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WOS: 000448098000077, Pumice-TiO2 was synthesized through simple sol-gel method. The successful synthesis of the catalyst was verified by SEM, EDS, XRF, FT-IR and BET techniques. Then, a sonocatalytic process was performed to degrade famotidine in the presence of the synthesized catalyst and under ultrasonic irradiation. The removal efficiency of the sonocatalytic process with pumice TiO2, TiO2, pumice and sonolysis within 70 min was 71.1%, 33.9%, 31.1% and 8.9%, respectively. The main operational parameters which were examined in this study were catalyst dosage, pH, famotidine concentration and ultrasonic power which were optimized as 1.5 g/L, 5, 20 mg/L and 150 W, respectively. Moreover, the addition of radical scavengers (EDTA, Na2SO4 and 1, 4 benzoquinone) and enhancers (H2O2 and K2S2O8) which can affect the removal efficiency were investigated. Diverse degradation by-products were identified using GC-MS analysis. Eventually, the reusability tests confirmed that the synthesized pumice TiO2 catalyst had significant stability after 5 consecutive runs. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved., Aksaray university [2017-042], The authors would like to appreciate the University of Tabriz (Iran) for all the supports prepared. This work has been supported by Research Fund of Aksaray university Project Number 2017-042.

Due to the unique properties of cellulose-based materials, they are attractive to be developed in industrial pharmaceutics and biomedical fields. Carboxymethyl-diethyl amino ethyl cellulose scaffold (CM-DEAEC) has been synthesized in the current work as a smart novel derivative of cellulose with a great functionality in drug delivery systems. The scaffolds were well cross-linked with 2% (v/v) epichlorohydrin (ECH), loaded with curcumin (Cur), and then were analyzed by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and mechanical strength. While developing the ideal delivery platform, curcumin (an important chemotherapeutic agent) was chosen due to its hydrophobicity and poor bioavailability. Thus, we developed a novel scaffold for efficient loading and controlled releasing of curcumin. The swelling ratio of 136%, high curcumin entrapment efficiency (up to 83.7%), sustained in vitro drug release profile, and appropriate degradability in three weeks confirmed significant properties of the CM-DEAEC scaffold. More than 99% antibacterial activity has been observed by the cross-linked curcumin loaded CM-DEAEC scaffolds. Cytotoxicity studies using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining showed that cross-inked curcumin loaded CM-DEAEC scaffolds did not show any toxicity using L929 cells. All experiments were compared with CMC scaffolds and better characteristics of the novel scaffold for drug delivery have been confirmed.

A special type of reactor with a high active surface-to-volume ratio was used for investigation of organic pollutants degradation from a gasfield produced water by photoelectrocatalysis process. The GC–MS analysis showed that there were more than 50 organic substances in this wastewater; therefore, COD was considered as the target parameter for studying. A simple evaporation process used for decreasing high TDS of the wastewater reduced its electrical conductivity from 6300 μS/cm to 1100 μS/cm and also initial COD decreased simultaneously from 9500 mg/L to 750 mg/L. Distilled wastewater from the evaporation process was treated again by the photoelectrocatalysis process using a coil type microreactor, and its COD dropped off to 143 mg/L. Instead of usual semiconductors in photoelectrocatalysis like TiO2, boron carbon nitride (BCN) nanosheets are used as a photocatalyst in this study. Investigating the impact of different parameters on COD removal efficiency showed that the greatest COD removal efficiency (81%) was obtained at residence time 15 min, pH = 3, applied cell voltage 20 V, electrical conductivity = 2500 μS/cm and H2O2 concentration of 8 mM.

Five natural iron minerals include hematite, magnetite, siderite, limonite and pyrite as natural sources of iron were investigated to determine the best one which has the highest catalytic ability in the heterogeneous electro-Fenton process. The process has emerged as a simple, green, cost-effective and efficient method for the removal of persistent and pathogenic anti-cancer drug pollutants like Gemcitabine. On the other hand, different effective factors like the initial concentration of Gemcitabine, the amount of pyrite as the chosen efficient iron mineral, applied current intensity, initial pH and time of treatment process were optimized using response surface methodology to represent the best experimental condition. The role of hydroxyl (•OH) and superoxide anion (•O2−) radicals was monitored using scavengers of active radicals. The degradation efficiency of Gemcitabine and total organic carbon analysis reached 98.33% and 78.2% respectively, in the optimum condition after 5 h of electrolysis. The gained high value of coefficient of 0.995 by analysis of variance indicated the reliability of the presented model. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis identified nine by-products like small molecules of acids, amides, amines and esters.

Although the incorporation of nanoparticles into ultrafiltration polymeric membranes has shown promising outcomes, their commercial implementation has yet to be fulfilled due to inconsistency in data, lack of a reliable recipe for the optimum filler content, and reluctance in disrupting the production line which requires significant time and resources. There is a growing demand among membrane communities for a design platform that can accelerate the discovery of new nanocomposite membranes. In this work, a feed-forward ANN (artificial neural network) model that has one hidden layer and the Bayesian regularization training algorithm were chosen for designing a graphical user interface platform to predict the ultrafiltration nanocomposite membrane performance, that is, solute rejection, flux recovery, and pure water flux, thereby saving time and resources used in membrane design. Experimental data (735 samples from 200 reports published between 2006 and 2020) were derived from the literature for training, validation, and testing of the ANN models. The results indicated that the best 30 ANN models produce the most accurate estimation of membrane performance using the seven input variables of polymer concentration, polymer type, filler concentration, average filler size, solvent concentration (in the dope solution), solvent type, and contact angle on the unseen data set. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the achieved models to identify the most effective input variables for each nanocomposite membrane performance. This work has the potential to be extended to other mixed matrix membrane types that are going to be used for microfiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and so forth.

Template-directing strategies for synthesising metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have brought about new frontiers in materials chemistry due to the possibility of applying control over crystal growth, morphology and secondarily generated pores. In particular, hard templates have resulted in performance breakthroughs in catalysis, secondary ion batteries, supercapacitance, drug delivery and molecular sieving by offering facile routes for maximising the surface areas of shape-directed MOFs. In this tutorial review, a variety of hard templates employed to direct MOFs' growth into superior nano-architectures with enhanced functionalities are discussed. Hard templates discussed here include polymers, silica nanostructures, metal oxides, layered metal hydroxides, noble metals, graphene, zeolites and MOFs themselves. These templates can be divided into three broad categories: sacrificial, semi-sacrificial and non-sacrificial templates. We elaborate on the rationale behind the choice of nanomaterials as hard templates, how hard templates direct the synthesis of MOFs, how sacrificial hard templates can be removed from the final product and what the enhanced functionalities of hard-templated MOFs are. In the case of non-sacrificial hard-templates, synergistic effects arising from the coexistence of the MOF and the hard template will also be reviewed.

