Efficient removal of formaldehyde using metal-biochar derived from acid mine drainage sludge and spent coffee waste.

A novel metal-biochar (Biochar/AMDS) composite were fabricated by co-pyrolysis of spent coffee waste (SCW)/acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS), and their effective application in adsorptive removal of air pollutants such as formaldehyde in indoor environments was evaluated. The physicochemical characteristics of Biochar/AMDS were analyzed using SEM/EDS, XRF, XRD, BET, and FTIR. The characterization results illustrated that Biochar/AMDS had the highly porous structure, carbonaceous layers, and heterogeneous Fe phases (hematite, metallic Fe, and magnetite). The fixed-bed column test showed that the removal of formaldehyde by Biochar/AMDS was 18.4-fold higher than that by metal-free biochar (i.e., SCW-derived biochar). Changing the ratio of AMDS from 1:6 to 1:1 significantly increased the adsorption capacity for formaldehyde from 1008 to 1811 mg/g. In addition, thermal treatment of used adsorbent at 100 °C effectively restored the adsorptive function exhausted during the column test. These results provide new insights into the fabrication of practical, low-cost and ecofriendly sorbent for formaldehyde.

The simultaneous capture of mercury and fine particles by hybrid filter with powder activated carbon injection.

The hybrid filter (HF) was newly designed and operated with powder activated carbon (PAC) injection to capture mercury and fine particulate matter in the coal power plant. With PAC injection in HF operation, the capture efficiency of elemental mercury was clearly enhanced. When the injection rate of PAC increased from 0 to 20 mg/m3, the speciation fraction of elemental mercury significantly decreased from 85.19% to 3.76% at the inlet of the hybrid filter. The speciation fraction of oxidized mercury did not vary greatly, whereas the particulate mercury increased from 1.31% to 94.04%. It was clearly observed that the HF played a role in the capture of mercury and fine PM by leading the conversion of elemental mercury as particulate mercury and the growth of PM via electrode discharge in the HF operation with PAC injection.

Pilot-scale evaluation of a novel TiO2-supported V2O5 catalyst for DeNOx at low temperatures at a waste incinerator.

The removal of NOx by catalytic technology at low temperatures is significant for treatment of flue gas in waste incineration plants, especially at temperatures below 200°C. A novel highly active TiO2-supported vanadium oxide catalyst at low temperatures (200-250°C) has been developed for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) de-NOx process with ammonia. The catalyst was evaluated in a pilot-scale equipment, and the results were compared with those obtained in our previous work using laboratory scale (small volume test) equipment as well as bench-scale laboratory equipment. In the present work, we have performed our experiments in pilot scale equipment using a part of effluent flue gas that was obtained from flue gas cleaning equipment in a full-scale waste incineration plant in South Korea. Based on our previous work, we have prepared a TiO2-supported V2O5 catalyst coated (with a loading of 7wt% of impregnated V2O5) on a honeycomb cordierite monolith to remove NOx from a waste incinerator flue gas at low temperatures. The NOx (nitrogen oxides) removal efficiency of the SCR catalyst bed was measured in a catalyst fixed-bed reactor (flow rate: 100m3h-1) using real exhaust gas from the waste incinerator. The experimental results showed that the V2O5/TiO2 SCR catalyst exhibited good DeNOx performance (over 98% conversion at an operating temperature of 300°C, 95% at 250°C, and 70% at 200°C), and was much better than the performance of commercial SCR catalysts (as low as 55% conversion at 250°C) under the same operating conditions.

An aptamer cocktail-functionalized photocatalyst with enhanced antibacterial efficiency towards target bacteria.

