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Water bodies are increasingly contaminated with a diversity of organic micropollutants (OMPs). This impacts the quality of ecosystems due to their recalcitrant nature. In this study, we assessed the removal of OMPs by spent mushroom substrate (SMS) of the white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and by its aqueous tea extract. Removal of acesulfame K, antipyrine, bentazon, caffeine, carbamazepine, chloridazon, clofibric acid, and N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) by SMS and its tea was between 10 and 90% and 0–26%, respectively, in a 7-day period. Sorption to SMS particles was between 0 and 29%, which can thus not explain the removal difference between SMS and its tea, the latter lacking these particles. Carbamazepine was removed most efficiently by both SMS and its tea. Removal of OMPs (except caffeine) by SMS tea was not affected by heat treatment. By contrast, heat-treatment of SMS reduced OMP removal to < 10% except for carbamazepine with a removal of 90%. These results indicate that OMP removal by SMS and its tea is mediated by both enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities. The presence of copper, manganese, and iron (0.03, 0.88, and 0.33 µg L-1, respectively) as well as H2O2 (1.5 µM) in SMS tea indicated that the Fenton reaction represents (part of) the non-enzymatic activity. Indeed, the in vitro reconstituted Fenton reaction removed OMPs > 50% better than the teas. From these data it is concluded that spent mushroom substrate of the white button mushroom, which is widely available as a waste-stream, can be used to purify water from OMPs.

Dichloramine (NHCl2) naturally exists in reverse osmosis (RO) permeate due to its application as an antifouling chemical in membrane-based potable reuse treatment. This study investigated mechanisms of background NHCl2 hydrolysis associated with the generation of oxidative radical species in RO permeate, established a kinetic model to predict the oxidative capacity, and examined its removal efficiency on trace organic contaminants in potable reuse. Results showed that NHCl2 hydrolysis generated transient peroxynitrite (ONOO-) and subsequently dissociated into hydroxyl radical (HO•). The maximal HO• exposure was observed at an RO permeate pH of 8.4, higher than that from typical ultraviolet (UV)-based advanced oxidation processes. The HO• exposure during NHCl2 hydrolysis also peaked at a NH2Cl-to-NHCl2 molar ratio of 1:1. The oxidative capacity rapidly degraded 1,4-dioxane, carbamazepine, atenolol, and sulfamethoxazole in RO permeate. Furthermore, background elevated carbonate in fresh RO permeate can convert HO• to carbonate radical (CO3•-). Aeration of the RO permeate removed total carbonate, significantly increased HO• exposure, and enhanced the degradation kinetics of trace organic contaminants. The kinetic model of NHCl2 hydrolysis predicted well the degradation of contaminants in RO permeate. This study provides new mechanistic insights into NHCl2 hydrolysis that contributes to the oxidative degradation of trace organic contaminants in potable reuse systems.

To oxidize trace concentrations of organic contaminants under conditions relevant to surface- and groundwater, air-diffusion cathodes were coupled to stainless-steel cathodes that convert atmospheric O2 into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which then was activated to produce hydroxyl radicals (·OH). By separating H2O2 generation from its activation and employing a flow-through electrode consisting of stainless-steel fibers, the two processes could be operated efficiently in a manner that overcame mass-transfer limitations for O2, H2O2, and trace organic contaminants. The flexibility resulting from separate control of the two processes made it possible to avoid both the accumulation of excess H2O2 and the energy losses that take place after H2O2 has been depleted. The decrease in treatment efficacy occurring in the presence of natural organic matter was substantially lower than that typically observed in homogeneous advanced oxidation processes. Experiments conducted with ionized and neutral compounds indicated that electrostatic repulsion prevented negatively charged ·OH scavengers from interfering with the oxidation of neutral contaminants. Energy consumption by the dual-cathode system was lower than values reported for other technologies intended for small-scale drinking water treatment systems. The coordinated operation of these two cathodes has the potential to provide a practical, inexpensive way for point-of-use drinking water treatment.

Numerous regions worldwide face water shortages due to increasing demand and limited resources. In many areas, particularly in developing countries lacking access to the electricity grid, obtaining clean, decontaminated water presents a significant challenge. Therefore, recycling wastewater is essential. This research aimed to create a solar-powered purification system capable of converting wastewater into recycled water for various beneficial purposes, including agricultural and landscaping irrigation, industrial operations, toilet flushing, and groundwater replenishment. Additionally, the utilization of renewable energy technology, such as solar panels paired with battery storage, was examined to ensure continuous power for the system, particularly in remote or rural areas lacking electricity and during emergencies or natural disasters. This study employed a true experimental research design to investigate the cause-and-effect relationship of the Innovative Water for Wellness (IWW) System on wastewater. Wastewater from two different sources was collected using a 300-ml sterilized container, with one sample collected from each source. After passing through the water purification system, the treated wastewater from the two different sources was collected in sterilized 300-ml containers. The water underwent microbiological testing to identify contaminants. Descriptive statistics, such as average mean tests, were utilized to evaluate the efficiency of the IWW system. The Innovative Water for Wellness (IWW) System was able to purify wastewater containing Total Coliform, Thermotolerant Coliform, and Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) with an average of less than 1.1 through the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique and Pour Plate under microbiological testing, indicating that all tests were below the standard parameter. The system also recorded the production of 3 liters of water in 59 minutes and 32.4 seconds and is capable of operating continuously for 9 hours due to its

Numerous regions worldwide face water shortages due to increasing demand and limited resources. In many areas, particularly in developing countries lacking access to the electricity grid, obtaining clean, decontaminated water presents a significant challenge. Therefore, recycling wastewater is essential. This research aimed to create a solar-powered purification system capable of converting wastewater into recycled water for various beneficial purposes, including agricultural and landscaping irrigation, industrial operations, toilet flushing, and groundwater replenishment. Additionally, the utilization of renewable energy technology, such as solar panels paired with battery storage, was examined to ensure continuous power for the system, particularly in remote or rural areas lacking electricity and during emergencies or natural disasters. This study employed a true experimental research design to investigate the cause-and-effect relationship of the Innovative Water for Wellness (IWW) System on wastewater. Wastewater from two different sources was collected using a 300-ml sterilized container, with one sample collected from each source. After passing through the water purification system, the treated wastewater from the two different sources was collected in sterilized 300-ml containers. The water underwent microbiological testing to identify contaminants. Descriptive statistics, such as average mean tests, were utilized to evaluate the efficiency of the IWW system. The Innovative Water for Wellness (IWW) System was able to purify wastewater containing Total Coliform, Thermotolerant Coliform, and Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) with an average of less than 1.1 through the Multiple Tube Fermentation Technique and Pour Plate under microbiological testing, indicating that all tests were below the standard parameter. The system also recorded the production of 3 liters of water in 59 minutes and 32.4 seconds and is capable of operating continuously for 9 hours due to its

Proteins are one of the fundamental building blocks of life as we know it. They are central to various biological processes and pivotal parts of essential procedures in the healthcare, food and sustainability industries. Over the past few years, significant research efforts have been made to employ bio-based strategies as alternative pathways to shift away from human dependency on petroleum-based polymers, placing protein as central building blocks for sustainable material development. In this framework, this thesis explores a specific class of material building blocks derived from the food we eat, referred to as protein nanofibrils (PNFs). Particular attention is paid to PNFs from soy protein isolate (SPI) and whey protein isolate (WPI) formed at low pH and high temperature, mirroring processes commonly found in food processing and cooking. The presented work focuses explicitly on how these fibrils assemble from acid hydrolysis of the initial food proteins into smaller aggregation-prone species, how aggregation occurs and how we can potentially process fibrils as valuable materials for society. A critical step in forming fibrils at low pH and high temperature is the heat-induced acid hydrolysis of protein chains into shorter peptides. The work first uses SPI as a model protein source to understand PNF formation. By determining the activation energy for SPI hydrolysis and comparing it with the lower activation energies for the aggregation processes of one of the peptide building blocks, BB2, we establish that hydrolysis is the with the highest energy of activation. Computer simulations are then employed to replicate the hydrolysis of proteins to model peptide production and degradation from rates of protein hydrolysis. With this, a connection between monomer production and fibrillation kinetics can be established. With this, numerical simulations of BB2 at 90 °C and pH two are then attempted, demonstrating that aggregation of this peptide alone does not replicate, Proteiner är några av de fundamentala byggstenarna för livet som vi känner det, centrala inte bara för variation av biologiska processer men även som avgörande delar av viktiga procedurer inom hälso-, livsmedels- och hållbarhetsindustrier. De senaste åren har stora forskningsinsatser genomförts för att använda bio-baserade strategier som alternativa vägar för att minska det mänskliga beroendet i petroleumbaserade polymerer, och istället placera proteiner som centrala byggstenar för hållbar materialutveckling. Denna avhandling utforskar, enligt detta ramverk, en specifik klass av materielbyggstenar som härstammar från maten vi äter, även kända som protein-nanofibriller (PNF). Särskild uppmärksamhet riktas mot PNF:er från sojaproteinisolat (SPI) och vassleproteinisolat (WPI) bildade vid lågt pH-värde och hög temperatur, vilket speglar vanligt förekommande processer vid livsmedelsbearbetning och matlagning. Det presenterade arbetet fokuserar specifikt på hur dessa fibriler sammansätts genom hydrolys under sura förhållanden ur de initiala livsmedelsproteinerna till små aggregeringssbenägna peptider, hur aggreggation sker samt hur vi potentiellt skulle kunna bereda fibriller som användbara material ute i samhället. Ett kritiskt steg i formandet av fibriller vid lågt pH-värde och hög temperatur är den värmeinducerade sura hydrolysen av proteinkedjor till kortare peptider. SPI används som en modellproteinkälla för att förstå PNF-formering. Genom att fastställa aktiveringsenergin för SPI-hydrolys och jämföra den med de lägre aktiveringsenergierna för aggregationsprocesserna för en av peptidbyggstenarna, BB2, kan det fastslås att hydrolysen är processen med den högsta aktiveringsenergin. Datorsimulationer genomförs sedan för att reproducera hydrolysen av proteiner till modellpeptidproduktion och nedbrytning från olika hastigheter av proteinhydrolys. Därmed kan en koppling mellan monomerproduktion och fibrillationskinetik etableras. Med detta görs ett försök med numersiska, Proteínas são moléculas orgânicas essenciais à vida e elementos centrais em inúmeros processos biológicos e industriais. Nos últimos anos, têm sido realizados esforços significativos no âmbito da investigação e desenvolvimento de estratégias para reduzir a dependência humana de polímeros à base de petróleo. Assim sendo, proteínas surgem como blocos de construção centrais para o desenvolvimento de materiais sustentáveis. Neste sentido, a presente tese de doutoramento tem como foco principal explorar a formação e utilização de proteínas nanofibrilares (PNFs), também designados de amilóides artificiais, como unidades de construção de nanomateriais. Especificamente, a tese explora a formação de PNFs a partir da hidrólise de proteínas alimentares. Neste caso, a formação de PNFs é precedida pela hidrólise das proteínas na sua forma nativa que, em termos simples, "corta" as proteínas em segmentos mais pequenos, designados de péptidos. Do vasto número de péptidos formados durante a hidrólise de proteínas, uma parte terá propensão para posteriormente se agregarem e formarem PNFs. Estas podem ter várias aplicações práticas, tais como o desenvolvimento de biomateriais para a sociedade e com utilidade pública. A pesquisa examina, particularmente, PNFs feitas a partir de isolado de proteína de soja (SPI) e isolado de proteína de soro de leite, também conhecido como whey protein (WPI). Estas PNFs são formadas em condições de pH baixo e alta temperatura. Tal estratégia é bastante comum no processamento de produtos nas indústrias alimentares e farmacêuticas. Inicialmente, esta tese explora a utilização de SPI como proteína-modelo para investigar a formação de PNFs. Ao determinar a energia de ativação relacionada com a hidrólise ácida de SPI, usando a lei de Arrhenius, comparando-a com as energias de ativação referentes aos processos de agregação de um dos blocos de construção peptídicos das fibras da soja, BB2, é estabelecido que a hidrólise é o processo que requer maior energia, QC 20240927