The present paper provides an overview of the hybrid photocatalytic-membrane process and its new properties such as permeability, hydrophilicity, rejection, antifouling and photodegradation efficiency. The integration of photocatalysts and membranes could be occurred in three major steps firstly photocatalysts mixed matrix membranes, secondly photocatalysts immobilized on the surface of membranes, and thirdly membranes for the separation of photocatalysts from their suspensions. Different combinations of photocatalysts (TiO2, CuO or ZnO) and membrane processes are presented and characterized in the review paper. Positive or negative effect of different configurations of photocatalysis and membrane processes are discussed on the antifouling and antibacterial properties of the membranes. This review outlines the coupling of photocatalysts with the membranes can reduce the fouling of the membranes due to three mechanisms: elevation of membrane hydrophilicity, induction of antibacterial properties and degradation of foulants by produced radicals. However, reactive radicals can destroy polymeric membranes. Moreover, a short introduction to the photoelectrocatalysts is presented combined with membrane processes.

Herein, we focused on the degradation of acetaminophen (ACT) drug in liquid phase by peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activated by carbon black nano-spheres (CBNS). The nanostructured activator was immobilized into calcium alginate hydrogel matrix (CAHM) to avoid the washout of the fine nanostructures. The Langmuir modeling showed an insignificant contribution to the adsorption process in the removal of ACT. The basic pH conditions favored the decomposition of ACT. Among nutrients, the presence of nitrogenous compounds including nitrite, nitrate and ammonium caused a little decrease in the reactor performance, while the addition of phosphate ion improved the efficiency from 76.8% to 81.9%. The results demonstrated the involvement of both SO4•− and •OH radicals in the degradation of ACT and domination of SO4•− radicals in the degradation process. Co-immobilization of the CBNS with electro-synthesized magnetite nanoparticles resulted in not only the enhanced reusability potential but also improved the efficiency of the treatment process to 95.6%. Mineralization efficiency of the process was not remarkable; however, the process produced an effluent with lower toxicity toward the microbial community of the activated sludge.

Wastewater contains organic compounds (fatty acids, amino acids, and carbohydrates) that have a significant amount of chemical energy. In this regard, the use of wastewater for recovering energy by some appropriate energy conversion technologies can be considered as an appropriate approach to simultaneously achieve the reduction of environmental contamination and increasing supply of energy. The Photocatalytic Fuel Cell (PFC) can provide a new approach in developing technology for simultaneous organic pollutants removal from wastewaters and power generation, but it also has disadvantages, such as requires higher voltage, more cost and complexity. To present a comprehensive vision of the current state of the art, and progress the treatment efficiency and agitate new studies in these fields, this review discussed the study covering PFC aspects, with a focus on the comparison of pollutant degradation, power generation, different photoanode and photocathode materials as well as the application of the Fenton process in PFCs.

Herein, a Z-scheme 2D/2D WO3@CoFe-LDH nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, EDX, X-ray dot mapping, BET, PL, DRS, and XPS analysis. The integration of the so-synthesized WO3@CoFe-LDH nanocomposite, ultrasonic, and ozone inferred the existence of a synergy factor of 2.26 > 1 and 2.17 > 1 for the removal of Acid blue 9 and Acid Orange 7, respectively. Catalyst dosage of 1 g/L, the solution pH of 8, the mixture dye concentration of 50 mg/L, and the ozone flow rate of 3 L/h were determined to be the optimum value for the extreme degradation of the dye mixtures under 100 min of the sonocatalytic ozonation process. Additionally, the reusability experiments showed that the DE was above 80% after 5 times reuse of WO3@CoFe-LDH nanocomposite implying its retained properties during the sonocatalytic ozonation process. The contributed active radicals in the degradation of the dye mixtures were profoundly studied and reported to be mainly •OH and O2•−. The so-generated intermediates were recognized using GCMS analysis and a postulated degradation mechanism was reported for each of the target pollutants in the presence of WO3@CoFe-LDH nanocomposite. The toxicity tests proved a nontoxic media after the sonocatalytic ozonation of the mixture dyes due to the successive attack of the reactive oxygen species to the intermediates.

Degradation of the Fluoxetine, as commonly used antidepressant pharmaceutical, from aqueous media with different oxidation processes including ozonation and catalytic ozonation (in the presence of nano-boehmite and nano-γ-alumina) was studied in a batch reactor. The catalysts were synthesized via the co-precipitation route. Then, kinetic study of catalytic ozonation process for elimination of Fluoxetine in water was performed. The kinetic of the degradation process was properly fitted to the pseudo first-order equation. The influence of operational parameters, such as pH of solution, scavenger compound (tert-butyl alcohol) and two-type anions (phosphate and nitrate), on Fluoxetine degradation efficiency was studied. The influence of water pH presented that hydroxyl groups of surface are considered as the major active site in the catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine for the •OH radical production in water for nano-boehmite but not for nano-γ-alumina. It was found that the Fluoxetine removal efficiency remarkably increased for catalytic ozonation in comparison with ozonation process in a batch reactor at pH 7. Finally, two-reaction mechanisms were offered for catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine in aqueous medium by boehmite and γ-alumina nanocatalysts.

In recent years, novel advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on electrochemical technology known as electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs) have been applied to the degradation of a wide range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). EAOPs produce in situ hydroxyl radicals (•OH) capable of degrading POPs and their mineralization by producing stable electrode materials (e.g., boron-doped diamond (BDD), doped-SnO2, PbO2, and substoichiometric- and doped-TiO2). Moreover, ozone and sulfate radicals could be produced, based on electrolyte type, which cause the degradation of POPs. Although EAOPs are promising novel technologies, various parameters related to the types of electrodes in the POPs oxidation have not been fully addressed. In order to provide a full and comprehensive picture of the current state of the art, and improve the treatment efficiency and motivate new researches in these areas, this study analyzed the research covering EAOPs aspects, with a focus on the comparison of stability, lifetime and service life of electrodes. Electro-chemical stability and longer life are the major concerns in the EAOPs. Since electrodes must be highly efficient for long periods of time, the determination of their lifetime is essential. On the other hand, in real-life situations, lifetime determination is difficult. The oxidation ability and durability of electrodes during the reactions depended on the structural properties of them. Electrodes composed of intermediate compounds had a higher lifetime than binary oxides. Another factor affecting the stability of the electrodes was the structure of the expanded mesh style anodes to better control the bubble growth through a polygonized structure. Anodes with irregular shapes at the surface were more likely to discharge the bubbles and reduce the negative effects of the high pressure on the surface of the electrode. The electrodes having high oxidation strength and stability, had a shorter service life value. Furthermore, the calcination temperature and the amount of applied current directly affected the lifetime of the electrodes. On the other hand, the electrical resistance of the synthesized electrode was effective in the lifetime. Coating of electrodes with noble metals such as tantalum, titanium, niobium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, molybdate and tungsten improved the electrode stability.

