Search results for: refractory pollutants

Authors: Bouchra Wassate, Younes Karhat, Khadija El Falaki

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Leachate is a source of surface water and groundwater contamination if it has not been pretreated. Indeed, due to its complex structure and its pollution load make its treatment extremely difficult to achieve the standard limits required. The objective of this work is to show the interest of advanced oxidation processes on leachate treatment of urban waste containing high concentrations of organic pollutants. The efficiency of Fenton (Fe2+ +H2O2 + H+) reagent for young leachate recovered from collection trucks household waste in the city of Casablanca, Morocco, was evaluated with the objectives of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and discoloration reductions. The optimization of certain physicochemical parameters (initial pH value, reaction time, and [Fe2+], [H2O2]/ [Fe2+] ratio) has yielded good results in terms of reduction of COD and discoloration of the leachate.

Keywords: COD removal, color removal, Fenton process, oxidation process, leachate

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Authors: Tizi Hayet, Berrama Tarek, Bounif Nadia

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Phenol and its derivatives are organic compounds utilized in the chemical industry. They are introduced into the environment by accidental spills and the illegal release of industrial and municipal wastewater. Phenols are organic intermediaries that are considered potential pollutants. Adsorption is one of the purification and separation techniques used in this area. Algeria annually produces 131000 tons of fig; therefore, a large amount of fig leaves is generated, and the conversion of this waste into adsorbent allows the valorization of agricultural residue. The main purpose of this present work is to describe an application of a statistical method for modeling and to optimize the conditions of the phenol adsorption from agricultural by-products, locally available (fig leaves). The best experimental performance of phenol elimination on the adsorbent was obtained with: Adsorbent concentration (X₂) = 200 mg L⁻¹; Initial concentration (X₃) = 150 mg L⁻¹; Speed agitation (X₁) = 300 rpm.

Keywords: low-cost adsorbents, adsorption, fig leaves, phenol, factorial design

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Authors: Tizi Hayet, Berrama Tarek, Bounif Nadia

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Phenol and its derivatives are organic compounds utilized in the chemical industry. They are introduced into the environment by accidental spills and illegal release of industrial and municipal wastewater. Phenols are organic intermediaries that considered as potential pollutants. Adsorption is one of the purification and separation techniques used in this area. Algeria produces annually 131000 tones of fig; therefore, a large amount of fig leaves is generated, and the conversion of this waste into adsorbent allows the valorization of agricultural residue. The main purpose of this present work is to describe an application of the statistical method for modeling and optimization of the conditions of the phenol (Ph) adsorption from agricultural by-product locally available (fig leaves). The best experimental performance of Ph elimination on the adsorbent was obtained with: Adsorbent concentration (X2) = 0.2 g L-1; Initial concentration (X3) = 150 mg L-1; Speed agitation (X1) = 300 rpm.

Keywords: low-cost adsorbents, fig leaves, full factorial design, phenol, biosorption

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Authors: Alieh Farshbaf

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Introduction: Current anti-retroviral drugs have some restrictions for treatment of HIV-1 infection. The efficacy of retroviral drugs is not same in different infected patients and the virus rebound from latent reservoirs after stopping them. Recently, the engineering of stem cells and gene therapy provide new approaches to eliminate some drug problems by induction of resistance to HIV-1. Literature review: Up to now, AIDS-restriction genes (ARGs) were suitable candidate for gene and cell therapies, such as cc-chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5). In this manner, CCR5 provide effective cure in Berlin and Boston patients by inducing of HIV-1 resistance with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. It is showed that Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) could induce HIV-1 resistance in stem cells of infected patients by homologous recombination or non-end joining mechanism and eliminate virus loading after returning the modified cells. Then, gene modification by HIV restriction factors, as TRIM5, introduced another gene candidate for HIV by interfering in infection process. These gene modifications/editing provided by stem cell futures that improve treatment in refractory disease such as HIV-1. Conclusion: Although stem cell transplantation has some complications, but in compare to retro-viral drugs demonstrated effective cure by elimination of virus loading. On the other hand, gene therapy is cost-effective for an infected patient than retroviral drugs payment in a person life-long. The results of umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation showed that gene and cell therapy will be applied easier than previous treatment of AIDS with high efficacy.