Proteins are one of the fundamental building blocks of life as we know it. They are central to various biological processes and pivotal parts of essential procedures in the healthcare, food and sustainability industries. Over the past few years, significant research efforts have been made to employ bio-based strategies as alternative pathways to shift away from human dependency on petroleum-based polymers, placing protein as central building blocks for sustainable material development. In this framework, this thesis explores a specific class of material building blocks derived from the food we eat, referred to as protein nanofibrils (PNFs). Particular attention is paid to PNFs from soy protein isolate (SPI) and whey protein isolate (WPI) formed at low pH and high temperature, mirroring processes commonly found in food processing and cooking. The presented work focuses explicitly on how these fibrils assemble from acid hydrolysis of the initial food proteins into smaller aggregation-prone species, how aggregation occurs and how we can potentially process fibrils as valuable materials for society. A critical step in forming fibrils at low pH and high temperature is the heat-induced acid hydrolysis of protein chains into shorter peptides. The work first uses SPI as a model protein source to understand PNF formation. By determining the activation energy for SPI hydrolysis and comparing it with the lower activation energies for the aggregation processes of one of the peptide building blocks, BB2, we establish that hydrolysis is the with the highest energy of activation. Computer simulations are then employed to replicate the hydrolysis of proteins to model peptide production and degradation from rates of protein hydrolysis. With this, a connection between monomer production and fibrillation kinetics can be established. With this, numerical simulations of BB2 at 90 °C and pH two are then attempted, demonstrating that aggregation of this peptide alone does not replicate, Proteiner är några av de fundamentala byggstenarna för livet som vi känner det, centrala inte bara för variation av biologiska processer men även som avgörande delar av viktiga procedurer inom hälso-, livsmedels- och hållbarhetsindustrier. De senaste åren har stora forskningsinsatser genomförts för att använda bio-baserade strategier som alternativa vägar för att minska det mänskliga beroendet i petroleumbaserade polymerer, och istället placera proteiner som centrala byggstenar för hållbar materialutveckling. Denna avhandling utforskar, enligt detta ramverk, en specifik klass av materielbyggstenar som härstammar från maten vi äter, även kända som protein-nanofibriller (PNF). Särskild uppmärksamhet riktas mot PNF:er från sojaproteinisolat (SPI) och vassleproteinisolat (WPI) bildade vid lågt pH-värde och hög temperatur, vilket speglar vanligt förekommande processer vid livsmedelsbearbetning och matlagning. Det presenterade arbetet fokuserar specifikt på hur dessa fibriler sammansätts genom hydrolys under sura förhållanden ur de initiala livsmedelsproteinerna till små aggregeringssbenägna peptider, hur aggreggation sker samt hur vi potentiellt skulle kunna bereda fibriller som användbara material ute i samhället. Ett kritiskt steg i formandet av fibriller vid lågt pH-värde och hög temperatur är den värmeinducerade sura hydrolysen av proteinkedjor till kortare peptider. SPI används som en modellproteinkälla för att förstå PNF-formering. Genom att fastställa aktiveringsenergin för SPI-hydrolys och jämföra den med de lägre aktiveringsenergierna för aggregationsprocesserna för en av peptidbyggstenarna, BB2, kan det fastslås att hydrolysen är processen med den högsta aktiveringsenergin. Datorsimulationer genomförs sedan för att reproducera hydrolysen av proteiner till modellpeptidproduktion och nedbrytning från olika hastigheter av proteinhydrolys. Därmed kan en koppling mellan monomerproduktion och fibrillationskinetik etableras. Med detta görs ett försök med numersiska, Proteínas são moléculas orgânicas essenciais à vida e elementos centrais em inúmeros processos biológicos e industriais. Nos últimos anos, têm sido realizados esforços significativos no âmbito da investigação e desenvolvimento de estratégias para reduzir a dependência humana de polímeros à base de petróleo. Assim sendo, proteínas surgem como blocos de construção centrais para o desenvolvimento de materiais sustentáveis. Neste sentido, a presente tese de doutoramento tem como foco principal explorar a formação e utilização de proteínas nanofibrilares (PNFs), também designados de amilóides artificiais, como unidades de construção de nanomateriais. Especificamente, a tese explora a formação de PNFs a partir da hidrólise de proteínas alimentares. Neste caso, a formação de PNFs é precedida pela hidrólise das proteínas na sua forma nativa que, em termos simples, "corta" as proteínas em segmentos mais pequenos, designados de péptidos. Do vasto número de péptidos formados durante a hidrólise de proteínas, uma parte terá propensão para posteriormente se agregarem e formarem PNFs. Estas podem ter várias aplicações práticas, tais como o desenvolvimento de biomateriais para a sociedade e com utilidade pública. A pesquisa examina, particularmente, PNFs feitas a partir de isolado de proteína de soja (SPI) e isolado de proteína de soro de leite, também conhecido como whey protein (WPI). Estas PNFs são formadas em condições de pH baixo e alta temperatura. Tal estratégia é bastante comum no processamento de produtos nas indústrias alimentares e farmacêuticas. Inicialmente, esta tese explora a utilização de SPI como proteína-modelo para investigar a formação de PNFs. Ao determinar a energia de ativação relacionada com a hidrólise ácida de SPI, usando a lei de Arrhenius, comparando-a com as energias de ativação referentes aos processos de agregação de um dos blocos de construção peptídicos das fibras da soja, BB2, é estabelecido que a hidrólise é o processo que requer maior energia, QC 20240927

The linear lifecycle of the textile industry contributes to the enormous waste generation of post-consumer garments. Recycling or repurposing of post-consumer garments typically requires separation of the individual components. This study describes a novel and facile chemo-thermo-mechanical method for producing extrudable pellets, involving one-pot, 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-mediated oxidation of post-consumer polycotton textiles, followed by mild mechanical treatment, all without isolating the constituents of the polycotton blend. The oxidized blend with high cellulose and carboxylate content of 1221 ± 82 mmol COO− per kg of cotton, is pelletised into a masterbatch and further in situ extruded into nanocomposite filaments for 3D printing. The carboxyl groups introduced on the polycotton-based filters enable cotton fibrillation into nanoscaled fibers during mechanical treatment and extrusion resulting to a variety of functional and high surface-finish quality models, including filters and fashion accessories. The electrostatic interactions with positively charged species, such as methylene blue (MB), facilitate their adsorption from water while exhibiting promising adsorption capacities. The adsorption of MB follows the Freundlich model and depends on the printed porosity of the filter. A “trash to treasure” concept for textile waste is further corroborated through the use of the developed 3D printing filament into commodity products.

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) is a material from the calcium phos-phate group with a crystal structure similar to hydroxyapatite. The removal process of lead and cadmium in aqueous solution using octacalcium phosphate material was investigated. OCP material was synthesized by the solution pre-cipitation method. The structural and phase properties of OCP before and after the removal process were determined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. Microstructural and semi-quantitative analysis of the material was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Characteristic bands and functional group determination were revealed using the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR). As target pollutants, Cd(II) and Pb(II) were chosen in adsorption experiments. Results show that OCP in the first 10 min has a very fast removal rate for Pb(II); the equilibrium state was reached after 10 min with more than 98 % adsorption efficiency. Results for Cd(II), results showed the same removal rate but somewhat lower adsorption efficiency, amounted to approximately 63 %.

Nanocellulose (NC), a one-dimensional nanomaterial, is considered a sustainable material for water and wastewater purification because of its promising hydrophilic surface and mechanical characteristics. In this regard, nanostructured membranes comprising NC and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials emerged as advanced membranes for efficient and sustainable water purification. This article critically reviews the recent progress on NC-2D nanostructured membranes for water and wastewater treatment. The review highlights the main techniques employed to fabricate NC-2D nanostructured membranes. The physicochemical properties, including hydrophilicity, percent porosity, surface roughness, structure, and mechanical and thermal stability, are summarized. The key performance indicators such as permeability, rejection, long operation stability, antifouling, and interaction mechanisms are thoroughly discussed to evaluate the role of NC and 2D nanomaterials. Finally, summary points and future development work are highlighted to overcome the challenges for potential practical applications. This review contributes to the design and development of advanced membranes to solve growing water pollution concerns in a sustainable manner.

