Synthetic Iowaite Can Effectively Remove Inorganic Arsenic from Marine Extract.

For the removal of arsenic from marine products, iowaite was prepared and investigated to determine the optimal adsorption process of arsenic. Different chemical forms of arsenic (As(III), As(V)) with varying concentrations (0.15, 1.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/L) under various conditions including pH (3, 5, 7, 9, 11) and contact time (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 min) were exposed to iowaite. Adsorption isotherms and metal ions kinetic modeling onto the adsorbent were determined based on Langmuir, Freundlich, first- and second-order kinetic models. The adsorption onto iowaite varied depending on the conditions. The adsorption rates of standard solution, As(III) and As(V) exceeded 95% under proper conditions, while high complexity was noted with marine samples. As(III) and As(V) from Mactra veneriformis extraction all decreased when exposed to iowaite. The inclusion morphology and interconversion of organic arsenic limit adsorption. Iowaite can be efficiently used for inorganic arsenic removal from wastewater and different marine food products, which maybe other adsorbent or further performance of iowaite needs to be investigated for organic arsenic.

Environment-Induced Reversible Modulation of Optical and Electronic Properties of Lead Halide Perovskites and Possible Applications to Sensor Development: A Review.

Lead halide perovskites are currently widely investigated as active materials in photonic and optoelectronic devices. While the lack of long term stability actually limits their application to commercial devices, several experiments demonstrated that beyond the irreversible variation of the material properties due to degradation, several possibilities exist to reversibly modulate the perovskite characteristics by acting on the environmental conditions. These results clear the way to possible applications of lead halide perovskites to resistive and optical sensors. In this review we will describe the current state of the art of the comprehension of the environmental effects on the optical and electronic properties of lead halide perovskites, and of the exploitation of these results for the development of perovskite-based sensors.

One-step selective electrokinetic removal of inorganic anions from small volumes and its application as sample clean-up for mass spectrometric techniques.

The presence of inorganic anions in a sample interferes with mass spectrometric (MS) analysis. Here, a simple method to remove these ions from a liquid sample in one-step is described. The inorganic anions present in a 50µL sample were extracted into a low pH solution inside a 200µm i.d.×33cm long capillary by the use of an electric field. The selective removal of unwanted anions and retention of target analytes was accomplished by control of the apparent electrophoretic velocities of anions and analytes at a boundary that separated the sample and extraction solution. No physical barrier (e.g., membrane) was required and with the boundary situated at the tip of the capillary, efficient removal of inorganic anions (e.g., >80% removal) and good recovery of target analytes (e.g., >80% recovery) were achieved. The time required for removal of the inorganic anions was found to depend on their initial concentrations. The removal process was investigated using different concentrations of bromide and nitrate (as potassium salts) and negatively chargeable drugs as target analytes. This micro-sample clean-up technique used no organic solvents and little consumables and was studied to the determination of 0.6µg/L arsenic and 8.3µg/L vanadium in 500mg/L sodium chloride using inductively coupled plasma MS and 50µM angiotensin I in 1000mg/L sodium chloride using electrospray ionisation MS. Micro-sample clean-up was performed for 45min at 3kV in both demonstrations. The calculated recoveries for the metals at trace levels were 110-130%, and for the peptide was 103.8%.

Distinguishing Astragalus mongholicus and Its Planting Soil Samples from Different Regions by ICP-AES.

"Daodi herb" enjoys a good reputation for its quality and clinical effects. As one of the most popular daodi herbs, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge var. mongholicus (Bge.) Hsiao (A. membranaceus) is popularly used for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing properties. In this study, we used inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) technique to investigate the inorganic elements contents in A. mongholicu and its soil samples from daodi area (Shanxi) and non-daodi areas (Inner Mongolia and Gansu). A total of 21 inorganic elements (Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Cu, P, K, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Se, B, Al, Na, Cr, Ni, Ba, Ti and Sr) were simultaneously determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to differentiate A. mongholicu and soil samples from the three main producing areas. It was found that the inorganic element characteristics as well as the uptake and accumulation behavior of the three kinds of samples were significantly different. The high contents of Fe, B, Al, Na, Cr and Ni could be used as a standard in the elements fingerprint to identify daodi and non-daodi A. Mongholicus. As the main effective compounds were closely related to the pharmacodynamics activities, the inter-relationships between selected elements and components could reflect that the quality of A. Mongholicus from Shanxi were superior to others to a certain degree. This finding highlighted the usefulness of ICP-AES elemental analysis and evidenced that the inorganic element profile can be employed to evaluate the genuineness of A. mongholicus.