Keywords: stem cell, AIDS, gene modification, cell engineering

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Authors: Houneïda Benbouzid, Houria Berrebbah, Mohammed-Réda Djebar

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The toxicological impacts of the increasing number of synthetic compounds present in the aquatic environment are assessed predominantly in laboratory studies where test organisms are exposed to a range of concentrations of single compounds. The bio-indicator Paramecium sp., characterized by a short life cycle, rapid multiplication and normal behavior that may be affected by the presence of pollutants. We therefore investigated the inhibitory effect of a newly synthesized acaricide: the chlorfenapyr tested at concentrations of 250, 300, and 350 µM on a pure culture of Paramecium sp. during 6 day. Paramecia treated with different concentrations of Chlorfenapyr illustrate strong inhibition of cell growth from the second day of treatment. Low levels of glutathione, increased glutathione S-transferase and the decrease in respiratory metabolism, recorded in the presence of different concentrations of Chlorfenapyr, involve the activation of detoxification system.

Keywords: Paramecium sp., chlorfenapyr, oxidative enzymes, detoxification

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Authors: F. Asadi, M. M. Zerafat, S. Sabbaghi

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Among water pollutants, volatile organic compounds can cause severe long lasting effects not only on biotic organism but also on human health. As a result, this material group has attracted more attention in recent years. Adsorption is one of the common processes for remediation of aromatic compounds. In this study, porous clay hetrostructers (PCHs) are synthesized through gallery template approach and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and dodecylamine used as template and co-template, respectively. Porous clay is characterized by XRD and FTIR. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of various adsorption parameters like adsorbent dosage, pH, initial concentration and contact time. It was found that by increasing adsorbent dosage from 0.5gr/lit to 4gr/lit, toluene removal is increased from 34% to 88.1%. Increasing contact time and decreasing the pH of aqueous solution increases toluene removal efficiency.

Keywords: adsorption, clay, nano-porous, toluene

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Authors: A. El-Gendy, S. Al-Farraj, S. Al Kahtani, M. El-Hedeny

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Contaminations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as, dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and chlordane (CHLs) were examined in the edible mantle tissues of the commercial cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg 1831, collected from the marine water of the Arabian Gulf. The mean concentrations of DDT, CHLs and HCH were in the ranges of 29.4 - 56 ng/g, 47.4 - 100 ng/g and 1 - 4 ng/g, respectively. Among the POPs analyzed, HCH showed the lowest concentrations ranging between 1 to 5 ng/g lipid wt. However, concentrations of DDT, CHLs and HCH, detected in this study, were generally comparable or lower than those found in studies of similar cephalopod species from other areas subject to a high anthropogenic impact. Relationships between total body lengths and/or dorsal mantle lengths of the organisms and the concentration values of the studied POPs were also considered. Compared with recommendations of the international organizations, there are no potential risks associated with consuming the studied cuttlefish species.

Keywords: cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis, organochlorine, DDT, CHLs, HCH, Arabian Gulf

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Authors: Mohamed Abd Elfattah Ibraheem Elghrbawy

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Icons are a significant group of cultural heritage objects that deserve to be maintained and conserved, as these ions are performed according to religious standards and norms. The ideal structure of icons is five strata, the lower layer is a wood plate, and the upper layer is the varnish layer that is exposed to photo-oxidation, that is turned into a fragile yellow layer. In addition, the components of the icons are important in dating these ions, so X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) patterns were used. SEM-EDX pattern revealed that the red pigment was vermillion (HgS), that was used in the late period, with a slight difference from the synthesized pigment. Pigments were subjected to chromatic alteration due to different agents, such as microbial agents and pollutants, in particular SO₂, whereas the pigment-based pigments are more sensitive. Moreover, cleaning, varnish removal, and retouching are important processes in the conservation of icons.

Keywords: conservation, cultural heritage, Egyptian icon, pigments

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Authors: A. Kamarchoua, A. A. Bebaa, A. Douadi

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The current work has a goal of the preparation of activated carbon from the stones of dates from southern Algeria (El-Oued province) using a simple pyrolysis proceeded by chemical impregnation in sulphuric acid. For the preparation of the carbon, we choose the diameter of the pellets (0.5-1)mm, activation by acid and water (1:1), carbonization at 450˚C. The prepared carbon has the following characteristics: specific surface 125.86 m2/g, methylene blue number 40, CCE = 0.3meq.g/l, IR and micrographics SEM. The activated carbon thus obtained is used at the water purification in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Kouinine, El- Oued province, to totally eliminate phosphorus. We analyzed the water at the WWTP before the purification procedure. In this study, we have looked at the effect of the following parameters on the adsorption of carbon: the pH, the contact time (Tc) and the agitation speed (Va). The best conditions for phosphorus adsorption are: pH=4 or pH >5, Tc = 60 min and Va = 900 rotations per minute.

