UV/S2O82− process for degrading polyvinyl alcohol in aqueous solutions

This investigation evaluates the effectiveness of the UV/S₂O₈²⁻ process in the degradation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in aqueous solutions without adjusting their pH. The effects of UV wavelength and Na₂S₂O₈ dosage on the efficiency of degradation of PVA were examined. The efficiency of degradation of PVA under UV-254 nm exceeded that under UV-365 nm. A larger Na₂S₂O₈ dosage was associated with a higher efficiency of degradation of PVA under UV-254 nm irradiation. However, an excessive Na₂S₂O₈ dosage inhibited the degradation of PVA by the UV-365 nm/S₂O₈²⁻ process. Both UV-254 nm/S₂O₈²⁻ and UV-365 nm/S₂O₈²⁻ processes exhibited pseudo-first-order kinetics. SO₄⁻ was detected by performing quenching studies using specific alcohols, revealing that SO₄⁻ was found to be the predominant radical in the UV-254 nm/S₂O₈²⁻ process. Additionally, the presence of inorganic anions with various effects inhibited the degradation of PVA by the UV-254 nm/S₂O₈²⁻ process. Complete degradation of PVA (20 mg/L) was achieved within 5 min under UV-254 nm using an Na₂S₂O₈ dosage of 0.12 g/L in the absence of inorganic anions, indicating that UV irradiation to activate S₂O₈²⁻ promotes the degradation of PVA in aqueous solutions without adjusting their pH.     

Catalytic ozonation process using PAC/γ-Fe2O3 to Alizarin Red S degradation from aqueous solutions: a batch study

In the catalytic ozonation process used in this study, adsorption and chemical reactions were performed at the catalyst surface. This process can increase the efficiency of plain ozonation. The main aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of the catalytic ozonation process in removing Alizarin Red S dye from colored water by Fe₂O₃ coated on PAC. In this work, activated carbon powder/γ-Fe₂O₃ nano-composite was modified. The BET results showed that the surface area in PAC and PAC-γ-Fe₂O₃ nano-composite was 654 and 450?m² g^?1, respectively. In this study, the best pH for removal of ARS was found to be 9. At a higher pH, the efficiency of the process decreased gradually. According to studies, catalysts increase surface area and active sites for more ozone degradation. Also, the characterization of the catalyst will play a very important role in the COP. Also, the maximum removal efficiency was observed in catalyst dose 1.1?g l^?1. The study results showed that the highest mineralization rate in ARS degradation was related to O₃/PAC/γ-Fe₂O₃. The amount of mineralization in the SOP, O₃-PAC, and O₃/PAC/γ-Fe₂O₃ was 13, 25, and 40%, respectively. The finding of mineralization of ARS using the SOP reflected the low power of the ozonation process for the mineralization of pollutants.     

The effect of ultrasonic frequency and intensity upon electrode kinetic parameters for the Ag(S2O3)23−/Ag redox couple

This paper describes the effect of ultrasound on electrochemical parameters important in the removal of silver from photographic processing solutions. Decomposition voltages (obtained galvanostatically) and discharge potentials (obtained potentiostatically) for the reduction of the silver complex, Ag(S₂O₃)₂^3- was studied in dilute aqueous Na₂S₂O₃/NaHSO₃ solution on stainless steel and carbon disc electrodes in both the absence and presence of ultrasound. Under silent conditions, silver deposition is the main reaction occurring at the electrode. Under sonication at 20 kHz and 500 kHz, the reduction wave shifts anodically with increasing ultrasonic intensity. Similarly, the discharge of hydrogen and oxygen shifts anodically and cathodically respectively with increasing ultrasonic power. The decrease in decomposition voltage in the presence of ultrasound is due to the combined effect of a decrease in anodic overpotential and an increase in cathodic overpotential.     

