Article
Engineering, Chemical
Patrick Morsch, Sebastian Fuchs, Linda Moehlendick, Markus Suesser, Hermann Nirschl
Summary: Powdered activated carbon in combination with precoat filtration is effective in removing anthropogenic trace substances from municipal wastewater, with smaller particle sizes showing better removal efficiency. The selectivity of activated carbons towards trace substances may vary, and continuous filtration systems like pressurized filter cells can improve separation performance.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
J. Qian, P. Riede, G. Abbt-Braun, J. Parniske, S. Metzger, T. Morck
Summary: In this study, the efficacy of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC)-Activated Sludge (AS) treatment in removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) was investigated through batch and pilot plant experiments. The results showed that the treatment was capable of achieving a high removal efficiency for nine OMPs. Additionally, intermittent dosage of PAC was found to stably remove OMPs, suggesting potential cost savings in terms of investment and maintenance.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hana Atallah Al-asad, Janna Parniske, Jueying Qian, Jens Alex, Sreenivasan Ramaswami, Korbinian Kaetzl, Tobias Morck
Summary: This study presents a mathematical method to describe the removal of organic micropollutants and dissolved organic carbon from wastewater using powdered activated carbon. The developed model can predict the adsorption behavior of organic pollutants and simulate the process under different operating conditions.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jingyu Zhang, Sijia Yu, Jingwei Wang, Zhi-Ping Zhao, Weiwei Cai
Summary: In this study, a novel process combining powered carbon (PC) and fluidized granular activated carbon (GAC) with ultrafiltration was proposed to achieve high effluent quality and reduce membrane fouling. It was found that fluidized spherical GAC (RGAC) was highly effective in reducing fouling associated with biochar, and the overall fouling rate of the system was even lower than that of a system using powdered activated carbon (PAC). The RGAC-biochar-UF system achieved similar effluent quality but better permeability compared to the RGAC-PAC-UF system, with a 20% cost savings, making it a promising water treatment system for large-scale applications.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuanjun Zhao, Yoshihiko Matsui, Yusuke Kinouchi, Takumu Seko, Nobutaka Shirasaki, Taku Matsushita
Summary: Submicron-sized powdered activated carbon has been found to effectively mitigate membrane fouling and suppress the rise of transmembrane pressure. This study investigated the effects of filtration flux, timing of coagulant dosing, and types of coagulants on the suppression of pressure rise.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Linda Li, Wayne Parker
Summary: The study assessed the performance of anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) at low temperatures commonly found in temperate climates (10-24 degrees C). It was found that as temperature decreased, COD removal and membrane fouling deteriorated. Addition of PAC reduced permeate VFA concentrations and mitigated membrane fouling at 10 degrees C.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Salma Ebrahimzadeh, Bas Wols, Arianna Azzellino, Franca Kramer, Jan Peter van Der Hoek
Summary: Powdered activated carbon (PAC) is a promising technology for removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water treatment plants, especially when combined with rapid sand filters (RSFs). However, the mechanism of OMPs removal by the combination of PAC and RSF is not fully understood.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Margarida Campinas, Rui M. C. Viegas, Cristina M. M. Almeida, Antonio Martins, Catarina Silva, Elsa Mesquita, Sofia Silva, Maria Rosario Coelho, Maria Joao Benoleil, Maria Joao Rosa, Vitor Vale Cardoso
Summary: Adding powdered activated carbon to traditional activated sludge reactors is an effective method for controlling pharmaceutical compound discharge in municipal wastewater treatment. The full-scale test showed that proper doses of powdered activated carbon significantly reduced the discharge of recalcitrant pharmaceutical compounds, improving effluent quality without increasing energy consumption. Additionally, powdered activated carbon had a positive effect on sludge treatment, increasing sludge production.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhanyao Li, Guifang Chen, Huiru Ma, Fuyu Huang, Hao Xu, Liqiang Zhang, Xueliang Yuan, Xinyan Zhang, Shouyan Chen, Ping Zhou
