Adsorption of Scandium Ions by Amberlite XAD7HP Polymeric Adsorbent Loaded with Tri-n-Octylphosphine Oxide.

In an actual economic context, the demand for scandium has grown due to its applications in top technologies. However, further development of new technologies will lead to an increase in the market for Sc related to such technologies. The present study aims to improve and upgrade existing technology in terms of efficient scandium recovery, proposing a new material with selective adsorptive properties for scandium recovery. To highlight the impregnation of Amberlite XAD7HP resin with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide extractant by the solvent-impregnated resin method, the obtained adsorbent material was characterized by physico-chemical techniques. Further, the specific surface of the adsorbent and the zero-point charge of the adsorbent surface have been determined. Different parameters, such as initial concentration, adsorbent amount, contact time, or temperature, have been studied. The initial pH effect was investigated when a maximum adsorption capacity of 31.84 mg g-1 was obtained at pH > 3, using 0.1 g of adsorbent and a contact time of 90 min and 298 K. An attempt was made to discuss and provide a clear representation of the studied adsorption process, proposing a specific mechanism for Sc(III) recovery from aqueous solutions through kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies. Adsorption/desorption studies reveal that the prepared adsorbent material can be reused five times.

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Multiple Morphologies of Gold/Platinum Doped Bismuth Oxide Nanostructures.

Bismuth oxides were synthesized from bismuth carbonate using the sol-gel method. Studies have described the formation of Bi2O3, as a precursor of HNO3 dissolution, and intermediate oxides, such as BixOy when using H2SO4 and H3PO4. The average size of the crystallite calculated from Scherrer's formula ranged from 9 to 19 nm, according to X-ray diffraction. The FTIR analysis showed the presence of specific Bi2O3 bands when using HNO3 and of crystalline phases of "bismuth oxide sulphate" when using H2SO4 and "bismuth phosphate" when using H3PO4. The TG curves showed major mass losses and specific thermal effects, delimited in four temperature zones for materials synthesized with HNO3 (with loss of mass between 24% and 50%) and H2SO4 (with loss of mass between 45% and 76%), and in three temperature zones for materials synthesized with H3PO4 (with loss of mass between 13% and 43%). Further, the thermal stability indicates that materials have been improved by the addition of a polymer or polymer and carbon. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed decreased roughness in the series, [BixOy]N > [BixOy-6% PVA]N > [BixOy-C-6% PVA]N, and increased roughness for materials [BixOy]S, [BixOy-6% PVA]S, [BixOy-C-6% PVA]S, [BixOy]P, [BixOy-6% PVA]P and [BixOy-C-6% PVA]P. The morphological analysis (electronic scanning microscopy) of the synthesized materials showed a wide variety of forms: overlapping nanoplates ([BixOy]N or [BixOy]S), clusters of angular forms ([BixOy-6% PVA]N), pillars ([BixOy-6% PVA]S-Au), needle particles ([BixOy-Au], [BixOy-6% PVA]S-Au, [BixOy-C-6% PVA]S-Au), spherical particles ([BixOy-C-6% PVA]P-Pt), 2D plates ([BixOy]P-Pt) and 3D nanometric plates ([BixOy-C-6% PVA]S-Au). For materials obtained in the first synthesis stage, antimicrobial activity increased in the series [BixOy]N > [BixOy]S > [BixOy]P. For materials synthesized in the second synthesis stage, when polymer (polyvinyl alcohol, PVA) was added, maximum antimicrobial activity, regardless of the microbial species tested, was present in the material [BixOy-6% PVA]S. For the materials synthesized in the third stage, to which graphite and 6% PVA were added, the best antimicrobial activity was in the material [BixOy-C-6% PVA]P. Materials synthesized and doped with metal ions (gold or platinum) showed significant antimicrobial activity for the tested microbial species.

Scandium Recovery from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption Processes in Low-Temperature-Activated Alumina Products.

