Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Jie Wang, Liangjie Fu, Huaming Yang
Summary: This study investigated the interlayer bonding, structure evolution, and energetics of methanol intercalated kaolinite (Kaol) using density functional theory (DFT) calculation and experimental characterizations. The intercalation process is energy-consuming and is affected by the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The formation energy from intermediate structures to final structures is reduced under the participation of water.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Tyler J. Hannah, David Megson, Courtney D. Sandau
Summary: There is an increasing awareness of paints and pigments as a source of by-product PCBs in the environment. This review identified the presence of 149 different PCBs in paint samples, which is more than what has been reported in commercial Aroclor formulations. The study also provides valuable information on the mechanisms of PCB formation in pigments, dyes, and paints, as well as additional classes of pigments that are expected to contain PCBs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wasan A. Muslim, Talib M. Albayati, Salam K. Al-Nasri
Summary: Batch adsorption using Iraqi bentonite as a natural adsorbent showed a high removal efficiency of about 95.66% for Cs-137 decontamination from radioactive wastewater. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm and pseudo-second-order models were found to be suitable for Cs-137 adsorption. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process was endothermic, spontaneous, and favorable.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alex Kugler, Hailiang Dong, Chen Li, Cheng Gu, Charles E. Schaefer, Youn Jeong Choi, Danielle Tran, Morgan Spraul, Christopher P. Higgins
Summary: A method of degrading PFOS using hydrated electrons generated from IAA upon UV irradiation was developed, achieving 40-70% defluorination at neutral pH. The spatial proximity of IAA and PFOS on an organic polymer was found to be effective for this process, even in the presence of bicarbonate and chloride ions or natural groundwater. This approach provides an alternative for treating concentrated PFAS solutions under ambient conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shixi Wu, Zhen Yang, Fang Wang, Xin Jin, Fredrick Kengara, Kai Xi, Wenwen Fang, Weiben Yang, Yinping Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrates that Fe modified montmorillonite can enhance the sorption capacity for hydrophobic organic pollutants, but the sorption capacity is suppressed when γ-Fe2O3 aggregates on the montmorillonite surfaces. A new phase mainly containing the pollutant is generated during the sorption process.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hayato Shobuke, Takumi Matsumoto, Fumiya Hirosawa, Masaya Miyagawa, Hiromitsu Takaba
Summary: In this study, machine learning was used to estimate the adsorbed amount of organoclay. By collecting adsorption data from various sources and constructing models using random forest regression, the adsorbed amount of organoclay could be estimated quantitatively. The results also provided insights into important factors in the adsorption mechanisms, such as the combination of organoclay and adsorbates, as well as the selection of clay.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jason W. Stuckey, Jovan Livada, Carmen Enid Martinez
Summary: Clay minerals, especially Na-2-mica, have high selectivity for copper sorption and show potential for remediating contaminated water and surface soils. Na-2-mica exhibits strong resistance to copper desorption due to strong Cu retention mechanisms, while montmorillonite reversibly retains copper ions.