Summary: Powdered activated coke has potential in wastewater treatment due to its good adsorption performance and low cost. However, its regeneration is difficult due to saturation, limiting its wider application. Hydrothermal regeneration in water treatment is a suitable solution as it does not require pre-drying and has minimal mass loss.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
T. Fundneider, V. Acevedo Alonso, A. Wick, D. Albrecht, S. Lackner
Summary: Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC) filtration is a common method for advanced wastewater treatment, where removal of organic substances is achieved through both adsorption and biological processes. This study investigated the influence of biological processes on GAC-filter performance and found that pre-treatment, influent nitrogen species fluctuations, and parallel operation can significantly affect biofilm growth and overall efficiency. Additionally, the results suggest that biological processes accounted for approximately 25-42% of the total removal of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) by the end of the operation period.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mohammad Reza Mehrnia, Fatemeh Nasiri, Fatemeh Pourasgharian Roudsari, Fatemeh Bahrami
Summary: This study investigated the utilization of powdered activated carbon (PAC) in the formation and performance of a self-forming dynamic membrane for wastewater treatment. The results showed that PAC helped in the formation of more uniform and permeable dynamic membranes, reducing biofouling. The optimal PAC concentration was found to be 4 g/L, with the highest effluent quality and the lowest biofouling. The short-term performance of the hybrid PAC-DMBR showed significant improvements in effluent quality. Thus, adopting hybrid PAC-DMBR has the potential to alleviate biofouling and reduce capital costs.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ya-Juan Liu
Summary: A laboratory-scale flat-sheet ceramic microfiltration membrane system was developed to investigate the membrane fouling behaviors and mechanisms of sodium alginate in the presence of aeration and powdered activated carbon. The results showed that both aeration and PAC-aeration scouring significantly improved the membrane fouling of SA.
WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mareike Evers, Ruben-Laurids Lange, Eva Heinz, Marc Wichern
Summary: This study investigated the application of powdered activated carbon (PAC) for removing organic micropollutants (OMP) at two different points in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The results showed that dosing PAC into the nitrification zone simultaneously reduced the concentrations of BPA, BTRs, METF, and METO by over 80% at a dosage of 20 mg/L. The post-treatment stage requires half the amount of PAC to achieve the same removal rates.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Fezzani Boubaker, Ben Cheikh Ridha
Summary: By using powdered activated carbon to treat Esparto paper industrial wastewater of SNCPA Company in Kasserine - Tunisia, the study showed that under specific conditions, this treatment method can effectively remove COD and color, meet ISO standard conditions, and the Freundlich model provided the best fits to adsorption experimental results.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siying Xiang, Qinglian Wu, Weitong Ren, Wanqian Guo, Nanqi Ren
Summary: Caproate, which can be produced through microbial chain elongation, shows great potential as a carbon-neutral alternative to fossil-based products. However, its production performance needs improvement for industrial applications. This study found that the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) significantly enhanced the production, yield, and selectivity of caproate. PAC promoted ethanol oxidation and improved the efficiency of the reverse beta oxidation (RBO) pathway, leading to increased caproate synthesis. Additionally, PAC affected the microbial community, enriching caproate-producing bacteria and eliminating irrelevant ones. Metagenomic analysis revealed that PAC up-regulated key enzyme-encoding genes responsible for ethanol oxidation and RBO pathway, thus improving caproate production. This study provides insights into the mechanism of PAC promotion of caproate generation, laying the foundation for large-scale production of caproate.