In this paper, we studied the scandium adsorption from aqueous solutions on the surface of low-temperature-activated alumina products (GDAH). The GDAH samples are industrially manufactured, coming from the Bayer production cycle of the Sierra Leone bauxite as aluminium hydroxide, and further, by drying, milling, classifying and thermally treating up to dehydroxilated alumina products at low temperature. All experiments related to hydroxide aluminium activation were conducted at temperature values of 260, 300 and 400 °C on samples having the following particle sizes: <10 µm, 20 µm, <45 µm and <150 µm, respectively. The low-temperature-activated alumina products were characterised, and the results were published in our previous papers. In this paper, we studied the scandium adsorption process on the above materials and related thermodynamic and kinetic studies.

Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis via Photochemical Reduction with Sodium Citrate.

The aim of this paper is to provide a simple and efficient photoassisted approach to synthesize silver nanoparticles, and to elucidate the role of the key factors (synthesis parameters, such as the concentration of TSC, irradiation time, and UV intensity) that play a major role in the photochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles using TSC, both as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Concomitantly, we aim to provide an easy way to evaluate the particle size based on Mie theory. One of the key advantages of this method is that the synthesis can be "activated" whenever or wherever silver nanoparticles are needed, by premixing the reactants and irradiating the final solution with UV radiation. UV irradiance was determined by using Keitz's theory. This argument has been verified by premixing the reagents and deposited them in an enclosed space (away from sunlight) at 25 °C, then checking them for three days. Nothing happened, unless the sample was directly irradiated by UV light. Further, obtained materials were monitored for 390 days and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, UV-VIS, and transmission electron microscopy.

Factors Influencing the Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan and Chitosan Modified by Functionalization.

The biomedical and therapeutic importance of chitosan and chitosan derivatives is the subject of interdisciplinary research. In this analysis, we intended to consolidate some of the recent discoveries regarding the potential of chitosan and its derivatives to be used for biomedical and other purposes. Why chitosan? Because chitosan is a natural biopolymer that can be obtained from one of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature, which is chitin. Compared to other biopolymers, chitosan presents some advantages, such as accessibility, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and no toxicity, expressing significant antibacterial potential. In addition, through chemical processes, a high number of chitosan derivatives can be obtained with many possibilities for use. The presence of several types of functional groups in the structure of the polymer and the fact that it has cationic properties are determinant for the increased reactive properties of chitosan. We analyzed the intrinsic properties of chitosan in relation to its source: the molecular mass, the degree of deacetylation, and polymerization. We also studied the most important extrinsic factors responsible for different properties of chitosan, such as the type of bacteria on which chitosan is active. In addition, some chitosan derivatives obtained by functionalization and some complexes formed by chitosan with various metallic ions were studied. The present research can be extended in order to analyze many other factors than those mentioned. Further in this paper were discussed the most important factors that influence the antibacterial effect of chitosan and its derivatives. The aim was to demonstrate that the bactericidal effect of chitosan depends on a number of very complex factors, their knowledge being essential to explain the role of each of them for the bactericidal activity of this biopolymer.

A New Perspective on Adsorbent Materials Based Impregnated MgSiO3 with Crown Ethers for Palladium Recovery.

The study of new useful, efficient and selective structures for the palladium ions' recovery has led to the development of a new series of macromolecules. Thus, this study presents a comparative behavior of two crown benzene ethers that modify the magnesium silicate surface used as adsorbent for palladium. These crown ethers are dibenzo18-crown-6 (DB18C6) and dibenzo 30-crown-10 (DB30C10). The obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The specific surface area (BET) and point of zero charge (PZC) of the two materials were determined. The palladium ions' recovery from synthetic aqueous solutions studies aimed to establish the adsorption mechanism. For this desideratum, the kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies show that MgSiO3-DB30C10 have a higher adsorption capacity (35.68 mg g-1) compared to MgSiO3-DB18C6 (21.65 mg g-1). Thermodynamic studies highlight that the adsorption of Pd(II) on the two studied materials are spontaneous and endothermic processes. The positive values of the entropy (ΔS0) suggest that the studied adsorption processes show a higher disorder at the liquid/solid interface. Desorption studies were also performed, and it was found that the degree of desorption was 98.3%.