Keywords: activated carbon, date stones, pyrolysis, phosphate pollutants

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Authors: Larbi Hammadi, Abdellatif El Bari Tidjani

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In order to reduce the flow of pollutants in the wastewater of the urban agglomerations of the city of Oran, a preliminary study was carried out at the El-Karma wastewater treatment plant. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the overall physicochemical pollution in the effluents of the El-Karma sewage treatment plant wastewater. It was found that the effluent of El-Karma wastewater treatment plant contains a significant amount of insoluble. Total suspended soli TSS concentrations ranged from 112 to 475 mg/l, with an average of 220.5 mg/l. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) values remain within the reference range for domestic wastewater with an average value of COD < 125 and BOD₅ < 25. The COD/BOD₅ ratio of raw water entering the treatment plant is less than 2. This ratio would predict that the raw sewage from the El-Karma treatment plant is polluted by inorganic pollution strong enough.

Keywords: El-Karma wastewater, TSS concentrations, COD and BOD5, COD/BOD5 ratio, treatment

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Authors: Mohd Salim Mahtab, Izharul Haq Farooqi, Anwar Khursheed

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Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on Fenton are versatile options for treating complex wastewaters containing refractory compounds. However, the classical Fenton process (CFP) has limitations, such as high sludge production and reagent dosage, which limit its broad use and result in secondary contamination. As a result, long-term solutions are required for process intensification and the removal of these impediments. This study shows that Fenton sludge could serve as a catalyst in the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ reductive pathway, allowing non-regenerated sludge to be reused for complex wastewater treatment, such as landfill leachate treatment, even in the absence of Fenton's reagents. Experiments with and without pH adjustments in stages I and II demonstrated that an acidic pH is desirable. Humic compounds in leachate could improve the cycle of Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ under optimal conditions, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was 22±2% and 62±2%% in stages I and II, respectively. Furthermore, excellent total suspended solids (TSS) removal (> 95%) and color removal (> 80%) were obtained in stage II. The processes underlying synergistic (oxidation/coagulation/adsorption) effects were addressed. The design of the experiment (DOE) is growing increasingly popular and has thus been implemented in the chemical, water, and environmental domains. The relevance of the statistical model for the desired response was validated using the explicitly stated optimal conditions. The operational factors, characteristics of reused sludge, toxicity analysis, cost calculation, and future research objectives were also discussed. Reusing non-regenerated Fenton sludge, according to the study's findings, can minimize hazardous solid toxic emissions and total treatment costs.

Keywords: advanced oxidation processes, catalysis, Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ cycle, fenton sludge

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Authors: J. F. Pollo Gaspary, F. Peron Gaspary, E. M. Simão, R. Concatto Beltrame, G. Orengo de Oliveira, M. S. Ristow Ferreira, F. Sartori Thies, I. F. Minello, F. dos Santos de Oliveira

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Background: The immune system has evolved several mechanisms to protect the host against cancer, and it has now been suggested that the expansion of its functions may prevent tumor growth and control the symptoms of cancer patients. Two techniques, ozone therapy and pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF), are independently associated with an increase in the immune system functions and they maybe help palliative care of patients in these conditions. Case Report: A patient with rectal adenocarcinoma with metastases decides to interrupt the clinical chemotherapy protocol due to refractoriness and side effects. As a palliative care alternative treatment it is suggested to the patient the use of ozone therapy associated with PEMF techniques. Results: The patient reports an improvement in well-being, in autonomy and in pain control. Imaging tests confirm a pause in tumor growth despite more than 60 days without using classic treatment. These results associated with palliative care alternative treatment stimulate the return to the chemotherapy protocol. Discussion: This case illustrates that these two techniques can contribute to the control of tumor growth and refractory symptoms, such as pain, probably by enhancing the immune system. Conclusions: The potential use of the combination of these two therapies, ozone therapy and PEMF therapy, can contribute to palliation of cancer patients, alone or in combination with pharmacological therapies. The conduct of future investigations on this paradigm can elucidate how much these techniques contribute to the survival and well-being of these patients.

