This study investigates the potential of olive pomace biochar, a low-cost agro-industrial byproduct, as an adsorbent for direct air capture (DAC) of CO2. The biochar was prepared via gasification and evaluated in terms of adsorption performance, regeneration, humidity influence, thermodynamic behaviour, isosteric heat and life cycle impact. The maximum CO2 adsorption capacity was 17.68 mg g−1 at 10 °C, with stable performance maintained over five consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, highlighting its short-term regenerability. The analysis of mass transfer mechanisms during adsorption included the application of an intraparticle diffusion model. The thermodynamic study confirmed the exothermic nature of CO2 adsorption, with ΔH° values below 20 kJ mol−1 indicating the predominance of physical adsorption. Complementary XPS and FTIR analyses further supported this mechanism, revealing only weak interactions of CO2 with oxygenated groups and mineral species on the biochar surface. The isosteric heat analysis confirms that once the critical hydration level is reached (humidity ≈18 mmol H2O/mol air), further humidity has no significant effect on CO2 adsorption. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) showed that this system is environmentally favorable and achieves carbon-negative performance.
{"title":"CO2 capture by olive pomace biochar: Effect of relative humidity, isosteric heat of adsorption, and a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment investigation","authors":"J.M. Monteagudo , A. Durán , Yansong Zhao , Jaime Monteagudo","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the potential of olive pomace biochar, a low-cost agro-industrial byproduct, as an adsorbent for direct air capture (DAC) of CO<sub>2</sub>. The biochar was prepared via gasification and evaluated in terms of adsorption performance, regeneration, humidity influence, thermodynamic behaviour, isosteric heat and life cycle impact. The maximum CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption capacity was 17.68 mg g<sup>−1</sup> at 10 °C, with stable performance maintained over five consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, highlighting its short-term regenerability. The analysis of mass transfer mechanisms during adsorption included the application of an intraparticle diffusion model. The thermodynamic study confirmed the exothermic nature of CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption, with ΔH° values below 20 kJ mol<sup>−1</sup> indicating the predominance of physical adsorption. Complementary XPS and FTIR analyses further supported this mechanism, revealing only weak interactions of CO<sub>2</sub> with oxygenated groups and mineral species on the biochar surface. The isosteric heat analysis confirms that once the critical hydration level is reached (humidity ≈18 mmol H<sub>2</sub>O/mol air), further humidity has no significant effect on CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) showed that this system is environmentally favorable and achieves carbon-negative performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136445"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145717582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136460
Yang Li, Jun Hou, Jun Guo, Periyasamy Soodamani, Yan Li, Zijun Yang, Yujiao Zhu, Changhao Zhu, Qianqian Zheng
Lithium is a critical strategic while lithium extraction faced with challenges such as slow kinetics and high-water consumption. What's more, high salinity brine has interfering ions hindering the adsorption process. To tackle these problems, a pine stem-inspired tri-functional lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, LTO)/ Carbonized aerogel (CA) evaporator (CA@HTO) was synthesized as the key component and integrated into polyethylene (PE) foam platform to create the tri-functional integrated solar evaporator system. On the one hand, the pine xylem-inspired designed aerogel increases water flux, and enriches local Li+ supply within aerogel micro channels. On the other, the evaporator shows over 95% solar energy harvesting efficiency to elevate local temperatures, significantly enhancing the endothermic Li+ extraction process of lithium-ion sieve (LIS) and solar steam generation. The system doubles the Li+ recovery capacity (increasing from 12.66 to 29.12 mg g−1) under one-sun illumination, with adsorption kinetics reaching saturation within 6 h—twice the rate observed at 280 K (typical salt-lake temperatures). What's more, the phloem-inspired structure aerogel benefits the directional salt crystallization, which is realized by system design through Marangoni effect. Outdoor solar-powered experiments confirmed the feasibility of stable lithium recovery (>12 mg g−1) directly from natural hypersaline salt-lake brines, coupled with self-sustaining water recycling for Li+ elution. Salt collection efficiency reaches up to 0.27 kg m−2 h−1. This work presents an integrated solution for sustainable multiple resources recovery with near-zero water and carbon consumption, contributing to the global target of carbon neutrality.