We developed TiO2 particles conjugated with an Escherichia coli surface-specific ssDNA aptamer cocktail (composed of three different aptamers isolated from E. coli) for targeted and enhanced disinfection of E. coli. We examined the target-specific and enhanced inactivation of this composite (TiO2-Apc), which were compared to those of TiO2 conjugated with a single aptamer (one of the three different aptamers, TiO2-Aps) and non-modified TiO2. We found that TiO2-Apc enhanced the inactivation of targeted E. coli under UV irradiation compared to both the non-modified TiO2 and TiO2-Aps. A higher number of TiO2-Apc than TiO2-Aps particles was observed on the surface of E. coli. The amount of TiO2-Apc required to inactivate ∼99.9% of E. coli (10(6) CFU/ml) was 10 times lower than that of non-modified TiO2. The close proximity of functionalized particles with E. coli resulting from the interaction between the target surface and the aptamer induced the efficient and fast transfer of reactive oxygen species to the cells. In a mixed culture of different bacteria (E. coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis), TiO2-Apc enhanced the inactivation of only E. coli. Taken together, these results support the use of aptamer cocktail-conjugated TiO2 for improvement of the target-specific inactivation of bacteria.

Examination of surface phenomena of V2O5 loaded on new nanostructured TiO2 prepared by chemical vapor condensation for enhanced NH3-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) at low temperatures.

In this article, we describe the investigation and surface characterization of a chemical vapor condensation (CVC)-TiO2 support material used in a V2O5/TiO2 catalyst for enhanced selective catalytic reduction (SCR) activity and confirm the mechanism of surface reactions. On the basis of previous studies and comparison with a commercial TiO2 catalyst, we examine four fundamental questions: first, the reason for increased surface V(4+) ion concentrations; second, the origin of the increase in surface acid sites; third, a basis for synergistic influences on improvements in SCR activity; and fourth, a reason for improved catalytic activity at low reaction temperatures. In this study, we have cited the result of SCR with NH3 activity for removing NOx and analyzed data using the reported result and data from previous studies on V2O5/CVC-TiO2 for the SCR catalyst. In order to determine the properties of suitable CVC-TiO2 surfaces for efficient SCR catalysis at low temperatures, CVC-TiO2 specimens were prepared and characterized using techniques such as XRD, BET, HR-TEM, XPS, FT-IR, NH3-TPD, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, H2-TPR, and cyclic voltammetry. The results obtained for the CVC-TiO2 materials were also compared with those of commercial TiO2.

Bacterial target-specific photocatalyst for the enhancement of antibacterial property to targets.

A bacterial target-specific titanium oxide (TiO2) photocatalyst was developed for the enhancement of selective inactivation of targeted bacteria. An antibacterial composition comprising TiO2 particles immobilized with a bacterial-specific antibody having affinity to bacteria of interest was prepared via a carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (EDC/NHS) coupling reaction between polyacrylic acid (PAA) coated TiO2 and an antibody. As a model case, an antibody to Escherichia coli was conjugated with the PAA-coated TiO2 (TiO2-AbE). We evaluated the enhancement of the antibacterial effect of TiO2-AbE against target E. coli, compared with its effect on other bacteria that lack affinity for the antibody used. The TiO2-AbE inactivated approximately 90% of the E. coli at 15 min, whereas the raw TiO2 inactivated approximately 20% of the E. coli after the same period of time under UV irradiation. The TiO2-AbE did not show an enhanced antibacterial effect against non-target bacteria. We infer that close contact between TiO2 particles and E. coli, as a result of the specificity of the antibody, can enhance the direct transfer of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by TiO2 particles to the cellular surface under UV irradiation and result in rapid and efficient inactivation of the targeted bacteria. The strategy presented here will facilitate the combination of other receptors and TiO2 particles for the preparation of highly selective and photocatalytic composites to prevent or remediate contamination by unwanted bacteria in a wide variety of natural and man-made systems.

Aptamer cocktails: enhancement of sensing signals compared to single use of aptamers for detection of bacteria.

Microbial cells have many binding moieties on their surface for binding to their specific bioreceptors. The whole-cell SELEX process enables the isolation of various aptamers that can bind to different components on the cell surface such as proteins, polysaccharides, or flagella with high affinity and specificity. Here, we examine the binding capacity of an aptamer mixture (aptamer cocktail) composed of various combinations of 3 different DNA aptamers isolated from Escherichia coli and compare it with one of the single aptamers using fluorescence-tagged aptamers. The aptamer mixtures showed higher fluorescence signal than did any single aptamer used, which suggests that use of aptamer mixtures can enhance the sensitivity of detection of microbial cells. To further evaluate this effect, the signal enhancement and improvement of sensitivity provided by combinatorial use of aptamers were examined in an electrochemical detection system. With regard to current decreases, the aptamer cocktail immobilized on gold electrodes performed better than a single aptamer immobilized on gold electrodes did. Consequently, the detection limit achieved using the aptamers individually was approximately 18 times that when the 3 aptamers were used in combination. These results support the use of aptamer cocktails for detection of complex targets such as E. coli with enhanced sensitivity.