Mechanism and kinetics analysis of the phenol degradation by Fe(Ⅱ)-EDTA/K2S2O8 process

考察了Fe(Ⅱ)-EDTA/K2S2O8体系降解苯酚的影响因素,并对体系中苯酚的降解机理和反应动力学进行了初步分析。结果表明,铁离子、氧化剂形态以及紫外光辐照、螯合剂的存在对氧化体系作用效果影响显著。EDTA剂量为0.5 mmol/L、Fe(Ⅱ)剂量为1.0 mmol/L、K2S2O8剂量为2.0 mmol/L、溶液初始pH值为7.0、温度为60 ℃的条件下反应60 min,浓度为100 mg/L的苯酚降解率为71.48%,同样条件下紫外光辐照时降解率可达89.38%。降解机理与动力学分析表明,苯酚在Fe(Ⅱ)-EDTA/K2S2O8体系中降解途径以与Fe4+络合降解为主。     

Comparative Study of Reactive Dyes Oxidation by H2O2/UV,H2O2/UV/Fe2+ and H2O2/UV/Fe° Processes

The decolorization and mineralization of two reactive dyes C.I. Reactive Blue 4 (RB 4) and C.I. Reactive Blue 268 (RB 268) were studied using various advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as H₂O₂/UV, H₂O₂/UV/Fe²⁺, and the H₂O₂/UV/Fe°. All processes were performed within a laboratory-scale photo-reactor setup. The experimental results were assessed in terms of absorbance (A) and total organic carbon (TOC) reduction. The main degradation products were identified by high resolution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry analyses. The results of our study demonstrated that the additions of moderate concentrations of H₂O₂ and Fe catalyst during the AOPs evidently increased the decolorization efficiencies within the first few minutes of the processing time (5–10 min) for both tested dyes, and prolonged irradiation does not necessarily significantly improve decolorization. On contrary, TOC removal rate increased with the processing time and with the addition of the catalyst from 40–50% up to 70–80% at defined experimental conditions. All the tested AOPs were very successful methods for RB 268 decolorization, having very complex structure and much higher molecular weight compared to the dye RB 4. This is important from both economic and ecological points of view.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics of U(Ⅵ) adsorption from aqueous solution by modified corncob

The corncob was microwave-assistedly modified by KMnO₄ and used for adsorption of U(Ⅵ)ions from aqueous solution.The kinetics and thermodynamics of their adsorption were measured using batch experiments.The results show that the kinetics of adsorption follows well the pseudo-second order equation,indicating that the uranium adsorption by the modified corncob is mainly chemisorption. The Langmuir,Freundlich and D-R isothermal adsorption models were used to relate the equilibrium data,finding that Langmuir isotherm of monolayer adsorption is better fitting them,pointing out that the adsorption mainly occurs on surface active sites of modified corncob.The values of apparent activation energy E_a and average adsorption energy E_s support also the suggestion that adsorption of U(Ⅵ) on modified corncob is mainly chemisorption,although some physical adsorption can not be got rid of.The thermodynamic parameters(ΔH,ΔS and ΔG)calculated from the adsorption isotherms at various temperatures indicated that the adsorption of U(Ⅵ)on modified corncob is an endothermic,spontaneous process and more favorable at higher temperature.     

Synthesis of ZrB2/SiC composite powders by single-step solution process from organic–inorganic hybrid precursor

A precursor of a zirconium diboride/silicon carbide (ZrB₂/SiC) composite was synthesised via an organic–inorganic hybrid derived from gum karaya, tetraethyl orthosilicate, boric acid and zirconyl chloride starting materials. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the as-synthesised dried hybrid revealed the formation of Si–O, Zr–O–C and B–O–B. X-ray diffraction revealed that the powder consists of only ZrB₂ and β-SiC. Scanning electron microscopy and TEM of the composite powders showed that SiC and ZrB₂ occurred in intimately mixed aggregates of spheroidal submicron sized particles for low (3M) boric acid concentration, while at high (5M) boric acid concentration, the two phases are larger with the ZrB₂ adopting a blocky, angular morphology (～10–30?μm long by 5?μm wide and thick), while the SiC remains spheroidal with ～1?μm diameter particles in 10–20?μm diameter aggregates. Thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis with the help of X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the formation temperature was low at 1275°C for ZrB₂ and 1350°C for the SiC with 40?wt-% yield.     

Low-temperature synthesis and microwave dielectric properties of trirutile-structure MgTa2O6 ceramics by aqueous sol–gel process

Trirutile-structure MgTa₂O₆ ceramics were prepared by aqueous sol–gel method and microwave dielectric properties were investigated. Highly reactive nanosized MgTa₂O₆ powders were successfully synthesized at 500 °C in oxygen atmosphere with particle sizes of 20–40 nm. The evolution of phase formation was detected by DTA–TG and XRD. Sintering characteristic and microwave dielectric properties of MgTa₂O₆ ceramics were studied at different temperatures ranging from 1100 to 1300 °C. With the increase of sintering temperature, density, ?_r and Q · f values increased and saturated at 1200 °C with excellent microwave properties of ?_r ～ 30.1, Q · f ～ 57,300 GHz and τ_f ～ 29 ppm/°C. The sintering temperature of MgTa₂O₆ ceramics was significantly reduced by aqueous sol–gel process compared to conventional solid-state method.     