Keywords: cancer, complementary and alternative medicine , ozone therapy, palliative care, PEMF therapy

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Authors: Scott A. Ochsner, Christopher M. Watkins, Apollo McOwiti, David L. Steffen Lauren B. Becnel, Neil J. McKenna

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Understanding signaling by nuclear receptors (NRs) requires an appreciation of their cognate ligand- and tissue-specific transcriptomes. While target gene regulation data are abundant in this field, they reside in hundreds of discrete publications in formats refractory to routine query and analysis and, accordingly, their full value to the NR signaling community has not been realized. One of the mandates of the Nuclear Receptor Signaling Atlas (NURSA) is to facilitate access of the community to existing public datasets. Pursuant to this mandate we are developing a freely-accessible community web resource, Transcriptomine, to bring together the sum total of available expression array and RNA-Seq data points generated by the field in a single location. Transcriptomine currently contains over 25,000,000 gene fold change datapoints from over 1200 contrasts relevant to over 100 NRs, ligands and coregulators in over 200 tissues and cell lines. Transcriptomine is designed to accommodate a spectrum of end users ranging from the bench researcher to those with advanced bioinformatic training. Visualization tools allow users to build custom charts to compare and contrast patterns of gene regulation across different tissues and in response to different ligands. Our resource affords an entirely new paradigm for leveraging gene expression data in the NR signaling field, empowering users to query gene fold changes across diverse regulatory molecules, tissues and cell lines, target genes, biological functions and disease associations, and that would otherwise be prohibitive in terms of time and effort. Transcriptomine will be regularly updated with gene lists from future genome-wide expression array and expression-sequencing datasets in the NR signaling field.

Keywords: target gene database, informatics, gene expression, transcriptomics

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Authors: Mahsa Mafi

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Encapsulation of Micrococcus Luteus (M. Luteus) in polymeric composites has been employed for the bioremediation, sequestration of metals and for the biodegradation of chemical pollutants and toxic components in waste water. Polymer composites in the form of nonwovens of nanofibers, or core/shell particles can provide a bacterial friendly environment for transfer of nutrients and metabolisms, with the least leakage of bacteria. M. Luteus is encapsulated in a hydrophilic core of poly (vinyl alcohol), following by synthesis or coating of a proper shell as a support to maintain the chemical and mechanical strength. The biological activity of bacteria is confirmed by Live/Dead analysis and agar plate tests. SEM and TEM analysis were utilized for morphological studies of polymer composites. As a result of the successful encapsulation of the alive bacteria in polymers, longer storage time in their functional state were achieved.

Keywords: Polymer composites, Bacteria encapsulation, Bioremediation, Waste water treatment

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Authors: Francesco Gallucci, Mariangela Salerno, Ettore Guerriero, Manfredi Amalfi, Giancarlo Chiatti, Fulvio Palmieri

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The paper deals with the experimental activities on a biomass combustion test-bed. More in detail, experimental campaigns have been devoted to investigate the operation of a biomass moving grate furnace. A research-oriented facility based on a moving grate furnace (350kW) has been set up in order to perform experimental activities in a wide range of test configurations. The paper reports the description of the complete biomass-plant and the assessment of the system operation. As the first step, the chemical and physical properties of the used wooden biomass have been preliminarily investigated. Once the biomass fuel has been characterized, investigations have been devoted to point out the operation of the furnace. It has been operated at full load, highlighting the influence of biomass combustion parameters on particulate matter and gaseous emission.

Keywords: biomass, combustion, experimental, pollutants

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Authors: Labiba Zerari Bourafa, Djebar Mohamed Reda, Berrebah Houria, Khadri Sihem, Chiheb Linda

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The study of the effect of metal dust (pollutants) was performed on higher plant white beans Phaseolus vulgaris; the experience took place in cellular toxicology laboratory (in vitro culture). The seeds of the bean Phaseolus vulgaris are cultured in a metal contaminated dust medium (a single treatment by different increasing doses), at a rate of 10 seeds per box, for 10 days. The measurement of morpho-metric parameters is performed during the first 96 hours that follow the germination; while the dosage of the proline, the protein content and histological sections are formed on the tenth day (240 h). All morpho-metric and biochemical parameters measured were highly disturbed by metal dust; histological sections confirm this disurbance.

Keywords: conductive fabrics, metal dust, osmoticums, roots, Phaseolus vulgaris

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Authors: Abdou Khafor Ndiaye

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The article examines clean water and sanitation in Saint-Louis region schools. It finds that 59% have clean water, with disparities between departments, urban/rural areas, and school types. Podor and Dagana lack water due to distance and costs. 70% have sanitation, but rural schools lack it due to low investment. Podor and Dagana suffer the most. Many sanitation facilities need renovation. Wastewater treatment is effective, reducing pollutants and nitrogen, but adjustments are needed for nitrates. Treated water meets Senegalese standards and can be used for irrigation but needs monitoring for strict standards. In conclusion, the wastewater system is good for regions with limited water. Meeting stricter European standards and monitoring for health and environmental standards are needed.

