Thermo-catalytic pyrolysis of sewage sludge and techno-economic analysis: The effect of synthetic zeolites and natural sourced catalysts.

This work focuses to the value added utilization of animal sewage sludge into gases, bio-oil and char using synthetic zeolite (ZSM-5 and Y-zeolite) and natural sourced (diatomite, kaolin, perlite) materials as catalysts. Pyrolysis was performed in a one-stage bench-scale reactor at temperatures of 400 and 600 °C. The catalyst was mixed with the raw material before the pyrolysis. Catalysts had a significant effect on the yield of products, because the amount of volatile products was higher in their presence, than without them. In case of kaolin, due to the structural transformation occurring between 500-600 °C, a significant increase in activity was observed in terms of pyrolysis reactions resulting in volatiles. The hydrogen content of the gas products increased significantly at a temperature of 600 °C and in thermo-catalysts pyrolysis. In the presence of catalysts, bio-oil had more favourable properties.

Influence of kaolin and red clay on ceramic specimen properties when galvanic sludge is incorporated to encapsulate heavy metals.

This study presented the influence of two types of clay: kaolin (Kao) and red clay (RC) on the chemical and physical properties of ceramic specimens when galvanic sludge (GS) is incorporated to encapsulate heavy metals. Samples were obtained of GS from the industrial district of Manaus - Amazonas State, Brazil, and kaolin (Kao), and red clay (RC) from the Central Amazon. A fourth sample was prepared by mixing GS, Kao, and RC in the ratio 1:1:8 (GS + Kao + RC). This mixture was ground, and ceramic specimens were prepared, and heat treated at 950 °C and 1200 °C for three hours for phase detection, compressive strength, leaching of Fe, Ni and Cr metals and life cycle assessment. Galvanic sludge, Kao, and RC were also, and heat treated to at 950 °C and 1200 °C for three hours, obtaining GS950, GS1200, Kao950, Kao1200, RC950, and RC1200. The samples were submitted to XRF, XRD, Rietveld refinement, Mössbauer spectroscopy, TG/DTG/DSC, and SEM. The results show that the formation of nickel oxide and a spinel solid solution of the type Fe3+{Fe1-y3+,Fe1-x2+,Nix2+,Cry3+}O4 (in which [] = tetrahedral site, {} octahedral site) occurs in GS1200, which is caused by sulfate decomposition to SO2. At 1200 °C, heavy metals are encapsulated, forming other phases such as nickel silicate and hematite. Life cycle assessment was used to verify the sustainability and value of GS in clay for making bricks, and it indicated that the production of ceramics is feasible, reduces the use of clays, and is sustainable.

Kaolin loaded gelatin sponges for rapid and effective hemostasis and accelerated wound healing.

Severe trauma with massive active blood loss, including liver and spleen rupture, arterial bleeding and pelvic fracture, will lead disability, malformation and even death. Therefore, it is very important to develop new, fast and efficient hemostatic materials. In this study, a novel Gelatin/Kaolin (GE/KA) composite sponge was developed. Meanwhile, to further investigate the effect of kaolin content on sponge properties, we prepared four types of sponges: GE/5% KA, GE/10% KA, GE/15% KA and GE/20% KA. The results of coagulation test in vitro showed that compared to the other groups, there were more activated adhered platelets and red blood cells on the surface of GE/15% KA. The results of hemostasis test in vivo showed that compared to other experimental groups, the GE/15% KA group had significantly less hemostasis time (liver hemostasis model: 69.50 ± 2.81 s; femoral artery hemostasis model: 75.17 ± 3.06 s) and bleeding volume (liver hemostasis model: 219.02 ± 10.39 mg; femoral artery hemostasis model: 948.00 ± 50.69 mg), and was similar to the commercial hemostasis material group. Additionally, the material properties of the sponge were characterized and its biocompatibility was verified as well through cell experiments and in vivo embedding experiments. All these results indicate that the optimal content of kaolin is 15%, which provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research. All in all, the novel GE/KA composite sponge prepared in this study can be used as a multifunctional hemostatic wound dressing for the treatment of complex wounds under various trauma scenes.

Copolymers functionalized with quaternary ammonium compounds under template chain exhibit simultaneously efficient bactericidal and flocculation properties: Characterization, performance and mechanism.

