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Car wash services generate wastewater that consists of many contaminants. The discharge of raw car wash wastewater would bring adverse impacts to the environment. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the use of activated carbon derived from coconut shells to treat car wash wastewater. In this study, activated carbon (AC) prepared from coconut shells shows a good microporosity structure with functional groups on the surface. The performance of activated carbon prepared is evaluated by determining the removal efficiency of the parameter including COD, BOD, and heavy metals concentration (zinc and iron) from car wash wastewater. The operating parameters are dosage (0.2 - 1.0 g/100 mL), contact time of 30 min-150 min and pH adjustment (pH 3 - pH 9). Throughout the research, the highest removal efficiencies of COD, BOD, zinc, and iron from automatic car wash wastewater are 91.03 %, 88.51 %, 68.25 %, and 86.09 % respectively achieved by 0.8 g of carbon dosage under 90 rpm agitation speed for 60 min. Under the same operational condition, CSAC removed 84.43 % COD, 81.80 % BOD, 59.78 % zinc, and 78.58 % iron from manual car wash wastewater. Therefore, the removal of pollutants from car wash water by using activated carbon derived from coconut shells has been proven to be an effective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although investigation of microplastics (MPs) present in air environment has been intensively carried out, quantification, characteristics, and distribution of MPs released from the waste burning furnace (WBF) has been missing in literature. The aim of this study was to characterize the presence of MPs released from WBFs and analyze their associated health impacts. The examined locations were at two WBFs (nominated as TPS1 and TPS2) in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. MPs were collected using a 9 cm diameter glass beaker for a period of 8 h at two different sampling points, which are 3 and 15 m from each WBF. Several characteristics of MPs in terms of the number of particles, size, shape, color, and polymer type were comprehensively characterized. This study found that the obtained MPs were of fiber type and in the range of 46–77 and 41–59 particles at TPS1 and TPS2, respectively. In general, the polymer types of MPs were, respectively, cellophane and polytetrafluoroethylene at TPS1 and TPS2. Moreover, it was estimated that about 1.9–2.3 MPs can enter the human body via inhalation. This study offers a pilot examination of MPs released from WBF and findings from this study are crucial to provide new knowledge as a basis to carefully regulate the use of WBF particularly that are located closely to local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) and cerium (Ce) co-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) supported activated carbon (AC) (N-Ce-AC/TiO2) were synthesized to remove antibiotic tetracycline from aqueous solution via adsorption and photodegradation. The sol--gel technique, aided by microwave radiation, was used to synthesize N-Ce-AC/TiO2. Central composite design under response surface methodology was used to optimize the variables comprising urea (N source) (A: 0.02-0.20 g), cerium(III) nitrate hexahydrate (Ce source) (B: 0.02-0.20 g), activated carbon (C: 0.10-0.50 g), and microwave power (D: 600--800 W), where the degradation of tetracycline was the response. Characterization of the produced catalyst was carried out by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and the Brunauer--Emmett--Teller method for determining surface-texture parameters. N-Ce-AC/TiO2 prepared with 0.50 g activated carbon, doped with 0.02 g urea and 0.20 g cerium, and activated at microwave power 600 W for 15 min exhibited 91.08% tetracycline removal when subjected to 7 W of UV irradiation, according to the results of optimal variable preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]