Magnetic biochar derived from macroalgal Sargassum hemiphyllum for highly efficient adsorption of Cu(II): Influencing factors and reusability.

In this study, the brown algae Sargassum Hemiphyllum was used as a carbon source for synthesis of magnetic porous biochar via pyrolyzing at high temperature and and doping iron oxide particles (Fe-BAB). Cu (II) species were removed from aqueous solutions using Fe-BAB under various conditions. Fe-BAB demonstrated superior Cu (II) adsorption (105.3 mg g-1) compared to other biochars. On the surface of Fe-BAB, there are several oxygen-containing functional groups, such as -COOH and -OH, which are likely responsible for the excellent heavy metal removal performance. By utilizing magnet, the Fe-BAB can be conveniently separated from the solution and ready for further usage. Multi-adsorption mechanisms were responsible for Cu adsorption on Fe-BAB. Using the magnetic algal biochar for heavy metal removal is feasible due to its high adsorption efficiency and simplicity of separation.

Controlled size and morphology of EDTMP-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as model for 153Samarium-EDTMP doping.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles have been studied as nano-sized carriers for the delivery of therapeutic agents. One important consideration for these carriers to be used effectively is their bio-distribution in vivo, of which particle size has a significant effect. In this work, HA nanoparticles doped with Ethylene-diamine-tetramethylene-phosphonate (EDTMP) were synthesized via co-precipitation as a model for HA doped with (153)Samarium ((153)Sm) EDTMP. EDTMP has high affinity for radioactive (153)Sm isotopes that can emit both gamma and beta radiation. The effects of synthesis temperature, amount of dopant and hydrothermal treatment on the size of HA-EDTMP nanoparticles were therefore studied. The results showed that the EDTMP ligand was successfully incorporated in the nanoparticles without changing the crystal structure as shown from X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis. From the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) micrographs, it was observed that shorter rod-like nanoparticles, obtained at low synthesis temperatures, became elongated needle-like nanoparticles with increasing temperature. Increasing dopant amount by five fold increases particle size slightly, while a two fold increase in dopant amount has no significant effect. Hydrothermal treatment increases particle crystallinity and results in smooth elongated rod-like structures. The size of HA nanoparticles doped with EDTMP can therefore be manipulated by controlling synthesis temperature and through hydrothermal treatment.