In this work, novel multifunctional cationic template copolymers with flocculation and sterilization capabilities were synthesized using a low-pressure ultraviolet (LP-UV) template polymerization method for the removal of kaolin and Escherichia coli (E. coli) from water. The influence of template agents on the structural performance of the copolymers was evaluated through characterization, which showed that template copolymer TPADM possesses a higher cationic charge density and a more complex rough surface, contributing to better flocculation performance than that of the non-template copolymer CPADM. Under optimal experimental conditions, TPADM-1 exhibited removal rates of 98.45% for kaolin and 99% for E. coli (OD600 =0.04), marginally outperforming the non-template copolymer. Simultaneously, TPADM-1 produced good adaptability to kaolin and E. coli wastewater in terms of wide pH, speculating that charge neutralization, adsorption bridging, patching, and sweeping simultaneously dominate the flocculation mechanism. Interestingly, SEM and 3D-EEM analysis confirm that the sterilization of E. coli occurs through two distinct functions: initially adsorption followed by subsequent cell membrane rupture and leakage of cellular contents, ultimately leading to cell death. This research further confirms the feasibility of the designed novel multifunctional copolymers for achieving simultaneous disinfection and turbidity removal, demonstrating practical applicability in real water treatment processes.

Mechanism analysis of a novel natural cationic modified dextran flocculant and its application in the treatment of blue algal blooms.

Blue algae, a type of harmful microalgae, are responsible for causing harmful algal blooms that result in severe environmental issues. To address this problem, a biopolysaccharide-based flocculant was developed for treating blue algae blooms. This flocculant was created by modifying high molecular weight dextran using the natural cationic monomer betaine (Dex-Bet), making it environmentally friendly. Various techniques were used to characterize the prepared Dex-Bet flocculant, including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effectiveness of the Dex-Bet flocculant was evaluated using kaolin-simulated wastewater. The results showed that the treated supernatant had a transmittance of up to 98.25 %. Zeta potential analysis revealed that the main mechanisms of flocculation were charge neutralization, charge patching, and adsorption bridging. The application of Dex-Bet in treating blue-green algae resulted in a maximum removal rate of 98.2 %. This study provides a potential flocculant for blue algae bloom treatment.

ß-Glucosidase on clay minerals: Structure and function in the synthesis of octyl glucoside.

ß-Glucosidase is a biological macromolecule that catalyzes the hydrolysis of various glycosides and oligosaccharides. It may also be used to catalyze the synthesis of glycosides under suitable conditions. Carrier-bound ß-glucosidase can enhance the enzymatic activity in the synthesis of glycosides in organic solvent solutions, although the molecular mechanism regulating activity is yet unknown. This study investigated the impact of utilizing montmorillonite (Mmt), attapulgite (Attp), and kaolinite (Kao) as carriers on the activity of ß-glucosidase from Prunus dulcis (PdBg). When Attp was used as carriers, the molecular dynamic (MD) simulations found the distance between pNPG and the active site residues E183 and E387 was minimally impacted by the adsorptions, hence PdBg maintained about 81.3 ± 0.89 % of its native activity. Out of the three clay minerals, the relative activity of PdBg loaded on Mmt was the lowest because of the highest electrostatic energy. The substrate channel of PdBg on Kao is directed towards the surface, limiting the accessibility of substrates. Secondary structure and conformation studies revealed that the conformational stability of PdBg in solvent solutions was enhanced by coupling to Attp. Unlike dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), tert-butanol (t-BA) did not penetrate into the active site of PdBg interfering with its binding to the substrate. The maximum yield of n-octyl-ß-glucoside (OGP) synthesis catalyzed by Attp-immobilized PdBg reached 48.3 %.

Synthesis of chitosan-based grafting magnetic flocculants for flocculation of kaolin suspensions.

A series of novel chitosan-based magnetic flocculants FS@CTS-P(AM-DMC) was prepared by molecular structure control. The characterization results showed that FS@CTS-P(AM-DMC) had a uniform size of about 21.46 nm, featuring a typical core-shell structure, and the average coating layer thickness of CTS-P(AM-DMC) was about 5.03 nm. FS@CTS-P(AM-DMC) exhibited excellent flocculation performance for kaolin suspension, achieved 92.54% turbidity removal efficiency under dosage of 150 mg/L, pH 7.0, even at high turbidity (2000 NTU) with a removal efficiency of 96.96%. The flocculation mechanism was revealed to be dominated by charge neutralization under acidic and neutral conditions, while adsorption and bridging effects play an important role in alkaline environments. The properties of magnetic aggregates during flocculation, breakage, and regeneration were studied at different pH levels and dosages. In the process of magnetophoretic, magnetic particles collide and adsorb with kaolin particles continuously due to magnetic and electrostatic attraction, transform into magnetic chain clusters, and then further form three-dimensional network magnetic aggregates that can capture free kaolin particles and other chain clusters. Particle image velocimetry confirmed the formation of eddy current of magnetic flocs and experienced three stages: acceleration, stabilization, and deceleration.