UNLABELLED: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are indispensable biotechnology facilities for modern cities and play an essential role in modern urban infrastructure by employing microorganisms to remove pollutants in wastewater, thus protecting public health and the environment. This study conducted a 13-month bacterial community survey of six full-scale WWTPs in Hong Kong with samples of influent, activated sludge (AS), and effluent to explore their synchronism and asynchronism of bacterial community. Besides, we compared AS results of six Hong Kong WWTPs with data from 1,186 AS amplicon data in 269 global WWTPs and a 9-year metagenomic sequencing survey of a Hong Kong WWTP. Our results showed the compositions of bacterial communities varied and the bacterial community structure of AS had obvious differences across Hong Kong WWTPs. The co-occurrence analysis identified 40 pairs of relationships that existed among Hong Kong WWTPs to show solid associations between two species and stochastic processes took large proportions for the bacterial community assembly of six WWTPs. The abundance and distribution of the functional bacteria in worldwide and Hong Kong WWTPs were examined and compared, and we found that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria had more diversity than nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. Besides, Hong Kong WWTPs could make great contributions to the genome mining of microbial dark matter in the global wanted list. Operational parameters had important effects on OTUs abundance, such as the temperature to the genera of Tetrasphaera, Gordonia and Nitrospira. All these results obtained from this study can deepen our understanding of the microbial ecology in WWTPs and provide foundations for further studies. IMPORTANCE: Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are an indispensable component of modern cities, as they can remove pollutants in wastewater to prevent anthropogenic activities. Activated sludge (AS) is a fundamental wastewater treatment process and it harbors a highl

Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) är vidd spridd och har upptäckts i miljön i Sverige och Europa (Naturskyddsföreningen, 2023). På vissa ställen har det uppmätts höga halter i vattentäkter för dricksvatten till exempel nära brandövningsplatser. Många PFAS-ämnen har negativ påverkan på immunförsvaret och misstänks vara cancerframkallande. Livsmedelsverkets dricksvattenföreskrifter har gränsvärden för PFAS som ska tillämpas från 1 januari 2026. Många vattenverk där råvattnet innehåller PFAS kommer därför behöva införa ytterligare rening. År 2019 införde regeringen ett statligt stöd för bättre vattenhushållning och säkrad tillgång till dricksvatten, där upp till 50% av kostnaden kunde täckas av bidraget. Fler än 600 projekt genomfördes. Nio av projekten var relaterade till PFAS. PFAS är persistenta och bioackumulerande föreningar och delas ofta upp i tvågrupper, de med korta eller långa kolkedjor. Membrantekniker som nanofiltreringoch omvänd osmos, adsorptiva metoder som aktivt kol och jonbytefilter kan användas för att avlägsna PFAS från vatten. Ozonering och skumfraktionering är också metoder som skulle kunna användas. Effektiviteten hos flera av dessametoder varierar beroende på längden på PFAS kolkedjan. I ett av de 9 projekten relaterade till statsstödet och PFAS, har Växjö kommun installerat ett nytt reningssteg i Åryds vattenverk som består av två tryckfilter med aktivt kol för att minska förekomsten av PFAS i dricksvattnet. Mätningar av PFAS11 gjordes före och efter reningssteget, i tre brunnar och vid utgående renat dricksvatten från vattenverket. Effektiviteten av reningen var hög enligt de mätningar av PFAS11 som gjordes i projektet. Miljönyttan är hög med aktivt kolfilter eftersom det ger möjligheten att destruera PFAS-föroreningarna helt genom förbränning. Samhällsnyttan av renare och mer hälsosamt dricksvatten är hög, men det är en ekonomisk kostnad att lägga till reningssteg. Projektet som genomförts med stöd av statsbidraget gav samhällsnyt, Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread and have been detected in the environment in Sweden and Europe (Naturskyddsföreningen,2023). High concentrations have been measured in some drinking water sources, such as near firefighting training sites. Many PFAS substances have a negative impact on the immune system and are suspected to be carcinogenic. The National Food Agency's drinking water regulations (Livsmedelsverketsdricksvattenföreskrifter) have set limits for PFAS to be applied from January 1,2026. Therefore, many water treatment plants where the raw water contains PFAS will need to introduce additional purification.In 2019, the government introduced state aid for better water management and secured access to drinking water, covering up to 50% of the cost with a grant. More than 600 projects were implemented. Nine of the projects were related to PFAS. PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative compounds often divided into two groups, those having short or long carbon chains. Membrane techniques such asnanofiltration and reverse osmosis, adsorptive methods like activated carbon andion exchange filters can be used to remove PFAS from water. Ozonation and foam fractionation are also methods that could be used. The efficiency of several of these methods varies depending on the length of the PFAS carbon chain. In one of the nine projects related to state aid and PFAS, Växjö municipality has installed a new purification stage at Åryd's water treatment plant consisting of two pressure filters with activated carbon to reduce the occurrence of PFAS in the drinking water. Measurements of PFAS11 were made before and after the purification step, in three wells and at outgoing purified drinking water from the water treatment plant. The effectiveness of the PFAS removal was high based on the measurements of PFAS11 made in the project. The environmental benefit is high with an activated carbon filter as it allows for the complete destruction of PFAS polluta, 20230602

The soaring development of industry exacerbates the shortage of fresh water, making drinking water production an urgent demand. Membrane techniques feature the merits of high efficiency, low energy consumption, and easy operation, deemed as the most potential technology to purify water. Recently, a new type of two-dimensional materials, MXenes as the transition metal carbides or nitrides in the shape of nanosheets, have attracted enormous interest in water purification due to their extraordinary properties such as adjustable hydrophilicity, easy processibility, antifouling resistance, mechanical strength, and light-to-heat transformation capability. In pioneering studies, MXene-based membranes have been evaluated in the past decade for drinking water production including the separation of bacteria, dyes, salts, and heavy metals. This review focuses on the recent advancement of MXene-based membranes for drinking water production. A brief introduction of MXenes is given first, followed by descriptions of their unique properties. Then, the preparation methods of MXene membranes are summarized. The various applications of MXene membranes in water treatment and the corresponding separation mechanisms are discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and prospects of MXene membranes are presented with the hope to provide insightful guidance on the future design and fabrication of high-performance MXene membranes.

Cyanobacterial blooms in water bodies are a problem of a great concern among the community, because of the production of toxic metabolites, called cyanotoxins. Cyanobacteria are made up of many genera and species, with various mechanisms of intoxication; therefore, they constitute a serious environmental problem with detrimental repercussions on the health of living beings and humankind. Additionally, the high production of cyanotoxins associated with the presence of cyanobacteria has increased in extent and frequency throughout the world, which increases the concern of authorities and public service providers. On the other hand, it is important to point out that the conventional processes water treatment facilities are operating with are inefficient for their elimination and/or degradation, since cyanotoxins are soluble in water and persistent. In this regard, applying alternative technologies to traditional purification treatment systems is required to obtain water of quality that is suitable for human consumption. In this work, the use of ultrasound in the treatment of water contaminated with cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins is described, with special emphasis on the influence of the variation of significant parameters that intervene in the efficiency of elimination and inactivation of cyanobacteria, and the degradation of its toxins through the sonication process. With this, it is intended to position low-frequency ultrasound as an advanced technology that allows controlling the alteration of cyanobacteria and their toxins and avoiding the reduction of the quality of the water bodies that will supply the drinking water treatment plants., Las floraciones cianobacterianas en cuerpos de agua son un problema de gran interés entre la comunidad científica, debido a la producción de metabolitos tóxicos, denominados cianotoxinas. Las cianobacterias están formadas por un amplio número de géneros y especies, con diversos mecanismos de intoxicación; por lo que constituyen un grave problema ambiental con serias repercusiones en la salud de los seres vivos y del hombre. Adicionalmente, la alta producción de cianotoxinas asociada a la presencia de cianobacterias ha crecido enormemente en frecuencia y extensión en todo el mundo, lo cual aumenta la preocupación por parte de las autoridades y los prestadores de servicios públicos. Por otro lado, es importante señalar que los procesos convencionales con los que operan las instalaciones de tratamiento de agua son ineficientes para su eliminación y/o degradación dado que las cianotoxinas son solubles en agua y persistentes. En este sentido, se hace necesaria la aplicación de tecnologías alternativas a los sistemas de tratamiento tradicionales de potabilización con el fin de obtener un agua de calidad apta para el consumo humano. En el presente trabajo, se describe el uso de ultrasonido en el tratamiento de aguas contaminadas con cianobacterias y cianotoxinas, haciendo especial hincapié en la influencia de la variación de parámetros significativos que intervienen en la eficiencia de eliminación e inactivación de las cianobacterias, y la degradación de sus toxinas a través del proceso de sonicación. Con ello, se pretender posicionar el ultrasonido de baja frecuencia como tecnología de oxidación avanzada que permita controlar la proliferación de las cianobacterias y sus toxinas, y evitar la reducción de la calidad de los cuerpos de agua que abastecen las plantas de producción de agua potable.

Despite dramatic reductions in global risk exposures to unsafe water sources, lack of access to clean water remains a persistent problem in many rural and last-mile communities. A great deal is known about demand for household water treatment systems; however, similar evidence for fully treated water products is limited. This study evaluates an NGO-based potable water delivery service in rural Bihar, India, meant to stand-in for more robust municipal treated water supply systems that have yet to reach the area. We use a random price auction and discrete choice experiment to examine willingness to pay (WTP) and stated product preferences, respectively, for this service among 162 households in the region. We seek to determine the impact of short-term price subsidies on demand for water delivery and the extent to which participation in the delivery program leads to changes in stated preferences for service characteristics. We find that mean WTP for the first week of service is roughly 51% of market price and represents only 1.7% of median household income, providing evidence of untapped demand for fully treated water. We also find mixed evidence on the effect of small price subsidies for various parts of the delivery service, and that one week of initial participation leads to significant changes in stated preferences for the taste of the treated water as well as the convenience of the delivery service. While more evidence is needed on the effect of subsidies, our findings suggest that marketing on taste and convenience could help increase uptake of clean water delivery services in rural and last-mile communities that have yet to receive piped water. However, we caution that these services should be seen as a stopgap, not a substitute for piped municipal water systems.

La presente investigación tuvo como finalidad realizar la caracterización del agua contenida en el embalse La Regadera haciendo uso del sistema Morning Glory. La necesidad de caracterizar el recurso hídrico surge por una emergencia presentada en noviembre del 2020, el agua que llegaba para ser potabilizada presentaba elevados niveles de turbiedad, color aparente, contenido de hierro, contenido de manganeso y contenido de amonio, mediante la caracterización de la materia prima se busca tener más información sobre el agua contenida del embalse y el comportamiento de los parámetros fisicoquímicos. Lo anterior se realizó por medio de la toma muestras de las diferentes válvulas situadas a distintas profundidades del embalse, determinando sus características (turbidez, color aparente, pH, amonio, hierro y manganeso), por medio de diferentes técnicas de análisis fisicoquímicos, de igual forma se analizaron los factores que influyen en la calidad del agua contenida en el embalse tales como la precipitación y el movimiento que se podría generar en las aguas de la represa ocasionado por las velocidades y dirección del viento.