Keywords: water, constructed wetland, sanitation, hygiene

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Authors: M. Arun, A. Kannan

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Textile industries cater to varied customer preferences and contribute substantially to the economy. However, these textile industries also produce a considerable amount of effluents. Prominent among these are the azo dyes which impart considerable color and toxicity even at low concentrations. Azo dyes are also used as coloring agents in food and pharmaceutical industry. Despite their applications, azo dyes are also notorious pollutants and carcinogens. Popular techniques like photo-degradation, biodegradation and the use of oxidizing agents are not applicable for all kinds of dyes, as most of them are stable to these techniques. Chemical coagulation produces a large amount of toxic sludge which is undesirable and is also ineffective towards a number of dyes. Most of the azo dyes are stable to UV-visible light irradiation and may even resist aerobic degradation. Adsorption has been the most preferred technique owing to its less cost, high capacity and process efficiency and the possibility of regenerating and recycling the adsorbent. Adsorption is also most preferred because it may produce high quality of the treated effluent and it is able to remove different kinds of dyes. However, the adsorption process is influenced by many variables whose inter-dependence makes it difficult to identify optimum conditions. The variables include stirring speed, temperature, initial concentration and adsorbent dosage. Further, the internal diffusional resistance inside the adsorbent particle leads to slow uptake of the solute within the adsorbent. Hence, it is necessary to identify optimum conditions that lead to high capacity and uptake rate of these pollutants. In this work, commercially available activated carbon was chosen as the adsorbent owing to its high surface area. A typical azo dye found in textile effluent waters, viz. the monoazo Acid Orange 10 dye (CAS: 1936-15-8) has been chosen as the representative pollutant. Adsorption studies were mainly focused at obtaining equilibrium and kinetic data for the batch adsorption process at different process conditions. Studies were conducted at different stirring speed, temperature, adsorbent dosage and initial dye concentration settings. The Full Factorial Design was the chosen statistical design framework for carrying out the experiments and identifying the important factors and their interactions. The optimum conditions identified from the experimental model were validated with actual experiments at the recommended settings. The equilibrium and kinetic data obtained were fitted to different models and the model parameters were estimated. This gives more details about the nature of adsorption taking place. Critical data required to design batch adsorption systems for removal of Acid Orange 10 dye and identification of factors that critically influence the separation efficiency are the key outcomes from this research.

Keywords: acid orange 10, activated carbon, optimum adsorption conditions, statistical design

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Authors: Gentiana Shegani

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Coagulation is a process that sanitizes leather effluents. It aims to reduce pollutants such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), chloride, sulphate, chromium, suspended solids, and other dissolved solids. The current study aimed to evaluate coagulation efficiency of tannery wastewater by analysing the change in organic matter, odor, colour, ammonium ions, nutrients, chloride, H2S, sulphate, suspended solids, total dissolved solids, faecal pollution, and chromium hexavalent before and after treatment. Effluent samples were treated with coagulants Ca(OH)2 and FeSO4 .7H2O. The best advantages of this treatment included the removal of: COD (81.60%); ammonia ions (98.34%); nitrate ions (92%); chromium hexavalent (75.00%); phosphate (70.00%); chloride (69.20%); and H₂S (50%). Results also indicated a high level of efficiency in the reduction of fecal pollution indicators. Unfortunately, only a modest reduction of sulphate (19.00%) and TSS (13.00%) and an increase in TDS (15.60%) was observed.

Keywords: coagulation, effluent, tannery, treatment

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Authors: Bernard Polednik, Adam Piotrowicz, Lukasz Guz, Marzenna Dudzinska