Local Clays from China as Alternative Hemostatic Agents.

In recent years, the coagulation properties of inorganic minerals such as kaolin and zeolite have been demonstrated. This study aimed to assess the hemostatic properties of three local clays from China: natural kaolin from Hainan, natural halloysite from Yunnan, and zeolite synthesized by our group. The physical and chemical properties, blood coagulation performance, and cell biocompatibility of the three materials were tested. The studied materials were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). All three clays showed different morphologies and particle size, and exhibited negative potentials between pH 6 and 8. The TGA and DSC curves for kaolin and halloysite were highly similar. Kaolin showed the highest water absorption capacity (approximately 93.8% ± 0.8%). All three clays were noncytotoxic toward L929 mouse fibroblasts. Kaolin and halloysite showed blood coagulation effects similar to that exhibited by zeolite, indicating that kaolin and halloysite are promising alternative hemostatic materials.

Sorption of oxytetracycline to microsized colloids under concentrated salt solution: A perspective on terrestrial-to-ocean transfer of antibiotics.

The sorption of antibiotics on soil minerals and their cotransport have been widely studied for the past few years; however, these processes in concentrated salt solutions (estuary-like conditions) are not fully understood. This study aims to determine the possible sorption of oxytetracycline (OTC) on various natural and synthesized microsized minerals (including haematite, goethite, kaolinite, bentonite, lateritic, kaolinitic and illitic soil clays) under conditions mimicking pure, fresh, brackish and sea waters. The sorption of OTC was found to decrease in surface charge (herein zeta potential), hence altering the colloidal properties of the materials used. The sorption capacities of soil clays for OTC follow the inequality illitic soil clay > kaolinitic soil clay > lateritic soil clay, and the sorption capacities were found to decrease at higher salt concentrations. Seawater can intensify the release of the sorbed OTC from soil clay surfaces while favouring the coaggregation of the remaining OTC with soil clays. This implies that the long-range transport of OTC or other similar antibiotics can be governed by the mineralogical composition/properties of the suspended particles. More importantly, increasing salt concentrations in estuaries may form a chemical barrier at which limited amounts of OTC/antibiotics can pass through, while the remaining OTC/antibiotics can be favoured to aggregate simultaneously with suspended mineral particles.

Magnetic coagulation and flocculation of kaolin suspension using Fe3O4 with plant polyphenol self-assembled flocculants.

In this work, magnetic flocculant (Fe3O4@PP) was synthesized using plant polyphenol (PP) as a shaping ligand via in situ self-assembly. Characterization results revealed that Fe3O4@PP exhibited uniform particle size and excellent dispersibility with PP coating amount of 16.4 %. Experimental results suggested that Fe3O4@PP showed excellent turbidity removal efficiency in a wide pH range (3.0-10) and initial turbidity range (50-2000 NTU). Under the optimal conditions, Fe3O4@PP achieved 95.2 % of turbidity removal for simulated kaolin suspension and 96.9 % for actual wastewater. Fe3O4@PP exhibited excellent recycling and reusability properties, with high recycling efficiency of 93.3 % even after the fifth cycle. Microscopic observation revealed the formation process of magnetic flocs, involving particle aggregation, chain and cluster formation, and dense network aggregate formation. The structural characteristics and size of magnetic flocs were found to be significantly influenced by the combined effects of magnetic force, electric charge, van der Waals force, and functional groups on the surface of PP. The extended Deryaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek models indicated that magnetic interactions were the primary mechanism for magnetic flocculation, accompanied by charge neutralization, adsorption bridging, sweeping, and net trapping.

Insight into the Morphological Properties of Nano-Kaolinite (Nanoscrolls and Nanosheets) on Its Qualification as Delivery Structure of Oxaliplatin: Loading, Release, and Kinetic Studies.