{"title":"A pine stem-inspired solar-enhanced lithium recovery system functioned with vapor and salt accumulation","authors":"Yang Li, Jun Hou, Jun Guo, Periyasamy Soodamani, Yan Li, Zijun Yang, Yujiao Zhu, Changhao Zhu, Qianqian Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136460","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136460","url":null,"abstract":"Lithium is a critical strategic while lithium extraction faced with challenges such as slow kinetics and high-water consumption. What's more, high salinity brine has interfering ions hindering the adsorption process. To tackle these problems, a pine stem-inspired tri-functional lithium titanate (Li<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>5</sub>O<sub>12</sub>, LTO)/ Carbonized aerogel (CA) evaporator (CA@HTO) was synthesized as the key component and integrated into polyethylene (PE) foam platform to create the tri-functional integrated solar evaporator system. On the one hand, the pine xylem-inspired designed aerogel increases water flux, and enriches local Li<sup>+</sup> supply within aerogel micro channels. On the other, the evaporator shows over 95% solar energy harvesting efficiency to elevate local temperatures, significantly enhancing the endothermic Li<sup>+</sup> extraction process of lithium-ion sieve (LIS) and solar steam generation. The system doubles the Li<sup>+</sup> recovery capacity (increasing from 12.66 to 29.12 mg g<sup>−1</sup>) under one-sun illumination, with adsorption kinetics reaching saturation within 6 h—twice the rate observed at 280 K (typical salt-lake temperatures). What's more, the phloem-inspired structure aerogel benefits the directional salt crystallization, which is realized by system design through Marangoni effect. Outdoor solar-powered experiments confirmed the feasibility of stable lithium recovery (>12 mg g<sup>−1</sup>) directly from natural hypersaline salt-lake brines, coupled with self-sustaining water recycling for Li<sup>+</sup> elution. Salt collection efficiency reaches up to 0.27 kg m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>. This work presents an integrated solution for sustainable multiple resources recovery with near-zero water and carbon consumption, contributing to the global target of carbon neutrality.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136461
Xiaowei Peng , Xinyu Yang , Xinxin Xu , Jin Chen , Qiang Wang
Solar-driven evaporation has emerged as a promising approach for seawater desalination, attracting significant research interest. However, biofouling remains a persistent challenge in solar steam generation systems, as microbial colonization degrades water quality and leads to secondary contamination. Nanozymes represent a viable solution to this issue, owing to their ability to generate reactive oxygen species and effectively inactivate microorganisms. In this work, a cobalt-doped vanadium disulfide (Co-VS2) nanozyme was synthesized via a facile route. Compared to pristine VS2, the Co-VS2 nanozyme exhibits markedly enhanced peroxidase-mimic activity, attributed to the successful incorporation of Co2+ ions. First-principles calculations reveal that the d-band center of Co-VS2 is shifted closer to the Fermi level, thereby facilitating H2O2 adsorption and subsequent activation. Futhermore, Co-VS2 demonstrates excellent photothermal properties, achieving a solar-thermal conversion efficiency of 36.6%. Through electrospinning, Co-VS2 nanoparticles were integrated with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) to fabricate a composite Co-VS2/PAN membrane, which exhibits a high evaporation rate and efficiency. The membrane also demonstrates robust antibiofouling activity, enabling stable long-term operation in water evaporation applications. The quality of the condensed water meets the World Health Organization standards for potable water. These findings indicate that nanozymes with integrated antibiofouling and photothermal functionalities hold substantial potential for next-generation water purification technologies.
