[Synthesis of core/shell structured magnetic carbon nanoparticles and its adsorption ability to chlortetracycline in aquatic environment].

Magnetic carbon nanoparticles with core/shell structure (Fe3C/Fe@C) and large surface areas were synthesized via hydrothermal method followed with heat treatment under N2 atmosphere. The adsorbent has strongly magnetic cores and graphitized carbon shell. The removal efficiency of chlortetracycline (CTC) from aquatic environment by Fe3C/Fe@C was investigated. The results showed that Fe3C/Fe@C exhibited ultrahigh adsorption ability to CTC. The adsorption behavior of CTC on FeC/Fe@C fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 24 h. The adsorption ability of CTC increased with solution pH at pH 3.5-7.5, but decreased with further increase of pH (pH 7.5-8.5). CTC adsorption decreased with solution temperature and increased with ionic strength. As the concentration of coexisting humic acid in solution ranged in 10-50 mg x L(-1), the adsorption ability of CTC on Fe3C/Fe@C was only decreased by 10%-20%. Under the optimal conditions (pH = 7.5, T = 293 K), the maximum adsorption capacity of CTC on Fe3C/Fe@C calculated by Langmuir was 909 mg x g(-1), which was significantly higher than those obtained on sediment or minerals. More importantly, Fe3C/Fe@C adsorbed with CTC can be collected from water sample under a magnetic field rapidly for special disposal, which avoids secondary pollution of water. These results indicate that Fe3C/Fe@C is a potentially efficient, green adsorbent for removal of tetracycline antibiotics from aquatic environment.

Colorimetric detection of copper ions in tap water during the synthesis of silver/dopamine nanoparticles.

A facile, economic and eco-friendly colorimetric sensor for Cu(2+) using dopamine/silver nanoparticles was developed. The sensor shows excellent sensitivity and selectivity toward Cu(2+) in the range of 3.2-512 ppb and can be applied for Cu(2+) detection in tap water.

A core-shell magnetic mesoporous silica sorbent for organic targets with high extraction performance and anti-interference ability.

C(18)-functionalized mesoporous silica shell was successfully fabricated on the surface of an Fe(3)O(4)/SiO(2) core to obtain an Fe(3)O(4)/SiO(2)/SiO(2)-C(18) magnetic microsphere. The microsphere exhibited high extraction efficiency to organic targets and strong anti-interference ability to natural organic matter. It could be easily isolated from water solution after extraction.

[Degradation of norfloxacin by nano-Fe3O4/H2O2].

The degradation of norfloxacin in aquatic environment was studied in the presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and H2O2. The effects of solution pH, temperature, dose of catalysts and concentration of H2O2 on norfloxacin degradation were surveyed. The degradation behaviors of different substrates by nano-Fe3O4/H2O2 were investigated and the reaction mechanism of norfloxacin was discussed. The results showed that the reaction was strongly pH-dependent and favored in acidic solution (pH = 3.5). The removal efficiency of norfloxacin was enhanced with the increase of temperature, catalysts dosage and H2O2 concentration. The degradation efficiency of norfloxacin by nano-Fe3O4/H2O2 was significantly higher than those of sulfathiazole, phenolic and aniline compounds. In the presence of 4.4 mmol x L(-1) of H2O2, 0.80 g x L(-1) of Fe3O4 and T = 303 K, norfloxacin was degraded completely in 5 min. The F element in norfloxacin molecule existed totally as F(-) in solution within 5 min, and the removal efficiency of total organic carbon was 57% in 1 h. In the ESR spectrum of nano-Fe3O4/H2O2 system, the characteristic peaks of BMPO-*OH adduct was detected, however, the intensity of the peaks was reduced to 5% with the addition of tert-butanol, a strong *OH scavenger, and the degradation efficiency of norfloxacin was correspondingly decreased to 10% in 1 h. These results indicated that *OH played an important role on norfloxacin degradation, and the reaction proceeded based on a heterogeneous Fenton-like system.

Preparation of a chitosan-coated C(18)-functionalized magnetite nanoparticle sorbent for extraction of phthalate ester compounds from environmental water samples.

Novel superparamagnetic chitosan-coated C(18)-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were successfully synthesized and applied as an effective sorbent for the preconcentration of several typical phthalate ester compounds from environmental water samples. The MNPs were 20 nm in diameter and had a high magnetic saturation value (52 emu g(-1)), which endowed the sorbent with a large surface area and the convenience of isolation from water samples. Phthalate esters could be extracted by the interior octadecyl groups through hydrophobic interaction. The hydrophilic porous chitosan polymer coating promoted the dispersion of MNPs in water samples, and improved the anti-interference ability of the sorbent without influencing the adsorption of analytes. The main factors affecting the adsorption of phthalate esters, including the pH of the solution, humic acid, sample loading volume, adsorption time, and desorption conditions, were investigated and optimized. Under the conditions selected (pH 11, adsorption time 20 min, elution with 10 mL of acetonitrile, and concentration to 0.5 mL), concentration factors of 1,000 were achieved by extracting 500 mL of several environmental water samples with 0.1 g of MNP sorbent. The method detection limits obtained for di-n-propyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, dicyclohexyl phthalate, and di-n-octyl phthalate were 12.3, 18.7, 36.4, and 15.6 ng L(-1), respectively. The recoveries of spiked samples ranged from 60 to 100%, with a low relative standard deviation (1-8%), which indicated good method precision.

A new solid-phase extraction disk based on a sheet of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

A new kind of solid-phase extraction disk based on a sheet of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is developed in this study. The properties of such disks are tested, and different disks showed satisfactory reproducibility. One liter of aqueous solution can pass through the disk within 10-100 min while still allowing good recoveries. Two disks (DD-disk) can be stacked to enrich phthalate esters, bisphenol A (BPA), 4-n-nonylphenol (4-NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-OP) and chlorophenols from various volumes of solution. The results show that SWCNT disks have high extraction ability for all analytes. The SWCNT disk can extract polar chlorophenols more efficiently than a C(18) disk from water solution. Unlike the activated carbon disk, analytes adsorbed by the new disks can be eluted completely with 8-15 mL of methanol or acetonitrile. Finally, the DD-disk system is used to pretreat 1000-mL real-world water samples spiked with BPA, 4-OP and 4-NP. Detection limits of 7, 25, and 38 ng L(-1) for BPA, 4-OP, and 4-NP, respectively, were achieved under optimized conditions. The advantages of this new disk include its strong adsorption ability, its high flow rate and its easy preparation.