Novel Magnetic MnFe2O4-Decorated Graphite-Like Porous Biochar as a Heterogeneous Catalyst for Activation of Peroxydisulfate Toward Degradation of Rhodamine B.

A magnetic MnFe2O4-modified graphite-like porous biochar composite (MnFe2O4/KFS800) was synthesized by the hydrothermal method, and its catalytic activity was evaluated in the activation of peroxydisulfate toward degradation of Rhodamine B. After characterization by SEM, XRD, and the BET method, the specific surface area and total pore volume of the MnFe2O4/KFS800 catalyst reached 121 m2/g and 0.263 m3/g, and exhibited plate-like morphology with good crystallinity. The degradation rate of Rhodamine B by the obtained composite was more than 91.1% when the initial concentration of RhB was 10 mg/L, the dosage of MnFe2O4/KFS800 was 0.2 g/L, and the initial pH was 6.7. Then the anti-interference ability of the obtained composite was studied, and it was found that there was a little effect on the degradation of Rhodamine B with the presence of humic acid. Finally, quenching test, EPR research, and XPS analysis were conducted to reveal the catalytic mechanism, and possible mechanism was a synergistic behavior of free radicals (SO4•-, •OH, O2•-) and nonfree radicals (1O2), and trace amounts of uncarbonized bagasse was also involved in the formation of free radicals.

Synthesis of C3-functionalized indole derivatives via Brønsted acid-catalyzed regioselective arylation of 2-indolylmethanols with guaiazulene.

A Brønsted acid catalyzed method for the construction of guaiazulenyl C3-functionalized indole derivatives is reported for the first time. The reactions proceeded smoothly at ambient temperature by using (±)-10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) as a catalyst, 2-indolylmethanols and guaiazulene as substrates, and the desired products were obtained in high yields with excellent regioselectivities.

Preparation of Gold Nanoplates Using Ortho Carbonyl Compounds as Capping Agents for Electrochemical Sensing of Lead Ions.

In this study, gold nanoplates were synthesized using plant molecules (gallic acid) following a kinetic control mode. The growth of nanoplates is mainly due to the specific adsorption of capping agents on certain crystal facets. Through systematical characterizations, it is found that the distance between two oxygen atoms in ortho carbonyl compounds matches well with the lattice spacing of gold (111) facets exactly, which is beneficial to the formation of twin seeds and further the growth of plate-like gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoplates on glassy carbon electrode show a remarkably improved electrochemical sensing activity of lead ions compared to the bare glassy carbon electrode or spherical gold nanoparticle-modified electrode. The modified electrode is expected to be used in the detection of lead ion concentration in heavy metal wastewater.

Exploring of toxic Pb(II) removal by low-cost bio-adsorbent of camphor leaf forestry waste after camphor oil extraction.

Camphor leaf (CL) was widely used to extract camphor oil and thus led to abundant forestry waste. In order to reduce pollution, the waste CL was used to prepare bio-adsorbent for Pb(II) removal after alkali treatment and functional modification. The effects of solution pH, initial Pb(II) concentration, contact time and solution temperature were investigated on adsorption process to evaluate the potential application in heavy metal ions' removal. It was found that the massive hydroxyl groups released and plenty of micro-pores formed after the alkali treatment of CL bio-adsorbent, which obviously increased the Pb(II) adsorption. And the adsorption performance promoted continually after further functional modification by ionized 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA). The increase of pH was favourable for the adsorption even though the precipitation effect was deducted. Linear fitting method was more suitable to describe the adsorption process than nonlinear fitting method, including adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics research. The adsorption thermodynamics was better to be described by nonlinear fitting method due to its lower root mean square error (RMSE) value and higher R2 value. Among which, the adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics were fitted well to Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order model, respectively. The adsorption thermodynamics was exothermic in nature and the process was spontaneous at low solution temperature. The adsorption mechanism was revealed as the combination of dominant chemical adsorption and assistant physical adsorption.

Preparation of PVA/tetra-ZnO composite with framework-supported pore-channel structure and the removal research of lead ions.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) filled with different kinds of ZnO whisker was prepared by chemical cross-linking reaction. It was found that the ZnO whiskers dispersed uniformly after being modified by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The PVA/tetrapod-shaped ZnO (PVA/tetra-ZnO) composites showed better adsorption performance than other kinds of PVA/ZnO composites. The framework-supported pore-channel structure was beneficial for the transmission and adsorption of heavy metal ions, and the formation of "brush" pore-channel of PVA/tetra-ZnO composites can effectively retain and capture the heavy metal ions. The PVA/tetra-ZnO composites presented well adsorption on Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(III) ions than Ni(II) and showed relatively selective removal on Pb(II) and Cr(III) ions. The adsorbed heavy metal ions presented gradient distribution with high content in the out layer and low content in the inner layer. Pb(II) adsorption capacity qe increased gradually with the increase of initial solution concentration and contact time which tended to be stable at 400 mg/L and 800 min. The maximal adsorption capacity qm obtained by nonlinear fitting reached to about 116 mg/g which was very close to the experiment data. Adsorption isotherm results indicated the monolayer adsorption process of the Langmuir model and the adsorption kinetics data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption process was spontaneous and the high temperature was in favor of adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was explored as the combination of coordination and ion exchange. Besides, the PVA/tetra-ZnO composites exhibited better stress stability, thermo stability, and favorable regeneration than neat PVA.

Hematite concave nanocubes and their superior catalytic activity for low temperature CO oxidation.

Hematite (α-Fe2O3) concave nanocubes bound by high-index {1344̄} and {123̄8} facets were synthesized and their catalytic activity for CO oxidation were also investigated.

New isolate of Trichoderma viride strain for enhanced cellulolytic enzyme complex production.

A new Trichoderma viride stain was isolated from Singapore soil samples. Its mutants were developed by using ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS) treatment and UV-irradiation followed by a semi-quantitative plate clearing assay on phosphoric-acid-swollen cellulose plates. Mutant EU2-77 proved to be the most promising extracellular cellulase producer among 20 mutants in a screening program performed in shake flask fermentation after plate screening. Soluble protein content, filter paper cellulase (FPase) activity, ß-glucosidase activity and endoglucanase (CMCase) activity of the fermentation broths of the mutant strain were increased to 1.67, 2.49, 2.16, and 2.61 folds, respectively, compared with the wild strain. This enzyme complex produced by mutant EU2-77 contained FPase (2.19 IU/ml), CMCase (16.46 IU/ml), ß-glucosidase (4.04 IU/ml), xylanase (42.37 IU/ml), and ß-xylosidase (0.12 IU/ml). The soluble protein concentration in the enzyme complex was 1.69 mg/ml. The hydrolytic capacities of fermentation supernatants of T. reesei Rut-C30, the wild strain T. viride NP13a and mutant T. viride EU2-77 were compared with the commercial enzymes on the hydrolysis of waste newspaper. The crude enzymes prepared by T. viride EU2-77 showed much higher hydrolysis performance than that from the commercial strain Rut-C30 and demonstrated much comparable hydrolytic performances with the commercial enzyme mixtures. T. viride mutant EU2-77 produced high levels of extracellular cellulases as well as ß-glucosidase, rendering the supplementation of ß-glucosidase unnecessary in waste newspaper hydrolysis.