{"title":"Co-doping-induced optimization of d-band center in VS2 nanozyme for enhanced antibiofouling activity in solar steam generation","authors":"Xiaowei Peng , Xinyu Yang , Xinxin Xu , Jin Chen , Qiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar-driven evaporation has emerged as a promising approach for seawater desalination, attracting significant research interest. However, biofouling remains a persistent challenge in solar steam generation systems, as microbial colonization degrades water quality and leads to secondary contamination. Nanozymes represent a viable solution to this issue, owing to their ability to generate reactive oxygen species and effectively inactivate microorganisms. In this work, a cobalt-doped vanadium disulfide (<strong>Co-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub>) nanozyme was synthesized via a facile route. Compared to pristine <strong>VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub>, the <strong>Co-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub> nanozyme exhibits markedly enhanced peroxidase-mimic activity, attributed to the successful incorporation of Co<sup>2+</sup> ions. First-principles calculations reveal that the d-band center of <strong>Co-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub> is shifted closer to the Fermi level, thereby facilitating H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> adsorption and subsequent activation. Futhermore, <strong>Co-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub> demonstrates excellent photothermal properties, achieving a solar-thermal conversion efficiency of 36.6%. Through electrospinning, <strong><em>Co</em>-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub> nanoparticles were integrated with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) to fabricate a composite <strong>Co-VS</strong><sub><strong>2</strong></sub><strong>/PAN</strong> membrane, which exhibits a high evaporation rate and efficiency. The membrane also demonstrates robust antibiofouling activity, enabling stable long-term operation in water evaporation applications. The quality of the condensed water meets the World Health Organization standards for potable water. These findings indicate that nanozymes with integrated antibiofouling and photothermal functionalities hold substantial potential for next-generation water purification technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136461"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136458
Subin Han, Anthony W.G. Bovenschen, Li Liao, Jae Hong Park
Airborne Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is a bioaerosol known to cause Pontiac fever and Legionnaires' disease when inhaled. This bacterium can exist in natural and man-made environments. People living in these areas or handling water are particularly vulnerable. Protecting these individuals requires detecting airborne L. pneumophila using methods that are faster, simpler, and more affordable than the conventional techniques. In this study, a low-cost, easy-to-assemble bioaerosol sampler was developed by integrating a 3D-printed inertial impactor with a latex agglutination test (LAT) kit for rapid detection of airborne L. pneumophila. The inertial impactor collects bioaerosols directly onto the LAT kit. The collection efficiency of the impactor was evaluated and the cut-off diameter was determined. The lower limit of detection (LOD) of the LAT kit was also assessed using L. pneumophila serogroup 1. Further laboratory testing was conducted using aerosolized L. pneumophila to validate the method. Results show that the cut-off diameter was 0.57 μm. The lower LOD of the LAT kit was 4.5 × 106L. pneumophila cells. Successful detection occurred when ≥3.2 × 106 of L. pneumophil-containing particles were deposited. The developed method enables rapid detection of airborne L. pneumophila without any specialized equipment. These findings suggest that the developed method offers a practical alternative for detecting airborne L. pneumophila in various environments.
{"title":"Development of an easy-to-build bioaerosol sampler combined with a latex agglutination assay for rapid detection of airborne Legionella pneumophila","authors":"Subin Han, Anthony W.G. Bovenschen, Li Liao, Jae Hong Park","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136458","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136458","url":null,"abstract":"Airborne <em>Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila)</em> is a bioaerosol known to cause Pontiac fever and Legionnaires' disease when inhaled. This bacterium can exist in natural and man-made environments. People living in these areas or handling water are particularly vulnerable. Protecting these individuals requires detecting airborne L. <em>pneumophila</em> using methods that are faster, simpler, and more affordable than the conventional techniques. In this study, a low-cost, easy-to-assemble bioaerosol sampler was developed by integrating a 3D-printed inertial impactor with a latex agglutination test (LAT) kit for rapid detection of airborne L. <em>pneumophila</em>. The inertial impactor collects bioaerosols directly onto the LAT kit. The collection efficiency of the impactor was evaluated and the cut-off diameter was determined. The lower limit of detection (LOD) of the LAT kit was also assessed using L. <em>pneumophila</em> serogroup 1. Further laboratory testing was conducted using aerosolized L. <em>pneumophila</em> to validate the method. Results show that the cut-off diameter was 0.57 μm. The lower LOD of the LAT kit was 4.5 × 10<sup>6</sup> <em>L. pneumophila</em> cells. Successful detection occurred when ≥3.2 × 10<sup>6</sup> of L. <em>pneumophil</em>-containing particles were deposited. The developed method enables rapid detection of airborne L. <em>pneumophila</em> without any specialized equipment. These findings suggest that the developed method offers a practical alternative for detecting airborne L. <em>pneumophila</em> in various environments.