CHINESE CHEMICAL LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yunfei Yu, Xue Yang, Chenchen Zhang, Jie Chen, Wei Lin, Jianqiang Meng
Summary: This study reports an environmentally friendly and simple approach for preparing double-network (DN) ion gel membranes with high strength and excellent gas separation performance. By optimizing crosslinking density, mass ratio, and the type and content of free ionic liquid, the mechanical and gas separation properties of the DN membrane are improved.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Si-qi Jiang, Qiang Gao, Xi-guang Li, Chao-zhu Deng, Jun Qiu, Xiang-nan Zhu
Summary: A dual-strengthening pretreatment method is proposed to remove PVDF more efficiently and enhance the leaching of LiCoO2. Experimental results show that dual-strengthening pretreatment can effectively remove PVDF and significantly improve the leaching efficiency compared to single pretreatment methods.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zengchi Hu, Xiaoyu Wang, Xiaohui Zhang, Xue Li, Jiangbin Xia
Summary: The rapid fabrication of high-performance composite membranes based on CMPs using simple and low-cost methods is challenging. In this study, three CMPs-based composite membranes were rapidly fabricated with adjustable size using unidirectional diffusion synthesis. The microstructural design enhanced the rejection rates of the membranes and they showed strong hydrolytic resistance, thermal stability, and acid-base resistance. Electrostatic adsorption and the adjustable microstructures significantly varied the repellence of the membranes to different charged molecules.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Farzaneh Rouhani, Matineh Ayedi, Nasser Safari
Summary: Introducing defects into porous metal-organic frameworks is important for improving their adsorption performance. Quasi-MOFs, an underutilized variant of large-scale, fundamentally deficient MOFs, have been found to have substantial amounts of unsaturated metal sites to offset the drawbacks of MOFs. In this study, a quasi-MOF was produced using a water-stable MOF and demonstrated significantly improved phosphate adsorption capability due to the presence of defect sites.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Valentin Reungoat, Morad Chadni, Louis M. M. Mouterde, Fanny Brunissen, Florent Allais, Helene Ducatel, Irina Ioannou
Summary: This study focuses on the recovery of sinapic acid using liquid-liquid extraction assisted by a hollow fiber membrane contactor from an aqueous feed obtained through the hydrolysis of mustard bran. The screening of solvents of different chemical nature showed that all tested solvents had an extraction efficiency of more than 80% for pH < 5. Four solvents were selected for use in the hollow fiber membrane contactor, and the volatile solvents showed higher mass transfer coefficients compared to non-volatile solvents. The extraction efficiency was intensified by increasing the initial concentration of sinapic acid and the feed-to-solvent ratio. CPME was found to have optimal recovery efficiency at a phase ratio of 8:1, yielding 0.9 g of sinapic acid per liter of CPME used.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Takahiro Sakamoto, Takafumi Hanada, Hayate Sato, Mayu Kamisono, Masahiro Goto
Summary: The emergence of the battery society has led to a high demand for battery metals, resulting in a strain on their supply. This study introduces a novel technique using a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) for leaching and recovering battery metals from low-grade nickel laterite ores. The DES enables selective leaching and recovery of the metals, offering a promising pathway for the extraction of critical battery metals.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Rongrong He, Jiarui Chen, Chunyao Zhang, Dan Lu, Lin Zhang, Tao He
Summary: Researcher has developed a method to quantify the charge density in nanofiltration (NF) membrane separation layer and applied it in NF membranes that can separate Mg2+ and Li+. The results showed that overcompensated amine groups played a major role, and there was a linear relationship between charge density and coating bi-layers or PAH layers.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhijian Zhang, Min Chen, Zhe Lin, Zhichao Yang, Yafeng Du, Zhihui Chen, Zhenhao Yang, Kongyin Zhao, Ligang Lin