Effect of inorganic carbon on nitrogen removal and microbial communities of CANON process in a membrane bioreactor.

In this study, a membrane bioreactor (MBR) was adopted for completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process. Inorganic carbon (IC) was step-wise decreased to analyze the IC influence on nitrogen removal and microbial communities, finally IC was elevated to study its recovery capability. The bioactivities of functional organisms were detected by batch experiments. Results showed that the bioactivity and biodiversity of aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) both decreased due to the IC shortage, while nitrite-oxidizing bacteria bioactivity showed a contrary result. When the concentration ratio of IC to nitrogen (IC/N) decreased to 1.0, the nitrogen removal sharply deteriorated, which then recovered when the ratio increased to 2.5. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis results showed that Nitrosomonas sp. of AOB and Candidatus Brocadia fulgida of AAOB could survive in the condition of IC deficit. The prominent IC/N ratio for high-rate and stable CANON was between 1.5-2.0.

Magnetic solid-phase extraction using carbon nanotubes as sorbents: a review.

Magnetic solid-phase extraction (M-SPE) is a procedure based on the use of magnetic sorbents for the separation and preconcentration of different organic and inorganic analytes from large sample volumes. The magnetic sorbent is added to the sample solution and the target analyte is adsorbed onto the surface of the magnetic sorbent particles (M-SPs). Analyte-M-SPs are separated from the sample solution by applying an external magnetic field and, after elution with the appropriate solvent, the recovered analyte is analyzed. This approach has several advantages over traditional solid phase extraction as it avoids time-consuming and tedious on-column SPE procedures and it provides a rapid and simple analyte separation that avoids the need for centrifugation or filtration steps. As a consequence, in the past few years a great deal of research has been focused on M-SPE, including the development of new sorbents and novel automation strategies. In recent years, the use of magnetic carbon nanotubes (M-CNTs) as a sorption substrate in M-SPE has become an active area of research. These materials have exceptional mechanical, electrical, optical and magnetic properties and they also have an extremely large surface area and varied possibilities for functionalization. This review covers the synthesis of M-CNTs and the different approaches for the use of these compounds in M-SPE. The performance, general characteristics and applications of M-SPE based on magnetic carbon nanotubes for organic and inorganic analysis have been evaluated on the basis of more than 110 references. Finally, some important challenges with respect the use of magnetic carbon nanotubes in M-SPE are discussed.

Enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal by an advanced simultaneous sludge reduction, inorganic solids separation, phosphorus recovery, and enhanced nutrient removal wastewater treatment process.

An advanced wastewater treatment process (SIPER) was developed to simultaneously decrease sludge production, prevent the accumulation of inorganic solids, recover phosphorus, and enhance nutrient removal. The feasibility of simultaneous enhanced nutrient removal along with sludge reduction as well as the potential for enhanced nutrient removal via this process were further evaluated. The results showed that the denitrification potential of the supernatant of alkaline-treated sludge was higher than that of the influent. The system COD and VFA were increased by 23.0% and 68.2%, respectively, after the return of alkaline-treated sludge as an internal C-source, and the internal C-source contributed 24.1% of the total C-source. A total of 74.5% of phosphorus from wastewater was recovered as a usable chemical crystalline product. The nitrogen and phosphorus removal were improved by 19.6% and 23.6%, respectively, after incorporation of the side-stream system. Sludge minimization and excellent nutrient removal were successfully coupled in the SIPER process.

A new anion-exchange/hydrophobic monolith as stationary phase for nano liquid chromatography of small organic molecules and inorganic anions.

In this study, an anion-exchange/hydrophobic polymethacrylate-based stationary phase was prepared for nano-liquid chromatography of small organic molecules and inorganic anions. The stationary phase was synthesized by in situ polymerization of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylate and ethylene dimethacrylate inside silanized 100 µm i.d. fused silica capillary. The porogen mixture consisted of toluene and dodecanol. The pore size distrubution profiles of the resulting monolith were determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry and the morphology of the prepared monolith was investigated by scanning electron microscope. Good permeability, stability and column efficiency were observed on the monolithic column with nano flow. The produced monolithic column, which contains reactive chloro groups, was then modified by reaction with N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylamine to obtain an anion-exchange/hydrophobic monolithic stationary phase. The functionalized monolith contained ionizable amine groups and hydrophobic groups that are useful of anion-exchange/hydrophobic mixed-mode chromatography. The final monolithic column performance with respect to anion-exchange and hydrophobic interactions was assesed by the separation of alkylbenzene derivatives, phenolic compounds and inorganic anions, respectively. Theoretical plate numbers up to 23,000 plates/m were successfully achieved in the separation of inorganic anions.

