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Arsenic (As), a highly toxic and carcinogenic heavy metal, poses significant risks to soil and water quality, while oxytetracycline (OTC), a widely used antibiotic, contributes to environmental pollution due to excessive human usage. Addressing the coexistence of multiple pollutants in the environment, this study investigates the simultaneous adsorption of As(III) and OTC using a novel bimetallic zinc-iron-modified biochar (1Zn-1Fe-1SBC). The developed adsorbent demonstrates enhanced recovery, improved adsorption efficiency, and cost-effective operation. Characterization results revealed a high carbon-to-hydrogen ratio (C/H) and a specific surface area of 1137 m2 g−1 for 1Zn-1Fe-1SBC. Isotherm modeling indicated maximum adsorption capacities of 34.7 mg g−1 for As(III) and 172.4 mg g−1 for OTC. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the adsorption processes for both pollutants were spontaneous (ΔG < 0), endothermic (ΔH > 0), and driven by chemical adsorption (ΔH > 80 kJ mol−1), with increased system disorder (ΔS > 0). The adsorption mechanisms involved multiple interactions, including pore filling, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic attraction, complexation, and π-π interactions. These findings underscore the potential of 1Zn-1Fe-1SBC as a promising adsorbent for the remediation of wastewater containing coexisting pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic contamination in groundwater poses serious health risks, as exemplified by the Blackfoot disease epidemic in Taiwan, which was caused by prolonged arsenic exposure. This study investigates the use of biochar derived from the wastewater treatment sludge of the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital (New Taipei City, Taiwan) as an efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal. A novel iron-doped sludge biochar (Fe-SBC) was developed to enhance arsenic adsorption efficiency, facilitate adsorbent recovery, and reduce operational costs. The adsorption mechanism of arsenic on Fe-SBC, modified with iron hydroxide complexes, was examined through Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations. The results demonstrate a high arsenic removal efficiency of approximately 90% using continuous adsorption systems. The DFT calculations revealed strong chemical interactions between arsenic and the biochar, evidenced by high adsorption energy (−156.8 kJ mol−1) and a short bond distance (1.48 Å), correlating with the high adsorption performance observed experimentally. Additionally, arsenic byproducts desorbed from the adsorbent were repurposed into antibacterial agents and pigments. Four distinct pigment colors—green, blue, gray, and orange—were produced through different preparation methods, with the antibacterial agents showing effective antimicrobial properties. This study highlights the potential of Fe-SBC for sustainable arsenic remediation and resource recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) is a prominent source of carotenoids, renowned for its exceptional concentration of these compounds. This study focuses on optimizing the extraction of active components from the aril of gac fruit by evaluating the effects of extraction temperature, solid–liquid ratio, and extraction time. The primary objective is to maximize the yield of gac oil while assessing its antioxidant capacity. To analyze the kinetics of the solid–liquid extraction process, both first-order and second-order kinetic models were employed, with the second-order model providing the best fit for the experimental data. In addition, the potential of gac fruit peel as a precursor for biochar production was investigated through carbonization. The resultant biochars were evaluated for their efficacy in adsorbing crystal violet (CV) dye from aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency of the biochars was found to be dependent on the carbonization temperature, with the highest efficiency observed for BCMC550 (91.72%), followed by BCM450 (81.35%), BCMC350 (78.35%), and BCMC250 (54.43%). The adsorption isotherm data conformed well to the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating monolayer adsorption behavior. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics were best described by the pseudo-second-order model. These findings underscore the potential of gac fruit and its byproducts for diverse industrial and environmental applications, highlighting the dual benefits of optimizing gac oil extraction and utilizing the peel for effective dye removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common organic pollutants that can cause adverse effects on human health. Treatment techniques, including photocatalytic oxidation, have been studied to remediate VOCs. Acetone was used as a model pollutant to investigate the photocatalytic degradation performance of electrospun photocatalytic nanofibers with synthesized flower-like titanium dioxide (F-TiO2) and cellulose acetate (CA). The synthesized F-TiO2 and photocatalytic nanofibers were characterized using FE-SEM, XRD, FTIR, UVVis, XPS, and a pore size and porosity analyzer. The addition of F-TiO2 decreases the diameter of the nanofibers. The photocatalytic degradation performance test showed an enhanced acetone degradation efficiency on F-TiO2/CA photocatalytic nanofibers (FT-CFs), with an up to 95.0% acetone degradation efficiency under optimum conditions, over P25 TiO2/CA photocatalytic nanofibers (T-CFs). The filtration efficiency of 3.0%FT-CF reached 99.9% with a filter basis weight of 0.660 g m−2 and face velocity of 5.0 cm−1 s. The filtration and photocatalytic degradation cycle tests revealed excellent reusability, with 97% particle filtration and no sign of material deterioration. Moreover, the biodegradability tests showed that the material can biodegrade in water and in soil for 30 and 40 days, respectively. This study demonstrates that electrospun FT-CFs exhibit exceptional photocatalytic degradation of acetone, a high filtration efficiency, excellent reusability, and biodegradability, making them a promising solution for VOC remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]