Design of spark plasma sintering parameters and preparation of Al2O3/TiB2/TiC micro–nano composite ceramic tool material

A microstructure evolution model for the ceramic materials was constructed, and the spark plasma sintering parameters were optimized using the model to shorten the designing period and reduce the consumption of the material. Based on the optimized sintering parameters, the ceramic tool material with a composition of Al₂O₃, TiB₂, and TiC proved to be a success. It verified that the materials prepared under the optimized sintering parameters exhibited excellent mechanical properties. The results showed when sintered at 1600°C, under the pressure of 40 MPa and with the holding period of 7 min, the materials with 70% Al₂O₃, 20% TiB₂, and 10% nano-TiC possess the relatively best performance, with the hardness, fracture toughness, and flexure strength being 20.3 GPa, 10.5 MPa/m², and 839.5 MPa, respectively.     

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from methanol aqueous solution under visible-light using Cu/S–TiO2 prepared by electroless plating method

Cu was loaded on the S-doped TiO₂ by electroless plating method. The prepared Cu/S–TiO₂ exhibited high photocatalytic activity for hydrogen generation, and the yield is up to 7.5 mmol h^− 1 g^− 1cat in methanol solution. Their physical structure and chemical properties were characterized by UV–Vis, XRD, XPS and EXAFS. The copper species were CuO and Cu₂O, and the sample showed excellent visible light absorption ability. Comparing with the sample prepared by chemical reducing method, the electroless plated copper on S–TiO₂ was highly dispersed, which could facilitate photo-generated charges capture, transfer and separation.     

Ceramic Raschig Rings—Improving Removal of Organic Compounds from Landfill Leachate by Perozone (O3/H2O2)

For improving the treatment of landfill leachate by combination O₃/H₂O₂, ceramic Raschig rings (CRR) with different surface areas were added to enhance mass transfer of ozone into liquid phase. To determine optimal conditions of reaction, pH and reaction time was also studied. The optimal pH range of 8–9, optimal reaction time of 80 min was identified in this research. CRR contribute to the significant improvement of efficiency of landfill leachate treatment by O₃/H₂O₂ systems. With added CRR of 728 m²/m³ surface area, color, COD and TOC removal was increased in comparison with experiment without CRR is 8%, 14%, and 9%, respectively. In this condition, the ozone utilization efficiency was also higher than that of experiment without CRR. Content of O₃ was also identified uses 3.441 kg O₃/kg COD.     

Degradation of surfactant used in iron mining by oxidation technique: Fenton,photo-Fenton,and H2O2/UV—A comparative study

Reuse of water in mining helps reduce the volume of tailings directed to dams, avoiding overloads and ruptures, as occurred in Brumadinho, Brazil. Water reuse in mining requires treatment mainly for removing the surfactant substances used. Photo-Fenton and UV/H₂O₂ showed 96% to 98% degradation results of anionic surfactants within 5 minutes, suggesting this technique is faster than biological systems that can take days. This paper aims to study the degradation of a surfactant used in the flotation process by UV/H₂O₂, Fenton, and photo-Fenton oxidation techniques. The compound was characterized by FTIR and MALDI-TOF. In degradation experiments, the variation in reactants concentrations was evaluated with hydrogen peroxide, iron sulphate heptahydrate, and oxalic acid. We used a synthetic solution of surfactant in the reverse flotation of ore with 180 mg/L. The reaction was monitored with TOC analysis and a spectrophotometer throughout the reaction. The UV/H₂O₂ and Fenton system were studied by varying peroxide and iron concentrations, with 120 minute tests. Additionally, photo-Fenton concentrations, the pH variation (1.5-8.0), temperature (15°C, 21°C, and 60°C), and time were evaluated. The results showed the most efficient degradation was that using photo-Fenton, which achieved total TOC removal using 4500 mg/L of peroxide and 364 mg/L of iron for 330 minutes, while the UV/H₂O₂ system achieved 29% and 49% TOC removal of the Fenton. It is verified that the oxidative processes can be applied to degrade the surfactants present in the water recovered from the flotation processes.     