Platinum (IV) Recovery from Waste Solutions by Adsorption onto Dibenzo-30-crown-10 Ether Immobilized on Amberlite XAD7 Resin-Factorial Design Analysis.

Platinum is a precious metal with many applications, such as: catalytic converters, laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes, digital thermometers, dentistry, and jewellery. Due to its broad usage, it is essential to recover it from waste solutions resulted out of different technological processes in which it is used. Over the years, several recovery techniques were developed, adsorption being one of the simplest, effective and economical method used for platinum recovery. In the present paper a new adsorbent material (XAD7-DB30C10) for Pt (IV) recovery was used. Produced adsorbent material was characterized by X-ray dispersion (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Adsorption isotherms, kinetic models, thermodynamic parameters and adsorption mechanism are presented in this paper. Experimental data were fitted using three non-linear adsorption isotherms: Langmuir, Freundlich and Sips, being better fitted by Sips adsorption isotherm. Obtained kinetic data were correlated well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the chemical sorption was the rate-limiting step. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) showed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. After adsorption, metallic platinum was recovered from the exhausted adsorbent material by thermal treatment. Adsorption process optimisation by design of experiments was also performed, using as input obtained experimental data, and taking into account that initial platinum concentration and contact time have a significant effect on the adsorption capacity. From the optimisation process, it has been found that the maximum adsorption capacity is obtained at the maximum variation domains of the factors. By optimizing the process, a maximum adsorption capacity of 15.03 mg g-1 was achieved at a contact time of 190 min, initial concentration of 141.06 mg L-1 and the temperature of 45 °C.

Synthesis, Characterization and Adsorptive Performances of a Composite Material Based on Carbon and Iron Oxide Particles.

The aim of this paper was to produce a new composite material based on carbon and iron oxides, starting from soluble starch and ferric chloride. The composite material was synthesized by simple thermal decomposition of a reaction mass obtained from starch and iron chloride, in an inert atmosphere. Starch used as a carbon source also efficiently stabilizes the iron oxides particles obtained during the thermal decomposition. The reaction mass used for the thermal decomposition was obtained by simultaneously mixing the carbon and iron oxide precursors, without addition of any precipitation agent. The proper composite material can be obtained by rigorously adhering to the stirring time, temperature, and water quantity used during the preparation of the reaction mass, as well as the thermal regime and the controlled atmosphere used during the thermal decomposition. Synthesized materials were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR). The performances of the obtained material were highlighted by studying their adsorbent properties and by determining the maximum adsorption capacity for arsenic removal from aqueous solutions.

Optimizing the lanthanum adsorption process onto chemically modified biomaterials using factorial and response surface design.

The rare metals' potential to pollute air, water, soil, and especially groundwater has received lot of attention recently. One of the most common rare earth group elements, lanthanum, is used in many industrial branches, and due to its toxicity, it needs to be eliminated from all residual aqueous solutions. The goal of this study was to evaluate the control of the adsorption process for lanthanum removal from aqueous solutions, using cellulose, a known biomaterial with high adsorbent properties, cheap, and environment friendly. The cellulose was chemically modified by functionalization with sodium ß-glycerophosphate. The experimental results obtained after factorial design indicate optimum adsorption parameters as pH 6, contact time 60 min, and temperature 298 K, when the equilibrium concentration of lanthanum was 250 mg L-1, and the experimental adsorption capacity obtained was 31.58 mg g-1. Further refinement of the optimization of the adsorption process by response surface design indicates that at pH 6 and the initial concentration of 256 mg L-1, the adsorption capacity has maximum values between 30.87 and 36.73 mg g-1.

Studies regarding as(V) adsorption from underground water by Fe-XAD8-DEHPA impregnated resin. equilibrium sorption and fixed-bed column tests.

