Hydrophobic Cross-Linked Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-Based Sorbents for Oil Spill Applications

With the increase of industrialization and urbanization, humankind faces massive oil-based pollution due to tanker accidents, human error, and natural disasters. For this, hydrophobic sorbents are fabricated and their applications for the removal of oil from polluted water sources are investigated. These hydrophobic sorbents are prepared by the condensation reaction of poly(dimethylsiloxane) and tris[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]isocyanurate cross-linker via bulk polymerization. The obtained sorbents exhibit high oil sorption capacity, fast absorption–desorption kinetics, and great reusability. Moreover, they can selectively absorb oil from the water surface, thus making them practical for water clean-up applications.     

Comparative analysis of formaldehyde and toluene sorption on indoor floorings and consequence on Indoor Air Quality

Indoor surfaces may be adsorptive sinks with the potential to change Indoor Air Quality. To estimate this effect, the sorption parameters of formaldehyde and toluene were assessed on five floorings by an experimental method using solid-phase microextraction in an airtight emission cell. Adsorption rate constants ranged from 0.003 to 0.075 m·h⁻¹, desorption rate constants from 0.019 to 0.51 h⁻¹, and the partition coefficient from 0.005 to 3.9 m, and these parameters vary greatly from one volatile organic compound/material couple to another indicating contrasted sorption behaviors. A rubber was identified as a sink of formaldehyde characterized by a very low desorption constant close to 0. For these sorbent floorings identified, the adsorption rates of formaldehyde are from 2 to 4 times higher than those of toluene. Two models were used to evaluate the sink effects of floorings on indoor pollutant concentrations in one room from different realistic conditions. The scenarios tested came to the conclusion that the formaldehyde sorption on one rubber (identified as a sink) has a maximum contribution from 15% to 21% for the conditions of low air exchange rate. For other floorings, the sorption has a minor contribution less than or equal to 5%, regardless of the air exchange rate.     

Crystal violet dye sorption and transport in/through biobased PVA cryogel membranes

Cryogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA] and three types of bioinsertions such as scleroglucan, cellulose microfibers, and zein, respectively, have been prepared using capacity of PVA to crosslink by repeated freezing–thawing cycles. The effect of the incorporation of biopolymers on the properties of PVA cryogel has been studied by using several techniques such as: scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared studies. The obtained biobased cryogel membranes were subjected to sorption and to diffusion experiments using Crystal Violet (CV), a dye commonly used in the textile industry and in medicine. Image analysis with CIELAB system was used both to monitor the cryogels loading with CV and to gain insight in the dye state into the gel, in correlation with the bioinsertion type and gels morphology. Dye diffusion but also sorption capacity of the cryogels was found to be closely related to the type of biopolymer. In this article the equilibrium (sorption isotherms) and transport properties (diffusion and permeability coefficients) of CV, in/through physical cross‐linked PVA hydrogel membranes with bioinsertions has been reported. The highest efficiency for the CV removal from aqueous solutions was obtained for the PVA/Scl cryogels. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41838.     

Reasons for breaking of chemical bonds of gas molecules during movement of explosion products in cracks formed in rock mass

The purpose of this study was to develop a physico-mathematical model and technique for estimation of chemical bond stability depending on electric field intensity of an external point charge. A hypothesis for a possible physico-chemical mechanism of the formation of additional harmful gases in the rock destruction by blasting was proposed. The theoretical basis of the hypothesis is the method of theretical evaluation of bond energy depending on the distance to a point charge, the third Coulomb centre. The quantum-mechanical model for calculating the electronic terms of molecules makes it possible to solve problems associated with the determination of parameters of molecules under the action of various physical fields on the system under consideration. The model was approved for some diatomic molecules. The discrepancy between the experimental data and calculated data did not exceed 14%, which proves accuracy of the obtained results. The model can be used in the field of research into the causes of gas-dynamic phenomena in underground coal mines, in studies of the degree of stability of nanostructured components of coal under physical influences, and in the theoretical design of new compounds and structures in the field of nanomaterial science and nanotechnology.     

Removal of As(V) Ions from Solution by Akaganeite bgr-FeO(OH) Nanocrystals

The original method is developed for producing the new inorganic sorption material of akaganeite bgr-FeO(OH). The material in question is characterized relative to arsenic contained in aqua. The possibility is established for removing arsenate ions from water by contemporary physicochemical methods.     