Green Chemistry has received widespread interest due to its capacity to meet environmental and economic objectives. The Twelve Principles were proposed to better perform Green Chemistry and have become the guideline for solving many environmental issues. Water contamination has become a major global challenge in the 21st century. Millions of people die from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Nitrate, metal ions and dye are the most frequent contaminants. Nitrate in drinking water, after ingestion, is reduced to nitrite by the gastrointestinal tract and threatens human health. Dye-polluted water is usually nonbiodegradable and poisonous: the main criticism is that it is harmful to human health and hampers the photosynthesis rate of aquatic life. Metal ions generally lead to biological and physiological complications when they bind to cellular macromolecules. Therefore, efficient and eco-friendly purification technology is pressing to provide solutions for water purification. This thesis is set out to investigate the electro-/photo- catalytical water purification techniques using different catalysts. Efficient nitrate electrochemical reduction was achieved by using NDC materials, and the active sites were determined with the help of a comprehensive solid-state NMR supported by theoretical calculation and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the photochemical dye degradation was performed using cellulose-based hybrid bio-inorganic catalysts. The intentional maintenance of the surface functional groups on cellulose-based materials can promote dye degradation performance and, most importantly, achieve simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions aside from photo dye degradation. Additionally, this thesis proposed two possible synthesis strategies to obtain electro-/photo- catalysts using cellulose-based materials as renewable resources. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry guided the optimization of the synthesis route and raw material selectivity. Notably, the l

BackgroundCentralized chlorination of urban piped water supplies has historically contributed to major reductions in waterborne illness. In locations without effective centralized water treatment, point-of-use (POU) chlorination for households is widely promoted to improve drinking water quality and health. Realizing these health benefits requires correct, consistent, and sustained product use, but real-world evaluations have often observed low levels of use. To our knowledge, no prior reviews exist on adoption of chlorine POU products.ObjectivesOur objectives were to identify which indicators of adoption are most often used in chlorine POU studies, summarize levels of adoption observed, understand how adoption changes over time, and determine how adoption is affected by frequency of contact between participants and study staff.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of household POU chlorination interventions or programs from 1990 through 2021 that reported a quantitative measure of adoption, were conducted in low- and middle-income countries, included data collection at households, and reported the intervention start date.ResultsWe identified 36 studies of household drinking water chlorination products that met prespecified eligibility criteria and extracted data from 46 chlorine intervention groups with a variety of chlorine POU products and locations. There was no consensus definition of adoption of household water treatment; the most common indicator was the proportion of household stored water samples with free chlorine residual >0.1 or 0.2mg/L. Among studies that reported either free or total chlorine-confirmed adoption of chlorine POU products, use was highly variable (across all chlorine intervention groups at the last time point measured in each study; range: 1.5%-100%; sample size-weighted median=47%; unweighted median=58%). The median follow-up duration among intervention groups was 3 months. On average, adoption declined over time and was positively

The production of side streams in industrial processes is high and the need to reuse these materials is constantly increasing. Also, wastewater is produced in large quantities in industry, and more attention is being paid to environmental issues, such as the need to clean or stabilize already contaminated areas. The challenge with industrial wastewater, especially mine water, is the diversity of the water chemistry. Thus, the effectiveness of newly developed water purification methods may vary between different sites. The purpose of this dissertation has been to examine several different industrial sidestream materials, investigate the alkali activation of sidestreams, and consider the use of the obtained alkali-activated materials for two different applications: mine water treatment and sediment remediation, at both laboratory and pilot scales. The purification of seepage water was tested in a closed nickel mine in Hitura (Nivala), and the sediment stabilization experiment was conducted with mesocosms in Lake Kivijärvi (Sotkamo). The selected sidestreams for the study (metakaolin, blast furnace slag, vermiculite, mine tailings, and zeolite) were characterized and their behavior after alkali activation was studied. As an important new factor for consideration, effect of the curing time (i.e., material age) of the prepared alkali-activated materials on their adsorption properties was evaluated. The results showed that the blast furnace slag-based water purification material could remove nickel from seepage water. The material may be applied to passive water treatment in the future. The sediment stabilization experiment was also promising in terms of metal retention. Active capping of lake sediment with alkali-activated material may be a more environmentally friendly in-situ treatment than dredging., Tiivistelmä Teollisuudessa muodostuu niin kiinteää jätemateriaalia kuin -vettäkin suuria määriä. Tarve jätemateriaalien hyödyntämiselle uusissa käyttökohteissa on kasvanut koko ajan. Samalla ympäristöllisiin kysymyksiin on kiinnitetty tarkempaa huomiota ja tarve jo saastuneiden alueiden puhdistamiselle tai stabilisoimiselle on tiedostettu. Haasteena teollisuudessa syntyvien jätevesien, ja erityisesti kaivosvesien kohdalla, on syntyvien vesien erilaisuus vesikemian näkökulmasta. Näin ollen kehitettävät puhdistusmenetelmät eivät välttämättä ole toimivia erilaisten kaivosten välillä. Väitöskirjan tarkoitus on ollut tarkastella muutamia erilaisia teollisuudessa sivuvirtana syntyviä materiaaleja ja kartoittaa niiden toimivuutta alkaliaktivoituna materiaalina kaivosten suotovesien puhdistuksessa sekä sedimenttien stabiloimisessa. Molempien sovellusten toimivuutta testattiin kenttäkokeilla, suotovedenpuhdistuskoe toteutettiin Hituran suljetussa nikkelikaivoksessa ja sedimenttien stabilointikokeet Kivijärvessä Sotkamossa. Tutkimukseen valitut sivuvirtamateriaalit on karakterisoitu sekä tutkittu niiden käyttäytymistä alkaliaktivoinnin jälkeen. Tärkeänä uutena näkökulmana on arvioitu valmistetun alkaliaktivoidun materiaalin kovettumisajan vaikutusta materiaalin adsorptio-ominaisuuksiin. Tutkimuksen sovelluksina ovat olleet kaivosten suotovesien tutkiminen metallinpoiston näkökulmasta sekä kaivosten läheisyydessä olevien järvien sedimenttien stabilointi. Tutkimuksen tuloksena voidaan todeta, että masuunikuonapohjainen vedenkäsittelymateriaali poistaa erityisesti nikkeliä kaivosten suotovesistä ja voi soveltua hyvin tulevaisuudessa passiivisten vedenpuhdistusrakenteiden materiaaliksi. Sedimenttien stabilointikokeet olivat myös lupaavia metallien sitomisen suhteen ja voivat mahdollistaa tulevaisuudessa huomattavasti ympäristöystävällisemmän vaihtoehdon järvien ruoppaamiselle.

Clean water, free from pharmaceuticals, is important both for land and water living animals. Protein nanofibrils (PNFs) have already been shown to be a promising candidate for water purification of pharmaceuticals but there is a lack of research that compares PNF materials to non-PNF protein materials for water purification. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the ability of PNF aerogels and non-PNF aerogels to adsorb ibuprofen in water. Four different types of aerogels were made (two types consisting of PNFs and two different types of non-PNF aerogels) and their ability to adsorb ibuprofen was assessed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry. The results showed that the PNF aerogels adsorbed significantly more ibuprofen than the non-PNF aerogels. The possible impact of the aerogels’ porosity on the results was discussed, alongside a comparison to a previous research article’s results from conducting a similar study. Additionally, a study was conducted to examine the attitudes toward scientific research among students in the Master of Science in Engineering and in Education program. The study consisted of four students visiting a chemistry research laboratory, followed by an interview with the participating students. The answers from the interview were then analyzed using deductive thematic analysis based on a theoretical framework of primary school teachers’ attitudes toward science. The results indicate that the participating students have attitudes towards scientific research that can be categorized in the themes: cognition, affect and self-efficacy. The possible effect of the study visit on the interview results were discussed as well as the effect of how far the students have gotten in their education., Rent vatten, fritt från läkemedel, är viktigt både för land- och vattenlevande varelser. Protein-nanofibriller (PNF) har tidigare visats vara lovande för vattenrening av läkemedel men det saknas forskning som jämför PNF-material med proteinbaserade material av icke-PNF för vattenrening. Syftet med den här rapporten var därmed att jämföra förmågan hos PNF aerogeler och icke-PNF aerogeler att adsorbera ibuprofen i en vattenlösning. Fyra olika typer av aerogeler framställdes (två typer uppbyggda av PNF samt två olika typer av icke-PNF aerogeler) och deras förmåga att adsorbera ibuprofen analyserades med hjälp av ultraviolett-synlig (UV-vis) spektrofotometri. Resultaten visade att båda PNF aerogelerna adsorberade klart mer ibuprofen än båda icke-PNF aerogelerna. En möjlig påverkan av aerogelernas porositet på resultatet diskuterades, samt en jämförelse med en annan artikels resultat i en liknande studie. Utöver den tekniska studien genomfördes en studie för att undersöka civilingenjör/lärar-studenternas attityder gentemot naturvetenskaplig forskning inom kemi. Studien bestod av att fyra studenter besökte ett kemiforskningslaboratorium, följt av en intervju med de fyra deltagande studenterna. Svaren från intervjun analyserades med hjälp av deduktiv tematisk analys baserat på ett teoretiskt ramverk av lågstadielärares attityder gentemot naturvetenskap. Resultaten indikerar att de deltagande studenterna innehar attityder gentemot naturvetenskaplig forskning som kan kategoriseras inom temana: kognition (eng. cognition), känsloläge (eng. affect) och självförmåga (eng. self-efficacy). Den potentiella effekten av studiebesöket på intervjusvaren diskuterades liksom effekten av hur långt de deltagande studenterna har kommit i sin utbildning.