The characteristics of arsenic adsorption onto Fe-XAD8-DEHPA resin were studied on the laboratory scale using aqueous solutions and natural underground waters. Amberlite XAD8 resin was impregnated with di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA) via the dry method of impregnation. Fe(III) ions were loaded onto the impregnated resin by exploiting the high affinity of arsenic towards iron. The studies were conducted by both in contact and continuous modes. Kinetics data revealed that the removal of arsenic by Fe-XAD8-DEHPA resin is a pseudo-second-order reaction. The equilibrium data were modelled with Freundlich Langmuir and Dubinin Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms and it was found that the Freundlich model give the poorest correlation coefficient. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained from the Langmuir isotherm is 22.6 µg As(V)/g of Fe-XAD8-DEHPA resin. The mean free energy of adsorption was found in this study to be 7.2 kJ/mol and the ΔG° value negative (-9.2 kJ/mol). This indicates that the sorption process is exothermal, spontaneous and physical in nature. The studied Fe-XAD8-DEHPA resin showed excellent arsenic removal performance by sorption, both from synthetic solution and the natural water sample, and could be regenerated simply by using aqueous NaOH or HCl solutions.

Evaluation of Functionalized Amberlite Type XAD7 Polymeric Resin with L-Valine Amino Acid Performance for Gallium Recovery.

Given the ever-increasing demand for gallium(III) as a crucial precursor in the fabrication of advanced materials, there arises an imperative to devise efficient recovery processes from primary and secondary sources. In the present investigation, the retrieval of gallium(III) from aqueous solutions through the mechanism of adsorption was investigated. Materials with superior adsorbent properties play an important role in the dynamics of the adsorption process. To enhance these properties, select materials, such as Amberlite-type polymeric resins, are amenable to functionalization through impregnation with extractants featuring specialized active groups, designed for the selective recovery of metal ions-specifically, Ga(III). The impregnation method employed in this study is the Solvent-Impregnated Resin (SIR) method, utilizing the amino acid DL-valine as the extractant. The new material was characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Elemental Analysis via X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to elucidate the presence of the extractant on the resin's surface. Concurrently, the material's pHPZC was determined. The adsorptive prowess of the synthesized material was investigated through kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies. The influence of specific parameters in the adsorption process-namely, pH, contact time, temperature, and Ga(III) initial concentration-on the maximal adsorption capacity was determined. The optimal adsorption conditions were established using the Taguchi method.

Synthesis of Some Eco-Friendly Materials for Gold Recovery.

The aim of this study was to develop new materials with adsorbent properties that can be used for the adsorption recovery of Au(III) from aqueous solutions. To achieve this result, it is necessary to obtain inexpensive adsorbent materials in a granular form. Concomitantly, these materials must have a high adsorption capacity and selectivity. Other desired properties of these materials include a higher physical resistance, insolubility in water, and materials that can be regenerated or reused. Among the methods applied for the separation, purification, and preconcentration of platinum-group metal ions, adsorption is recognised as one of the most promising methods because of its simplicity, high efficiency, and wide availability. The studies were carried out using three supports: cellulose (CE), chitosan (Chi), and diatomea earth (Diat). These supports were functionalised by impregnation with extractants, using the ultrasound method. The extractants are environmentally friendly and relatively cheap amino acids, which contain in their structure pendant groups with nitrogen and sulphur heteroatoms (aspartic acid-Asp, l-glutamic acid-Glu, valine-Val, DL-cysteine-Cys, or serine-Ser). After preliminary testing from 75 synthesised materials, CE-Cys was chosen for the further recovery of Au(III) ions from aqueous solutions. To highlight the morphology and the functionalisation of the material, we physicochemically characterised the obtained material. Therefore, the analysis of the specific surface and porosity showed that the CE-Cys material has a specific surface of 4.6 m2/g, with a porosity of about 3 nm. The FT-IR analysis showed the presence, at a wavelength of 3340 cm-1, of the specific NH bond vibration for cysteine. At the same time, pHpZc was determined to be 2.8. The kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model best describes the adsorption process of Au(III) ions on the CE-Cys material. A maximum adsorption capacity of 12.18 mg per gram of the adsorbent material was achieved. It was established that the CE-Cys material can be reused five times with a good recovery degree.

Advanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Cytarabine from Pharmaceutical Wastewaters.

The need to develop advanced wastewater treatment techniques and their use has become a priority, the main goal being the efficient removal of pollutants, especially those of organic origin. This study presents the photo-degradation of a pharmaceutical wastewater containing Kabi cytarabine, using ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and a synthesized catalyst, a composite based on bismuth and iron oxides (BFO). The size of the bandgap was determined by UV spectroscopy, having a value of 2.27 eV. The specific surface was determined using the BET method, having a value of 0.7 m2 g-1. The material studied for the photo-degradation of cytarabine presents a remarkable photo-degradation efficiency of 97.9% for an initial concentration 0f 10 mg/L cytarabine Kabi when 0.15 g of material was used, during 120 min of interaction with UV radiation at 3 cm from the irradiation source. The material withstands five photo-degradation cycles with good results. At the same time, through this study, it was possible to establish that pyrimidine derivatives could be able to combat infections caused by Escherichia coli and Candida parapsilosis.

Cs+ removal from aqueous solutions through adsorption onto Florisil® impregnated with trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride.

This research determined the adsorption performance of Florisil® impregnated with trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride (Cyphos IL-101) in the process of Cs+ removal from aqueous solutions. The obtained Florisil® impregnated with the studied ionic liquid was characterized through energy dispersive X-ray analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in order to verify that the impregnation with the ionic liquid had occurred. The adsorption process has been investigated as a function of pH, solid:liquid ratio, adsorbate concentration, contact time and temperature. The isotherm data was well described by a Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacities of the Florisil® impregnated with the studied ionic liquid was found to be 3.086 mg Cs+/g of adsorbent. The results indicated that the adsorption fitted well with the pseudo-second order kinetic model.

The Impact of Heavy Metal Accumulation on Some Physiological Parameters in Silphium perfoliatum L. Plants Grown in Hydroponic Systems.

Heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn), resulting from anthropogenic activities, are elements with high persistence in nature, being able to accumulate in soils, water, and plants with significant impact to human and animal health. This study investigates the phytoremediation capacity of Silphium perfoliatum L. as a specific heavy metal hyperaccumulator and the effects of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb on some physiological and biochemical indices by growing plants under floating hydroponic systems in nutrient solutions under the presence of heavy metals. One-year-old plants of S. perfoliatum grown for 20 days in Hoagland solution with the addition of (ppm) Cu-400, Zn-1200, Cd-20, Pb-400, and Cu+Zn+Cd+Pb (400/1200/20/400) were investigated with respect to the control. The level of phytoremediation, manifested by the ability of heavy metal absorption and accumulation, was assessed. In addition, the impact of stress on the proline content, photosynthetic pigments, and enzymatic activity, as being key components of metabolism, was determined. The obtained results revealed a good absorption and selective accumulation capacity of S. perfoliatum plants for the studied heavy metals. Therefore, Cu and Zn mainly accumulate in the stems, Cd in the roots and stems, while Pb mainly accumulates in the roots. The proline tended to increase under stress conditions, depending on the pollutant and its concentration, with higher values in leaves and stems under the associated stress of the four metals and individually for Pb and Cd. In addition, the enzymatic activity recorded different values depending on the plant organ, its type, and the metal concentration on its substrate. The obtained results indicate a strong correlation between the metal type, concentration, and the mechanisms of absorption/accumulation of S. perfoliatum species, as well as the specific reactions of metabolic response.

Arsenic Removal Using Unconventional Material with Iron Content: Batch Adsorption and Column Study.