Promoted Ni/SBA-15 catalysts with varying amounts of Sm promoter (0.5, 1.5, 3 and 6 wt.%) were prepared and employed in steam reforming of methane (SRM) process. The catalysts were synthesized by a two-solvent impregnation method and characterized by low and high angles XRD, BET, TPO, TEM, ED, and FE-SEM techniques. The results demonstrated that increasing in Sm content from 0.5 to 3 wt.% diminished the specific surface area of catalysts from 504 to 371 m2/g and decreased the average nickel crystallite size from 31 to 12 nm. The catalytic results exhibited that adding Sm promoter enhanced the catalytic activity from 31% in unprompted catalyst to 70% for 3 wt.% Sm-promoted catalyst. Also, the catalyst with 3 wt.% of Sm possessed the highest H2 production yield, about 66%. In addition, the TPO, TEM and ED tests revealed the formation of carbon with nanotube nature on the catalyst surface.

Separation of krypton/xenon is an important issue in some industrial applications. This study evaluates the performance of chabazite (CHA) zeolite membrane for krypton/xenon separation using molecular dynamics simulations. The permeation process was investigated at different temperatures (298, 323, 348, and 373 K) and applied pressures up to 25 MPa. The obtained results demonstrated high selectivity for Kr atoms; thus, only Kr atoms can permeate through the CHA membrane by applying external pressure. Permeation of Kr increased by increasing the temperature, but there was an optimum point for applied pressure. The best permeation (6.93 × 10−5 mol/(m2 s Pa)) was obtained at P = 3 MPa and T = 373 K. However, some simulations were performed at high temperature (700 K) and found higher permeation. The potential of mean force (PMF) of Kr and Xe atoms was also calculated to study the capability of CHA membrane for the separation of Kr/Xe gas mixtures. The results of PMF indicated that the driving force is needed for the permeation of Kr or Xe through the CHA membrane. Xenon atom could not easily pass through the membrane in comparison with Kr atom, which was also confirmed by simulation results.

Among many biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymers, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), generated by microorganisms, have highly attracted attention in various fields due to their unique physicochemical properties. So far, various types of progresses have been made in environmental and engineering fields by employing PHAs. Recently, employing PHAs for nanoarchitecture has become a newly emerging trend among researchers. The intrinsic nature of PHAs has dragged them towards fabrication of nanoparticles and nanocomposites. PHAs integration with nanoparticles has been vastly noted and applied in various areas such as drug delivery, antibacterial agents and bioengineering. Here, a brief review is given to how PHAs act and are produced by microorganisms, demonstrating their properties and finally, their most recent applications are discussed in nanoarchitecture and the ways they are manipulated in the fabrication of nanomaterials. This review can shed light on the exhaustive understanding of PHA capability in nanoarchitectural basics toward the development of advanced nanomaterials in many fields such as medicine, catalysis, sensor, and adsorbents.

A class F fly ash-based geopolymer was prepared for the removal of Basic Yellow 2 (BY2) from aqueous solutions. The geopolymerization process transformed the spherical fly ash particles into a porous and amorphous polymeric structure, sodium-alumina-silicate hydrate gel. The removal efficiency increased with the geopolymer dosage while it decreased with BY2 concentration. Specifically, the efficiency of 94.47% was achieved with the geopolymer dosage of 2.0 g L-1. However, further increases resulted in a substantial reduction, down to 57.76% for 3.0 g L-1. At 293 K for 300 min, the efficiency decreased from 84.69 to 64.19% for BY2 concentrations of 10 and 50 mg L-1, respectively. Based on the isothermal, kinetic and thermodynamic investigations of the adsorption process, the Langmuir and Temkin models well correlated with the obtained results. The adsorption occurs spontaneously and shows endothermic character. The pseudo-second order and the intra-particle diffusion models are valid for 293 K while the adsorption results well suited with the pseudo-second order for 313 and 323 K. In conclusion, the prepared fly ash-based geopolymer provided favorable results for the removal of Basic Yellow 2 from aqueous solutions.

Recently, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) materials, known as nanosheets, have attracted great interest owning to their ultimate structural and desirable physical, chemical, thermal, electrical, and optical characteristics. Various potential applications of 2D nanomaterials have been reported in electronics/optoelectronics, electrocatalysis, batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, sensors, photocatalysis, and other environmental processes. Modification of polymeric membranes using nanosheets is increasingly reported in the literature. The incorporation of inorganic nanostructured additives, such as metal oxide and metal hydroxide nanosheets, can impart desired characteristics to the surface and matrix of the membrane and improves its filtration performance. This review summarizes the preparation methods of the metal oxide and metal hydroxide nanosheets, with a special emphasis on the recent advances in this field. The structural and physicochemical properties of the 2D nanosheets have been discussed, and after that, the applications of these nanosheets for modification of polymeric membranes are presented with a focus on the membranes used for environmental applications. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives for synthesis and membrane-related applications of 2D metal oxide and metal hydroxide nanosheets are discussed.

Photocatalytic processes have attained considerable attention of late years, especially for environmental remediation. Despite extensive research in this area, the need for safer, more efficient, and cost-effective processes has encouraged researchers to develop novel photocatalysis. However, the low active surface area and narrow bandgap limit their photocatalytic performances. In the present research, the 2D BiOCl sheets were successfully synthesized by a new hydrothermal method and decorated by PANi nanoarrays through in-situ oxidative polymerization of aniline. The UV–vis diffuse-reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed the synergistic effects between PANi nanoarrays and 2D BiOCl by enhancing the absorption in the visible light region and reduction of bandgap down to 2.9 eV. Furthermore, the morphology analysis showed the proper decoration of PANi nanoarrays on 2D BiOCl nanoplates. The synthesized nanocomposite with different weight loadings of PANi was taken to evaluate the decolorization efficiency of it. The result exhibited an optimum value of 88.35% at 60 min irradiation under visible light in the photodegradation of Congo Red (CR). Moreover, the probable photocatalytic mechanism for degradation of CR by PANi/BiCOl photocatalyst was proposed based on the scavenger experiments. The outcomes indicated that the PANi promoted the absorption intensity of the pure BiOCl in the visible region. To that, the well-arranged array and considerably high specific surface area of PANi could encourage the transfer of electrons witch generated by the photo to 2D BiOCl substrate and repel the recombination of electron-hole pairs.