Organic and inorganic contaminants removal from water with biochar, a renewable, low cost and sustainable adsorbent--a critical review.

Biochar is used for soil conditioning, remediation, carbon sequestration and water remediation. Biochar application to water and wastewater has never been reviewed previously. This review focuses on recent applications of biochars, produced from biomass pyrolysis (slow and fast), in water and wastewater treatment. Slow and fast pyrolysis biochar production is briefly discussed. The literature on sorption of organic and inorganic contaminants by biochars is surveyed and reviewed. Adsorption capacities for organic and inorganic contaminants by different biochars under different operating conditions are summarized and, where possible, compared. Mechanisms responsible for contaminant remediation are briefly discussed. Finally, a few recommendations for further research have been made in the area of biochar development for application to water filtration.

Conjunctive and mineralization impact of municipal solid waste compost and inorganic fertilizer on lysimeter and pot studies.

Objectives of the present study were to investigate the physico-chemical properties of municipal solid waste (MSW)-enriched compost and its effect on nutrient mineralization and subsequent plant growth. The enrichment of MSW compost by inorganic salts enhanced the humification rate and reduced the carbon nitrogen (C/N) ratio in less time than control compost. The chemical properties of compost, C/N ratio, humic acid, fulvic acid, degree of polymerization and humification index revealed the significant correlation amid properties. A laboratory-scale experiment evaluated the conjunctive effect of MSW compost and inorganic fertilizer on tomato plants in a pot experiment. In the pot experiment five treatments, Inorganic fertilizer (T1), enriched compost (T2), enriched compost 80% + 20% inorganic fertilizer (T3), enriched compost 60% + 40% inorganic fertilizer (T4) were defined including control (Ts), applied at the rate of 110 kg-N/ha and results revealed that all treatments significantly enhanced horticultural production of tomato plant; however T4 was most effectual as compared with control, T1, T2 and T3. Augmentation in organic matter and available phosphorus (P) potassium (K) and nitrogen (N) were also observed in compost treatments. The leachability and phytoavailability of phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and nitrogen (N) from sandy soil, amended with enriched, control compost and inorganic fertilizer at rates of 200, 400 and 600 kg-N/ha were evaluated in a lysimeter study. Results illustrated that concentration of mineral nitrogen was elevated in the leachate of inorganic fertilizer than enriched and control composts; therefore compost fortifies soil with utmost nutrients for plants' growth.

Effects of suspended titanium dioxide nanoparticles on cake layer formation in submerged membrane bioreactor.

Effects of the suspended titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs, 50 mg/L) on the cake layer formation in a submerged MBR were systematically investigated. With nanometer sizes, TiO2 NPs were found to aggravate membrane pore blocking but postpone cake layer fouling. TiO2 NPs showed obvious effects on the structure and the distribution of the organic and the inorganic compounds in cake layer. Concentrations of fatty acids and cholesterol in the cake layer increased due to the acute response of bacteria to the toxicity of TiO2 NPs. Line-analysis and dot map of energy-dispersive X-ray were also carried out. Since TiO2 NPs inhibited the interactions between the inorganic and the organic compounds, the inorganic compounds (especially SiO2) were prevented from depositing onto the membrane surface. Thus, the postponed cake layer fouling was due to the changing features of the complexes on the membrane surface caused by TiO2 NPs.

Evaluation of sludge reduction and carbon source recovery from excess sludge by the advanced Sludge reduction, Inorganic solids separation, Phosphorus recovery, and Enhanced nutrient Removal (SIPER) wastewater treatment process.