The remediation of arsenic contamination in potable water is an important and urgent concern, necessitating immediate attention. With this objective in mind, the present study investigated arsenic removal from water using batch adsorption and fixed-bed column techniques. The material employed in this study was a waste product derived from the treatment of groundwater water for potable purposes, having a substantial iron composition. The material's properties were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The point of zero charge (pHPZC) was measured, and the pore size and specific surface area were determined using the BET method. Under static conditions, kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies were carried out to explore the influencing factors on the adsorption process, namely the pH, contact time, temperature, and initial arsenic concentration in the solution. It was found that the adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic, and of a physical nature. In the batch adsorption studies, the maximum removal percentage was 80.4% after 90 min, and in a dynamic regime in the fixed-bed column, the efficiency was 99.99% at a sludge:sand = 1:1 ratio for 380 min for a volume of water with arsenic of ~3000 mL. The kinetics of the adsorption process conformed to a pseudo-second-order model. In terms of the equilibrium studies, the Sips model yielded the most accurate representation of the data, revealing a maximum equilibrium capacity of 70.1 mg As(V)/g sludge. For the dynamic regime, the experimental data were fitted using the Bohart-Adams, Thomas, and Clark models, in order to establish the mechanism of the process. Additionally, desorption studies were conducted, serving as an essential step in validating the practical applicability of the adsorption process, specifically in relation to the reutilization of the adsorbent material.

Selenite Removal from Aqueous Solution Using Silica-Iron Oxide Nanocomposite Adsorbents.

In recent years, during industrial development, the expanding discharge of harmful metallic ions from different industrial wastes (such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, or zinc) into different water bodies has caused serious concern, with one of the problematic elements being represented by selenium (Se) ions. Selenium represents an essential microelement for human life and plays a vital role in human metabolism. In the human body, this element acts as a powerful antioxidant, being able to reduce the risk of the development of some cancers. Selenium is distributed in the environment in the form of selenate (SeO42-) and selenite (SeO32-), which are the result of natural/anthropogenic activities. Experimental data proved that both forms present some toxicity. In this context, in the last decade, only several studies regarding selenium's removal from aqueous solutions have been conducted. Therefore, in the present study, we aim to use the sol-gel synthesis method to prepare a nanocomposite adsorbent material starting from sodium fluoride, silica, and iron oxide matrices (SiO2/Fe(acac)3/NaF), and to further test it for selenite adsorption. After preparation, the adsorbent material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The mechanism associated with the selenium adsorption process has been established based on kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies. Pseudo second order is the kinetic model that best describes the obtained experimental data. Also, from the intraparticle diffusion study, it was observed that with increasing temperature the value of the diffusion constant, Kdiff, also increases. Sips isotherm was found to best describe the experimental data obtained, the maximum adsorption capacity being ~6.00 mg Se(IV) per g of adsorbent material. From a thermodynamic point of view, parameters such as ΔG0, ΔH0, and ΔS0 were evaluated, proving that the process studied is a physical one.

Food Intake of Macro and Trace Elements from Different Fresh Vegetables Taken from Timisoara Market, Romania-Chemometric Analysis of the Results.

Vegetable consumption is recommended and encouraged by all nutritionists and doctors across the planet. However, in addition to minerals which are beneficial to the body, certain minerals with a negative influence on human health can sneak in. It is very important that in the case of some minerals their content in vegetables is known, so that the recommended limits are not exceeded. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the macro elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and trace elements (Cu, Mn, Fe, Cd, Pb, Zn, Co) in 24 samples of vegetables from four botanical families (Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae and Amaryllidaceae), purchased from the market in Timișoara, Romania, both imported products as well as local products. The atomic-absorption-spectrometry technique (FAAS) was used to evaluate the macro elements and trace elements. The values obtained for the macro elements and trace elements were used as input data for the analysis of multivariate data, the principal component analysis (PCA) in which the vegetable samples were grouped according to their contribution of certain mineral elements, as well as according to some of the botanical families to which they belong. At the same time, based on the values obtained for trace elements, an assessment of the risk to human health in terms of consumption of the vegetables studied was carried out. The risk assessment for human health was determined on the basis of the estimated daily dose (EDI), the values of the target hazard coefficient (THQ), the values of the total target hazard coefficient (TTHQ) and the carcinogenic risk (CR). Following the determination of THQ, the values obtained followed the order THQWith > THQCd > THQPb > THQCo > THQMn > THQZn > THQFe. The results on the content of macro elements and trace elements, as well as the assessment of the risk to human health when consuming the assessed vegetables, were within the limits of European Union (EU) and World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO)legislation.