Summary: Membrane technology plays an important role in molecular/ion separation processes, but faces challenges such as membrane fouling. This study introduces a new ion-crosslinking method to fabricate copper alginate hydrogel membranes with improved mechanical strength and antimicrobial capabilities. The membranes exhibit excellent separation performance and enhanced long-term molecule/ion separation through improved anti-swelling properties. Molecular dynamics simulations and life cycle analysis highlight the pore structure and environmental friendliness of the hydrogel membranes. These findings provide valuable insights for developing sustainable hydrogel membranes with stable performance and high separation efficiency.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Dongmei Liu, Aiying Guo, Yanling Qi, Zhixin Ji, Hongjuan Li, Zhiwei Zhang, Xinyue Zhang, Kunze Wu, Aijun Cai
Summary: In this study, a stable magnetic Mg/Mn-layered double oxide-doped biochar composite (MgMnLDO-MBC) was prepared and successfully used for the removal of antibiotics and bacteria from wastewater. The composite exhibited enhanced surface areas, adsorption sites, and free radicals, leading to improved catalytic activity. The effects of different factors on the removal efficiency were evaluated, and the composite showed good reusability.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Feng Wang, Zhaoyong Bian, Yaru Zhang, Wenchao Yu, Qiang Zhang, Hui Wang
Summary: In this study, a nanofibrous layered structure of Ff-Ti3C2Tx-Co3O4 was prepared by self-assembling nanofibrous Co3O4 with lamellar fluorine-free MXene (Ff-Ti3C2Tx). The Ff-Ti3C2Tx-Co3O4 exhibited excellent catalytic activity for degradation, resistant to ionic interference, and maintained high removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in municipal wastewater. The rapid SMX degradation involved fast electron transfer in redox cycles with PMS and the generation of 1O2 via PMS ->center dot O2 -> 1O2. This work provides new insights into antibiotic degradation mechanisms and electron transfer based on PMS activation.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Weipeng He, Jiacheng Luo, Yujie Wu, Tianhao Luo, Chen Tang
Summary: This study comparatively evaluated the role of cationic, anionic, and nonionic polyacrylamides (PAMs) in ballasted flocculation of clay suspensions under different aluminum sulfate (AS) coagulant dosages. The selection of PAMs and AS dosage had a significant influence on the size and shear resistance of ballasted floc aggregates.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lixian Wang, Lizhi Zhao, Didi Si, Zhixin Li, Huiqin An, Hui Ye, Qingping Xin, Hong Li, Yuzhong Zhang
Summary: Metalloporphyrin-based nanozymes integrated with poly (vinylidene fluoride) membrane show high catalytic activity and reusability for the decolorization of Congo Red dye in continuous flow process.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yongfei Ma, Chenyu Zeng, Yongzhen Ding, Jiayi Tang, Ondrej Masek, Zhikang Deng, Rui Mu, Zulin Zhang
Summary: In this study, sludge-derived biochar (SBC) was functionalized with various iron salts to enhance its adsorption ability for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and magnetic collection performance. Ball milling was further employed to treat the optimal iron salt functionalized SBC (MSBC), resulting in ball milled SBC (BMSBC) with improved adsorption performance for SMX. The dominant driving mechanism for SMX adsorption onto BMSBC was confirmed to be multiple physicochemical forces, including 7C-7C conjugation, pore filling, H-bonding, Fe-O complexation, and electrostatic interactions. BMSBC exhibited favorable adsorption ability for SMX in actual waters and could be easily collected within 1 min due to its magnetic sensitivity.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jinglin Tan, Xiaohui Mao, Wenjihao Hu, Hongbo Zeng
Summary: This study investigates the influence of PDMS chain architectures on surface properties and reveals that PDMS coatings with looped structures exhibit superior hydrophobicity, self-cleaning, and water sliding compared to coatings with linear structures. Additionally, both looped and linear PDMS coated stainless steel mesh/polyester fibers show efficient separation of oil/water mixture.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wei-Liang Chen, Chih-Chia Cheng, Chien-Hsing Lu, Jem-Kun Chen
Summary: This study designs a novel sandwich-structured capacitor that reduces the absorption time of pollutants using dielectrophoresis force. By coating graphene oxide on polystyrene microspheres as adsorbents and encapsulating them within the capacitor, the adsorption rate is significantly enhanced. Additionally, frequency manipulation allows for the recycling of adsorbents and concentration of dyes, minimizing secondary pollution.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)