Contamination of wastewater by toxic metals is a global environmental concern. In this study, the possibility of using inactive (dead) Sargassum bacilluria powder as a natural adsorbent was investigated in the removal of cadmium from aqueous solutions. The biosorption process was found to be highly dependent on a set of variables such as pH, temperature, contact time, shaking speed and initial metal concentration. The results showed an optimum pH value, (6.0) for cadmium, where was the biosorption capacity (842.15±0.252) for cadmium, and the lowest biosorption value for Cd was found at pH 2.0. The optimum temperature in this study was 30 °C. The time required for equilibrium was investigated over a period of 360 min and found to be 180 min. The capacity of biosorption increased with increasing shaking speed, and the highest uptake value was found at 120 rpm. The maximum removal of Cd+2 was found at 20 mg/l. The models Freundlich and Langmuir were used to study the equilibrium process of these systems. The Langmuir model was found to be more suitable for the interpretation of these systems by the value of the correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. Brown seaweed powder is an effective, low-cost, .and environmentally friendly adsorbent for removing metals from aqueous solutions, according to the results obtained.

Abstract

It has been described the development of electrochemical nano sensor for the detection of mercury ions from aqueous solutions based on the formation of polyaniline nanoparticle films. Screen printed carbon electrodes were modified with polyaniline nanoparticles. Electropolymerization of polyaniline nanoparticles was performed by the pulsed potentiostatic method. The sample of polyaniline nanoparticles was prepared by repeating the potential step process three times. Structural and morploigcal characterization of polyaniline nanoparticles modified screen printed carbon electrode was performed using Fourier Transmission infrared (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). PANI nanoparticles were spherical shaped having an apparent dimeter varying from 20 to 45 nm. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry was used for the detection of Hg(II) on PANI NPs modified screen printed carbon electrode under optimized conditions. Hg(II) was deposited for 60 seconds by the reduction of Hg(II) in buffer solution:(citric acid and sodium chloride pH 2.30), followed by Hg stripping between 0.3 and 0.8 V at the following parameters: Scan rate: 100 mV s-1, frequency: 60 Hz, amplitude: 0.025 V and increment: 4.0 mV. it was found that the PANI NPs modified screen printed carbon electrode had a highest anodic stripping peak current in solution of pH 2.30. The limit of detection value for Hg(II) was found to be 2.50 ± 0.03 ppb. The limits of detections determined are below the corresponding guideline value from the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, the modified nano electrode exhibited excellent reproducibility and high stability. The developed method was successfully applied to determine Hg(II) in real water samples with satisfactory results.

 carbon materials2 through their unique combination of excellent processability and high carbon yield. The enediyne functionality of the monomers undergo a thermal Bergman cycloaromatization reaction that yields reactive naphthalene diradicals which polymerize to form polynapthalene.(Figure 1) The tetrafunctionality of the monomers allows for both a higher processing window due to extensive branching and ultimately the formation of network polymers. The high carbon yield results in less shrinkage of the polymer upon pyrolysis to the glassy carbon state. This allows for the faithful templating of carbon structures from a polymeric precursor.

Hydrogen fuel cell electrodes require several properties for optimum performance. An ideal electrode would have as high a surface area as possible with an uniform dispersion of nano-scale catalyst particles attached to the surface. The electrode must be electrically conductive and have good mass transport for products and reactants. Carbon supported platinum is the best known catalyst for the oxidation of hydrogen at the anode and the reduction of oxygen at the cathode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) 3. The material also must have good compatibility with the material used for the proton exchange membrane in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), usually a sulfonated fluoropolymer such as Nafion. We have undertaken a study to prepare a high surface area carbon material through a BODA templating method which can then be functionalized with both well dispersed platinum nanoparticles …

The effect of Aldrich humic acid (HA) on the mobility of {sup 137}Cs, {sup 85}Sr, {sup 152}Eu and {sup 239}Pu radionuclides was studied in Ca-montmorillonite suspensions. Verified 2-sites-2-species (2s2s) models correspond to an intensive interaction of all elements with humificated surface, what is in a remarkable contrast with the weak complexation of cesium and even strontium in solutions - the neutral ligand interaction constants {beta} (l/mol) are log {beta} < -9.9 and 7.56 {+-} 0.21 for Cs and Sr, respectively. The result for europium complexation in solution, log {beta} = 12.49 {+-} 0.18 is in a good agreement with literature data. For plutonium(IV) not only high proton competitive constant in solution was obtained, log {beta} = (-0.67 {+-} 0.32)+3pH, but also a strong chemisorption, which at high concentrations of humic acid (above 0.05 g/l) indicates the formation of bridge humate complexes of plutonium on the humificated surface. Logarithms of heterogeneous interaction constants ({beta}{sub 10}, l/g) of the elements with surface humic acid are 4.47 {+-} 0.23, 4.39 {+-} 0.08, and 6.40 {+-} 0.33 for Cs, Sr, and Eu(III), respectively, and the logarithm of the proton competitive constant ({beta}{sub 24}, l/g) for Pu(IV) -3.80 {+-}0.72. Distribution coefficients of humic acid and metal humates between 0.01 g HA/l solution and montmorillonite were derived as log K{sub d}(AH) = -1.04 {+-} 0.11, log K{sub d}(EuA) = 1.56 {+-} 0.11 and log K{sub d}(PuA) = 2.25 {+-} 0.04, while the values for Cs and Sr were obtained with very high uncertainty. Speciation of the elements on montmorillonite surface is illustrated as a function of equilibrium concentration of humic acid in solution and of pH.

Abstract

The high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and radiochromatography (HPSERC) was used for the identification of radiocesium and radiostrontium interaction with humic acid. It was found that the behavior of humic acid on size-exclusion chromatography is sensitive to the salt concentration and pH of the mobile phase. At lower ionic strength and in acidic region of pH, the Aldrich humic acid exhibited three main fraction within the ranges > 760 kDa, 25-100 kDa and < 5 kDa. Radiocesium was found in the low-molecular fractions (< 1 kDa) of humic acids but radiostrontium interacts preferably with the fractions of humic acid of molecular weight within the range 2-5 kDa. (author) 27 refs.