Catalytic oxidation of benzene using mesoporous alpha-Mn2O3.

The catalytic oxidation of benzene was carried out over mesoporous alpha-Mn2O3, MnOx/KIT-6, and bulk commercial Mn oxides (Mn2O3, MnO2, and MnO). The catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, and temperature-programmed reduction analysis. MnOx/KIT-6, prepared by impregnating MnOx on KIT-6, exhibited a low activity for the oxidation of benzene, whereas mesoporous alpha-Mn2O3, manufactured using KIT-6 as the template, showed a high activity. The order of the activities of bulk Mn oxides for benzene decomposition was shown to be Mn2O3 > MnO2 > MnO. Therefore, the high activity of mesoporous alpha-Mn2O3 is attributed to the uniform distribution of highly active Mn2O3 in the mesoporous structure.

Catalytic oxidation of benzene with ozone over Mn/KIT-6.

Benzene is one of the target compounds to be removed from air owing to its carcinogenicity. In this study, benzene oxidation with ozone over a MnOx/KIT-6 catalyst was carried out for the first time. MnOx/KIT-6 was synthesized using two different Mn precursors: Mn acetate and Mn nitrate. The characteristics of the synthesized catalysts were examined by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and N2 adsorption-desorption. The catalytic activity was found to be dependent on the amount of ozone consumed and the dispersion and reducibility of MnOx on the catalyst surface.

Isolation and characterization of DNA aptamers against Escherichia coli using a bacterial cell-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment approach.

Aptamers are powerful capturing probes against various targets such as proteins, small organic compounds, metal ions, and even cells. In this study, we isolated and characterized single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers against Escherichia coli. A total of 28 ssDNAs were isolated after 10 rounds of selection using a bacterial cell-SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) process. Other bacterial species (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) were used for counter selection to enhance the selectivity of ssDNA aptamers against E. coli. Finally, four ssDNA aptamers showed high affinity and selectivity to E. coli, The dissociation constants (K(d)) of these four ssDNA aptamers to E. coli were estimated to range from 12.4 to 25.2 nM. These aptamers did not bind to other bacterial species, including four counter cells, but they showed affinity to different E. coli strains. The binding of these four aptamers to E. coli was observed directly by fluorescence microscopy.

Visible-light-induced bactericidal activity of vanadium-pentoxide (V2O5)-loaded TiO2 nanoparticles.

The bactericidal activity of TiO(2) nanoparticles under visible light is very important in regards to its practical applications. In this paper, we synthesized vanadium-pentoxide-loaded TiO(2) nanoparticles (V(2)O(5)-TiO(2)) using a chemical vapor condensation method, followed by the impregnation method, and characterized its physicochemical properties through X-ray diffraction patterning, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, Raman spectra analysis, and Fourier transform infrared analysis. In addition, the antibacterial activity of V(2)O(5)-TiO(2) nanoparticles against E. coli was evaluated and compared with pure TiO(2) nanoparticles. In these experiments, the population of E. coli was shown to be significantly reduced by V(2)O(5)-TiO(2) nanoparticles under illumination with fluorescent light, whereas pure TiO(2) nanoparticles showed about 3.3-fold lower antibacterial activity than the V(2)O(5)-TiO(2) nanoparticles. This result was most likely due to the change in surface conditions of the TiO(2) nanoparticles, which was due to the loading of vanadium pentoxide on the TiO(2) nanoparticles. Furthermore, both photocatalysts showed similar antibacterial activity under UV-A (352 nm) irradiation.

Catalytic oxidation of benzene with ozone over nanoporous Mn/MCM-48 catalyst.