An advanced wastewater treatment process involving Sludge reduction, Inorganic solids separation, Phosphorus recovery, and Enhanced nutrient Removal (SIPER) was developed to reduce sludge production, prevent the accumulation of inorganic solids, recover phosphorus, and enhance nutrient removal. The feasibility of recovering carbon (C)-source from excess sludge to enhance nutrient removal and the sludge reduction potential of the process was evaluated. The results showed that sludge hydrolysis and acidification yields were 20±3% and 34±2%, respectively. The COD/TN and VFA/TP ratios for the supernatant of alkaline-treated sludge were 2.8 and 2.5 times those in the influent, respectively. Nutrients were removed effectively in the system, especially TN, for which the removal efficiency reached 80±2%. The C-source recovered from the excess sludge was successfully employed as an internal C-source for enhanced nutrient removal. The observed sludge yield of the system was 0.096 g VSS g COD(-1), demonstrating the excellent sludge reduction potential of this process.

Lab-on-a-disc for simultaneous determination of nutrients in water.

In this study, we describe a novel platform based on centrifugal microfluidics for simultaneous determination of nitrite, nitrate and nitrite, ammonium, orthophosphate, and silicate in water samples. All processes from sample metering to detection were integrated and automatically conducted on a rotating disc-shaped device. Fluid transfer was controlled by laser irradiation on the ferrowax-based microvalves. Liquid samples and reagents were pumped by centrifugal force in the rotating disc, and their positions and movements were controlled through a programmable light from a laser diode. This novel water analysis platform required only 500 µL of sample (100 µL for each nutrient) and 10-30 µL of reagents for colorimetric detection. In addition, the fully automated parallel processes and efficient mixing in the rotating disc allowed for a significant reduction in total analysis time (∼7 min 40 s) and increased accuracy. Validation with a seawater certified reference material indicated that the platform accurately measured nutrient concentrations in water samples. In addition, we showed that the nutrients in the seawater collected from Chunsu Bay in Korea measured by the proposed lab-on-a-disc and by a commercialized autoanalyzer are comparable.

[Investigation of the cleanness of drinking water in public facilities].

The drinking facilities in some public spaces (such as parks, public baths, etc.) in Japan which many unspecified people often use are useful for taking moisture easily and rapidly. Sometimes it might be also accepted that it is good for the prevention of diseases and for the health. The cleaning of these facilities is sure to be done in regular. However, they have misgivings about dirt in more short time by using of many people. It would be necessary for the public health to research the safety of them. In the present study, the pollution of inorganic components, inorganic anions, general bacteria and total coliforms in the initial getting water to stay near by the faucets, on the knobs and the intakes were examined.

Preparation of a new polymeric ionic liquid-based monolith for stir cake sorptive extraction and its application in the extraction of inorganic anions.

In this study, a novel stir cake sorptive extraction (SCSE) sorbent based on polymeric ionic liquid-based monolith (PILM) for the extraction of inorganic anions was prepared. In the presence of a porogen solvent containing 1-propanol and dimethylformamid, an ionic liquid, 1-ally-3-methylimidazolium chloride was used as monomer to copolymerize in situ with ethylene dimethacrylate to form PILM. The effect of preparation conditions such as ratio of functional monomer to cross-linker, content of porogenic solvent on the extraction efficiencies were investigated in detail. The PILM was characterized by elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry and infrared spectroscopy. In order to investigate the extraction capacity of PILM-SCSE for inorganic anions, the SCSE was combined with ion chromatography with conductivity detection, F(-), Cl(-), NO(2)(-), Br(-), NO(3)(-), PO(4)(3-) and SO(4)(2-) were selected as detected solutes. Several extractive parameters, including pH values in sample matrix, desorption solvent, extraction and desorption time were optimized. The results showed that under the optimum experimental conditions, low detection limits (S/N=3) and quantification limits (S/N=10) of the proposed method for the target anions were achieved within the range of 0.11-2.08 and 0.37-6.88 µg/L, respectively. The method also showed good linearity, simplicity, practicality and low cost for the extraction inorganic anions. Finally, the proposed method was successfully used to detect different water samples include commercial purified water, tab water and river water. Acceptable recoveries and satisfactory repeatability were obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first to use polymeric ionic liquid to enrich inorganic anions.

Speciation of challenging elements in food by atomic spectrometry.

The review addresses trends in speciation analysis of challenging - rather rarely examined despite their importance for human health - elements in foodstuffs with special attention prior to sample preparation. Elements of interest are cobalt, iodine, manganese, iron, zinc, copper and molybdenum belong to the group of elements still appealed for searching their speciation despite extremely small contents in foodstuffs. Advantages and weaknesses of recommended procedures are overviewed and discussed, highlighting state-of-the-art speciation methodologies developed so far in the field.

Pilot-scale comparison of two hybrid-passive landfill leachate treatment systems operated in a cold climate.

