Heterogeneous catalytic ozonation of atrazine with Mn-loaded and Fe-loaded biochar.

After reaction with permanganate or ferrate, the resulted Mn-loaded and Fe-loaded biochar (MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar) exhibited excellent catalytic ozonation activity. O3 (2.5 mg/L) eliminated 48% of atrazine (ATZ, 5 µM) within 30 min at pH 7.0, while under identical conditions, ozonation efficiency of ATZ increased to 83% and 100% in MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar (20 mg/L) heterogeneous catalytic systems, respectively. Radical scavenger experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis confirmed that hydroxyl radical (•OH) was the dominant oxidant. Total Lewis acid sites on MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar were 3.5 and 4.1 times of that on the raw biochar, which induced enhanced adsorption of O3 and its subsequent decomposition into •OH. Electron transfer via redox pairs on MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar was observed by cyclic voltammetry scans, which also functioned in the improved catalytic capacity. Degradation pathways of ATZ in MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar ozonation systems were proposed, with 34.6% and 44.8% of dechlorination effect accomplished within 30 min of reaction, which was improved by 4.1 and 5.3 times compared to pure ozonation. After 12-hour treatment, acute toxicity of ATZ oxidation products was reduced from 38.3% of pure ozonation system to 14.5% and 6.3% of activated ozonation systems with MnOx/biochar and FeOx/biochar, respectively. Mn-loaded biochar and Fe-loaded biochar have great potential for heterogeneous catalytic ozonation of polluted water.

Density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption of biomolecules on graphene surfaces.

There is increasing attention in the unique biological and medical properties of graphene, and it is expected that biomaterials incorporating graphene will be developed for the graphene-based drug delivery systems and biomedical devices. Despite the importance of biomolecules-graphene interactions, a detailed understanding of the adsorption mechanism and features of biomolecules onto the surfaces of graphene is lacking. To address this, we have performed density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) methods exploring the adsorption geometries, adsorption energies, electronic band structures, adsorption isotherms, and adsorption dynamics of l-leucine (model biomolecule)/graphene composite system. DFT calculations confirmed the energetic stability of adsorption model and revealed that electronic structure of graphene can be controlled by the adsorption direction of l-leucine. MD simulations further investigate the potential energy and van der Waals energy for the interaction processes of l-leucine/graphene system at different temperatures and pressures. We find that the van der Waals interaction between the l-leucine and the graphene play a dominant role in the adsorption process under a certain range of temperature and pressure, and the l-leucine molecule could be adsorbed onto graphene spontaneously in aqueous solution.

Modeling of residual chlorine in water distribution system.

Water quality within water distribution system may vary with both location and time. Water quality models are used to predict the spatial and temporal variation of water quality throughout water system. A model of residual chlorine decay in water pipe has been developed, given the consumption of chlorine in reactions with chemicals in bulk water, bio-films on pipe wall, in corrosion process, and the mass transport of chlorine from bulk water to pipe wall. Analytical methods of the flow path from water sources to the observed point and the water age of every observed node were proposed. Model is used to predict the decay of residual chlorine in an actual distribution system. Good agreement between calculated and measured values was obtained.