The catalytic oxidation of a representative volatile organic compound, benzene, with ozone at a low temperature was investigated. A nanoporous MCM-48 material with a high specific surface area was used as the support for the catalytic oxidation for the first time. Mn, which has high activity at a low temperature, was used as the metal catalyst. To examine the effect of the Mn precursor, MCM-48 was impregnated with two different Mn precursors: Mn acetate and Mn nitrate. The characteristics of the synthesized catalysts were analyzed by Brunauer Emmett Teller surface area, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and temperature-programmed reduction. MCM-48 impregnated with Mn acetate showed higher catalytic activity than MCM-48 impregnated with Mn nitrate. This result was attributed to the better dispersion within nanoporous MCM-48 and higher oxygen mobility of Mn oxides produced by Mn acetate. The catalytic activity was also shown to depend closely on the ozone concentration.

Effect of Mn precursors on benzene oxidation with ozone over MnOx/MCM-41 at low temperature.

Low temperature benzene oxidation in the presence of ozone on MnOx/MCM-41 catalysts has been studied. MnOx/MCM-41 catalysts were prepared from two different precursors, Mn(NO3)2 and Mn(CH3COO)2, and these samples were characterized by N2 sorption, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction. The characterization results showed that the MnOx/MCM-41 prepared from Mn(CH3COO)2 had higher oxygen mobility and dispersion than the MnOx/MCM-41 from Mn(NO3)2. As a result, the MnOx/MCM-41 obtained from Mn(CH3COO)2 showed higher catalytic activity for the oxidation of benzene using ozone; however, without ozone, the catalytic activity was negligible.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by chemical vapor condensation method with different precursor concentration and residence time.

Nanosized TiO(2) photocatalysts were synthesized using a chemical vapor condensation method under a range of synthesis conditions (precursor vapor concentration and residence time in a tubular electric furnace). X-ray diffraction showed that the prepared TiO(2) powders consisted mainly of anatase (>94%) with a small amount of rutile. The mean particle diameter from the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and transmission electron microscopy measurements ranged from 9.4 to 16.6 nm. The specific surface area (92.5-163.5 m(2) g(-1)) of the prepared TiO(2) powders was found to be dependent on the synthesis conditions. The content of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the prepared TiO(2) sample was higher than those on commercial TiO(2), resulting in increased photocatalytic oxidation. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO(2) samples prepared in a methylene blue solution was strongly dependent on the crystallinity and specific surface area, which were affected by the TTIP vapor concentration and residence time.

Gold nanoparticle-based homogeneous fluorescent aptasensor for multiplex detection.

We developed a homogeneous fluorescence assay for multiplex detection based on the target induced conformational change of DNA aptamers. DNA aptamers were immobilized on quantum dots (QDs), and QDs conjugated ssDNA was adsorbed on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by electrostatic interaction between uncoiled ssDNA and the AuNPs. Subsequently the fluorescence of QDs was effectively quenched by the AuNPs due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) of QDs to AuNPs. In the presence of targets, the QDs conjugated aptamers were detached from AuNPs by target induced conformational change of aptamers, consequently the fluorescence of the QDs was recovered proportional to the target concentration. In this study, three different QD/aptamer conjugates were used for multiplex detection of mercury ions, adenosine and potassium ions. In a control experiment, all of the three targets were simultaneously detected with high selectivity.

A novel colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticle for a highly sensitive and specific detection of oxytetracycline.

We have successfully developed a novel colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticles for highly sensitive and specific detection of oxytetracycline (OTC), one of the most common antibacterial agents. A highly specific ssDNA aptamer that bind to OTC with high affinity was employed to discriminate other tetracyclines (TCs), such as doxycycline (DOX) and tetracycline (TET). Aggregation of AuNPs was specifically induced by desorption of the OTC binding aptamers (OBAs) from the surface of gold nanoparticles as a result of the aptamer-target interaction, leading to the color change from red to purple. The detection limit of OTC was enhanced up to 25 nM, which is 20-fold lower than the limit USA-EPA regulated, with two orders of magnitudes in its linear dynamic range by successful optimization on the amount of the aptamers, AuNPs, and salts. This colorimetric aptasensor is advantageous over the other conventional methods in terms of its simple signal generation and detection with the naked eye, which can be realized in on-site detection of antibacterial agents.

