient, low-cost, and eco-friendly approach for high-temperature oil spill remediation, which may further be used to several untapped applications.
{"title":"High internal phase emulsion templated scaffold of crosslinked polyetherimide for high temperature oil sorption","authors":"Rosemary Thomas , Pramod M. Gurave , Bhanu Nandan , Rajiv K. Srivastava","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100077","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing risk of oil spills from industrial operations has created an urgent requirement for efficient contamination remediation solutions. Conventional methods are often labor-intensive, resource-demanding, and environmentally harmful. Three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds, akin to lattice girders in building construction, offer structural durability and can serve as highly efficient oil sorbent. The fabrication of 3D scaffolds is a preferred method for removing contaminants, particularly oil from oily wastewater, owing to their exceptional oil sorption capacity. Present research examined the development of a new, high-temperature-stable adsorbent material for oil spill remediation. Polyetherimide (PEI) based macroporous scaffolds were fabricated via high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating and freeze-drying to exploit their high oil sorption capacity and high temperature stability. The scaffolds were crosslinked with ethylenediamine (EDA) to increase their mechanical resiliency and utility for multiple use cycles. Characterization techniques such as optical microscopy, SEM, FTIR and gravimetric tests were carried out to evaluate the structure and efficacy of the scaffolds. Oil sorption capacity of scaffolds was assessed at room temperature and at 150°C, and a significant increase in sorption capacity was found at high temperature. Kinetic modeling using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models revealed that physisorption is the dominant mechanism. Wettability of the scaffolds was investigated using capillary pressure measurements which demonstrated an easy oil adsorption into the porous framework. To complement the detailed performance metrics provided, this study also presents an in-depth discussion of the underlying mechanisms, emphasizing multi-stage oil adsorption involving bulk diffusion, film diffusion, and intraparticle transport. Capillary-driven wicking and the scaffold’s open-cell architecture facilitate rapid oil uptake. Current study has demonstrated the application of PEI-based HIPE scaffolds as a very efficient, low-cost, and eco-friendly approach for high-temperature oil spill remediation, which may further be used to several untapped applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100077"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144758058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-17DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100076
Yihong Liu , Katie Buchel , Ruoxin Deng , Lijia Liu
Physical adsorption is one of the most promising methods for organic dye removal in wastewater. However, existing adsorbent materials lack a combination of selectivity, efficiency, stable performance over a wide pH range, and reusability after repeated regeneration. In this work, we presented a novel adsorbent, magnesium germanium oxide hydrate (MGOH) nanowires. Utilizing electrochemical and acid-base titration methods, we found that MGOH possesses a unique crystal structure that is rich in hydroxyl (-OH) groups. These -OH groups keep the surface of MGOH negatively charged over a wide pH range from 0 to 10.6, which hasn’t been achieved by any adsorbent to date. Using rhodamine B (RhB) as a model cationic dye, we demonstrated that a 97.4 % removal efficiency can be achieved within 15 min in contact with MGOH at room temperature. The adsorption selectivity of MGOH toward cationic dyes was further demonstrated by effective removal of target dyes in dye mixtures. In addition, MGOH can be easily regenerated through solvent washing and thermal annealing for multiple cycles without losing its adsorption capability.
{"title":"Magnesium germanium oxide hydrate nanowires with outstanding surface stability for selective cationic dye removal","authors":"Yihong Liu , Katie Buchel , Ruoxin Deng , Lijia Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100076","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100076","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Physical adsorption is one of the most promising methods for organic dye removal in wastewater. However, existing adsorbent materials lack a combination of selectivity, efficiency, stable performance over a wide pH range, and reusability after repeated regeneration. In this work, we presented a novel adsorbent, magnesium germanium oxide hydrate (MGOH) nanowires. Utilizing electrochemical and acid-base titration methods, we found that MGOH possesses a unique crystal structure that is rich in hydroxyl (-OH) groups. These -OH groups keep the surface of MGOH negatively charged over a wide pH range from 0 to 10.6, which hasn’t been achieved by any adsorbent to date. Using rhodamine B (RhB) as a model cationic dye, we demonstrated that a 97.4 % removal efficiency can be achieved within 15 min in contact with MGOH at room temperature. The adsorption selectivity of MGOH toward cationic dyes was further demonstrated by effective removal of target dyes in dye mixtures. In addition, MGOH can be easily regenerated through solvent washing and thermal annealing for multiple cycles without losing its adsorption capability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100076"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-08DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100075
Lei Wu , Jianqiao Lang , Shizhong Yang , Bozhong Mu
The development of ultra-low interfacial tension systems is an important direction for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). However, the construction of alkali-free ultra-low interfacial tension systems that are both temperature-resistant and salt-tolerant faces significant challenges. Based on the surface tension before and after the mixing of bio-based surfactants, the intermolecular interaction parameter βm was calculated using the regular solution theory. The results demonstrated a synergistic effect between N,N-dimethyl-N-[2-hydroxy-3-sulfo-propyl]-N-benzyloxyoctadecanoyl-1,3-propanediamine (SPBOPA) and lauric acid diethanolamide (LDEA) surfactant molecules. Furthermore, owing to the chain length compatibility between SPBOPA and LDEA, an ultra-low interfacial tension system without extra alkali addition was constructed. This bio-based surfactant system exhibits excellent interfacial property within a relatively broad concentration range (0.10–3.0 g/L) and ratio range (4:6–8:2), with the oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) being significantly reduced to ultra-low levels (<10−2 mN/m). The system can withstand temperatures up to 120 °C, with sodium chloride tolerance increased from 50 g/L to 100 g/L and calcium ions tolerance increased from 500 mg/L to 5000 mg/L at specific concentrations and ratios. The bio-based surfactants system exhibits excellent temperature and salt resistance. Therefore, this binary system is expected to be applicable to oil displacement systems in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs.