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145728805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136464
Xing Liu , Han Zhang , Jinping Duan , Pengcheng Luo , Yinyin Zhang , Yanan Liu
Atrazine (ATZ) is a persistent organochlorine herbicide, and its excessive usage exerts great threat to both ecological systems and public health. This study developed an efficient ATZ degradation process integrating dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with periodate (PI). Compared to sole PI and sole DBD, the coupled system exhibited significant synergistic effects, increasing the degradation efficiency of ATZ by 71.8% and 18.2%, respectively, under the conditions of 24.5 kV discharge voltage, 0.01 mM PI, and a 10 min treatment of 35 mL solution. The physical effects (heat and ultraviolet (UV)) and chemical species (H2O2 and O3) under discharging conditions effectively activated PI, thereby strengthening the production of reactive products within the DBD/PI reactor. Scavenger experiments showed that 1O2, OH•, and IO3• played the major roles, indicating that the degradation of ATZ proceeded both the radical and nonradical pathways. The performance of the DBD/PI approach was influenced by the complex water matrices, inorganic ions, and humic acid. Based on calculations and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the Cl atom and the two side chains of ATZ were found to be susceptible to attack, and the degradation pathways were subsequently proposed. The toxicity evaluation showed that the intermediates exhibited lower toxicity than ATZ, indicating that DBD/PI method mitigated the detrimental environmental impact associated with ATZ. The above results provide mechanistic insights into ATZ degradation via DBD-activated PI and showcase the potential application of the DBD/PI technology for wastewater remediation.
阿特拉津（atzine， ATZ）是一种持久性有机氯除草剂，其过量使用对生态系统和公众健康造成了严重威胁。本研究开发了一种结合介质阻挡放电（DBD）和高碘酸盐（PI）的高效ATZ降解工艺。在24.5 kV放电电压、0.01 mM PI、处理35 mL溶液时间为10 min的条件下，耦合体系对ATZ的降解效率分别提高了71.8%和18.2%，与单一PI和单一DBD相比，具有显著的协同效应。放电条件下的物理效应（热和紫外线）和化学物质（H2O2和O3）有效地激活了PI，从而加强了DBD/PI反应器内反应产物的生成。清道夫实验表明，1O2、OH•和IO3•起主要作用，表明ATZ的降解是通过自由基和非自由基途径进行的。复合水基质、无机离子和腐植酸对DBD/PI法的性能均有影响。通过计算和液相色谱-质谱（LC-MS）分析，发现ATZ的Cl原子和两个侧链容易受到攻击，并提出了ATZ的降解途径。毒性评价结果表明，中间体的毒性低于ATZ，表明DBD/PI方法减轻了ATZ对环境的有害影响。上述结果为通过DBD活化的PI降解ATZ提供了机理见解，并展示了DBD/PI技术在废水修复中的潜在应用。
{"title":"Enhanced degradation of atrazine in water by dielectric barrier discharge coupled with periodate activation","authors":"Xing Liu , Han Zhang , Jinping Duan , Pengcheng Luo , Yinyin Zhang , Yanan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Atrazine (ATZ) is a persistent organochlorine herbicide, and its excessive usage exerts great threat to both ecological systems and public health. This study developed an efficient ATZ degradation process integrating dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with periodate (PI). Compared to sole PI and sole DBD, the coupled system exhibited significant synergistic effects, increasing the degradation efficiency of ATZ by 71.8% and 18.2%, respectively, under the conditions of 24.5 kV discharge voltage, 0.01 mM PI, and a 10 min treatment of 35 mL solution. The physical effects (heat and ultraviolet (UV)) and chemical species (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>3</sub>) under discharging conditions effectively activated PI, thereby strengthening the production of reactive products within the DBD/PI reactor. Scavenger experiments showed that <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>, OH•, and IO<sub>3</sub>• played the major roles, indicating that the degradation of ATZ proceeded both the radical and nonradical pathways. The performance of the DBD/PI approach was influenced by the complex water matrices, inorganic ions, and humic acid. Based on calculations and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), the Cl atom and the two side chains of ATZ were found to be susceptible to attack, and the degradation pathways were subsequently proposed. The toxicity evaluation showed that the intermediates exhibited lower toxicity than ATZ, indicating that DBD/PI method mitigated the detrimental environmental impact associated with ATZ. The above results provide mechanistic insights into ATZ degradation via DBD-activated PI and showcase the potential application of the DBD/PI technology for wastewater remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136464"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136440
Wending Gu, David Payne, Shujuan Huang, Binesh Puthen Veettil