Contamination of water resources with antibiotics is an emerging environmental issue. This research reports the prosperous preparation of magnetic graphene oxide–polydopamine (M-GO–PDA) nanocomposi...

In this work, Keggin type polyoxometalates H3PW12O40 (PW12), H3PMo12O40 (PMo12) and H4SiW12O40 (SiW12), were supported on polyaniline (PANI)-coated CuS nanoparticles by a facile stepwise modification method. These novel nanohybrids 1–3 (denoted as CuS@PANI/PW12 (1), CuS@PANI/PMo12 (2), and CuS@PANI/SiW12 (3)) were fully characterized. The adsorption efficiency of these novel nanohybrids were evaluated for removing methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) that exhibited high selectivity and high adsorption rate for cationic MB rather than anionic MO. The adsorption results demonstrated a good ability to remove 25 mg L−1 MB with the removal rates of ≥93%. The efficiency of nanohybrid 1 for the removal of MB was evaluated by several factors, such as pH, adsorbent dose, initial dye concentration and temperature. The adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetic can be well described by the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo second order kinetic for MB, respectively. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity of MB reached 83.3 mg g−1 in the study of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, respectively. Thermodynamic studies show that the MB adsorption is a spontaneous endothermic process. The nanohybrids can be easily separated and reused without any change in performances and structures.

WOS: 000407185600061, PubMed: 28732979, ZrO2-biochar (ZrO2-BC) nanocomposite was prepared by a modified sonochemical/sol-gel method. The physicochemical properties of the prepared nanocomposite were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Brtmauer-Emmett-Teller model. The sonocatalytic performance of ZrO2-BC was investigated in sonochemical degradation of Reactive Yellow 39 (RY39). The high observed sonocatalytic activity of the ZrO2-BC sample could be interpreted by the mechanisms of sonoluminescence and hot spots. Parameters including ZrO2-BC dosage, solution pH, initial RY39 concentration and ultrasonic power were selected as the main operational parameters and their influence on RY39 degradation efficiency was examined. A 96.8% degradation efficiency was achieved with a ZrO2-BC dosage of 1.5 g/L, pH of 6, initial RY39 concentration of 20 mg/L and ultrasonic power of 300 W. In the presence of (OH)-O-center dot radical scavengers, RY39 degradation was significantly inhibited, providing evidence for the key role of hydroxyl radicals in the process. The sonodegradation intermediates were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and the possible decomposition route was proposed., University of Tabriz; Aksaray University; Near East University; Iran Science Elites Federation (ISEF), The authors thank the University of Tabriz, Aksaray University and Near East University for all the support. Alireza Khataee thanks Iran Science Elites Federation (ISEF) for support.

The aim of this study was to enhance the photocatalytic performance of commercial rutile TiO2 nanoparticles using non-thermal glow discharge plasma methodology. Due to the lower photocatalytic performance compared to the anatase phase, the rutile phase has seldom been explored by researchers, despite its significant advantages. Nanoparticles of rutile TiO2 were immobilized on glass plates using heat attachment method whose surface properties were modified by non-thermal glow discharge plasma using different gases. XRD, FE-SEM, UV-DRS, XPS, PL, and BET analyses were performed for physiochemical characterization of rutile nanoparticles. While the stable rutile crystalline phase remained intact, a variety of physiochemical modifications were observed. XPS analysis revealed diminished titanium to lattice oxygen ratio, suggesting the formation of surface oxygen vacancies. Pseudo-first-order reaction rate for photocatalytic degradation of malachite green was improved by 3.31, 2.22, and 1.83 times over unmodified photocatalysts using argon, oxygen, and nitrogen gases, respectively. The proposed surface modification method remarkably improved the photocatalytic performance of immobilized rutile nanoparticles without adding any impurities to its structure. Further, the reusability of plasma-treated photocatalysts was satisfying, where the relative decolorization efficiency dropped by 4.4% after four consecutive 60-minute cycles, suggesting a good potential for operation in wastewater treatment reactors.

The human life faces serious energy shortage and environmental pollution problems, therefore developing a facile and environmental friendly strategy for synthesizing nanoparticles (NPs) with improved photocatalytic activity could pave the way for different applications. In the present study, one-pot/in-situ fluorine-free synthesis process has been examined toward the solvothermal production of anatase TiO2 nanoparticles with exposed facet orientation. This is an aim to achieve the excellent photocatalytic/photoelectrocatalytic performance. Most importantly addressing the global energy shortage, the synthesized TiO2 NPs represent superior performance in photoelectrocatalytic water splitting toward hydrogen production. The overpotential required to drive the hydrogen evolution reaction was −391, −346 and −283 mV vs. Ag/AgCl for P25, cubic and truncated octahedral NPs, respectively. Additionally, TiO2 NPs with exposed facets represent excellent photocatalytic performance toward environmental purification. As synthesized nanoparticles was examined via photocatalytic degradation of Acid Blue 5 and photocatalytic removal of NO gas. The enhanced photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic performance are associated to the effect of exposed facet orientation of final nanoparticles.

Herein, Fe3O4@MOF-2 (MOF: metal-organic framework) nanocomposite, as a heterogeneous nanocatalyst, was applied to activate persulfate (PS) in the attendance of ultrasonic (US) irradiation (Fe3O4@MOF-2/US/PS) for degradation of diazinon. The evaluation results showed that, in the acidic solution (pH = 3), the reaction rate constant of Fe3O4@MOF-2/US/PS system (0.0546 min−1) was more than 6-folds than that of the US/PS system (0.0079 min−1). Reducing the diazinon concentration, along with raising the Fe3O4@MOF-2 dosage and the US bath power favored the degradation of diazinon. It was found that Fe3O4@MOF-2 had fine catalytic performance and reuseibility. The diazinon decomposition pathway was proposed by GC–MS analysis.

In this study, ZnFe-layered double hydroxides were synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation method with different intercalated anions, including chloride and sulfate. They were then modified with graphene oxide to obtain ZnFe Cl-LDH/GO and ZnFe SO4-LDH/GO photocatalysts. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, FTIR, BET, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, and PL analyses and evaluated for the decomposition of ofloxacin (OFX) under visible light irradiation. OFX is a persistent and resistant emerging pollutant in an aqueous solution. Among the photocatalysts synthesized, the photocatalytic activity of ZnFe SO4-LDH/GO was highest (71.19% after 150 min irradiation) under optimum conditions. This observation is ascribed to the synergistic impact of swift separation rates of the photo-generated electrons that extend the longevity of charge carriers resulting from the heterostructures created between pure ZnFe SO4-LDH and GO. The results indicate that a pseudo-first-order kinetic model can determine the kinetics of the OFX-degrading system. Based on the results of scavengers, •OH radicals and h+ were the major species for OFX degradation. Moreover, a possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed for the degradation of OFX. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to recognize the by-products formed in solution by the dissociation of OFX. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) was analyzed to evaluate the mineralization of the OFX solution. Furthermore, the reusability and photostability of the photocatalyst were examined. The leaching zinc and iron concentrations in the aqueous phase were measured within five consecutive examinations.