{"title":"A high interfacial activity system with temperature resistance and salt tolerance from bio-based surfactants through interaction","authors":"Lei Wu , Jianqiao Lang , Shizhong Yang , Bozhong Mu","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100075","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100075","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of ultra-low interfacial tension systems is an important direction for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). However, the construction of alkali-free ultra-low interfacial tension systems that are both temperature-resistant and salt-tolerant faces significant challenges. Based on the surface tension before and after the mixing of bio-based surfactants, the intermolecular interaction parameter <em>β</em><sup>m</sup> was calculated using the regular solution theory. The results demonstrated a synergistic effect between N,N-dimethyl-N-[2-hydroxy-3-sulfo-propyl]-N-benzyloxyoctadecanoyl-1,3-propanediamine (SPBOPA) and lauric acid diethanolamide (LDEA) surfactant molecules. Furthermore, owing to the chain length compatibility between SPBOPA and LDEA, an ultra-low interfacial tension system without extra alkali addition was constructed. This bio-based surfactant system exhibits excellent interfacial property within a relatively broad concentration range (0.10–3.0 g/L) and ratio range (4:6–8:2), with the oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) being significantly reduced to ultra-low levels (<10<sup>−2</sup> mN/m). The system can withstand temperatures up to 120 °C, with sodium chloride tolerance increased from 50 g/L to 100 g/L and calcium ions tolerance increased from 500 mg/L to 5000 mg/L at specific concentrations and ratios. The bio-based surfactants system exhibits excellent temperature and salt resistance. Therefore, this binary system is expected to be applicable to oil displacement systems in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100075"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144587956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-22DOI: 10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100074
Mohamed Masri , Girisha K. B , Abdo Hezam , Khaled Alkanad , Talal F. Qahtan , Qasem A. Drmosh , Faten Masri , Kalappa Prashantha , Manjunath S. H , Sanaa Mohammed Abdu Kaid , Udayabhanu , K. Byrappa
Due to the adverse consequences the presence of dyes in the aquatic system poses on the ecosystem and human health, a major body of research has been dedicated to tackle the issue of degrading such contaminants. The utilization of sustainable energy technology, namely photocatalysis, in the removal of such contaminants proved to achieve relatively positive advances in the field of water treatment. The present study employed the combustion method for the synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). Diverse characterization studies were employed, including XRD, SEM, and FTIR to confirm the successful fabrication of g-C3N4. Results showed that the band gap was 2.67 eV with 473 nm adsorption of visible light, and appropriate positions of valence and conduction bands. This renders the prepared material a suitable one to be employed as a visible-light-responsive catalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Methylene Blue (MB). Results demonstrated that the removal of RhB (90 %) was slightly better than that of MB (87 %) within 150 min under visible light. The optimal degradation performance reached 95 % at catalyst dosage of 0.02 and 0.03 g/L for RhB and MB, respectively. The current research work advocates the potential of improving the morphology of g-C3N4 through a two-step heating process for the purpose of optimizing this catalyst to attain better photocatalytic performance regarding contaminant degradation.
{"title":"Boosting the photocatalytic efficiency of g-C3N4 for effective removal of RhB and MB from aqueous medium","authors":"Mohamed Masri , Girisha K. B , Abdo Hezam , Khaled Alkanad , Talal F. Qahtan , Qasem A. Drmosh , Faten Masri , Kalappa Prashantha , Manjunath S. H , Sanaa Mohammed Abdu Kaid , Udayabhanu , K. Byrappa","doi":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100074","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.colsuc.2025.100074","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the adverse consequences the presence of dyes in the aquatic system poses on the ecosystem and human health, a major body of research has been dedicated to tackle the issue of degrading such contaminants. The utilization of sustainable energy technology, namely photocatalysis, in the removal of such contaminants proved to achieve relatively positive advances in the field of water treatment. The present study employed the combustion method for the synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>). Diverse characterization studies were employed, including XRD, SEM, and FTIR to confirm the successful fabrication of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>. Results showed that the band gap was 2.67 eV with 473 nm adsorption of visible light, and appropriate positions of valence and conduction bands. This renders the prepared material a suitable one to be employed as a visible-light-responsive catalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Methylene Blue (MB). Results demonstrated that the removal of RhB (90 %) was slightly better than that of MB (87 %) within 150 min under visible light. The optimal degradation performance reached 95 % at catalyst dosage of 0.02 and 0.03 g/L for RhB and MB, respectively. The current research work advocates the potential of improving the morphology of g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> through a two-step heating process for the purpose of optimizing this catalyst to attain better photocatalytic performance regarding contaminant degradation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100290,"journal":{"name":"Colloids and Surfaces C: Environmental Aspects","volume":"3 ","pages":"Article 100074"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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