Green Chemistry has received widespread interest due to its capacity to meet environmental and economic objectives. The Twelve Principles were proposed to better perform Green Chemistry and have become the guideline for solving many environmental issues. Water contamination has become a major global challenge in the 21st century. Millions of people die from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Nitrate, metal ions and dye are the most frequent contaminants. Nitrate in drinking water, after ingestion, is reduced to nitrite by the gastrointestinal tract and threatens human health. Dye-polluted water is usually nonbiodegradable and poisonous: the main criticism is that it is harmful to human health and hampers the photosynthesis rate of aquatic life. Metal ions generally lead to biological and physiological complications when they bind to cellular macromolecules. Therefore, efficient and eco-friendly purification technology is pressing to provide solutions for water purification. This thesis is set out to investigate the electro-/photo- catalytical water purification techniques using different catalysts. Efficient nitrate electrochemical reduction was achieved by using NDC materials, and the active sites were determined with the help of a comprehensive solid-state NMR supported by theoretical calculation and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the photochemical dye degradation was performed using cellulose-based hybrid bio-inorganic catalysts. The intentional maintenance of the surface functional groups on cellulose-based materials can promote dye degradation performance and, most importantly, achieve simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions aside from photo dye degradation. Additionally, this thesis proposed two possible synthesis strategies to obtain electro-/photo- catalysts using cellulose-based materials as renewable resources. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry guided the optimization of the synthesis route and raw material selectivity. Notably, the l

Clean water, free from pharmaceuticals, is important both for land and water living animals. Protein nanofibrils (PNFs) have already been shown to be a promising candidate for water purification of pharmaceuticals but there is a lack of research that compares PNF materials to non-PNF protein materials for water purification. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the ability of PNF aerogels and non-PNF aerogels to adsorb ibuprofen in water. Four different types of aerogels were made (two types consisting of PNFs and two different types of non-PNF aerogels) and their ability to adsorb ibuprofen was assessed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry. The results showed that the PNF aerogels adsorbed significantly more ibuprofen than the non-PNF aerogels. The possible impact of the aerogels’ porosity on the results was discussed, alongside a comparison to a previous research article’s results from conducting a similar study. Additionally, a study was conducted to examine the attitudes toward scientific research among students in the Master of Science in Engineering and in Education program. The study consisted of four students visiting a chemistry research laboratory, followed by an interview with the participating students. The answers from the interview were then analyzed using deductive thematic analysis based on a theoretical framework of primary school teachers’ attitudes toward science. The results indicate that the participating students have attitudes towards scientific research that can be categorized in the themes: cognition, affect and self-efficacy. The possible effect of the study visit on the interview results were discussed as well as the effect of how far the students have gotten in their education., Rent vatten, fritt från läkemedel, är viktigt både för land- och vattenlevande varelser. Protein-nanofibriller (PNF) har tidigare visats vara lovande för vattenrening av läkemedel men det saknas forskning som jämför PNF-material med proteinbaserade material av icke-PNF för vattenrening. Syftet med den här rapporten var därmed att jämföra förmågan hos PNF aerogeler och icke-PNF aerogeler att adsorbera ibuprofen i en vattenlösning. Fyra olika typer av aerogeler framställdes (två typer uppbyggda av PNF samt två olika typer av icke-PNF aerogeler) och deras förmåga att adsorbera ibuprofen analyserades med hjälp av ultraviolett-synlig (UV-vis) spektrofotometri. Resultaten visade att båda PNF aerogelerna adsorberade klart mer ibuprofen än båda icke-PNF aerogelerna. En möjlig påverkan av aerogelernas porositet på resultatet diskuterades, samt en jämförelse med en annan artikels resultat i en liknande studie. Utöver den tekniska studien genomfördes en studie för att undersöka civilingenjör/lärar-studenternas attityder gentemot naturvetenskaplig forskning inom kemi. Studien bestod av att fyra studenter besökte ett kemiforskningslaboratorium, följt av en intervju med de fyra deltagande studenterna. Svaren från intervjun analyserades med hjälp av deduktiv tematisk analys baserat på ett teoretiskt ramverk av lågstadielärares attityder gentemot naturvetenskap. Resultaten indikerar att de deltagande studenterna innehar attityder gentemot naturvetenskaplig forskning som kan kategoriseras inom temana: kognition (eng. cognition), känsloläge (eng. affect) och självförmåga (eng. self-efficacy). Den potentiella effekten av studiebesöket på intervjusvaren diskuterades liksom effekten av hur långt de deltagande studenterna har kommit i sin utbildning.

The operation of modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is driven by activated sludge microbiota, a complex assemblage of trophically interacting microorganisms. Microbial predation is crucial to fundamental understanding of how biological interactions drive microbiome structuring and functioning of WWTPs. However, predatory bacteria have received little attention regarding their diversity, activity, and ecological function in activated sludge, limiting the exploitation of food web interactions for wastewater microbiome engineering. Here, by using rRNA-stable isotope probing of activated sludge microbiota with 13C-labeled prey bacteria, we uncovered diverse as-yet-uncultivated putative predatory bacteria that actively incorporated 13C-biomass. Myxobacteria, especially Haliangium and the mle1-27 clade, were found as the dominant active predators, refreshing conventional views based on a few predatory isolates of Bdellovibrionota from WWTPs. The identified predatory bacteria showed more selective predation on prey compared with the protists dominated by ciliates, providing in situ evidence for inter-domain predation behavior divergence in activated sludge. Putative predatory bacteria were tracked over a two-year microbiome monitoring effort at a local WWTP, revealing the predominance of Myxococcota (6.5 ± 1.3%) over Bdellovibrionota (1.0 ± 0.2%) lineages. Phylogenetic analysis unveiled highly diverse myxobacteria inhabiting activated sludge and suggested a habitat filtering effect in global WWTPs. Further mining of a global activated sludge microbiome dataset revealed the prevalence of Myxococcota (5.4 ± 0.1%) species and potential impacts of myxobacterial predation on process performance. Collectively, our findings provided unique insights into the predating activity, diversity, and prevalence of Myxococcota species in activated sludge, highlighting their links with wastewater treatment processes via trophic regulation of enteric and functional bacteria.

BackgroundWastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the largest biotechnology applications in the world and are of critical importance to modern urban societies. An accurate evaluation of the microbial dark matter (MDM, microorganisms whose genomes remain uncharacterized) proportions in WWTPs is of great value, while there is no such research yet. This study conducted a global meta-analysis of MDM in WWTPs with 317,542 prokaryotic genomes from the Genome Taxonomy Database and proposed a "wanted list" for priority targets in further investigations of activated sludge.ResultsCompared with the Earth Microbiome Project data, WWTPs had relatively lower genome-sequenced proportions of prokaryotes than other ecosystems, such as the animal related environments. Analysis showed that the median proportions of the genome-sequenced cells and taxa (100% identity and 100% coverage in 16S rRNA gene region) in WWTPs reached 56.3% and 34.5% for activated sludge, 48.6% and 28.5% for aerobic biofilm, and 48.3% and 28.5% for anaerobic digestion sludge, respectively. This result meant MDM had high proportions in WWTPs. Besides, all of the samples were occupied by a few predominant taxa, and the majority of the sequenced genomes were from pure cultures. The global-scale "wanted list" for activated sludge contained four phyla that have few representatives and 71 operational taxonomic units with the majority of them having no genome or isolate yet. Finally, several genome mining methods were verified to successfully recover genomes from activated sludge such as hybrid assembly of the second- and third-generation sequencing.ConclusionsThis work elucidated the proportion of MDM in WWTPs, defined the "wanted list" of activated sludge for future investigations, and certified potential genome recovery methods. The proposed methodology of this study can be applied to other ecosystems and improve understanding of ecosystem structure across diverse habitats. Video Abstract.

Membranes are ubiquitous tools for modern water treatment technology that critically eliminate hazardous materials such as organic, inorganic, heavy metals, and biomedical pollutants. Nowadays, nano-membranes are of particular interest for myriad applications such as water treatment, desalination, ion exchange, ion concentration control, and several kinds of biomedical applications. However, this state-of-the-art technology suffers from some drawbacks, e.g., toxicity and fouling of contaminants, which makes the synthesis of green and sustainable membranes indeed safety-threatening. Typically, sustainability, non-toxicity, performance optimization, and commercialization are concerns centered on manufacturing green synthesized membranes. Thus, critical issues related to toxicity, biosafety, and mechanistic aspects of green-synthesized nano-membranes have to be systematically and comprehensively reviewed and discussed. Herein we evaluate various aspects of green nano-membranes in terms of their synthesis, characterization, recycling, and commercialization aspects. Nanomaterials intended for nano-membrane development are classified in view of their chemistry/synthesis, advantages, and limitations. Indeed, attaining prominent adsorption capacity and selectivity in green-synthesized nano-membranes requires multi-objective optimization of a number of materials and manufacturing parameters. In addition, the efficacy and removal performance of green nano-membranes are analyzed theoretically and experimentally to provide researchers and manufacturers with a comprehensive image of green nano-membrane efficiency under real environmental conditions., Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-06-26 (sofila)

The discovery that the commercial rubber antidegradant 6PPD reacts with ozone (O3) to produce a highly toxic quinone (6PPDQ) spurred a significant research effort into nontoxic alternatives. This work has been hampered by lack of a detailed understanding of the mechanism of protection that 6PPD affords rubber compounds against ozone. Herein, we report high-level density functional theory studies into early steps of rubber and PPD (p-phenylenediamine) ozonation, identifying key steps that contribute to the antiozonant activity of PPDs. In this, we establish that our density functional theory approach can achieve chemical accuracy for many ozonation reactions, which are notoriously difficult to model. Using adiabatic energy decomposition analysis, we examine and dispel the notion that one-electron charge transfer initiates ozonation in these systems, as is sometimes argued. Instead, we find direct interaction between O3 and the PPD aromatic ring is kinetically accessible and that this motif is more significant than interactions with PPD nitrogens. The former pathway results in a hydroxylated PPD intermediate, which reacts further with O3 to afford 6PPD hydroquinone and, ultimately, 6PPDQ. This mechanism directly links the toxicity of 6PPDQ to the antiozonant function of 6PPD. These results have significant implications for development of alternative antiozonants, which are discussed.