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Transportation is considered to be responsible for increased exposure of road users – i.e., drivers, car passengers, and pedestrians as well as inhabitants of houses located near roads - to pollutants emitted from vehicles. Accurate estimates are, however, difficult as exposure depends on many factors such as traffic intensity or type of fuel as well as the topography and the built-up area around the individual routes. The season and weather conditions are also of importance. In the case of inhabitants of houses located near roads, their exposure depends on the distance from the road, window tightness and other factors that decrease pollutant infiltration. This work reports the variations of particle concentrations along a selected road in Lublin, Poland. Their impact on the exposure for road users as well as for inhabitants of houses located near the road is also presented. Mobile and fixed-site measurements were carried out in peak (around 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.) and off-peak (12 a.m., 4 a.m., and 12 p.m.) traffic times in all 4 seasons. Fixed-site measurements were performed in 12 measurement points along the route. The number and mass concentration of particles was determined with the use of P-Trak model 8525, OPS 3330, DustTrak DRX model 8533 (TSI Inc. USA) and Grimm Aerosol Spectrometer 1.109 with Nano Sizer 1.321 (Grimm Aerosol Germany). The obtained results indicated that the highest concentrations of traffic-related pollution were measured near 4-way traffic intersections during peak hours in the autumn and winter. The highest average number concentration of ultrafine particles (PN0.1), and mass concentration of fine particles (PM2.5) in fixed-site measurements were obtained in the autumn and amounted to 23.6 ± 9.2×10³ pt/cm³ and 135.1 ± 11.3 µg/m³, respectively. The highest average number concentration of submicrometer particles (PN1) was measured in the winter and amounted to 68 ± 26.8×10³ pt/cm³. The estimated doses of particles deposited in the commuters’ and pedestrians’ lungs within an hour near 4-way TIs in peak hours in the summer amounted to 4.3 ± 3.3×10⁹ pt/h (PN0.1) and 2.9 ± 1.4 µg/h (PM2.5) and 3.9 ± 1.1×10⁹ pt/h (PN0.1) or 2.5 ± 0.4 µg/h (PM2.5), respectively. While estimating the doses inhaled by the inhabitants of premises located near the road one should take into account different fractional penetration of particles from outdoors to indoors. Such doses assessed for the autumn and winter are up to twice as high as the doses inhaled by commuters and pedestrians in the summer. In the winter traffic-related ultrafine particles account for over 70% of all ultrafine particles deposited in the pedestrians’ lungs. The share of traffic-related PM10 particles was estimated at approximately 33.5%. Concluding, the results of the particle concentration measurements along a road in Lublin indicated that the concentration is mainly affected by the traffic intensity and weather conditions. Further detailed research should focus on how the season and the metrological conditions affect concentration levels of traffic-related pollutants and the exposure of commuters and pedestrians as well as the inhabitants of houses located near traffic routes.

Keywords: air quality, deposition dose, health effects, vehicle emissions

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Authors: Bourfaa Fouzia, Meryem Lamri Zeggar, Adjimi Amel, Mohammed Salah Aida, Nadir Attaf

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Semiconductor photocatalysts such as ZnO has attracted much attention in recent years due to their various applications for the degradation of organic pollutants in water, air and in dye sensitized photovoltaic solar cell. In the present work, ZnO thin films were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis by using different precursors namely: Acetate, chloride and zinc nitrate in order to investigate their influence on ZnO photocatalytic activity. The films crystalline structure was studied by mean of X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and the films surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The films optical properties were studied by mean of UV–visible spectroscopy. The prepared films were tested for the degradation of the red reactive dye largely used in textile industry. As a result, we found that the zinc nitrate is the best precursor to prepare ZnO thin films suitable for a good photocatalytic activity.

Keywords: precursor, thins films, spray pyrolysis, zinc oxide

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Authors: Andrea Szabo Nagy, Zsofia Csanadi

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concentration levels of common inorganic gases, benzene and particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) in ambient air of Győr (Hungary) based on the latest published monitoring data. The concentrations of PM10-bound heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As and Ni) and some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also assessed. The levels of pollutants were compared with the Hungarian and EU limit or target values defined for health protection and the WHO air quality guidelines (AQGs) or estimated reference levels. Based on the Hungarian or the EU air quality standards and using the Hungarian Air Quality Index it was found that mainly an excellent (SO₂, CO, C₆H₆, heavy metals) or good (NO₂, O₃, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)) air quality was observed in the urban area of Győr for the year 2016. The annual mean pollutant concentrations (excluding BaP) were not exceeded or just reached the WHO AQGs or reference levels.

Keywords: aerosols, air pollutant, air quality, health protection

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Authors: Hugo Carronnier, Wassim Almouallem, Eric Branquet

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made refractory compounds that have been widely used in a variety of industrial and commercial products since the 1940s, leading to contamination of groundwater and surface water systems. They are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals. Foam fractionation is a potential remedial technique for treating PFAS-contaminated water, taking advantage of the high surface activity to remove them from the solution by adsorption onto the surface of the air bubbles. Nevertheless, traditional foam fractionation technology developed for PFAS is challenging and found to be ineffective in treating the less surface-active compounds. Different chemicals were the subject of investigation as amendments to achieve better removal. However, most amendments are toxic, expensive and complicated to use. In this situation, patent-pending PFAS technology overcomes these challenges by using rather biological amendments. Results from the first laboratory trial showed remarkable results using a simple and cheap BioFoam Fractionation (BioFF) process based on biomimetics. The study showed that the BioFF process is effective in removing greater than 99% of PFOA (C8), PFOS (C8), PFHpS (C7) and PFHxS (C6) in PFAS-contaminated water. For other PFAS such as PFDA (C10) and 6:2 FTAB, a slightly less stable removal between 94% and 96% was achieved while between 34% and 73% removal efficiency was observed for PFBA (C4), PFBS (C4), PFHxA (C6), and Gen-X. In sum, the advantages of the BioFF presented as a low-waste production, a cost and energy-efficient operation and the use of a biodegradable amendment requiring no separation step after treatment, coupled with these first findings, suggest that the BioFF process is a highly applicable treatment technology for PFAS contaminated water. Additional investigations are currently carried on in order to optimize the process and establish a promising strategy for on-site PFAS remediation.