APPLIED CLAY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Ivan Argatov, Vitaly Kocherbitov
Summary: A new fitting model for sorption by glassy polymers is proposed based on the Flory-Huggins equation with a composite formula for the interaction parameter chi. The study shows a correlation between the endpoint of the glass transition region and the position of the maximum of the interaction parameter, providing a theoretical framework for glass transition analysis. Through the analysis, the solvent-induced glass transition temperature variation can be estimated from the sorption isotherm.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gang Yang
Summary: In the face of increasing anthropogenic activities and global conflicts, there is an urgent need for energy supply, such as nuclear power derived from uranium minerals. However, uranium is highly radioactive and hazardous, necessitating advanced methods for cleaning uranium-contaminated water and ecosystems. Silicate minerals, comprising 90% of the Earth's crust, have been extensively studied for their ability to remove uranium and other heavy metals, due to their abundance, low cost, and high efficiency. This review focuses on the sorption and reduction of uranium (VI) by silicate minerals with well-defined pore structures, such as kaolinite, montmorillonite, silica, zeolites, and other naturally occurring or modified silicate minerals. Factors affecting the treatment process include pH, uranium (VI) concentration, ionic strength, temperature, and the presence of carbon dioxide and organic ligands. The pore structure and surface charge of silicate minerals play crucial roles in the sorption process, while modification and composite preparation can enhance uranium (VI) sorption. Reduction of uranium (VI) produces sparingly soluble uranium (IV) which prevents migration and facilitates sorption. Molecular dynamic simulations and density functional theory calculations can provide insights into the mechanism of uranium (VI) sorption and reduction when combined with experimental studies. Future research may focus on improving the alkali resistance and sorption selectivity of silica minerals for extracting uranium from seawater.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tatsuya Watanabe, Masataka Ito, Hironori Suzuki, Katsuhide Terada, Shuji Noguchi
Summary: This study aimed to reduce the deliquescence of Isosorbide (ISO) through cocrystallization and analyze the water adsorption mechanism from the crystal structure. Four new ISO cocrystals were identified, showing higher critical relative humidity values compared to ISO crystal. The amount of water adsorbed in the cocrystals was found to be related to the degree of exposure of ISO hydroxyl groups on the crystal surface. Based on various factors such as CRH, water adsorption, thermal stability, dissolution rate, and toxicity level of the coformer, ISO-gallic acid cocrystal was determined to be the most suitable for preparing a solid formulation of ISO.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhukela Lin, Yiwei Hu, Yijun Yuan, Baowei Hu, Binliang Wang
Summary: Microplastics have the potential to concentrate and transport heavy metals in the aquatic environment, with the sorption behavior of heavy metals onto them being pH and ionic strength dependent. Among the tested materials, polyvinylchloride PVC showed the highest maximum sorption capacity for lead (II) under the experimental conditions.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Maqbool Ur Rehman, Abdul Manan, Muhammad Uzair, Amir Sada Khan, Atta Ullah, Arbab Safeer Ahmad, Arshad Hussain Wazir, Ibrahim Qazi, Murad Ali Khan
Summary: This study focused on investigating and characterizing the adsorption properties of clay collected from the Kasho River in Bannu, Pakistan. The clay was used as a low-cost adsorbent to remove a cationic dye from aqueous solution, showing good adsorption performance and potential for wastewater treatment.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yanshan Lu, Hyunjeong Kim, Keiko Jimura, Shigenobu Hayashi, Kouji Sakaki, Kohta Asano
Summary: This study demonstrates that utilizing the immiscible Mg-Cr system can improve the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of Mg hydrides/deuterides. The formation of nanometer-sized MgD2 domains embedded in a Cr matrix lowers the reaction temperature and reduces the activation energy for hydrogen desorption. This novel strategy of nanostructuring MgH2 by an immiscible matrix shows promise in altering the thermodynamic and kinetic properties for solid-state hydrogen storage applications.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Aishwarya Soumitra Kar, Madhuri A. Patel, B. S. Tomar
Summary: The study found that the predominant mineral, montmorillonite, in smectite-rich clays has significant sorption characteristics towards radionuclides. The effect of sulphate on the sorption of Am(III) by Na-montmorillonite has been investigated. The study also examined the influence of pH, ionic strength, and [SO42- ] on the sorption of Am(III) by Na-montmorillonite. It was found that Am(III) sorption can be modeled by either =SOAmOH+ or =SOAmCO3, with lower Log K values compared to similar Eu(III) species.
JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chenchen Zhao, Jun Yao, Tatjana Solevic Knudsen, Jianli Liu, Xiaozhe Zhu, Bo Ma, Hao Li, Ying Cao, Bang Liu
Summary: A series of goethite-modified montmorillonite (GMt) materials were synthesized for the amelioration of cationic cadmium (Cd) and anionic arsenic (As) complex contaminants in soil and water bodies. The results showed that GMt-0.5 had the highest adsorption capacity for Cd(II) and As(III), and its amendment significantly reduced the availability of Cd and As in the soil. This study suggests that GMt-0.5 is a promising candidate for the simultaneous immobilization of metal (loid)s in both, aqueous solution and mine soil.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yue Cai, Xiaoyue Ma, Binbin Yuan, Guodong Fang, Hameed Ullah, Dongmei Zhou, Juan Gao
Summary: Metal oxide engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) offer opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This study found that ENMs significantly enhanced the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soybean tissues. Metabolomics analyses indicated that the co-exposure of PAHs and ENMs led to metabolic disturbance and reprogramming of multiple metabolic processes in soybean.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bo Fan, Xiaoshuai Li, Fengxiao Zhu, Jiahao Wang, Zhimin Gong, Shuai Shao, Xiaonan Wang, Changyin Zhu, Dongmei Zhou, Shixiang Gao
Summary: This study investigates the performance of sulfidated microscale zero valent iron in the degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The results show that sulfidated microscale zero valent iron exhibits excellent passivation resistance, high degradation efficiency, and reduced production of toxic by-products.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Feng Jing, Dongmei Zhou, Xiaomin Chen, Ruijuan Qu, Jianxin Tan
Summary: This study found that biochar can reduce the bioavailability of soil microelement zinc and limit its uptake by rice. Increasing application rate of biochar improves rice growth and soil electrical conductivity. Biochar can also limit the enrichment of DTPA-extracted zinc in <0.25mm soil aggregates and enhance the transformation of acid extractable zinc into reducible and oxidizable forms.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Hui Feng, Can-rong Zhou, Feng Zhu, Xiu-hu Le, De-dao Jing, Paul Daly, Dong-mei Zhou, Li-hui Wei
Summary: This study provides a detailed characterization of a novel source of resistance to Meloidogyne graminicola in rice. The rice variety Huidao 5 attracts the root nematodes but hinders their movement, resulting in reduced nematode numbers. The resistance is also observed under upland and flooding conditions. Cross breeding experiments suggest that a dominant gene controls the resistance. This study highlights the potential of this resistance source for crop breeding.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Nanyang Yu, Yiyan Deng, Xuebing Wang, Wei Shi, Dongmei Zhou, Bingcai Pan, Hongxia Yu, Si Wei
Summary: Antimicrobial transformation products (ATPs) in the environment have become a significant concern due to their potential health risks. However, limited research has been conducted on ATPs, and the transformation pathways of most antimicrobials remain unclear. This study used a non-target screening strategy based on molecular networks to identify ATPs in pharmaceutical wastewater and discovered 52 antimicrobials and 49 transformation products. Among them, 30 transformation products were previously unreported in the environment. Based on recent European criteria, the persistence, mobility, and toxicity (PMT) assessment of the transformation products revealed that 47 of them were potential PMT substances. These findings emphasize the need for further research on novel ATPs. A non-target screening strategy combining molecular networks and in silico tools for structure annotation was proposed, which identified novel ATPs with similar PMT characteristics as their parent antimicrobials.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xin-Ying Lin, Jia-Hui Liang, Duo -Duo Jiao, Jun-Xiu Chen, Ning Wang, Lena Q. Ma, Dongmei Zhou, Hong-Bo Li
Summary: The study assessed the reduction of rice nickel concentration and oral bioavailability through rice iron biofortification and dietary iron supplementation. Results showed that increasing rice iron concentration led to a decrease in nickel concentration due to inhibited nickel transport. Fe-biofortified rice had significantly lower nickel oral bioavailability when fed to mice. Dietary amendment of iron supplementation also reduced nickel oral bioavailability through down-regulation of duodenal iron transporter expression. These findings suggest that iron-based strategies can effectively reduce rice-nickel exposure.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dunfeng Si, Haotian Wu, Min Yang, Tingting Fan, Dengjun Wang, Lin Chen, Changyin Zhu, Guodong Fang, Song Wu, Dongmei Zhou
Summary: N-containing functional groups play a critical role in mediating As(III) oxidation by pyrogenic carbons. The oxidizing kinetics of As(III) were explained by the electron donating capacity and specific capacitance of low and high-temperature prepared pyrogenic carbons, respectively. The production of H2O2 and direct electron transfer were the main mechanisms of As(III) oxidation mediated by pyrogenic carbons.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qingnan Chu, Zhimin Sha, Detian Li, Yanfang Feng, Lihong Xue, Dongmei Zhou, Baoshan Xing
Summary: Oxygen nanobubble-loaded biochars have been found effective in reducing copper toxicity in paddy soils and improving crop productivity. This amendment improves the redox potential and dissolved oxygen concentration in the rhizosphere, promotes root iron plaque formation, and inhibits copper influx. It also enhances soil microbial diversity and increases bacterial genes abundance involved in copper complexation and export. The sequestered copper in root iron plaque and soil bacteria prevents its accumulation in edible parts of the plants.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Hui Li, Pulane Koosaletse-Mswela
Summary: This review provides an overview of the sources, sorption and transport behaviors, and remediation strategies of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soils. Biosolids land application and aqueous firefighting foam are the major sources of PFAS contamination in soils. The sorption of PFAS by soils involves multiple interaction mechanisms, influenced by PFAS chemical structures, soil properties, and surrounding solution chemistry. Remediation techniques for PFAS-contaminated sites have limited documented information, hindering the comparison and evaluation of specific remediation technologies. Future research prospects and knowledge gaps are also identified.