Subsurface treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, riverbank filtration systems, and managed aquifer recharge systems, offer a low-cost means of removing trace organic contaminants from treated municipal wastewater. To assess the processes through which trace organic contaminants are removed in subsurface treatment systems, pharmaceuticals and several major metabolites were measured in porewater, sediment, and plants within a horizontal levee (i.e., a subsurface flow wetland that receives treated municipal wastewater). Concentrations of trace organic contaminants in each wetland compartment rapidly declined along the flow path. Mass balance calculations, analysis of transformation products, microcosm experiments, and one-dimensional transport modeling demonstrated that more than 60% of the contaminant removal could be attributed to transformation. Monitoring of the system with and without nitrate in the wetland inflow indicated that relatively biodegradable trace organic contaminants, such as acyclovir and metoprolol, were rapidly transformed under both operating conditions. Trace organic contaminants that are normally persistent in biological treatment systems (e.g., sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine) were removed only when Fe(III)- and sulfate-reducing conditions were observed. Minor structural modifications to trace organic contaminants (e.g., hydroxylation) altered the pathways and extents of trace organic contaminant transformation under different redox conditions. These findings indicate that subsurface treatment systems can be designed to remove both labile and persistent trace organic contaminants via transformation if they are designed and operated in a manner that results in sulfate-and Fe(III)-reducing conditions.

Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) är vidd spridd och har upptäckts i miljön i Sverige och Europa (Naturskyddsföreningen, 2023). På vissa ställen har det uppmätts höga halter i vattentäkter för dricksvatten till exempel nära brandövningsplatser. Många PFAS-ämnen har negativ påverkan på immunförsvaret och misstänks vara cancerframkallande. Livsmedelsverkets dricksvattenföreskrifter har gränsvärden för PFAS som ska tillämpas från 1 januari 2026. Många vattenverk där råvattnet innehåller PFAS kommer därför behöva införa ytterligare rening. År 2019 införde regeringen ett statligt stöd för bättre vattenhushållning och säkrad tillgång till dricksvatten, där upp till 50% av kostnaden kunde täckas av bidraget. Fler än 600 projekt genomfördes. Nio av projekten var relaterade till PFAS. PFAS är persistenta och bioackumulerande föreningar och delas ofta upp i tvågrupper, de med korta eller långa kolkedjor. Membrantekniker som nanofiltreringoch omvänd osmos, adsorptiva metoder som aktivt kol och jonbytefilter kan användas för att avlägsna PFAS från vatten. Ozonering och skumfraktionering är också metoder som skulle kunna användas. Effektiviteten hos flera av dessametoder varierar beroende på längden på PFAS kolkedjan. I ett av de 9 projekten relaterade till statsstödet och PFAS, har Växjö kommun installerat ett nytt reningssteg i Åryds vattenverk som består av två tryckfilter med aktivt kol för att minska förekomsten av PFAS i dricksvattnet. Mätningar av PFAS11 gjordes före och efter reningssteget, i tre brunnar och vid utgående renat dricksvatten från vattenverket. Effektiviteten av reningen var hög enligt de mätningar av PFAS11 som gjordes i projektet. Miljönyttan är hög med aktivt kolfilter eftersom det ger möjligheten att destruera PFAS-föroreningarna helt genom förbränning. Samhällsnyttan av renare och mer hälsosamt dricksvatten är hög, men det är en ekonomisk kostnad att lägga till reningssteg. Projektet som genomförts med stöd av statsbidraget gav samhällsnyt, Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread and have been detected in the environment in Sweden and Europe (Naturskyddsföreningen,2023). High concentrations have been measured in some drinking water sources, such as near firefighting training sites. Many PFAS substances have a negative impact on the immune system and are suspected to be carcinogenic. The National Food Agency's drinking water regulations (Livsmedelsverketsdricksvattenföreskrifter) have set limits for PFAS to be applied from January 1,2026. Therefore, many water treatment plants where the raw water contains PFAS will need to introduce additional purification.In 2019, the government introduced state aid for better water management and secured access to drinking water, covering up to 50% of the cost with a grant. More than 600 projects were implemented. Nine of the projects were related to PFAS. PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative compounds often divided into two groups, those having short or long carbon chains. Membrane techniques such asnanofiltration and reverse osmosis, adsorptive methods like activated carbon andion exchange filters can be used to remove PFAS from water. Ozonation and foam fractionation are also methods that could be used. The efficiency of several of these methods varies depending on the length of the PFAS carbon chain. In one of the nine projects related to state aid and PFAS, Växjö municipality has installed a new purification stage at Åryd's water treatment plant consisting of two pressure filters with activated carbon to reduce the occurrence of PFAS in the drinking water. Measurements of PFAS11 were made before and after the purification step, in three wells and at outgoing purified drinking water from the water treatment plant. The effectiveness of the PFAS removal was high based on the measurements of PFAS11 made in the project. The environmental benefit is high with an activated carbon filter as it allows for the complete destruction of PFAS polluta, 20230602

Environmental pollution is increasing day by day due to industrial activities. Heavy metals are pollutants of special concern due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation in nature. Nickel is a heavy metal that is mostly used in industries because of its anticorrosion behavior. As a consequence, nickel ions are present in the wastewater from mining, electroplating, battery manufacturing and metal finishing industries. Nickel ions are nonbiodegradable, and as such, they are present in surface water. Their high concentrations can have a dangerous impact on human health and aquatic life. In this work, a promising method for the removal of Ni ions from wastewater and their incorporation into a stable crystal structure was described. Ni-exchanged form of LTA zeolite was prepared by the standard procedure of ion exchange. After the ion exchange, powder samples were heated at temperatures of 900 to 1300 ºC in order to obtain a stable crystal structure of Ni-spinel, NiAl2O4. XRF analysis was used to study ion exchange efficiency. Characterization of raw as well as thermally treated powder samples of Ni-exchanged LTA zeolite was conducted by XRPD, DTA/TG, FT-IR and SEM analysis.

Pollution of water with toxic substances is increased. Therefore, innovative solutions for their treatment are essential. This paper represents results from an adsorption study where novel synthesized biobased membranes were applied in the removal of dye metanil yellow from wastewater solution. Batch adsorption tests were applied, where the different operational impacts including contact time, initial pollutant concentration, temperature, etc. were varied. Fabricated membranes were based on waste cellulose tobacco boxes modified by amino acid lysine with an aim to increase sorption capacity toward azo dye. Structural properties were examined by FE-SEM and ATR-FTIR techniques. The activities of materials prior to and after modification were compared. It was found that the modified material achieved a better sorption capacity. The resulting adsorption capacity for the improved membrane was 65 mg/l compared to 51 mg/l, at 45°C, for the base cellulose membrane. The kinetics of the process follows a pseudo second-order curve. The best agreement of the correlation factor R2 was shown with the Freundlich isotherm. The obtained results show the success of the modification with a good sorption capacity of the material towards the target pollutant. Overall, it can be concluded that the modified membranes lay a good foundation for potential application in industrial dye wastewater treatment systems.

This eight-chapter journey dives into the exciting intersection of Python and chemistry, empowering readers to explore and understand the molecular world through code. It equips chemists with the tools and skills to unlock the secrets of molecules, predict their behavior, and design innovative solutions for real-world challenges. Chapter 1 and 2: Lay the foundation by introducing NumPy for powerful scientific calculations and Pandas for data organization and analysis. You'll learn to navigate chemical datasets, manipulate data, and visualize insights with plots and graphs. Chapter 3 and 4: Delve into the realm of cheminformatics, mastering RDKit, the virtual chemist's assistant. You'll build and manipulate molecules, calculate properties, visualize 3D structures, and perform similarity searches to identify related molecules. Chapter 5 and 6: Step into the world of molecular modeling. You'll explore force fields, simulate the movement of molecules with molecular dynamics, and predict how ligands bind to their protein targets with docking software. Open Babel allows seamless navigation between different molecular file formats, while high-performance computing and quantum chemistry simulations unlock the mysteries of complex systems. Chapter 7 and 8: Witness the transformative power of Python in action. You'll discover how it accelerates drug discovery, designs advanced materials, guides sustainable chemistry practices, and even enables 3D printing personalized medicine. Looking ahead, the future promises AI- powered chemical brains, quantum computers unlocking the mysteries of the microscopic world, and ethical considerations shaping the responsible use of these powerful tools. Throughout the book, you'll encounter: • Engaging examples and exercises: Put your newfound knowledge into practice with real-world scenarios and problems.• Accessible explanations: Complex concepts are broken down and explained in simple terms, making the book approachable forchemists of all l

Cilj ovog istraživanja je da se po prvi put ispita fotokatalitička razgradnja metilen plavog na prahovima SrGd2O4 dopiranim istom koncentracijom Er3+ (0.5 at%) i različitim koncentracijama Yb3+ (1, 2.5 and 5 at%). Difrakcija rendgenskim zracima potvrdila je da uzorci kristališu u čistoj ortorombičnoj fazi. Skenirajuća elektronska mikroskopija je korišćena za ispitivanje morfologije i pokazala je da postojanje poroznih aglomerata sačinjenih od manjih čestica sferičnog oblika. Energetski disperzivna spektroskopija pokazala je prisustvo dopanata kao i uniformnu raspodelu svih elemenata u materijalu. Za izračunavanje energetskog procepa korišćena je metoda UV-VIS difuzione refleksione spektroskopije, kojom je dobijena vrednost od 4,3 eV, kao i još četri dodatne vrednosti na nižim energijama. Fotokatalitička razgradnja metilen plavog praćena je metodom UV-VIS apsorpcione spektroskopije. Dobijeni su zadovoljavajući rezultati jer je pri određenim reakcionim uslovima nakon eksperimenta u trajanju od 4 h pod dejstvom simulirane sunčeve svetlosti, potvrđena razgrađnja više od 50% od ukupne početne koncentracije boje.

La presente investigación tuvo como finalidad realizar la caracterización del agua contenida en el embalse La Regadera haciendo uso del sistema Morning Glory. La necesidad de caracterizar el recurso hídrico surge por una emergencia presentada en noviembre del 2020, el agua que llegaba para ser potabilizada presentaba elevados niveles de turbiedad, color aparente, contenido de hierro, contenido de manganeso y contenido de amonio, mediante la caracterización de la materia prima se busca tener más información sobre el agua contenida del embalse y el comportamiento de los parámetros fisicoquímicos. Lo anterior se realizó por medio de la toma muestras de las diferentes válvulas situadas a distintas profundidades del embalse, determinando sus características (turbidez, color aparente, pH, amonio, hierro y manganeso), por medio de diferentes técnicas de análisis fisicoquímicos, de igual forma se analizaron los factores que influyen en la calidad del agua contenida en el embalse tales como la precipitación y el movimiento que se podría generar en las aguas de la represa ocasionado por las velocidades y dirección del viento.