In the present study, an innovative combination of electrochemical and photocatalytic processes with significant synergy was considered to destroy bisphenol A (BPA) as model endocrine disrupting compound. For this purpose, in situ electro-generated ZnO nanoparticles due to the corrosion of sacrificial Zn anode played the photocatalyst role under visible light irradiation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunnaer–Emmett–Teller (BET), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) results exhibited the formation of ultrafine crystalline ZnO nanoparticles with appropriate optical properties. A higher synergy factor was obtained by the combination of aforementioned electrochemical and photocatalytic processes relying on the electro-generated ZnO nanoparticles in BPA-contained solution. In the presence of chemical enhancing compounds such as solid hydrogen peroxide and Oxone, the degradation of BPA increased from 84 to 90.5 and 97.5% within 2 h, respectively. The complete elimination of BPA was attained during the elapsed time of 90 min when ultrasound was applied. The results of bio-toxicity assay, based on the application of biosolids as the source of living microorganisms, revealed that the hybrid process could decrease the specific oxygen consumption inhibition (ISOUR) of the BPA from 31.3 to 18.8%.

Herein, high performance peroxidase-like activity of zinc and cobalt bi-metal metal-organic framework (ZnCo MOF) is reported and applied for the sensitive measurement of atropine. ZnCo MOF was synthesized by the reaction of 2-methylimidazole with Zn and Co (II) cations in aqueous media. The colorimetric and fluorometric experiments were applied to investigate the catalytic activity of obtained MOF, using o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and terephthalic acid (TA) peroxidase substrates, respectively. The results demonstrated the more efficient mimetic behavior of ZnCo MOF compared with common Zn or Co MOFs. Besides, it was found that atropine hindered the catalytic action of ZnCo MOF and this effect was intensified by increasing the atropine concentration. So, it was considered to design a sensitive analytical assay for atropine detection. To assure a high specific recognition, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based extraction using magnetic graphene oxide supports was applied to extract atropine before its determination. The combination between the high specific extraction and great catalytic activity of ZnCo MOF led to the ultrasensitive and reliable determination of atropine. The best linear range of calibration graph was achieved using fluorometric detection system for 0.1–45 ng mL−1 atropine concentrations, and detection limit (3Sb/m) was 27 pg mL−1. The relative standard deviations (RSD %) for the determination of 1, and 10 ng mL−1 atropine (n = 5) were 2.13% and 3.08%, respectively. The explained fluorometric assay was examined for the measurement of atropine in biological fluids (Recoveries were in the range of 95.90–103.57%), and the results were validated by an official method.

Herein, Fe3O4 nanospheres attached on N, S co-doped graphene quantum dots (NSG) enclosed CdSe nanoparticles (CdSe/NSG–Fe3O4) is introduced as a magnetic high-performance photocatalyst for the heterogeneous photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solutions. The as-prepared CdSe/NSG–Fe3O4 nanocatalyst showed high stability and adequate ferromagnetism which makes it easy to be separated and reused. CdSe/NSG–Fe3O4 nanocomposites displayed enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic compounds such as azo-dyes compared with CdSe nanoparticles. In view of these advantages offered by the prepared nanocatalyst, it has a high potential for the degradation of organic contaminants.

The synthesis of nanoparticles often result in the generation of harmful chemical pollutants. As such, many researchers have focused on developing green processes, which include the biosynthesis. In this research, ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using the leaf extract of whortleberry (Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.) via a simple ultrasonic-assisted method. The morphology, crystal size and structure, surface, thermal, and optical properties of the bio-mediated ZnO sample (ZnOext) were analyzed and compared with that produced without incorporating the extract (ZnOchem). The ZnO samples were evaluated for their antidiabetic, antibacterial, as well as their sono- and photo-catalytic performances. Initially, the samples were intraperitoneal injected to alloxan-diabetic rats to examine their treatment efficiency in terms of effects on fasting blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and total triglyceride levels. The ZnOext showed significantly higher efficiency for improving the health status of alloxan-diabetic rats in contrast with other tested treatments, vis. ZnOchem, insulin, and only leaf extract. In addition, both the ZnO samples were assessed against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and through sono- and photo-catalytic processes for removing rhodamine B, respectively. The results of this study indicated that not only the ZnOext sample was pollution free, it also exhibited higher potentials for treating diabetic rats, bacterial decontamination, and also oxidative removal of organic compounds under the influences of ultrasound and UV irradiations when compared with ZnOchem sample.

The Taguchi methodology was utilized to determine the influence of three factors, namely nanostructured alumina (A) and micro-structured titanium (B) weight percents and sintering temperature (C) on the phase stability, mechanical and structural properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) composites. HA nanosized powder was synthesized via wet precipitation method. According to L9 orthogonal array, different combinations of powder mixtures were cold isostatically pressed and pressure-less sintered in a reducing atmosphere. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of HA phase and metallic Ti after sintering. Analyze of Variance (ANOVA) method was used to specify the percentage contributions of three factors. Addition of 5–10 wt% titanium contributed to increasing the decomposition of HA and the amount of open porosity by 43.07% and 55.40%, respectively and caused a decrease in the strength by 44.67%. Alumina nanoparticles consistently inhibited the grain growth but showed a negligible effect on the decomposition of HA. It also caused enhancements in the strength and toughness by 14.61 and 23.70% contributions. According to ANOVA, sintering temperature illustrated considerable effects on the properties of HA composites. It exhibited more than 56% contribution to the grain growth and decomposition of HA. Structural investigations led to a total optimum condition with a combination of 7 wt % alumina/3 wt % titanium/1150 °C.

In the present study, ultrasound (US) was coupled with an electrochemical process (ECP) consisting of a novel cathode of carbon cloth (CC)-carbon black (CB) as the nano-composite air-dispersion cathode (NADC) for the degradation of paracetamol (APAP) in an aquatic medium. The NADC favored in situ production of H2O2 by the cathodic reduction. The implementation of iron sacrificial anode instead of dimensionally stable anodes resulted in the generation of Fe2+Fe3+2O4 nanostructures in the solution. The Fe2+Fe3+2O4 nanostructures were activated by means of both US and H2O2 to produce more OH in the aqueous solution. In addition, the utilization of US caused the conversion of H2O2 to OH irrespective of free oxidizing radicals generated through cavitation phenomenon. The hybrid method based on coupling US and NADC-ECP in the presence of Fe2+Fe3+2O4 nanostructures proved synergism (39.8%) allowing to effective decomposition of APAP. The pulse mode of US enhanced the degradation efficiency of APAP as compared to the sweep and normal modes. The intermediates of the degradation route were identified using GC–MS analysis as well as mineralization efficiency. The toxicity assay was also performed based on the inhibition test using activated sludge of a biological wastewater treatment plant.