Current strategies for silver (Ag) recovery from photovoltaic waste are hampered by complex, costly, and poorly controlled process flows. In this study, we present a novel technology for the targeted separation of Ag from end-of-life silicon solar cells (EoL-SSCs) using a localized electrolyte jet (EJ) recycling system. Under low applied voltage (5 V) in a circulating dilute HNO3 solution (12 wt%), 90.2 % of the surface-metallized Ag is selectively dissolved within 7 min, and near-complete separation (> 95 %) is achieved after 30 min of treatment. This custom-designed platform, featuring a unique vertical operation mode and configurable parameters (i.e., adjustable cathode geometry and tunable electrolyte flow rate), suppresses Al co-dissolution by >80 % compared with conventional acid leaching. The electric field intensified by the sharp tip effect drives the directional generation of high-valence Ag species, accelerating dissolution kinetics and delivering exceptional current efficiencies (removal: 87.4 %; recovery: 77 %). The resulting Ag+-rich electrolyte is directly utilized in a one-step reverse EJ deposition process to produce Ag coatings with high purity (96 %) and excellent conductivity ( Ω·m). By integrating selective metal separation with electrochemical additive manufacturing, this strategy offers an economically viable and environmentally sustainable route for the valorization of critical metals from diverse e-waste streams.
{"title":"Near-complete Ag recovery from silicon solar cells via localized electrolyte-jet recycling","authors":"Wending Gu, David Payne, Shujuan Huang, Binesh Puthen Veettil","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136440","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136440","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Current strategies for silver (Ag) recovery from photovoltaic waste are hampered by complex, costly, and poorly controlled process flows. In this study, we present a novel technology for the targeted separation of Ag from end-of-life silicon solar cells (EoL-SSCs) using a localized electrolyte jet (EJ) recycling system. Under low applied voltage (5 V) in a circulating dilute HNO<sub>3</sub> solution (12 wt%), 90.2 % of the surface-metallized Ag is selectively dissolved within 7 min, and near-complete separation (> 95 %) is achieved after 30 min of treatment. This custom-designed platform, featuring a unique vertical operation mode and configurable parameters (i.e., adjustable cathode geometry and tunable electrolyte flow rate), suppresses Al co-dissolution by >80 % compared with conventional acid leaching. The electric field intensified by the sharp tip effect drives the directional generation of high-valence Ag species, accelerating dissolution kinetics and delivering exceptional current efficiencies (removal: 87.4 %; recovery: 77 %). The resulting Ag<sup>+</sup>-rich electrolyte is directly utilized in a one-step reverse EJ deposition process to produce Ag coatings with high purity (96 %) and excellent conductivity (<span><math><mn>1.7</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>8</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> Ω·m). By integrating selective metal separation with electrochemical additive manufacturing, this strategy offers an economically viable and environmentally sustainable route for the valorization of critical metals from diverse e-waste streams.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136440"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The coagulation process is distinguished among various heavy metal wastewater treatment technologies due to its high efficiency, low carbon footprint, and significant cost-effectiveness. However, traditional coagulants exhibit limitations, such as low recovery rates of heavy metals and insufficient treatment efficacy, which present significant challenges to the widespread adoption of coagulation processes. Consequently, this study utilizes sodium bicarbonate-impregnated biochar to develop a renewable biochar coagulant (RBC) that demonstrates exceptional heavy metal removal performance, rapid coagulation kinetics, and high recovery rates of heavy metals. The adsorption equilibrium barrier was overcome, thereby achieving rapid and almost complete removal of heavy metals. The experimental results demonstrated that the optimal average removal rates for Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ exceeded 99.90%. The maximum average diameter of the generated flocs was 198.7 μm, with a length of 63.6 μm, allowing for rapid settlement within 60 s. The recovery rates for Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Ni2+ reached 85.05%, 77.99%, 89.14%, and 85.02%, respectively. After three cycles of regeneration, the RBC maintained excellent coagulation capability, with the average removal rate of the four heavy metal ions remaining above 90%. Furthermore, the RBC exhibited the ability to mitigate environmental pH limitations to a certain extent. At a pH of 3, it retained exceptional heavy metal capture performance and demonstrated strong coagulation ability. Notably, at a pH of 4.0, the RBC achieved a removal rate of 99.99% for the four heavy metal ions at a concentration of 200 mg/L. This study offers new theoretical insights into the coagulation treatment of heavy metal wastewater.