The study of photodegradation processes concerns many fields, including those of cultural heritage, the food industry, and water purification. In each of these areas, different questions concerning photodegradation arise, but generally, they are related to either (i) the prevention of photodegradation aiming to avoid loss or change of properties, such as color, taste or smell, or (ii) the exploitation of photodegradation for removal of potentially harmful compounds in, e.g., drinking water. Studying light-induced degradation (LID) reactions is challenging and often it is difficult to establish a strong link between the degradation and the starting products. Several techniques and approaches for studying photodegradation had been developed previously, but these can be laborious and prone to errors. A solution to this could be found in a comprehensive, automated device that enables simultaneous sample irradiation of compounds in solution and chemical analysis in real-time and after photodegradation. The need for such an analytical platform is clarified in Chapter 1. The ‘Toolbox for studying the Chemistry Of Light-induced Degradation’ (TooCOLD) project envisioned to develop an integrated device. It would encompass a light-exposure cell, allow in-situ spectroscopic monitoring of the irradiated sample and on-line coupling to liquid chromatography (LC) with diode array detection (DAD) and mass spectrometry (MS) for direct identification of degradation products formed during irradiation. This thesis describes the step-wise development of such an automated device employing a gas-permeable liquid-core waveguide (LCW) as a light-exposure cell, a sample handler, a spectrograph for in-situ absorption spectroscopy, and switching valves for coupling to LC-DAD-QTOFMS. The full device was applied to study the photodegradation of several compounds to evaluate and demonstrate its analytical performance. Ideally, parameters that affect photodegradation should be known to aid the desi

We present a general outline for the selective recovery of NO3⁻ from a (waste) water stream also containing Cl⁻. The key element of the technology introduced and simulated here is a membrane unit demonstrating NO3⁻ over Cl⁻ permeation selectivity. The membrane is hypothesized to be hydrophobic and with that exploiting the difference in dehydration energy between NO3⁻ and Cl⁻. Apart from NO3⁻ recovery, the process also aims to reduce water consumption. Based on a generic outline of the process, the key parameters are defined, being the NO3⁻/Cl⁻ concentration ratio in the (waste) stream, the fraction of NO3⁻ and water recovered, and the selectivity of the membrane. The sensitivity of the separation process to these four parameters is evaluated. In the second part of the paper, the same principles are applied to a real-life process, i.e., NO3⁻ recovery from the effluent (waste) water of a fertilizer production plant. The aim was to calculate the membrane NO3⁻/Cl⁻ permeation selectivity required to recover 90% of NO3⁻, given a threshold value for the Cl⁻ concentration in the permeate stream and recycle 30% of the water, starting from two different NO3⁻/Cl⁻ concentration ratios in the effluent (waste) water. With 51 mM Cl⁻ in the effluent (waste) water and a Cl⁻ threshold of 9.9 mM, a membrane selectivity of 3 suffices. The required selectivity increases to 30 when the Cl⁻ in the effluent (waste) water is 200 mM and the Cl⁻ threshold is 4.2 mM. Reported NO3⁻/Cl⁻ membrane selectivities are still modest, with a maximal selectivity found in literature of 3. Strategies to develop membranes of significant higher selectivity are briefly discussed.

The civilization and urbanization of Kathmandu Valley started with the Bagmati River but rapid urban expansion in the 21st century has brought many problems-the direct discharge of wastewater, solid waste in the river, encroachment of riverbanks by squatter settlements, and declining groundwater levels, they together contributed to the decline of this sacred river. It resulted in a loss of connection between people and it, which ultimately led to a decline in living quality for the people who live in the Kathmandu Valley. The government is currently taking several separate technique measures to address these issues. But these measurements alone are not enough. They don’t work together. More efforts need to put into the ‘process of change’ to improve the living quality of the Kathmandu Valley. This project explores the role of landscape architectural means to integrate the separated, mainly technical measures, as part of a spatial design that rebuild the connection between people and Bagmati River and achieve the improvement in living quality in the Kathmandu Valley. As a large region with complex environmental issues, it is difficult to achieve all changes at once. The concept of an “Urban Catalyst” is chosen as the framework of the project through a slow landscape transformation guided by phasing and involvement of inhabitants to gradually make the river livable. The theory “Urban metabolism” helps to form spatial strategies which in the theory of “Urban Catalyst” is called catalyst point to transform the linear and unsustainable flows into circular and sustainable flows to restore the ecological condition of Bagmati River. With the intervention of the catalytic points, the Bagmati River will slowly be restored, from the intervention area to the entire river system, reconnecting people to it and ultimately impacting the valley and improving the quality of life of its inhabitants., Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Landscape Architecture

The building aims to use water to address issues on two levels. Firstly, on a local level, it is a public condenser aiming to provide family resources and water recreation activities that are lacking in the neighbourhood of Friedrichshain, Berlin. Single child families make up for the majority of households in Berlin which leaves the bulk of peer-to-peer socialisation of children outside of the home. On a wider level, the building addresses water as a public right and a threatened resource. Public consciousness of water issues in Germany may not be prevalent as Germany enjoys high-quality drinking water all year round but with the recent droughts and effects of climate change, this is projected to change in the coming future. Furthermore, my fascination with using water as a design device lies with how water has always been a gathering point, a place to meet, socialise and relax. The dynamic state of water presents numerous opportunities for it to be used as a spatial tool both indoors and outdoors., Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Public Building

Membranes are ubiquitous tools for modern water treatment technology that critically eliminate hazardous materials such as organic, inorganic, heavy metals, and biomedical pollutants. Nowadays, nano-membranes are of particular interest for myriad applications such as water treatment, desalination, ion exchange, ion concentration control, and several kinds of biomedical applications. However, this state-of-the-art technology suffers from some drawbacks, e.g., toxicity and fouling of contaminants, which makes the synthesis of green and sustainable membranes indeed safety-threatening. Typically, sustainability, non-toxicity, performance optimization, and commercialization are concerns centered on manufacturing green synthesized membranes. Thus, critical issues related to toxicity, biosafety, and mechanistic aspects of green-synthesized nano-membranes have to be systematically and comprehensively reviewed and discussed. Herein we evaluate various aspects of green nano-membranes in terms of their synthesis, characterization, recycling, and commercialization aspects. Nanomaterials intended for nano-membrane development are classified in view of their chemistry/synthesis, advantages, and limitations. Indeed, attaining prominent adsorption capacity and selectivity in green-synthesized nano-membranes requires multi-objective optimization of a number of materials and manufacturing parameters. In addition, the efficacy and removal performance of green nano-membranes are analyzed theoretically and experimentally to provide researchers and manufacturers with a comprehensive image of green nano-membrane efficiency under real environmental conditions., Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-06-26 (sofila)

Green Chemistry has received widespread interest due to its capacity to meet environmental and economic objectives. The Twelve Principles were proposed to better perform Green Chemistry and have become the guideline for solving many environmental issues. Water contamination has become a major global challenge in the 21st century. Millions of people die from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Nitrate, metal ions and dye are the most frequent contaminants. Nitrate in drinking water, after ingestion, is reduced to nitrite by the gastrointestinal tract and threatens human health. Dye-polluted water is usually nonbiodegradable and poisonous: the main criticism is that it is harmful to human health and hampers the photosynthesis rate of aquatic life. Metal ions generally lead to biological and physiological complications when they bind to cellular macromolecules. Therefore, efficient and eco-friendly purification technology is pressing to provide solutions for water purification. This thesis is set out to investigate the electro-/photo- catalytical water purification techniques using different catalysts. Efficient nitrate electrochemical reduction was achieved by using NDC materials, and the active sites were determined with the help of a comprehensive solid-state NMR supported by theoretical calculation and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the photochemical dye degradation was performed using cellulose-based hybrid bio-inorganic catalysts. The intentional maintenance of the surface functional groups on cellulose-based materials can promote dye degradation performance and, most importantly, achieve simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions aside from photo dye degradation. Additionally, this thesis proposed two possible synthesis strategies to obtain electro-/photo- catalysts using cellulose-based materials as renewable resources. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry guided the optimization of the synthesis route and raw material selectivity. Notably, the l

Green Chemistry has received widespread interest due to its capacity to meet environmental and economic objectives. The Twelve Principles were proposed to better perform Green Chemistry and have become the guideline for solving many environmental issues. Water contamination has become a major global challenge in the 21st century. Millions of people die from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Nitrate, metal ions and dye are the most frequent contaminants. Nitrate in drinking water, after ingestion, is reduced to nitrite by the gastrointestinal tract and threatens human health. Dye-polluted water is usually nonbiodegradable and poisonous: the main criticism is that it is harmful to human health and hampers the photosynthesis rate of aquatic life. Metal ions generally lead to biological and physiological complications when they bind to cellular macromolecules. Therefore, efficient and eco-friendly purification technology is pressing to provide solutions for water purification. This thesis is set out to investigate the electro-/photo- catalytical water purification techniques using different catalysts. Efficient nitrate electrochemical reduction was achieved by using NDC materials, and the active sites were determined with the help of a comprehensive solid-state NMR supported by theoretical calculation and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the photochemical dye degradation was performed using cellulose-based hybrid bio-inorganic catalysts. The intentional maintenance of the surface functional groups on cellulose-based materials can promote dye degradation performance and, most importantly, achieve simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions aside from photo dye degradation. Additionally, this thesis proposed two possible synthesis strategies to obtain electro-/photo- catalysts using cellulose-based materials as renewable resources. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry guided the optimization of the synthesis route and raw material selectivity. Notably, the l

Green Chemistry has received widespread interest due to its capacity to meet environmental and economic objectives. The Twelve Principles were proposed to better perform Green Chemistry and have become the guideline for solving many environmental issues. Water contamination has become a major global challenge in the 21st century. Millions of people die from diseases caused by drinking contaminated water. Nitrate, metal ions and dye are the most frequent contaminants. Nitrate in drinking water, after ingestion, is reduced to nitrite by the gastrointestinal tract and threatens human health. Dye-polluted water is usually nonbiodegradable and poisonous: the main criticism is that it is harmful to human health and hampers the photosynthesis rate of aquatic life. Metal ions generally lead to biological and physiological complications when they bind to cellular macromolecules. Therefore, efficient and eco-friendly purification technology is pressing to provide solutions for water purification. This thesis is set out to investigate the electro-/photo- catalytical water purification techniques using different catalysts. Efficient nitrate electrochemical reduction was achieved by using NDC materials, and the active sites were determined with the help of a comprehensive solid-state NMR supported by theoretical calculation and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the photochemical dye degradation was performed using cellulose-based hybrid bio-inorganic catalysts. The intentional maintenance of the surface functional groups on cellulose-based materials can promote dye degradation performance and, most importantly, achieve simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions aside from photo dye degradation. Additionally, this thesis proposed two possible synthesis strategies to obtain electro-/photo- catalysts using cellulose-based materials as renewable resources. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry guided the optimization of the synthesis route and raw material selectivity. Notably, the l

Following defocused ion beam sputtering, large area highly corrugated and faceted nanoripples are formed on calcite (10.4) faces in a self-organized fashion. High resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging reveals that calcite ripples are defined by facets with highly kinked (11.0) and (2 1 ¯ .12) terminations. In situ AFM imaging during the exposure of such modified calcite surfaces to PbCl aqueous solution reveals that the nanostructured calcite surface promotes the uptake of Pb. In addition, we observed the progressive smoothing of the highly reactive calcite facet terminations and the formation of Pb-bearing precipitates elongated in registry with the underlying nanopattern. By SEM-EDS analysis we quantified a remarkable 500% increase of the Pb uptake rate, up to 0.5 atomic weight % per hour, on the nanorippled calcite in comparison to its freshly cleaved (10.4) surfaces. These results suggest that nanostructurated calcite surfaces can be used for developing future systems for lead sequestration from polluted waters.