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiawei Huang, Guangping Fan, Cun Liu, Dongmei Zhou
Summary: This study developed machine learning models to predict the availability of soil cadmium, with the post-constraint eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model showing the best predictive performance. The study also found a significant correlation between soil available cadmium and the cadmium levels in wheat grains and rice grains.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bo Fan, Bingnan Zhou, Si Chen, Fengxiao Zhu, Bo Chen, Zhimin Gong, Xiaolei Wang, Changyin Zhu, Dongmei Zhou, Feng He, Shixiang Gao
Summary: This study proposed a new synthesis method for preparing Cu-Fe bimetals (Cu-Febm (CuSO4)) and found that the formation of Fe0/FeSx structure compensated for the negative effect of Cu2O on the activity of Cu-Febm (CuSO4) particles. The Cu-Febm (CuSO4) bimetals showed great potential for the removal of chlorinated hydrocarbons in water.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yixuan Wang, Danyu Huang, Chenghao Ge, Xiaolei Wang, Changyin Zhu, Ning Chen, Guodong Fang, Dongmei Zhou
Summary: Recently, the production of hydroxyl radical (&BULL;OH) during soil redox fluctuations has been reported, but the low efficiency of contaminant degradation hinders engineering remediation. This study found that the addition of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs), such as oxalic acid (OA) and citric acid (CA), significantly enhanced &BULL;OH production during oxygenation of anoxic paddy slurries. The highest &BULL;OH accumulation was observed with 0.5 mM CA due to its strong capacity for complexation.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lin Chen, Dengjun Wang, Tianran Sun, Tingting Fan, Song Wu, Guodong Fang, Min Yang, Dongmei Zhou
Summary: This study characterized the redox properties of weathered microplastics using multiple spectroscopic and electrochemical approaches, and demonstrated their role in mediating contaminant transformation. The findings provide a better understanding of the fate, transformation, and biogeochemical roles of microplastics on element cycling and contaminant fate.
FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qin Huang, Fei Tong, Yan Gao, Jinlin Chen, Dongmei Zhou, Zhiqiang Qu, Guangping Fan, Wei Chen, Gaoling Shi
Summary: Two types of Mn-modified biochar (MBC1 and MBC2) were prepared and found to efficiently remove As(III) from solution. MBC1 showed better oxidation and adsorption capacity than MBC2. The enhanced removal was attributed to the improved physicochemical properties of the biochar due to the presence of Mn-oxides, which promoted the adsorption of arsenic species and mitigated biochar surface passivation. The oxidation of As(III) via Mn(III) and Mn(IV) resulted in the production of As(V), which could then precipitate and be re-adsorbed on the biochar surface.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danyu Huang, Ning Chen, Yuan Lin, Chenghao Ge, Xiaolei Wang, Dixiang Wang, Changyin Zhu, Guodong Fang, Dongmei Zhou
Summary: This study found that carbon materials have significant effects on the cycling of iron and the production of hydroxyl radicals in paddy soils. Under anoxic conditions, carbon materials facilitate the reduction of trivalent iron in soils, while under oxygenation, they promote the oxidation of active divalent iron, resulting in higher yield of hydroxyl radicals. This provides a new insight for remediation strategies in agricultural fields contaminated with organic pollutants.