Herein, we report a generic way for in-situ fabricate of NiFe alloy enclosed carbonic nanolayers on graphite substrate (NiFe@C/G) through a facile annealing step of NiFe-metal-organic frameworks (NiFe-MOFs). The NiFe@C/G electrode shows numerous surficial active centers, more positive onset potential, and higher limiting current density for generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) through two-electron reduction of dissolved oxygen than unmodified graphite electrode. Moreover, the H2O2 electrogeneration of as-prepared electrode (167.06 μmol/L) was more than 7 times than unmodified graphite electrodes (22.82 μmol/L) at 300 mA/cm2. Modification of the surface of graphite electrode also enhanced the durability and stability of the as-prepared electrode, so that after 50 cycles the NiFe@C/G electrode retains its electrocatalytic activity.

Contra-diffusion synthesis method was used to create a uniform layer of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on the porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes. SEM, FTIR, EDX, AFM and water contact angle analyses were used to characterize the prepared membranes. The modified membrane with 5 h contra-diffusion synthesis time showed maximum pure water flux of 134 L/m2 h nearly twice of that of the bare PVDF membrane (65.8 L/m2 h). The water purification performance of the prepared membranes was evaluated using dye removal efficiency and the ZIF-8 modified membranes exhibited better performance for dye removal due of the negatively charged surface.

Herein, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) based nanocomposite with efficient catalytic behavior is reported including flake-like copper (II) MOF (CuMOF) and graphitic C3N4 nanosheets (g-C3N4). The g-C3N4@MOF nanocomposite was simply prepared by solvothermal synthesis of CuMOF in the presence of g-C3N4. The characterization analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and some other techniques demonstrated a nano-porous flake-like structure for the synthesized CuMOF, which enveloped the g-C3N4 nanosheets. Furthermore, the investigation of catalytic behavior of synthesized nanomaterial was implemented on H2O2 based reactions. The fluorometric and colorimetric experimentations illustrated that the accompanying of g-C3N4 with CuMOF had a remarkable positive effect on the catalytic behavior of obtained g-C3N4@MOF. This effect was described based on the improved affinity of nanocomposite to adsorb H2O2 and also synergistic action of its components on the dissociation of H2O2 to hydroxyl radicals. Finally, the analytical application of high catalytic activity of new g-C3N4@MOF was designed for the rapid and simple measurement of glucose in blood. After the enzymatic oxidation of glucose, the fluorometric method was applied for the analysis of produced H2O2 using terephthalic acid as peroxidase substrate. The system led to the ultrasensitive glucose determination in the concentration range of 0.1–22 μM, with a detection limit (3S/m) of 59 nM.

The sonocatalytic decolorization of the dye methylene blue was considered in the present study. In this regard, as a novel approach, Fe3O4 nanoparticles synthesized through a coprecipitation method were decorated with nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene quantum dots (NS-GQDs) and used as a sonocatalyst. The use of NS-GQD-decorated/Fe3O4 (NS-GQD/Fe3O4) nanoparticles significantly increased the decolorization efficiency (99.0%) compared with the use of pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles (43.7%). The band gap of the nanostructured NS-GQD/Fe3O4 (1.923 eV) was lower than that of pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles (2.147 eV). An optimal dopant amount of 3 wt% was used in the experiments. The highest sonocatalytic decolorization of 99.0% was attained at an initial pH of 8. As a result, the adverse effect of scavenging compounds on the sonocatalytic decolorization was in the following order: sulfate

Developing a new detection system for reliable recognition of threatening organophosphate poisons (OPs) is a challenging subject for analysts to control their undesirable effects. Here, a sensitive analytical assay for OPs was reported based on the high mimetic behavior of layered double hydroxides supported ZIF-8 nanocomposite (LDH@ZIF-8). The well-known inhibiting effect of OP analytes on the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was exerted to gain a suitable selectivity. Following that, efficient chemiluminescence (CL) system assisted by LDH@ZIF-8 was employed to monitor the variation in the amount of produced H2O2. It is found that the synthesized LDH@ZIF-8 possess a high effective peroxidase-like activity and can remarkably enhance the emission of the ultra-weak rhodamine B (RhoB)-H2O2 CL reaction. More studied was done using fluorometric to ratify the mimetic properties of LDH@ZIF-8 nanocomposite. The high catalytic effect of developed nanocomposite assured the high efficacy of the CL system to detect the small changes in H2O2 concentration, resulting in a high sensitivity in the detection of OPs. The low-priced and simple synthesized LDH@ZIF-8 catalyst, as well as a simple and easy-to-use CL system can be beneficial in the development of an on-site and portable detection tools. A wide linear range of 0.5–300 nM was achieved for the determination of diazinon (as a model OP), and the detection limit was as low as 0.22 nM. The method showed high reproducibility and was reassured by its application for the analysis of environmental samples.

Degradation of Fluoxetine antidepressant by Catalytic ozonation in aqueous medium was investigated using nano-γ-alumina catalyst. Catalyst was synthesized via co-precipitation method and was characterized by XRD, FESEM, FTIR and BET Techniques. Controlled precipitation helped to successfully prepare nano-sized γ-alumina particles using sodium carbonate as the precipitating agent and aluminum nitrate as the precursor. Artificial neural network (ANN) and central composite design (CCD) were used to model and optimize degradation of Fluoxetine and results of the two models were compared. Furthermore, impacts of the basic operational variable, i.e. inlet ozone concentration, initial Fluoxetine concentration, nano-γ-alumina dosage and reaction time, were studied. Back-propagation (BP) learning for three-layer feed-forward ANN with topology 4:8:1 and trainscg algorithm was used for development of the ANN model. A considerable agreement was observed between the values predicted by the ANN and CCD models for removal of Fluoxetine and the experimental results. Findings declared superiority of ANNs in describing nonlinear behavior of the catalytic process and accuracy of the ANN model in predicting the efficiency values of Fluoxetine elimination. Pareto analysis demonstrated effectiveness of the all selected factors on efficiency of removal. Results showed that the most effective variable in catalytic ozonation of Fluoxetine is reaction time with 44.97% percentage effect. Maximum removal efficiency of 96.14% was obtained for 30 mg L−1 inlet ozone concentration, 1 g L−1 nano-γ-alumina catalyst dosage, 30 min reaction time and 28.56 mg L−1 initial Fluoxetine concentration in optimum conditions.