Self-standing nanocomposite films were prepared by three-dimensional UV-induced radical copolymerization of methacrylated alginate (MALG) with acrylic acid (AA) and reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) to improve both mechanical strength and dye adsorption capacity in wastewater decontamination operations. Dynamic mechanical–thermal analysis revealed variations in storage modulus: the higher the GO content, the higher the storage modulus (E′) values. Also, the higher the temperature (associated with a lower and lower water content of films), the larger values of E′ for the films of the same composition (E′(25 °C) = 676.6–1538.7 MPa; E′(100 °C) = 886.9–2066.6 MPa), providing insights into the compatibility between GO and the MALG/AA matrix, as well as, assessing the improvement in the nanocomposite’s final mechanical properties. These crosslinked films in a dry state exhibited rapid water uptake and relatively short drying times (ca. 30 min at room temperature for the MALG/AA/GO composites) resulting from the swelling–drying studies and water contact angle measurements. The efficacy of methylene blue removal from water assessed via UV–VIS spectrometry revealed excellent results, expressed as an adsorption yield of 70–80% and 85–98% after 30 h and 258 h, respectively, of immersion time of films into an MB aqueous solution of 12.5 mg/L (as the contaminated water model). The reusability of the same films was evaluated by consecutive extraction processes of MB from the composite membranes when the content of desorbed dye was also spectrophotometrically monitored and conducted in acidic conditions (HCl aqueous solutions of pH 2). Overall, the introduction of GO in the developed self-standing MALG/AA nanocomposite films exhibited enhanced mechanical properties and increased efficiency for dye removal applications. Their great reutilization potential was highlighted by low drying times and a good ability to release the dye initially adsorbed. Thus, the prepared films could b

La presente investigación tuvo como finalidad realizar la caracterización del agua contenida en el embalse La Regadera haciendo uso del sistema Morning Glory. La necesidad de caracterizar el recurso hídrico surge por una emergencia presentada en noviembre del 2020, el agua que llegaba para ser potabilizada presentaba elevados niveles de turbiedad, color aparente, contenido de hierro, contenido de manganeso y contenido de amonio, mediante la caracterización de la materia prima se busca tener más información sobre el agua contenida del embalse y el comportamiento de los parámetros fisicoquímicos. Lo anterior se realizó por medio de la toma muestras de las diferentes válvulas situadas a distintas profundidades del embalse, determinando sus características (turbidez, color aparente, pH, amonio, hierro y manganeso), por medio de diferentes técnicas de análisis fisicoquímicos, de igual forma se analizaron los factores que influyen en la calidad del agua contenida en el embalse tales como la precipitación y el movimiento que se podría generar en las aguas de la represa ocasionado por las velocidades y dirección del viento.

This dissertation details several projects that focus on the development of advanced materials and technologies capable of achieving precise molecular separations. This work is based on a materials class of exceptionally microporous and tunable polymers known as porous aromatic frameworks, which are also often referred to as porous polymer networks and porous organic frameworks. These frameworks were designed and tailored to feature pore properties and chemical functionalities that lead to the selective capture of various targeted solutes from water. The synthesized frameworks were also placed into versatile polymer membranes that achieve multifunctional water treatment separations or generalizable gas separations. Specifically, applications are demonstrated for selective desalination, target solute capture (Hg2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, B(OH)3, Cr(VI), As(V), Ag(I), Au(III), Os(IV), Pd(II), Pt(II), or Ru(III)), and gas separations (CO2, O2, H2, He, N2, CH4, C2H4, C2H6). Investigations to characterize the synthesized materials and their separation mechanisms are also covered.Chapter 1 begins by first introducing pertinent water-related issues encountered around the world, along with explanations for why various ion separations in water treatment are technologically challenging. This chapter then presents a brief overview of top technological approaches currently used to achieve selective ion separations. These technologies include desalination membranes, extraction processes, adsorbents, and ion-exchangers. Descriptions of the separation mechanisms and materials employed in these technologies are additionally mentioned. This chapter concludes by introducing porous aromatic frameworks and their use as promising next-generation materials for these separations.Chapter 2 describes one-step approaches to accomplish selective solute capture during the desalination of various complex water sources (e.g., groundwater, brackish water, industrial wastewater). The first and major approach

Sponges formed by the self-assembly of nanofiber building blocks are versatile materials used in various fields such as filtration, thermal insulation, scaffolding or sound absorption. Their potential seems to be constantly expanding given the variety of possible fiber materials, from bio-based to fossil polymers to inorganic nanofibers. In general, nanofiber sponges – also called nanofiber aerogels – are flexible, have low density, and a large specific surface area thanks to their tunable open-porous nanofiber based architecture. The latter property makes nanofiber sponges an interesting material for separation problems, as recently demonstrated for a variety of mixtures such as aerosols, emulsions, dispersions, solutions or two-phase systems. Due to their highly porous structure, they generally exhibit high filtration efficiency, flow rate and capacity. This article reviews the state of the art in the application of 3D nanofiber sponges for the different classes of mixtures. We will discuss on a mechanistic basis why nanofiber sponges are particularly well suited for separation applications. Finally, their performance in terms of efficiency, flow rate, capacity and regeneration will be compared to other fiber-based filter media.

New isoporous nanofiltration composite membranes were fabricated by photo-polymerization of thin films of the hexagonal columnar mesophase of the supramolecular complex 43TB. This was followed by deposition on a polyether sulfone macro-porous support and removal of the template molecule. The membranes had an average permeability of 2.3 L m-2 h-1·bar-1 and a sharp molecular weight cut-off of around 5000 g mol-1 based on PEG filtration. The full rejection of Bovine Serum Albumin and Green fluorescence proteins and their flux recovery suggested the absence of defects on the LC layer of the membrane. The filtration of charged molecules presented total rejection for molecules larger than 1000 g mol-1 and a size-charge selectivity with higher rejection for cationic molecules due to ionic interactions with the pore walls. These interactions mean absorption within the membrane, which has an effect on the rejection of neutral solutes such as Riboflavin and PEG 3000, being less relevant for smaller molecules.

The world is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 to provide universal access to safely managed drinking water by 2030. Removal of priority microbial contaminants by disinfection is one aspect of ensuring water is safely managed. Passive chlorination (also called in-line chlorination) represents one approach to disinfecting drinking water before or at the point of collection (POC), without requiring daily user input or electricity. In contrast to manual household chlorination methods typically implemented at the point of use (POU), passive chlorinators can reduce the user burden for chlorine dosing and enable treatment at scales ranging from communities to small municipalities. In this review, we synthesized evidence from 27 evaluations of passive chlorinators (in 19 articles, 3 NGO reports, and 5 theses) conducted across 16 countries in communities, schools, health care facilities, and refugee camps. Of the 27 passive chlorinators we identified, the majority (22/27) were solid tablet or granular chlorine dosers, and the remaining devices were liquid chlorine dosers. We identified the following research priorities to address existing barriers to scaled deployment of passive chlorinators: (i) strengthening local chlorine supply chains through decentralized liquid chlorine production, (ii) validating context-specific business models and financial sustainability, (iii) leveraging remote monitoring and sensing tools to monitor real-time chlorine levels and potential system failures, and (iv) designing handpump-compatible passive chlorinators to serve the many communities reliant on handpumps as a primary drinking water source. We also propose a set of reporting indicators for future studies to facilitate standardized evaluations of the technical performance and financial sustainability of passive chlorinators. In addition, we discuss the limitations of chlorine-based disinfection and recognize the importance of addressing chemical contamination in drink

Tannery industries are one of the extensive industrial activities which are the major source of chromium contamination in the environment. Chromium contamination has been an increasing threat to the environment and human health. Therefore, the removal of chromium ions is necessary to save human society. This study is oriented toward the preparation of a new triazole Schiff base derivatives for the remediation of chromium ions. 4,4′-((1E)-1,2-bis ((1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl) imino)ethane-1,2-diyl) diphenol was prepared by the interaction between 3-Amino-1H-1,2,4-triazole and 4,4′-Dihydroxybenzil. Then, the produced Schiff base underwent a phosphorylation reaction to produce the adsorbent (TIHP), which confirmed its structure via the different tools FTIR, TGA, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, GC-MS, and Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). The newly synthesized adsorbent (TIHP) was used to remove chromium oxyanions (Cr(VI)) from an aqueous solution. The batch technique was used to test many controlling factors, including the pH of the working aqueous solution, the amount of adsorbent dose, the initial concentration of Cr(VI), the interaction time, and the temperature. The desorption behaviour of Cr(VI) changes when it is exposed to the suggested foreign ions. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) adsorption on the new adsorbent was 307.07 mg/g at room temperature. Freundlich’s isotherm model fits the adsorption isotherms perfectly. The kinetic results were well-constrained by the pseudo-second-order equation. The thermodynamic studies establish that the adsorption type was exothermic and naturally spontaneous. © 2022 by the authors.