Keywords: PFAS, treatment, foam fractionation, contaminated amendments

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Authors: Nagui A. Abdel-Khalek, Khaled A. Selim, Ahmed Hamdy

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Kaolin is naturally occurring ore predominantly containing kaolinite mineral in addition to some gangue minerals. Typical impurities present in kaolin ore are quartz, iron oxides, titanoferrous minerals, mica, feldspar, organic matter, etc. The main coloring impurity, particularly in the ultrafine size range, is titanoferrous minerals. Kaolin is used in many industrial applications such as sanitary ware, table ware, ceramic, paint, and paper industries, each of which should be of certain specifications. For most industrial applications, kaolin should be processed to obtain refined clay so as to match with standard specifications. For example, kaolin used in paper and paint industries need to be of high brightness and low yellowness. Egyptian kaolin is not subjected to any beneficiation process and the Egyptian companies apply selective mining followed by, in some localities, crushing and size reduction only. Such low quality kaolin can be used in refractory and pottery production but not in white ware and paper industries. This paper aims to study the amenability of beneficiation of an Egyptian kaolin ore of El-Teih locality, Sinai, to be suitable for different industrial applications. Attrition scrubbing and classification followed by magnetic separation are applied to remove the associated impurities. Attrition scrubbing and classification are used to separate the coarse silica and feldspars. Wet high intensity magnetic separation was applied to remove colored contaminants such as iron oxide and titanium oxide. Different variables affecting of magnetic separation process such as solid percent, magnetic field, matrix loading capacity, and retention time are studied. The results indicated that substantial decrease in iron oxide (from 1.69% to 0.61% ) and TiO2 (from 3.1% to 0.83%) contents as well as improving iso-brightness (from 63.76% to 75.21% and whiteness (from 79.85% to 86.72%) of the product can be achieved.

Keywords: Kaolin, titanoferrous minerals, beneficiation, magnetic separation, attrition scrubbing, classification

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Authors: Neelma Munir, Zirwa Sarwar, Rubab Naseem, Maria Hasnain, Shagufta Naz

Abstract:

Wastewater discharge from different sources causes contamination of water bodies and eutrophication. Stegiocolonium and Spirogyra are commonly found algal species in the water bodies of Pakistan. These algal species were tested for their bioremediation potential using different wastewaters. Different parameters, i.e., BOD, COD, pH, nitrates, phosphates and microflora, were analyzed to observe the phycoremediation efficiency of the tested algal strains. When these different wastewaters were treated with these algae, reduction of BOD and COD was observed helped in the reduction of pollutants from the environment. From the results of the present study, it was evident that Ulothrix sp. and Oedogonium sp. showed a high biomass production in different wastewaters as compared to Stigeoclonium sp. and Spirogyra sp. Whereas the oil content of Stigeoclonium sp. was greater than Spirogyra sp. Oil extracted from algal strains was then utilized for converting it to biodiesel, indicating that these algal species can be cultured in wastewater to produce biodiesel.

Keywords: algae, wastewater, biofuel, bioremediation

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Stefan Nicolae, Cristina Cirtoaje, Emil Petrescu, Florin-Razvan Duca

Abstract:

In the context of the accelerated expansion of urban agglomerations and the exponential development of industry, a huge amount of water is used, and a crisis of drinking water may occur any time. Classic wastewater treatment removes most pollutants but, for some chemical residues, special methods are needed. Carbon nanotubes and other carbon materials might be used in many cases [1-2], especially for heavy metals removal but also on pharmaceutical products such as paracetamol [3]. Our research has confirmed the better efficiency of nanotubes compared to graphene on paracetamol removal from water, but even better results were obtained on single-walled nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets. This can be due to their better dispersion in water which leads to an increased contact surface, so we propose a filtration system of membranes and carbon materials that can be used for paracetamol removal from wastewater but also for other drugs that affect the aquatic life as well as terrestrial animals and people who use this contaminated water.