Catalytic conversion of 1,2-dichlorobenzene using V2O5/TiO2 catalysts by a thermal decomposition process.

This study examined the catalytic oxidation of 1,2-dichlorobenzene on V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) nanoparticles. The V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) nanoparticles were synthesized by the thermal decomposition of vanadium oxytripropoxide and titanium tetraisopropoxide. The effects of the synthesis conditions, such as the synthesis temperature and precursor heating temperature, were investigated. The specific surface areas of V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) nanoparticles increased with increasing synthesis temperature and decreasing precursor heating temperature. The catalytic oxidation rate of the V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) catalyst formed by thermal decomposition process at a catalytic reaction temperature of 150 and 200 degrees C was 46% and 95%, respectively. As a result, it was concluded that the V(2)O(5)/TiO(2) catalysts synthesized by a thermal decomposition process showed good performance for 1,2-DCB decomposition at a lower temperature.

Oxygen-enriched air for co-incineration of organic sludges with municipal solid waste: a pilot plant experiment.

Pilot-plant experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of oxygen enrichment on the co-incineration of MSW and organic sludge from a wastewater treatment facility. Combustion chamber temperatures, stack gas concentrations, i.e., CO(2) and CO, and the residual oxygen were measured. The maximum ratio of organic sludge waste to total waste input was 30 wt.%. Oxygen-enriched air, 22 vol.% (dry basis) oxygen, was used for stable combustion. As the co-incineration ratio of the sludge increased, the primary and secondary combustion chamber temperatures were decreased to 900 and 750 degrees C, respectively, approximately 100 degrees C below the proper incineration. However, if the supplied air was enriched with 22 vol.% (dry basis) oxygen content, the incinerator temperature was high enough to burn the waste mixture containing 30 wt.% moisture sludge, with an estimated heating value of 6.72 MJ/kg. There are two main benefits of using oxygen enrichment in the co-incineration. First, the sensible heat can be reduced as the quantity of nitrogen in the flue gas will be decreased. Second, the unburned carbon formation is reduced due to the oxygen-enriched burning of the waste, despite an increase in the sludge co-incineration ratio.

Removal of gaseous elemental mercury by dielectric barrier discharge.

The removal of elemental mercury (Hg(0)) with the reactive species produced from dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was studied. The effects of the operating parameters, such as the applied voltage, residence time, initial concentration and co-existence of other pollutants, were investigated. The removal of Hg(0) was significantly promoted by an increase in the applied voltage of the DBD reactor system. The presence of NO gas decreased the Hg(0) removal efficiency within the range of input powers tested compared to the case of Hg(0)-only due to the competition for ozone between Hg(0) and NO gas in the DBD reactor.

Mercury emissions from selected stationary combustion sources in Korea.

Mercury emissions from various stationary combustion sources such as coal-fired power plants, oil-fired power plants, industrial utility oil boilers, iron manufacturing plants, and industrial waste incinerators, were measured. The US EPA (Environmental protection agency) method 101A and the Ontario hydro method were used to sample the mercury containing combustion flue gases, at the inlet of the air pollution control devices (APCDs) and at the stack. Collected samples of both gaseous and particulate forms were then analyzed using CVAA (cold vapor atomic absorption) type analyzer. Measurement results from the coal-fired power plant showed percentages of elemental mercury (Hg0) as high as 31.4% and as low as 9.5%. However, the content of Hg0 was in the range of 1.3-3.7% from the industrial waste incinerator. Differences in mercury speciation from various stationary combustion sources are believed to be coming from: (1) difference in the fuel types; (2) difference in the major flue gas compositions (ex. HCl and SOx); and (3) difference in the types of air pollution control devices (APCDs). When the measurement results obtained using different sampling methods were compared, the Ontario Hydro Method gave a slightly higher mercury concentration measurement than that of the US EPA Method 101A.