The main objective of this research was to introduce an appropriate additive for improving the properties and performance of the NLDH/PVDF nanocomposite ultrafiltration membrane. For this purpose, the effects of the different additives including hydrophilic polymers e.g. PVP (with molecular weight of 10,000 and 29,000) and PEG (with molecular weight of 1500 and 6000) and amphiphilic copolymer e.g. pluronic F-127 were investigated on the properties and performance of NLDH/PVDF nanocomposite membrane. The properties of the fabricated membranes were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water contact angle techniques. Moreover, the pure water flux, water flux of BSA solution and flux recovery ratio (FRR) were determined for fabricated membranes in order to investigate their permeability and antifouling property. The results indicated that there was an interaction between the NLDH nanolayers and additive molecules, and so the effect of both NLDH and additive should be simultaneously considered. The results obtained from analysis techniques indicated that the surface porosity, average surface pore size, surface hydrophilicity and cross-sectional morphology of the NLDH/PVDF nanocomposite membrane were efficiently improved by introducing 1 wt.% of PVP29000 to the matrix of the nanocomposite membrane. Furthermore, in the presence of PVP29000 as optimum additive, the NLDH/PVDF nanocomposite represented high pure water flux (702.2 L/m2 h), high water flux of BSA solution (119.3 L/m2 h) and good antifouling property (FRR of 73.41%).

The sonocatalytic activity of a novel magnetic CuFe2O4/MIL-101/Graphene (CMG) ternary nanocomposite was studied in the removal of some organic dyes (methylene blue, rhodamine B, and methyl orange) from water by using H2O2 as a green oxidant. The CMG nanocomposite was prepared at 200 °C, through a two-step hydrothermal route. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized nanocomposite were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, atomic force microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis and Raman microscopy. The excellent sonocatalytic activity of the CMG nanocomposite could be understood by the mechanisms of sonoluminescence and hot spots. The effects of operating parameters such as dye initial concentration, pH and catalyst dosage have also been investigated. Trapping experiments indicated that the sonodegradation of dyes was mainly achieved by hydroxyl radicals (•OH) attack in the CMG suspension. Benefiting from magnetic property of the CuFe2O4 nanoparticles, the CMG nanocomposite could be easily separated from the reaction mixture by a magnet and reused without any change in structure.

In this research, tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets as sonocatalyst were synthesized through a sonochemical route. Characterization of as-synthesized sonocatalyst was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Dot-mapping, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) analysis. WS2 nanosheets were evaluated for their sonocatalytic performance in order to remove basic violet 10 (BV10) under ultrasonic irradiation. The removal efficiency was maximized (94.01%) via the use of 1 g L−1 catalyst and 10 mg L−1 BV10 at pH = 4.5 and an ultrasonic power of 400 W within a reaction time of 150 min. In addition to BV10, the sonocatalytic elimination for a number of organic dyes viz. direct blue 71, acid blue 92, methylene blue, basic orange 2 and basic red 46 was examined to demonstrate the performance of WS2 nanosheets under the ultrasonic irradiation. The experimentation of trapping was conducted using edetate disodium (EDTA-2Na), tert-butyl alcohol (t-BuOH), and benzoquinone (BQ). According to the results, all radicals participated in the sonocatalytic activity. OH played a more prominent role than h+ and O 2 - ∙ in the process of BV10 separation. Following five repetitive runs, the nanocomposites revealed a reusability of circa 18% drop in the elimination efficiency. The main removal intermediates were recognized by GC–MS technique.

In the present article, we developed a highly sensitive label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on NiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDH)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor (ROR)-1. In this electrochemical immunoassay platform, NiFe-LDH/rGO was used due to great electron mobility, high specific surface area and flexible structures, while Au nanoparticles were prepared and coated on the modified electrodes to improve the detection sensitivity and ROR1 antibody immobilizing (ROR1Ab). The modification procedure was approved by using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry based on the response of peak current to the step by step modifications. Under optimum conditions, the experimental results showed that the immunosensor revealed a sensitive response to ROR1 in the range of 0.01–1 pg mL−1, and with a lower limit of quantification of 10 attogram/mL (10 ag mL−1). Furthermore, the designed immunosensor was applied for the analysis of ROR1 in several serum samples of chronic lymphocytic leukemia suffering patients with acceptable results, and it also exhibited good selectivity, reproducibility and stability.

Synthesis of three-dimensional photocatalysts offers great potential for chemical conversion and hydrogen generation as appropriate solutions for environmental protection and energy shortage challenges. In this study, the magnetic WO3–x@mesoporous carbon (M-WO3–x@MC) was synthesized through the evaporation-induced self-assembly method applying diatom frustules as a natural template. Then, plasma modification was used to prepare the N-doped M-WO3–x@MC (NM-WO3–x@MC) with enhanced photocatalytic activity and durable performance. The WO3–x was embedded in the conductive MC, which was also partially reduced by the carbon precursor within the heat-treatment procedure. The obtained M-WO3–x@MC was treated by the plasma under an N2 atmosphere for the production of the final photocatalyst containing both the N-doped WO3–x and MC. As a result, the NM-WO3–x@MC had larger surface area (208.4 m2 g–1), narrower band gap (2.3 eV), more visible light harvesting, and confined electron–hole pairs recombination. The H2 generation rates of net WO3 nanorods and NM-WO3–x@MC nanocomposite were estimated as 532 and 2765 μmol g–1 h–1, respectively. Additionally, more than 90% of antibiotics (cephalexin, cefazolin and cephradine) degradation and 76% of total organic carbon elimination were obtained after 120 and 240 min of photocatalytic process under visible light irradiation. Eventually, more than eight intermediates were detected for each antibiotic degradation using the gas chromatography–mass spectrometer method, and based on the obtained results, the possible degradation pathways were suggested.