Natural kaolinite underwent advanced morphological-modification processes that involved exfoliation of its layers into separated single nanosheets (KNs) and scrolled nanoparticles as nanotubes (KNTs). Synthetic nanostructures have been characterized as advanced and effective oxaliplatin-medication (OXAP) delivery systems. The morphological-transformation processes resulted in a remarkable enhancement in the loading capacity to 304.9 mg/g (KNs) and 473 mg/g (KNTs) instead of 29.6 mg/g for raw kaolinite. The loading reactions that occurred by KNs and KNTs displayed classic pseudo-first-order kinetics (R2 > 0.90) and conventional Langmuir isotherms (R2 = 0.99). KNTs exhibit a higher active site density (80.8 mg/g) in comparison to KNs (66.3 mg/g) and raw kaolinite (6.5 mg/g). Furthermore, compared to KNs and raw kaolinite, each site on the surface of KNTs may hold up to six molecules of OXAP (n = 5.8), in comparison with five molecules for KNs. This was accomplished by multi-molecular processes, including physical mechanisms considering both the Gaussian energy (<8 KJ/mol) and the loading energy (<40 KJ/mol). The release activity of OXAP from KNs and KNTs exhibits continuous and regulated profiles up to 100 h, either by KNs or KNTs, with substantially faster characteristics for KNTs. Based on the release kinetic investigations, the release processes have non-Fickian transport-release features, indicating cooperative-diffusion and erosion-release mechanisms. The synthesized structures have a significant cytotoxicity impact on HCT-116 cancer cell lines (KNs (71.4% cell viability and 143.6 g/mL IC-50); KNTs (11.3% cell viability and 114.3 g/mL IC-50). Additionally, these carriers dramatically increase OXAP's cytotoxicity (2.04% cell viability, 15.4 g/mL IC-50 (OXAP/KNs); 0.6% cell viability, 4.5 g/mL IC-50 (OXAP/KNTs)).

On the role of organic matter composition in fresh-water kaolinite flocculation.

Organic matter has long been understood to affect fine sediment flocculation, yet the specific effects of different types of organic matter remain only partially understood. To address this knowledge gap, laboratory tank experiments were conducted in fresh water to investigate the sensitivity of kaolinite flocculation to varying organic matter species and contents. Three species of organic matter (xanthan gum, guar gum and humic acid) were investigated at varying concentrations. Results revealed a significant enhancement in kaolinite flocculation when organic polymers (xanthan gum and guar gum) were introduced. In contrast, the addition of humic acid had minimal influence on aggregation and floc structure. Notably, the nonionic polymer guar gum demonstrated greater efficacy in promoting the development of floc size compared to the anionic polymer, xanthan gum. We observed non-linear trends in the evolution of mean floc size (Dm) and boundary fractal dimension (Np) with increasing ratios of organic polymer concentration to kaolinite concentration. Initially, increasing polymer content facilitated the formation of larger and more fractal flocs. However, beyond a certain threshold, further increases in polymer content hindered flocculation and even led to the break-up of macro-flocs, resulting in the formation of more spherical and compact flocs. We further quantified the co-relationships between floc Np and Dm and found that larger Np values corresponded to larger Dm. These findings highlight the significant impact of organic matter species and concentrations on floc size, shape and structure, and shed light on the complex dynamics of fine sediment and associated nutrients and contaminants in fluvial systems.

Recent Advances in Kaolinite Nanoclay as Drug Carrier for Bioapplications: A Review.

Advanced functional two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials offer unique advantages in drug delivery systems for disease treatment. Kaolinite (Kaol), a nanoclay mineral, is a natural 2D nanomaterial because of its layered silicate structure with nanoscale layer spacing. Recently, Kaol nanoclay is used as a carrier for controlled drug release and improved drug dissolution owing to its advantageous properties such as surface charge, strong biocompatibility, and naturally layered structure, making it an essential development direction for nanoclay-based drug carriers. This review outlines the main physicochemical characteristics of Kaol and the modification methods used for its application in biomedicine. The safety and biocompatibility of Kaol are addressed, and details of the application of Kaol as a drug delivery nanomaterial in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer treatment are discussed. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of Kaol-based drug delivery nanomaterials in biomedicine are discussed. This review recommends directions for the further development of Kaol nanocarriers by improving their physicochemical properties and expanding the bioapplication range of Kaol.

Layered Clay Minerals in Cancer Therapy: Recent Progress and Prospects.