{"title":"Unveiling the mystery of novel renewable biocarbon-driven coagulation for efficient removal of heavy metal: Similarities and differences","authors":"Guang Xia, Linfeng Ma, Jingtao Xu, Congcong Zhao, Runze Liu, Xiaole Wu, Fulin Shao, Jianliang Xue, Xiaoxiang Cheng, Congwei Luo, Feiyong Chen, Jian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136456","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136456","url":null,"abstract":"The coagulation process is distinguished among various heavy metal wastewater treatment technologies due to its high efficiency, low carbon footprint, and significant cost-effectiveness. However, traditional coagulants exhibit limitations, such as low recovery rates of heavy metals and insufficient treatment efficacy, which present significant challenges to the widespread adoption of coagulation processes. Consequently, this study utilizes sodium bicarbonate-impregnated biochar to develop a renewable biochar coagulant (RBC) that demonstrates exceptional heavy metal removal performance, rapid coagulation kinetics, and high recovery rates of heavy metals. The adsorption equilibrium barrier was overcome, thereby achieving rapid and almost complete removal of heavy metals. The experimental results demonstrated that the optimal average removal rates for Cd<sup>2+</sup>, Zn<sup>2+</sup>, Cu<sup>2+</sup>, and Ni<sup>2+</sup> exceeded 99.90%. The maximum average diameter of the generated flocs was 198.7 μm, with a length of 63.6 μm, allowing for rapid settlement within 60 s. The recovery rates for Cd<sup>2+</sup>, Zn<sup>2+</sup>, Cu<sup>2+</sup>, and Ni<sup>2+</sup> reached 85.05%, 77.99%, 89.14%, and 85.02%, respectively. After three cycles of regeneration, the RBC maintained excellent coagulation capability, with the average removal rate of the four heavy metal ions remaining above 90%. Furthermore, the RBC exhibited the ability to mitigate environmental pH limitations to a certain extent. At a pH of 3, it retained exceptional heavy metal capture performance and demonstrated strong coagulation ability. Notably, at a pH of 4.0, the RBC achieved a removal rate of 99.99% for the four heavy metal ions at a concentration of 200 mg/L. This study offers new theoretical insights into the coagulation treatment of heavy metal wastewater.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145718038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Recycling precious metal active components and supports from spent catalysts is critical for resource utilization and environmental sustainability. Herein, we developed a hydroxyl/cyanide radicals oxidation strategy to achieve efficient recovery of Pd and Ag from spent acetylene hydrogenation catalysts while maximizing alumina support retention. Key parameters influencing Pd/Ag leaching efficiencies and support preservation were systematically investigated, and the underlying leaching mechanisms of the precious metals were elucidated. Under the synergistic action of multiple reactive species (•OH, •CN, O₂•−, and 1O₂) from H₂O₂ and acetonitrile, Pd and Ag leaching efficiencies reached 100.00 % and 90.91 %, respectively. Kinetic analysis revealed that Pd and Ag leaching was dominated by chemical reaction control. Characterization of the recycled alumina (R-Al2O3) confirmed that its crystal structure, surface acid-base properties, and elemental composition were largely preserved. Notably, R-Al2O3 exhibited 96 % retention of crushing strength, 83.79 % retention of average pore size, and 88.24 % retention of total pore volume. This strategy not only enables effective precious metal recovery but also maintains the structural integrity of the carrier, providing a sustainable route for the industrial reuse of spent catalysts.