Direct H2-to-H2O2 oxidation over highly active/selective Br–F–Pd/Al2O3 catalyst in aqueous acidic medium: Influence of process conditions on the H2O2 formation

The influence of the O₂/H₂ mole ratio in the gaseous feed and also those of other reaction conditions [viz. concentration of H₃PO₄ (0–5 mol/dm³), temperature (5–50 °C), gas (H₂ and O₂) space velocity (5.8–23.4 h^?1) and reaction time (0.1–8 h)] on the H₂O₂ formation in the H₂-to-H₂O₂ oxidation over the Br(1 wt%)–F(1 wt%)–Pd(5 wt%)/Al₂O₃ catalyst in an aqueous acidic (H₃PO₄) medium have been thoroughly investigated. The effects of the O₂/H₂ ratio, reaction temperature and acid concentration on the destruction of H₂O₂ by its decomposition and/or hydrogenation reactions over the catalyst in the acidic reaction medium have also been studied. The net H₂O₂ formation (H₂O₂ yield) over the catalyst passed through a maximum with increasing the acid concentration, the temperature or the O₂/H₂ feed ratio. However, it decreased markedly with increasing the gas space velocity or the reaction period. The H₂O₂ decomposition and hydrogenation activities of the catalyst increased appreciably with increasing the reaction temperature and decreased with increasing the acid concentration. The H₂O₂ destruction during the H₂-to-H₂O₂ oxidation increased with increasing the concentration of H₂ (relative to that of O₂) due to the increased H₂O₂ hydrogenation rate over the catalyst. The net H₂O₂ formation in the H₂-to-H₂O₂ oxidation decreased sharply with increasing the initial amount of H₂O₂ present in the reaction mixture. The presence of H₂O₂ and the higher H₂/O₂ ratios have detrimental effects on the net formation of H₂O₂.     

Sorption of dissolved organics from aqueous solution by polystyrene resins—II. External and internal mass transfer

External and internal mass transfer were characterized for the sorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol and p-nitrophenol on polystyrene resins. An evaluation method is presented which estimated the external mass-transfer coefficient, κ_L, from the concentration uptake in an integral fixed-bed reactor. The experimental κ_L values are compared with values predicted using four different empirical correlations. The effect of axial dispersion on the values of κ_L was shown to be small under the given conditions.To quantify the intraparticle mass transfer, an effective diffusion coefficient, D_eff, was estimated using the pore diffusion model interpretation of data from a differential column reactor within a recirculated batch system. The D_eff values depend on both resin structure and solute properties. Values of D_eff between 0.3 × 10⁻⁹ and 1.8 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s were observed for macroporous resins, which exceed values that are characteristic of pore diffusion, and a value of 0.6 × 10⁻¹¹ m²/s was estimated for a microporous resin.     

Sorption of dissolved organics from aqueous solution by polystyrene resins—I. Resin characterization and sorption equilibrium

The results of sorption equilibrium studies indicate that adsorption is only one of the three mechanisms involved in removing organics from aqueous solution by polystyrene resins. The other two mechanisms are associated with the resin's capability to incorporate organics into their polymer matrix while swelling. To describe the overall sorption behaviour, it is not sufficient to characterize the resin structure by estimating pore size distribution and internal surface area of the dry polymers. The amount of swelling in different organic solvents must also be evaluated as an important structural parameter of polystyrene resins. The role of the different mechanisms depends on both the resin structure and the physical and chemical properties of the solute. The solute's affinity for the polystyrene surface can be correlated with the solute's benzene-water partition coefficient. A heuristic model is presented which relates the sorption capacity to both the resin and solute properties.     

Preparation of Ni1−xMnxFe2O4 ferrites by sol–gel method and study of their cation distribution

The spinel ferrite nanoparticles of the system Ni_1?xMn_xFe₂O₄ with x=0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 were prepared by sol–gel auto combustion technique using chlorides of Ni, Mn and Fe as a source with citric acid as chelating agent. The structure of the ferrite materials and the particle size were determined by XRD, it was observed that the structure was a single phase, face centered cubic with lattice parameter ranging from 8.365 Å to 8.394 Å and the particle size ranging from 23.86 Å to 38.30 Å. The lattice parameter showed a linear dependence on concentration in accordance with the Vegard's law. By analyzing XRD patterns, the cation distribution over A and B-sites was estimated through the R-Factor method. The magnetic moment for each sample was determined from cation distribution on the two sites. An enhancement in the net magnetic moment was observed with gradual increase in the Mn content.     