Hybrid-passive landfill leachate treatment systems employ active pretreatment to remove dissolved inorganic constituents and decrease the oxygen demand of the leachate prior to treatment in a passive system. In a 1-year pilot-scale study, two passive treatment systems - a peat and wood shaving biological trickle filter and a sand and gravel constructed wetland - were installed to treat leachate from the Merrick Landfill in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. Leachate was pretreated in a fixed-film aerobic reactor, which provided reductions in COD (26%), and masses of ammonia (21%), Al (69%), Ca (57%), Fe (73%) and Sr (37%). A comparison of the performance of the hybrid-passive treatment systems indicated different extents of heterotrophic nitrification; the peat and wood shaving filter removed 49% of the ammonia and nitrified 29%, while the constructed wetland removed 99% of the ammonia and nitrified 90%. Hybrid-passive landfill leachate treatment was determined to be feasible in cold climates.

Development of adsorbent for the simultaneous removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from aqueous solution.

In this study, a modified adsorbent, alginate complex beads, was prepared and applied to the removal of mixed contaminants from wastewater. The alginate complex beads were generated by the immobilization of powdered activated carbon and synthetic zeolites onto alginate gel beads, which were then dried at 110 °C for 20 h until the diameter had been reduced to 1 mm. This dry technique increased the hardness of the adsorbent to assure its durability and application. The adsorption onto the alginate complex beads of organic and inorganic compounds, as target contaminants, was investigated by performing both equilibrium and kinetic batch experiments. From the adsorption isotherms, according to the Langmuir equation, the alginate complex bead was capable of effectively removing benzene, toluene, zinc and cadmium. From kinetic batch experiments, the removal efficiencies of benzene, toluene, zinc and cadmium were found to be 66.5, 92.4, 74.1 and 76.7%, respectively, for initial solution concentrations of 100 mg L(-1). The results indicated that the adsorbent developed in this study has the potential to be a promising material for the removal of mixed pollutants from industrial wastewater or contaminated groundwater.

Speciation of trace inorganic contaminants in corrosion scales and deposits formed in drinking water distribution systems.

Sequential extractions utilizing the modified Tessier scheme (Krishnamurti et al., 1995) and measurements of soluble and particulate metal released from suspended solids were used in this study to determine the speciation and mobility of inorganic contaminants (As, Cr, V, U, Cd, Ni, and Mn) found in corrosion scales and particles mobilized during hydraulic flushing events. Arsenic, chromium and vanadium are primarily associated with the mobilization-resistant fraction that is resistant to all eluents used in this study and also bound in highly stable crystalline iron oxides. Very low concentrations of these elements were released in resuspension experiments. X-ray absorbance measurements demonstrated that arsenic in the sample with the highest As concentration was dominated by As(V) bound by iron oxides. Significant fractions of uranium and cadmium were associated with carbonate solids. Nickel and manganese were determined to be more mobile and significantly associated with organic fractions. This may indicate that biofilms and natural organic matter in the drinking water distributions systems play an important role in the accumulation and release of these inorganic contaminants.

Coupled reversed-phase and ion chromatographic system for the simultaneous identification of inorganic and organic explosives.

There are many methods available to detect and positively identify either organic or inorganic explosives separately, however no one method has been developed which can detect both types of explosive species simultaneously from a single sample. In this work, a unique coupled-chromatographic system is reported for the simultaneous determination of both organic and inorganic explosive species and is used for pre-blast analysis/identification purposes. This novel approach is based on the combination of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and ion chromatography which allows trace levels of organic and inorganic explosives to be determined simultaneously from a single sample. Using this procedure, a 20 min reversed-phase separation of organic explosives is coupled to a 16 min ion-exchange separation of anions present in inorganic explosives, providing a complete pre-blast analysis/identification system for the separation and detection of a complex mixture containing organic and/or inorganic explosive species. The total analysis time, including sufficient column re-equilibration between runs, was <25 min using the coupled system. By this method, the minimum resolution for the organic separation was 1.16 between nitroglycerin and tetryl and the detection limits ranged from 0.31 mg L(-1) for cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) and 1.54 mg L(-1) for pentaerythrite tetranitrate (PETN), while the minimum resolution for the inorganic separation was 0.99 between azide and nitrate, and the detection limits ranged from 7.70 µg L(-1) for fluoride and 159.50 µg L(-1) for benzoate.