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases, and current treatment regimens suffer from limited efficacy, nonspecific toxicity, and chemoresistance. With the advantages of good biocompatibility, large specific surface area, excellent cation exchange capacity, and easy availability, clay minerals have been receiving ever-increasing interests in cancer treatment. They can act as carriers to reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and some of their own properties can kill cancer cells, etc. Compared with other morphologies clays, layered clay minerals (LCM) have attracted more and more attention due to adjustable interlayer spacing, easier ion exchange, and stronger adsorption capacity. In this review, the structure, classification, physicochemical properties, and functionalization methods of LCM are summarized. The state-of-the-art progress of LCM in antitumor therapy is systematically described, with emphasis on the application of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and vermiculite. Furthermore, the property-function relationships of LCM are comprehensively illustrated to reveal the design principles of clay-based antitumor systems. Finally, foreseeable challenges and outlook in this field are discussed.

Industrial-scale extraction of high value-added kaolin from excavation waste: Demonstration from Xiamen, China.

Excavation waste from the construction of subways and other underground infrastructures is mainly composed of gravel, sand and clay of minimal economic value, which commonly ends up in landfills. Although the coarse sand and gravel of the excavation waste are typically recycled on site, a large amount of the fine-grained residue must be disposed of due to the prohibition of marine land reclamation in Xiamen, China, leading to an increasingly severe shortage of landfills. In this contribution, a new strategy was successfully developed for industrial-scale extraction of high value-added kaolin from the excavation waste of Xiamen. This strategy can overcome the challenges of complex and variable chemical compositions, high iron contents, low industrial grade, and organic contaminants in the raw materials. Characterization using chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy showed that the Xiamen excavation waste originated from granite weathering is mainly composed of kaolinite and quartz, along with high Fe contents and other impurities. The excavation waste was subjected to an intensive process of blunging, grinding, sieving, and classifying, as well as successive iron removal by magnetic separation. Subsequently, the extracted products meet commercial requirements, including those for high-quality kaolin with whiteness and plasticity larger than 90° and 17%, respectively. Moreover, an industrial-scale green production line with an annual treatment capacity of one million tonnes of excavation waste at the utilization rate of 100% was implemented. Hence, this work presents an effective approach for exploiting similar excavation waste around the world to promote sustainable development.

Kaolin-loaded carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate composite sponges for rapid hemostasis.

There are several factors that contribute to the mortality of people who suffer from unmanageable bleeding. Therefore, the development of rapid hemostatic materials is necessary. Herein, novel rapid hemostatic composite sponges were developed by incorporation of kaolin (K) into carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)/sodium alginate (SA) via a combination of methods that includes ionic crosslinking, polyelectrolyte action, and freeze-drying. The CMCS/SA-K composite sponges were cross-linked with calcium ions provided by a sustained-release system consisting of D-gluconolactone (GDL) and Ca-EDTA, and the hemostatic ability of the sponges was enhanced by loading the inorganic hemostatic agent-kaolin (K). It was demonstrated that the CMCS/SA-K composite sponges had a good porous structure and water absorption properties, excellent mechanical properties, outstanding biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Simultaneously, they exhibited rapid hemostatic properties, both in vitro and in vivo. Significantly, the hemostatic time of the CMCS/SA-K60 sponge was improved by 82.76 %, 191.82 %, and 153.05 %, compared with those of commercially available gelatin sponges in the rat tail amputation, femoral vein, and liver injury hemorrhage models respectively, indicating that its hemostatic ability was superior to that of commercially available hemostatic materials. Therefore, CMCS/SA-K composite sponges show great promise for rapid hemostasis.

Elucidation of aniline adsorption-desorption mechanism on various organo-mineral complexes.

Complexes formed by organic matter and clay minerals, which are active components of soil systems, play an important role in the migration and transformation of pollutants in nature. In this study, humic-acid-montmorillonite (HA-MT) and humic-acid-kaolin (HA-KL) complexes were prepared, and their structures before and after the adsorption of aniline were analyzed. The aniline adsorption-desorption characteristics of complexes with different clay minerals and varying HA contents were explored using the static adsorption-desorption equilibrium method. Compared with the pristine clay minerals, the flaky and porous structure of the complexes and the aromaticity were enhanced. The adsorption of aniline on the different clay mineral complexes was nonlinear, and the adsorption capacity increased with increasing HA content. Additionally, the adsorption capacity of HA-MT was higher than that of HA-KL. After adsorption, the specific surface area of the complexes decreased, the surfaces became more complicated, and the aromaticity decreased because aniline is primarily adsorption onto the complexes via aromatic rings. Aniline was adsorbed onto the complexes via spontaneous exothermic physical adsorption. The amount of aniline desorbed from the complexes increased with increasing HA content, and a lag in desorption was observed, with a greater lag for HA-KL than for HA-MT.