Keywords: applied physics, wastewater, nanomaterials, enviromental science

Procedia PDF Downloads 168

Authors: N. Kotabin, Y. Tahara, K. Issakul, O. Chunhachart

Abstract:

Cadmium (II) (Cd) is one of the major toxic elemental pollutants which is hazardous for humans, animals and plants. γ-Polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) is an extracellular biopolymer produced by several species of Bacillus which has been reported to be an effective biosorbent for metal ions. The effect of γ-PGA on growth of rice grown under laboratory conditions was investigated. Rice seeds were germinated and then grown at 30±1°C on filter paper soaked with Cd solution and γ-PGA for 7 days. The result showed that Cd significantly inhibited the growth of roots and shoots by reducing root and shoot lengths. Fresh and dry weights also decreased compared with control; however, the addition of 500 mg•L-1 γ-PGA alleviated rice seedlings from the adverse effects of Cd. The analysis of physiological traits revealed that Cd caused a decrease in the total chlorophyll and soluble protein contents and amylase activities in all treatments. The Cd content in seedling tissues increased for the Cd 250 μM treatment (P < 0.05) but the addition of 500 mg•L-1 γ-PGA resulted in a noticeable decrease in Cd (P < 0.05).

Keywords: polyglutamic acid, cadmium, rice, bacillus subtilis

Procedia PDF Downloads 280

Authors: H. Boucheloukh, N. Aoun, S. Rouissa, T. Sehili, F. Parrino, V. Loddo

Abstract:

Photocatalysis has made a revolution in wastewater treatment and the elimination of persistent organic pollutants. This process is based on the use of semiconductors as photocatalysts. In this study, nickel ferrite spinel (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by the sol-gel route. The structural, morphological, elemental composition, chemical state, particle size, optical and electrochemical characterizations using powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX ). We tested the prepared NiFe2O4(NPS)by monitoring the degradation of Rose Bengal (RB) dye in an aqueous solution under direct sunlight irradiation. The effects of catalyst dosage and dye concentration were also considered for the effective degradation of RB dye. The optimum catalyst dosage and concentration of dye were found to be 1 g/L and 10 μM, respectively. A maximum of 80% photocatalytic degradation efficiency (DE%) was achieved at 120 min of direct sunlight irradiation.

Keywords: Rose Bengal, Nickelate, photocatalysis, irradiation

Procedia PDF Downloads 189

Authors: Nilubon Thongtan, Wilai Chiemchaisri, Chart Chiemchaisri

Abstract:

Purpose of study is to investigate performance of two-stage membrane bioreactor (2S-MBR) to treat trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole in solid waste leachate. This system consists of 2 tanks, anoxic tank with incline plates and MBR tank. The system was operated at 12 h-HRT each, of which the MBR MLSS concentration was operated at 25,000-35,000 mg/L. The average sCOD concentration of the fed leachate was 6,310±3,595 mg/L. It shows that high organic removals in terms of sCOD and sBOD were achieved as of 97-99% and 99%, respectively. The TKN and NH3-N removals were 76-98% and 91-99%, respectively. Concurrently, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole were detected in the leachate with concentrations of 113-0 μg/L and 74-2 μg/L, respectively. High removals of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole were also found as of 95-99% and 85-95%, respectively. In sum, this MBR feature and operation gave achievement in treatment of macro-pollutants including trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole existing in low levels in the solid waste leachate.

Keywords: membrane bioreactor, solid waste leachate, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: K. Ighilahriz, M. Taleb Ahmed, R. Maachi

Abstract:

Oil industries are responsible for most cases of contamination of our ecosystem by oil and heavy metals. They are toxic and considered carcinogenic and dangerous even when they exist in trace amounts. At Algiers refinery, production, transportation, and refining of crude oil generate considerable waste in storage tanks; these residues result from the gravitational settling. The composition of these residues is essentially a mixture of hydrocarbon and lead. We propose in this work the application of electrooxidation treatment for the leachate of the leaden sludge. The effect of pH, current density and the electrolysis time were studied, the effectiveness of the processes is evaluated by measuring the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The dissolution is the best way to mobilize pollutants from leaden mud, so we conducted leaching before starting the electrochemical treatment. The process was carried out in batch mode using graphite anode and a stainless steel cathode. The results clearly demonstrate the compatibility of the technique used with the type of pollution studied. In fact, it allowed COD removal about 80%.

Keywords: electrooxidation, leaching, leaden sludge, oil industry

Procedia PDF Downloads 207