Water Resources and Industry最新文献

Recently, carbon-related materials have been proposed to improve the charge separation of the photogenerated carriers in the semiconductor matrices’ and surface properties. Carbon-related materials may act as co-catalysts, enhancing the pollutants adsorption on the surface, improving the charge carriers separation and photocatalyst stability and providing more active centres for photocatalytic reactions. This review summarizes recent advances in the preparation and environmental application of carbon-related materials. The focus was set on preparation of carbon-related materials and magnetic carbon-related photocatalytic materials with the property of easy separation after the purification process in an external magnetic field and their application for degradation of emerging pollutants not susceptible to biodegradation. The present studies identify four main groups of water pollutants: pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and heavy metals. Among them, pharmaceuticals and phenolic compounds represent a significant group of persistent organic pollutants. Some of the commonly used pharmaceuticals for human health, as well as disinfectants, are found in wastewater influents and effluents (after the purification process) almost in the unchanged form. Their detection in trace amounts (of about a few micrograms to hundreds of nanograms per litre) and removal become difficult but important because they put at risk the reuse of treated wastewater and the sustainability of water cycle management. Concerning levels of concentrations, these compounds are classified as hazardous due to possibilities of bioaccumulation, biomagnification and toxic impact on living organisms, even in trace amounts. Up to now, various methods have been reported in the removal of pharmaceuticals and phenolic compounds from aqueous systems.

Heterogeneous photocatalysis belonging to the group of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is one of the most promising methods used for the degradation of emerging pollutants. Introducing carbon-related materials modified by magnetic ferrites can significantly improve the efficiency of emerging contaminants' degradation. This review provides coherent information for future studies in the application of carbon-related materials and magnetic carbon-related materials for the removal of active pharmaceutical ingredients and phenolic compounds. Insights on pharmaceutical and phenolic compounds photodegradation in the presence of carbon-based materials combined with magnetic ferrites and their combination with SR-(AOPs) and Fenton-type photocatalysis are for the first time discussed. Moreover, the effect of various parameters such as water matrice, pH, natural organic matter presence, and temperature were also discussed. Finally, the economic feasibility and consideration of photocatalyst recovery capability completed the concept and discussion on magnetic carbon-related materials.

In this work, the influence of supporting electrolytes (sodium sulfate and sodium chloride) on the electrochemical oxidation of the antihypertensive drug losartan (LOS) was studied under different operating conditions such as current density (4.1–12.5 mA cm⁻²), electrolyte concentration (0.05–0.5 M), initial pollutant concentration (250–1000 μg L⁻¹) and solution pH. The role of cathodes on the removal of LOS has been investigated using five different cathodes with carbonaceous cathodes showing better LOS removal. The effect of matrix composition has been studied using simulated water spiked with various constituents and real water matrices such as bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW). The removal of LOS was pronounced while using a chloride electrolyte as compared to the sulfate electrolyte. The apparent rate constant increased on adding persulfate (PS) up to concentrations of 150 mg L⁻¹ and decreased in the presence of bicarbonates and organic matter. The transformation products (TPs) formed during the electrochemical oxidation depended on the supporting electrolyte and two common TPs were identified in both electrolytes with a total of 4 TPs identified in the chloride medium and 7 TPs in the sulfate medium. Degradation pathways for LOS in both electrolytes have also been proposed.

The development of highly efficient photocatalysts holds significant promise for addressing contemporary environmental challenges. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a novel photocatalyst, iron-doped TiO₂/ZnO particles, created through the sol-gel technique. The incorporation of iron ions into the crystalline structure of TiO₂/ZnO aims to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO₂. The findings revealed that Fe–ZnO/TiO₂ exhibits a more thermally stable lattice compared to TiO₂/ZnO, thereby retarding the phase transformation from anatase to rutile under higher calcination temperature. The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized photocatalyst was evaluated through the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. A statistical response surface methodology based on a central composite design was employed to develop a predictive model for color removal (as the dependent variable) considering variations in irradiation intensity, initial color concentration, catalyst concentration, reaction time, and pH (as independent variables). The analysis of variance identified the initial color concentration as the most influential factor, negatively affecting the predicted response. The experimental values of color removal exhibited good agreement with the predicted values from the regression model with a coefficient of determination of 0.949, indicating the accuracy of this model in predicting the mentioned outcomes. The presented model indicated that, for a sample of methyl orange with an initial concentration of 21.97 ppm, a reaction time of 117.69 min under direct irradiation of 21.63 W, a catalyst concentration of 0.61 g/L, and a pH of 4.74, the optimal color removal efficiency of 78.99 % was achieved.

This work investigated the efficiency of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles in removing diclofenac and naproxen drugs from aqueous solutions. At first, the Taguchi method was performed to choose the most important factors among the investigated factors affecting the removal efficacy of these drugs. Afterward, the optimal conditions of the effective factors were investigated and modeled by the central composite design-based response surface method. The results revealed that the maximum drug removal was obtained at pH = 7, temperature of 25 °C, adsorbent dosage of 215 mg, sonication time of 21 min, and diclofenac and naproxen concentrations of 15 mg L⁻¹. The removal efficacy of diclofenac and naproxen under these optimal conditions was 99.42 % and 95.11 %, respectively. Based on the results, it is concluded that CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles can be applied as an easy-available and effective adsorbent for removing diclofenac and naproxen from water samples.

Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC), a quaternary ammonium compound commonly used in industrial disinfection processes, was studied for its biomass-specific inhibitory effect on the specific methanogenic activity (SMA) of anaerobic granules. Inhibition batch assays were conducted with varying BAC concentrations (5–40 mg/L), resulting in biomass-dependent inhibition. Considering its surface-active nature, a biomass-specific BAC load was a suitable parameter to determine IC₅₀ values, ranging from 4.3 to 6.1 mg BAC/g VS. For predicting the corresponding biomass-specific inhibition constant in ADM1, the inclusion of an additional adsorption-inhibition term was required for a better validation of results. The model yielded a biomass-specific IC₅₀ of 5.3 mg BAC/g VS. The results encourage a change in perspective on IC₅₀ for surfactants by determining a biomass-specific IC₅₀, particularly in scenarios when surfactants accumulate within anaerobic reactors. Hereby, the reliability and practical relevance of IC₅₀ is increased, driving the development of mitigation strategies.

Heavy metals (HMs) are toxic pollutants that can accumulate and harm human health and the environment. Monitoring their concentration in water is an essential tool for evaluating the quality and safety of this vital resource. The aims of this study were (i) to characterize HMs contamination in rainwater runoff and snowmelt, identify likely sources and compliance with regulations and guidelines, and (ii) to conduct a preliminary assessment regarding the potential link between the occurrence of HMs and benzotriazoles based on a previous experiment. This study investigates the concentration of six HMs (cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, copper, and zinc) in rainwater runoff and snowmelt samples collected in twelve Białystok locations in northeastern Poland. The highest concentration of Cu (517.5 μg/L) was identified in snowmelt from the city's ring road, with heavy vehicle traffic, and near an industrial area. A 4-lane asphalt street near the city center exhibited the highest concentrations of Pb (91.1 μg/L) and Ni (64.6 μg/L) for snowmelt and also for Cd (1.37 μg/L) and Ni (27.3 μg/L) in rainwater runoff. A snowmelt sample from a pedestrian-only area in the city center presented the highest Zn concentration (3672.2 μg/L). Considerable contents of Cr (353.2 μg/L) were found in snowmelt near an industrial and warehousing area. Snowmelt presented higher HMs concentrations than rainwater runoff. Our results indicate that most benzotriazoles and heavy metals occur independently. The analysis of the winds and the tendency of HMs to travel with dust particles suggest that specific contaminants might have originated in Belarus, a neighboring territory of Białystok.

In this study, porous Ti/Magnéli Ti₄O₇ nanotube arrays (NTA) was fabricated to pretreat antibiotic wastewater. Characterization of the Ti₄O₇-NTA illustrated that highly ordered NTA was successfully generated on the porous Ti substrate, which enlarged the specific surface area by 1.67 times. The Ti₄O₇-NTA has a high oxygen evolution potential (2.60 V) as well as low interfacial charge transfer resistance (4.479 Ω cm⁻²). Ceftriaxone sodium (CRO) was completely removed from raw antibiotic wastewater after 3 h of treatment by the Ti₄O₇-NTA, under optimal operation conditions. The biodegradability and toxicity of the wastewater were also significantly enhanced and reduced, as the BOD/COD and EC_50,48h values were increased to 0.48 and 57.62 % ± 2.16 %, respectively. The possible degradation pathway of CRO was proposed by LC‒MS. Cathodic polarization was proven to be an effective way to ensure the long-term durability of the Ti₄O₇-NTA.

This research focuses on the synthesis of MoS₂/RGO nanocomposite, which serves as an efficient sonocatalyst, using a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The MoS₂/RGO was characterized through various techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Raman spectrometry, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A comprehensive investigation into the sonocatalytic degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) dye was conducted under different conditions using design of experiment (DOE) approach. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize the key operational parameters, namely initial dye concentration, catalyst dosage, ultrasonic power, sonication time, and pH. The reliability of the model was assessed using analysis of variance. Under the optimal conditions of 20 mg/L initial MB concentration, catalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, 67 W ultrasonic power, sonication time of 28 min, and pH of 7, a remarkable MB degradation efficiency of 99% was achieved. Hydroxyl radical (^●OH) were identified as the main radical species in the sonoluminescence reaction. Additionally, the sonocatalyst demonstrated an excellent reusability, with approximately 95% retention of the degradation efficiency observed over five sonocatalysis cycles.

Geothermal waters are considered a type of renewable energy source. Waters with elevated temperatures are also used in balneotherapy. In each type of use, the stability of the basic parameters guarantees the reliable operation of the plant. On the other hand, useable geothermal waters, which in legal terms are usually wastewater, are discharged into a surface water reservoir or injected into the rock. The diversity of geothermal waters use options creates the need to assess stability. Low and known variability of the basic parameters is extremely important for the protection of the receiving environment or the reliability of the injection process. This paper identifies the basic parameters, the relationships between them and a methodology for assessing their stability, which has not been widely used to date. The approach presented is universal and can be successfully applied to other geothermal installations anywhere in the world.

MXenes, a novel large family of 2D transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides are currently a “hot topic” in science due to their several fascinating physical and chemical properties. It follows from a rich diversity of their elemental compositions and chemical functionalities. MXenes can form composites with many substances, including polymers or metal oxides, which allows to effective “tune” MXene characteristics to a fit-to-the-purpose applications. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is currently widely studied as advanced desalination technique due to the advantages of cost-effectiveness, eco-friendly, and high salt removal capacity. One of key fields for CDI development relates to the ion's intercalation materials as concept taken from the sodium ion batteries, which is used in CDI because of their excellent desalination capacity. These materials provide effective sodium ions removal from the brine based on intercalation mechanism as well as redox reactions. In this review, we timely review an up-to-date accomplishment in the advancement of distinct MXene-based composite materials used as CDI electrodes, along with discussion of fundamental electrochemical energy storage mechanisms. The most relevant outcomes are highlighted together with the phenomena observed when applied in desalination applications. Finally, potential solutions as well as challenges in this field are summarized.