Dielectrics and possible ferroelectricity in diol/glycerol covalently grafted kaolinites.

Kaolinite possesses a structure with asymmetrically layered 1 : 1 dioctahedral aluminum silicate, and this structural property provides a useful platform for creating new cost-efficient functional materials that require noncentrosymmetric crystal packing. In this study, we prepared three covalently grafted kaolinites of propanediol (PD)/butanediol (BD)/glycerol (GL) by forming Al-O-C bonds between the OH groups of PD/BD/GL and the surface of kaolinite (K). Three covalently grafted kaolinites (K-PD, K-BD and K-GL) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis for C, H and N elements. The test of K-PD, K-BD and K-GL stirred with water at ambient conditions for 3 days demonstrated these hybrids showing extra high chemical stability to water. The dielectric spectra of three hybrids show two-step dielectric relaxation in the range of 1-107 Hz, and the P-E measurements revealed the existence of ferroelectricity at room temperature with the spontaneous polarization, the remanent polarization and the coercive field of ∼0.014 µC cm-2, ∼0.008 µC cm-2 and ∼0.426 kV cm-1 for K-PD, ∼0.017 µC cm-2, ∼0.011 µC cm-2 and ∼0.645 kV cm-1 for K-BD, and ∼0.018 µC cm-2, ∼0.011 µC cm-2 and ∼0.141 kV cm-1 for K-GL, respectively.

Toxic gas removal with kaolinite, metakaolinite, radiolarite, and diatomite.

In this study, some clays and dead microorganisms were compared in terms of their adsorption ability against special toxic gases. To this end, an experimental investigation was conducted to explore the adsorption kinetics of kaolinite, metakaolinite, radiolarite, and diatomite to ammonia (NH3), ethylene (C2H4), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Numerous analyses, such as x-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and particle size distribution, have been performed for mineralogical and structural characterization of studied materials. Also, adsorption characteristics were investigated with the help of an ultra-precision scale and computer-controlled multi-gas control system. Since ammonia has the highest dipole moment among all studied gases, its removal efficiency was found as the highest in all materials. Regarding clay substances, metakaolinite indicated a lower response than kaolinite due to phase transformation. But, considering the microorganisms, diatomite toxic gas uptake is at least five times better than examined clays while the gas uptake behavior of radiolarite is analog to metakaolinite. Moreover, the adsorption behaviors of proposed materials are clarified with Langmuir isotherms, The results could facilitate improvements in applying microorganisms to the toxic gas environment as a natural adsorbent material.

Evaluation insight into Abu Zenima clay deposits as a prospective raw material source for ceramics industry: Remote Sensing and Characterization.

The rapid development and mutations have heightened ceramic industrialization to supply the countries' requirements worldwide. Therefore, the continuous exploration for new reserves of possible ceramic-raw materials is needed to overwhelm the increased demand for ceramic industries. In this study, the suitability assessment of potential applications for Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) clay deposits at Abu Zenima area, as raw materials in ceramic industries, was extensively performed. Remote sensing data were employed to map the Kaolinite-bearing formation as well as determine the additional occurrences of clay reserves in the studied area. In this context, ten representative clayey materials from the Matulla Formation were sampled and examined for their mineralogical, geochemical, morphological, physical, thermal, and plasticity characteristics. The mineralogical and chemical compositions of starting clay materials were examined. The physicochemical surface properties of the studied clay were studied utilizing SEM-EDX and TEM. The particle-size analysis confirmed the adequate characteristics of samples for white ceramic stoneware and ceramic tiles manufacturing. The technological and suitability properties of investigated clay deposits proved the industrial appropriateness of Abu Zenima clay as a potential ceramic raw material for various ceramic products. The existence of high kaolin reserves in the studied area with reasonable quality and quantity has regional significance. It would significantly help reduce the manufacturing cost and overwhelm the high consumption rate. The ceramic manufacturers in the investigated areas are expected to bring steady producers into the industry in the long term to gain the advantage of low-cost raw materials, labor, and factory construction.