{"title":"Synergistic leaching of palladium and silver from spent acetylene hydrogenation catalyst via hydroxyl/cyanide radicals from H₂O₂/acetonitrile with maximized alumina support retention","authors":"Qihui Wang, Qianyuan Zhang, Chunli Li, Pinggui Tang, Yongjun Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recycling precious metal active components and supports from spent catalysts is critical for resource utilization and environmental sustainability. Herein, we developed a hydroxyl/cyanide radicals oxidation strategy to achieve efficient recovery of Pd and Ag from spent acetylene hydrogenation catalysts while maximizing alumina support retention. Key parameters influencing Pd/Ag leaching efficiencies and support preservation were systematically investigated, and the underlying leaching mechanisms of the precious metals were elucidated. Under the synergistic action of multiple reactive species (•OH, •CN, O₂•<sup>−</sup>, and <sup>1</sup>O₂) from H₂O₂ and acetonitrile, Pd and Ag leaching efficiencies reached 100.00 % and 90.91 %, respectively. Kinetic analysis revealed that Pd and Ag leaching was dominated by chemical reaction control. Characterization of the recycled alumina (R-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) confirmed that its crystal structure, surface acid-base properties, and elemental composition were largely preserved. Notably, R-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> exhibited 96 % retention of crushing strength, 83.79 % retention of average pore size, and 88.24 % retention of total pore volume. This strategy not only enables effective precious metal recovery but also maintains the structural integrity of the carrier, providing a sustainable route for the industrial reuse of spent catalysts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136449"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136433
Chikezie Nwaoha , Menjiao Zhang , Bin Liu , Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul
This study evaluates a bench-scale process using a blended solvent system of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and 1,5-diamino-2-methylpentane (DA2MP) for CO₂ capture. A parametric sensitivity assessment was conducted considering AMP + DA2MP blend concentration and flow rate, flue gas flow rate, and desorption (reboiler) temperature as independent parameters. Dependent parameters included CO₂ capture efficiency, mass transfer coefficients in the absorption and desorption columns, CO₂-rich and lean amine loadings, cyclic loading, CO₂ absorption rate, sensible and vaporization energy requirements, regeneration energy, and specific solvent cost. Parametric sensitivity analysis results indicated that the AMP + DA2MP blend concentration, AMP + DA2MP blend flow rate, and desorption temperature in this order are the most critical factors, enhancing the overall CO2 capture process system, especially the CO2 capture efficiency, regeneration energy and mass transfer coefficients of the absorption and desorption columns. A new multi-objective optimization methodology using a maximization and minimization objectives is proposed, and the results revealed that the optimal range of amine blend concentration is 2 mol/L AMP+(1.5–1.7 mol/L) DA2MP blend, equivalent to 19 wt% AMP+(20.8–23.2 wt%) DA2MP blend, for a total amine blend concentration of 39.8–42.2 wt%. The optimal amine blend flow rate and desorption temperature were determined to be 49.5–53 mL/min and 109–111 °C, respectively. All the optimized AMP + DA2MP blend systems have superior absorption-regeneration performance at a lower desorption temperature (109–111 °C) than the benchmark 5 mol/L (30 wt%) MEA solution which operated at 50 mL/min amine flow rate and 120 °C desorption temperature.