Kinetic Modelling the Solid-Liquid Extraction Process of Scandium from Red Mud: Influence of Acid Composition, Contact Time and Temperature.

Industry represents a fundamental component of modern society, with the generation of massive amounts of industrial waste being the inevitable result of development activities in recent years. Red mud is an industrial waste generated during alumina production using the Bayer process of refining bauxite ore. It is a highly alkaline waste due to the incomplete removal of NaOH. There are several opinions in both the literature and legislation on the hazards of red mud. According to European and national legislation, this mud is not on the list of hazardous wastes; however, if the list of criteria are taken into account, it can be considered as hazardous. The complex processing of red mud is cost-effective because it contains elements such as iron, manganese, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, strontium, lead, copper, cadmium, bismuth, barium and rare earths, especially scandium. Therefore, the selection of an extraction method depends on the form in which the element is present in solution. Extraction is one of the prospective separation and concentration methods. In this study, we evaluated the kinetic modelling of the solid-liquid acid extraction process of predominantly scandium as well as other elements present in red mud. Therefore, three acids (HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4) at different concentrations (10, 20 and 30%) were targeted for the extraction of Sc(III) from solid red mud. Specific parameters of the kinetics of the extraction process were studied, namely the solid:liquid ratio, initial acid concentration, contact time and temperature. The extraction kinetics of Sc(III) with acids was evaluated using first- and second-order kinetic models, involving kinetic parameters, rate constants, saturation concentration and activation energy. The second-order kinetic model was able to describe the mechanism of Sc(III) extraction from red mud. In addition, this study provides an overview on the mechanism of mass transfer involved in the acid extraction process of Sc(III), thereby enabling the design, optimization and control of large-scale processes for red mud recovery.

Adsorbent Material Based on Carbon Black and Bismuth with Tunable Properties for Gold Recovery.

Adsorption recovery of precious metals on a variety of solid substrates has steadily gained increased attention in recent years. Special attention was paid to the studies on the characterization of the adsorptive properties of materials with a high affinity for gold depending on the nature of the pendant groups present in the structure of the material. The aim of the present work was to synthesize and characterize a new material by using the sol-gel synthesis method (designated as BCb/CB). In this case, synthesis involved the following precursors: bismuth carbonate (III), carbon black, and IGEPAL surfactant (octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol). Immobilization of the heterojunction as bismuth oxide over a flexible support such as carbon black (CB) can prevent their elution in solution and make it versatile for its use in a system. In this work, a new adsorbent material based on bismuth carbonate supported over carbon black (BCb/CB) was developed and used further for gold recovery from aqueous solutions. The required material was characterized physically/chemically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX); X-ray diffraction (XRD); thermal analysis (DTG/DTA); atomic force microscopy (AFM). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method was used to determine the specific surface area indicating a value of approximately 40 m2/g, higher than the surface of CB precursor (36 m2/g). The adsorptive properties and the adsorption mechanism of the materials were highlighted in order to recover Au(III). For this, static adsorption studies were carried out. The parameters that influence the adsorption process were studied, namely: the pH, the contact time, the temperature, and the initial concentration of the gold ions in the used solution. In order to establish the mechanism of the adsorption process, kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies were carried out. Experimental data proved that the gold recovery can be conducted with maximum performance at pH 3, at room temperature. Thermodynamic studies proved that the gold adsorption on BCb/CB material is a spontaneous and endothermal process. The results indicate a total adsorption capacity of 13.1 mg Au(III)/g material. By using this material in real solutions, a recovery efficiency of 90.5% was obtained, concomitant with a higher selectivity (around 95%).