Summary Microbial electrosynthesis system (MES) has recently been shown to be a promising alternative way for realizing in situ and energy-saving synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Although promising, the scaling-up feasibility of such a process is rarely reported. In this study, a 20-L up-scaled two-chamber MES reactor was developed and investigated for in situ and efficient H2O2 electrosynthesis. Maximum H2O2 production rate of 10.82 mg L−1 h−1 and cumulative H2O2 concentration of 454.44 mg L−1 within 42 h were obtained with an input voltage of 0.6 V, cathodic aeration velocity of 0.045 mL min−1 mL−1, 50 mM Na2SO4, and initial pH 3. The electrical energy consumption regarding direct input voltage was only 0.239 kWh kg−1 H2O2, which was further much lower compared with laboratory-scale systems. The obtained results suggested that the future industrialization of MES technology for in situ synthesis of H2O2 and further application in environmental remediation have broad prospects., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Up-scaled microbial electrosynthesis with multiple electrodes to synthesize H2O2 • The H2O2 yield was higher than that of laboratory-scale systems using graphite cathode • Energy consumption was lower than that of laboratory-scale (bio)electrochemical systems • Systematic evaluation of the influence of operating parameters on H2O2 production, Electrochemistry; biotechnology; engineering; materials science

International audience; Herein, a stable and S-scheme Fe 3 O 4 @CuCr-LDH nanocomposite was synthesized and used for the photocatalytic degradation of diethyl phthalate (DEP) through the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In comparison with pure Fe 3 O 4, and LDH, the Fe 3 O 4 @CuCr-LDH nanocomposite demonstrated significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity due to its Sscheme charge-carrier migration mechanism. The prepared composite was also magnetically recoverable from the treated water which is favorable to avoid the production of secondary pollution. The integration of the composite and visible light showed the presence of a synergy factor of 14 for the degradation of diethyl phthalate. However, the photocatalytic performance of Fe 3 O 4 @CuCr-LDH was dependent on the different physicochemical parameters; wherein, the higher degradation efficiency was achieved using the solution pH of 8, the catalyst, DEP, and PMS concentrations of 1 g L-1 , 20 mg L-1 , and 8 mM, respectively. The high photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was maintained after 5 consecutive reaction runs and the stability of the material was proved by the XPS. Moreover, the ICP-AES analysis proved that the leaching of Fe, Cr, and Cu is lower than the standard concentration in the drinking water. Finally, the mineralization ability and the decreased toxicity of the treated solution of DEP were assessed.

The potential application of a 50 μm thick anion exchange membrane prepared based on poly(terphenyl piperidinium-co-trifluoroacetophenone) (PTPT) is investigated for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The PTPT exhibits a considerably lower vanadium permeation than Nafion 212. Therefore, the self-discharge duration of the VRFB based on PTPT is much longer than the VRFB based on Nafion 212. Besides, PTPT shows oxidative stability almost as good as Nafion 212 during immersion in an ex-situ immersion test for more than 400 h. Comparing the VRFB performance when symmetric and asymmetric electrolyte volumes are used yields interesting results. The results show that asymmetric cycling is more effective and efficient for the VRFB assembled with PTPT than Nafion 212 as the capacity fade of 0.03% cycle−1, and the highest coulombic efficiency of 98.8% is attained. Furthermore, the color change of the membrane during cycling can be reversed using a straightforward post-treatment method. QC 20210326

UV based advanced oxidation processes including the newly developed microbial electrolysis ultraviolet cell (MEUC) are easy to operate, but always exhibit an ineffective treatment of wastewater with high chroma due to the low UV transmittance. Herein, an innovative persulfate-assisted MEUC process (MEUPS) was developed to treat such wastewaters. The MEUPS can achieve complete decolorization of the selected model compound (40 mg L−1 of methylene blue, MB) within 140 min and a mineralization degree of 97% within 5 h under optimal operating conditions. The hybrid MEUPS process showed a much better treatment performance than that of the individual process and the synergy factor was quantified as 6.42. •SO4−, •OH, and •O2− were proved to be the major reactive radicals involved in MB degradation, and the degree of contribution was ranked as •SO4−, •OH, and •O2−. Correspondingly, the working mechanism of the MEUPS process was inferred, in which the boosted above listed major reactive radicals can be attributed to the catalytic effect of bioelectrons and UV irradiation, thus the synergistic effect on the efficient treatment of MB-contaminated wastewater. Additionally, the treated effluent exhibited non-toxic by using aquatic plant Lemna minor as an indicator. This research provides a new perspective for the efficient and cost-effective treatment of industrial wastewater with high chroma and refractory organics over a broad pH range together with catalyst-free conditions by using PS-assisted microbial photoelectrochemical technologies.

International audience; In this work, the cubic cobalt and zinc doped and co-doped magnetite nanocatalysts were synthesized and characterized using different analysis. The so-synthesized photocatalysts were used for the activation of hydrogen peroxide (HP) and persulfate (PS) under UVA irradiation. The integration of Fe2.5Co0.3Zn0.2O4 improved the activation of PS and HP; wherein, the UVA/Fe2.5Co0.3Zn0.2O4/PS process demonstrated higher degradation performance for Sulfalene (SFL) as a veterinary pharmaceutical contaminant in water. Afterward, the effect of different physicochemical parameters was studied and the radicals generated through the process were identified using chemical scavengers. UVA/Fe2.5Co0.3Zn0.2O4/PS process brought about 67% of SFL degradation in real wastewater. Moreover, 85% of TOC removal was achieved within 15 h of the above-mentioned process. Eventually, the phototoxicity of the untreated and treated SFL solution after 120 min of the UVA/Fe2.5Co0.3Zn0.2O4/PS process was studied using Lemna minor aquatic species.

The application of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanomaterials as catalysts has attracted great interest due to their unique structural features. It also triggered the need to study their fate and behavior in the aquatic environment. In the present study, Zn-Fe nanolayered double hydroxides (Zn-Fe LDHs) were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses. The toxicity of the home-made Zn-Fe LDHs catalyst was examined by employing a variety of aquatic organisms from different trophic levels, namely the marine photobacterium Vibrio fischeri, the freshwater microalga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna, and the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. From the experimental results, it was evident that the acute toxicity of the catalyst depended on the exposure time and type of selected test organism. Zn-Fe LDHs toxicity was also affected by its physical state in suspension, chemical composition, as well as interaction with the bioassay test medium.

In this study, the photocatalytic regeneration by ZnO was employed for the regeneration of the granular activated carbon (GAC) which was saturated with the reactive red 43. The ultrasound was applied as a pretreatment step due to the cleanup of the adsorbent surface and providing a higher surface area and adsorption capacity. According to the nitrogen gas adsorption-desorption results, the ultrasound pretreated-GAC had the highest surface area and the total pore volume. The SEM and XRD analyses confirmed the immobilization of ZnO nanoparticles on the GAC. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to model and optimize the preparation of the granular activated carbon/ZnO nanocomposite. The sonication time, pH, GAC/ZnO ratio, and calcination temperature were used as four effective parameters on nanocomposite preparation. Optimum amounts of pH, GAC/ZnO ratio, calcination temperature, and sonication time were found to be equal to 4, 5, 300 °C, 210 min, respectively; in these conditions, 83.98% of the capacity of the exhausted granular activated carbon was regenerated. ANOVA results, high R₂, R₂-adj values, and also normal and random distribution of residuals showed that application of RSM for the modeling and optimizing the preparation step of GAC/ZnO nanocomposite was successful. Refereed/Peer-reviewed