{"title":"Sensitivity analysis and process optimization of AMP–DA2MP amine blends for enhanced CO2 capture performance","authors":"Chikezie Nwaoha , Menjiao Zhang , Bin Liu , Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates a bench-scale process using a blended solvent system of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and 1,5-diamino-2-methylpentane (DA2MP) for CO₂ capture. A parametric sensitivity assessment was conducted considering AMP + DA2MP blend concentration and flow rate, flue gas flow rate, and desorption (reboiler) temperature as independent parameters. Dependent parameters included CO₂ capture efficiency, mass transfer coefficients in the absorption and desorption columns, CO₂-rich and lean amine loadings, cyclic loading, CO₂ absorption rate, sensible and vaporization energy requirements, regeneration energy, and specific solvent cost. Parametric sensitivity analysis results indicated that the AMP + DA2MP blend concentration, AMP + DA2MP blend flow rate, and desorption temperature in this order are the most critical factors, enhancing the overall CO<sub>2</sub> capture process system, especially the CO<sub>2</sub> capture efficiency, regeneration energy and mass transfer coefficients of the absorption and desorption columns. A new multi-objective optimization methodology using a maximization and minimization objectives is proposed, and the results revealed that the optimal range of amine blend concentration is 2 mol/L AMP+(1.5–1.7 mol/L) DA2MP blend, equivalent to 19 wt% AMP+(20.8–23.2 wt%) DA2MP blend, for a total amine blend concentration of 39.8–42.2 wt%. The optimal amine blend flow rate and desorption temperature were determined to be 49.5–53 mL/min and 109–111 °C, respectively. All the optimized AMP + DA2MP blend systems have superior absorption-regeneration performance at a lower desorption temperature (109–111 °C) than the benchmark 5 mol/L (30 wt%) MEA solution which operated at 50 mL/min amine flow rate and 120 °C desorption temperature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136433"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145728807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136457
Ngoc N. Nguyen, Tuan A.H. Nguyen, Anh V. Nguyen
Catastrophic tailings dam failures in mining industry do urgently call for sustainable tailings management strategies. Dewatering followed by dry stacking presents a paradigm shift toward sustainable mining practices. However, clay-rich fine tailings pose persistent difficulties due to slow solid-liquid separation and the formation of sticky cakes impeding the post-dewatering handling. We comparatively study pilot-scale dewatering of clay-rich tailings using solid bowl centrifuge (SBC) and a Netzsch press filter. Different commercial flocculants were investigated as dewatering aids. Dewatering efficiency (solid-liquid separation rate and cake moisture content) was evaluated alongside key dry-stacking criteria such as shear yield stress and stickiness of cakes. Results demonstrate a strong interplay between chemical additives and mechanical forces in enhancing both the liquid-solid separation rate and the quality of cakes for post-dewatering handling. SBC achieved consistent cake moisture levels between 36.3 and 38.3 wt%, while press filtration exhibited greater variability (29.6–80.1 wt%) depending on the types of tailings and flocculants. This suggests broader applicability and robustness of SBC across various tailings and reagents. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mixing dewatered fine tailings with coarse reject waste (i.e. co-disposal) significantly reduced the slump of the mixture and enhanced dry stacking feasibility. These findings offer fundamental insights and practical guidance for optimising the dewatering and dry stacking of clay-rich tailings toward safer and more resilient tailings management practices.
{"title":"From separation to dry stacking: Comparative dewatering and handling of clay-rich tailings using solid bowl centrifugation and press filtration","authors":"Ngoc N. Nguyen, Tuan A.H. Nguyen, Anh V. Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.136457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Catastrophic tailings dam failures in mining industry do urgently call for sustainable tailings management strategies. Dewatering followed by dry stacking presents a paradigm shift toward sustainable mining practices. However, clay-rich fine tailings pose persistent difficulties due to slow solid-liquid separation and the formation of sticky cakes impeding the post-dewatering handling. We comparatively study pilot-scale dewatering of clay-rich tailings using solid bowl centrifuge (SBC) and a Netzsch press filter. Different commercial flocculants were investigated as dewatering aids. Dewatering efficiency (solid-liquid separation rate and cake moisture content) was evaluated alongside key dry-stacking criteria such as shear yield stress and stickiness of cakes. Results demonstrate a strong interplay between chemical additives and mechanical forces in enhancing both the liquid-solid separation rate and the quality of cakes for post-dewatering handling. SBC achieved consistent cake moisture levels between 36.3 and 38.3 wt%, while press filtration exhibited greater variability (29.6–80.1 wt%) depending on the types of tailings and flocculants. This suggests broader applicability and robustness of SBC across various tailings and reagents. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mixing dewatered fine tailings with coarse reject waste (i.e. co-disposal) significantly reduced the slump of the mixture and enhanced dry stacking feasibility. These findings offer fundamental insights and practical guidance for optimising the dewatering and dry stacking of clay-rich tailings toward safer and more resilient tailings management practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 136457"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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