Hydrogenation of vegetable oil using highly dispersed Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst: Effects of key operating parameters and deactivation study

In the present work, Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts with high metal dispersion were prepared and characterized using chloroplatinic acid and platinum acetylacetonate as metal precursors. The activity and selectivity of the catalysts were evaluated in the hydrogenation of sunflower oil. A comprehensive analysis of the effects of key operational parameters on catalytic performance was carried out. The experimental variables were hydrogen pressure (275.8–551.6 kPa), temperature (160–200°C), and catalyst loading (0.005–0.015 kg Pt_exp/m³_oil). Platinum catalysts were active, with a double bond conversion of 28% at 2 h. The metal precursor affected catalyst selectivity. The catalyst prepared with chloroplatinic acid exhibited a lower formation of trans-isomers compared with Pt acetylacetonate. The γ-Al₂O₃ supported platinum catalyst with a metal loading of 0.51 wt.% and a metal dispersion of 98% maintained its initial catalyst activity and selectivity after 10 consecutive uses (1200 min accumulate operation time), without changes in its catalytic properties. The obtained results suggested that Pt catalysts are an attractive alternative to conventional nickel catalysts for the hydrogenation of vegetable oil.     

Structure and microwave dielectric properties of Ba1−xSrxMg2V2O8 ceramics

The Ba_1−xSr_xMg₂V₂O₈ (0≤x≤0.4) microwave dielectric ceramics were fabricated by a standard solid-state reaction method. The formation of a continuous solid solution within the whole composition range was identified. The ceramic samples could be well densified in the temperature range of 885–975 °C in air for 4 h. The permittivity ε_r was found to increase with increasing ionic polarizabilities. The Q×f values were believed to be closely related with packing fraction and grain refinement. The Sr²⁺ substitution contributed to a monotonous increase of the A-site bond valence, such that the τ_f value experienced a considerable variation from negative to positive values. The optimum microwave dielectric properties of an ε_r of 13.3, a high Qxf of 86,640 GHz (9.6 Hz) and a near-zero τ_f of −6 ppm/°C could be yielded in the x=0.15 sample when sintered at 915 °C for 4 h.     

Generation of protonic acid sites from pentane on the surfaces of Pt/SO42−-ZrO2 and Zn/H-ZSM5 evidenced by IR study of adsorbed pyridine

Pyridinium ion was formed from pyridine, which had been bound to Lewis acid sites on Pt/SO₄^2?-ZrO₂ and Zn/H-ZSM5 by contact with pentane vapor. Protonic acid sites were generated on these surfaces by contact with pentane. The protonic acid sites generated in the presence of pentane were eliminated when pentane was removed from gas phase. The generation of the protonic acid sites occurred above 350 K for Pt/SO₄^2?-ZrO₂ and above room temperature for Zn/H-ZSM5.     

Mechanism of the action of Ag and As on the anodic corrosion of lead and oxygen evolution at the Pb/PbO(2−x)/H2O/O2/H2SO4 electrode system

When a Pb electrode, immersed in H₂SO₄ solution, is polarized anodically in the PbO₂ potential range the Pb/PbO(_2−x)/H₂O/O₂/H₂SO₄ electrode system is established. Oxygen is evolved at the oxide—solution interface. The oxygen atoms formed as intermediates diffuse into the anodic layer and oxidize the metal. Through a solid-state reaction, the metal is oxidized first to tet-PbO and then to PbO₂. By studying the changes in the rate—potential relations of the above reactions, as well as the phase and chemical composition of the anodic layer, it was possible to elucidate the effect of Ag and As on these processes. The additives were introduced into the electrode system either by alloying with lead or by dissolving them in the H₂SO₄ solution. When added to the solution, both Ag and As lower the overvoltage of the oxygen evolution reaction. They have practically no effect on the corrosion reaction under galvanostatic polarization conditions. If alloyed in the metal, Ag reduces the oxidation rate of Pb significantly, while As enhances it. Both additives lower the stoichiometric number of the anodic oxide layer, ie they retard the oxidation of PbO to PbO₂. The results of these investigations were used to develop further the model of the mechanism of the reactions proceeding during the anodic oxidation of lead in H₂SO₄ solutions.