聚酰亚胺渗透汽化膜的研究(Ⅰ)膜的制备和结构对动态吸附特性的影响

以2种二酐，3种二胺为单体，两步法制备了6种不同结构的聚酰亚胺均质膜，通过红外光谱和元素分析证实了其重复单元的分子结构，测定了这几种膜的物理性质和对水蒸气的动态吸附性能，并计算出其反常扩散指数dw。实验表明，随着聚合物二胺单元分子结构的变化，按MDA、ODA、PDA的顺序，密度逐渐变大，链间距逐渐减小，链堆砌变得紧密，水蒸气在膜中的吸附和扩散也变慢，并出现从正常扩散到反常扩散的过渡现象。     

Metal sorption by biomass of melanin‐producing fungi grown in clay‐containing medium

The sorption of toxic metals by fungal mycelia grown in clay‐containing medium is reported in this work. Biomass of melanin‐producing microfungi of the genus Cladosporium (C cladosporioides, C resinae and C herbarum) and Aureobasidium pullulans, clay minerals and fungal mycelia grown in clay‐containing medium were compared for their equilibrium Cu and Cd uptake from pH‐buffered solutions using experimental sorption isotherms. Bentonite (Cherkassy) in the natural form was shown to be the best Cu sorbent compared with the other clays and clay minerals tested. Cu sorption isotherms fitted the Langmuir sorption model for all cases. Comparison of Cu and Cd uptake for biomass and bentonite showed a lower biomass uptake capacity but a considerably higher affinity of the biosorbent for the solute. The presence of kaolinite and palygorskite in the medium generally reduced both Cu and Cd sorption capacity and the metal‐binding ability of the fungal–clay mixtures. In contrast, addition of bentonite into the medium did not appreciably alter the Cd sorption ability but increased the sorption of Cu by A pullulans and C cladosporioides grown in this medium. A common feature for all fungi grown in the presence of bentonite was an increase in the Cu sorption capacity (Q_max) of the biomineral sorbents and a reduction in their affinity (Langmuir parameter b) compared with control biomass. A difference between predicted and experimental data obtained for biomass grown on bentonite medium was also observed. The connection between the sorption capacity of biomass grown in clay‐containing medium, mycelial morphology and the structure of fungal pellets is discussed and a mechanism for the changed sorption capacity of the combined biomineral sorbents is proposed which involves blocking or modification of binding sites on biotic and abiotic components of the ‘biomineral’ association. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Sorption of Acid Green 25 on chitosan: Influence of experimental parameters on uptake kinetics and sorption isotherms

Acid Green 25, which is a diazoic dye bearing two sulfonic groups, is efficiently sorbed on chitosan. The protonation of chitosan may explain the electrostatic attraction of this anionic dye and that its optimum pH is close to 3. Preliminary protonation of amine groups (obtained by contact with a sulfuric acid solution) reduced the variation of solution pH following sorbent addition but significantly reduced sorption performance: the maximum sorption capacity of raw chitosan, 525 mg dye/g (0.84 mmol dye/g), was halved by acidic preconditioning. The acidic conditioning also reduced the kinetic rate—the time necessary to reach equilibrium increased up to threefold depending on the experimental conditions. The size of sorbent particles influenced sorption kinetics and equilibrium because of resistance to intraparticle diffusion, but the sorption appeared to occur not only at the surface of the sorbent but also in the intraparticle network of the polymer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1073–1080, 2003     

Storage stability of a high protein food beverage powder prepared from the Nigerian ‘red skin’ groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) protein concentrates

A high protein, groundnut-based powder reconstitutable into a milk-like beverage was packed in polyethylene bags and in lacquered tin cans, and stored at both room temperature (25 ± 2°C) and in a domestic refrigerator (5 ± 2°C) for 60 days. Storage stability was evaluated by analysing periodically for changes in physical characteristics, proximate composition, and development of browning and rancidity, and assessing moisture sorption characteristics. Protein, lipid, total soluble sugars, peroxide value, total carbonyls and extinction values of the ethanolic extract remained practically constant during storage. The isotherm curves exhibited the characteristic sigmoidal shape typical of high protein foods. There was a greater increase in density, hygroscopicity and wettability in polyethylene-packed samples at both temperatures suggesting that the lacquered tin can leads to better keeping quality for this product.     

Thermodynamic state of reinforced interpenetrating polymer networks

The free energies of mixing of two networks in the interpenetrating polymer network based on crosslinked polyurethane and poly(ester acrylate) have been determined by the vapour sorption method. It was established that the constituent networks in the IPN are not miscible. The introduction of fillers of different chemical nature increases the compatibility. The thermodynamic affinity of the fillers to the individual networks and IPN was estimated. It was established that when the free energy of interaction of one or both components of the IPN with the filler is negative, reinforcement leads to the formation of a compatible and equilibrium system. For fillers having no affinity to the polymers, compatibilization is observed, which is connected with slowing down of phase separation in the system in the presence of filler.