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Processes
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Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants
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Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental and Green Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2023) | Viewed by 11836

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marcin Banach

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Guest Editor
Department of Inorganic Technology and Biotechnology Environment, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska St., 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: nanotechnology; nanomaterials; sorption; photocatalysis; green chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Olga Długosz

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Guest Editor
Politechnika Krakowska, Krakow, Poland
Interests: nanotechnology; nanocomposites; flow chemistry; chemical engineering; sorption; photocatalysis; process control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jolanta Pulit-Prociak

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Technology and Environmental Analytics, Cracow University of Technology, Cracow, Poland
Interests: nanotechnology; nanoparticle modification; waste management; green energy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Production activities generally have a negative impact on the environment. Consequently, there is no possibility of “ecologically clean” production. We can, however, speak of “cleaner productions”, i.e., those whose negative impact on the environment is reduced to a minimum.   

For many years, production processes have been carried out with no regard for the environment, generating immense amounts of waste. The policy of sacrificing the environment for the economy has proved to be short-sighted. The increasing destruction of the natural environment and the diminishing of natural resources have caused a change in the situation and led to an urgent need to develop enhanced production technologies or methods of eliminating pollution with economic benefits.

Therefore, there is a need to present the results of original experimental or theoretical research work undertaken to acquire new knowledge used to develop new technologies to reduce emissions into the environment, technologies to eliminate pollutants, to modify known processes in order to better control them, to develop new materials to achieve these objectives, or to develop such formulations that will not have harmful properties toward living matter or will reduce these features while maintaining the functionality of materials.

Prof. Dr. Marcin Banach
Dr. Olga Długosz
Dr. Jolanta Pulit-Prociak
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable development
  • cleaner productions
  • circular economy
  • green chemistry
  • waste management
  • bioremediation
  • filtering
  • sorption
  • photodegradation
  • modern cleaning technologies
  • oxidation

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 21743 KiB  
Article
The Influence of a Key Indicator kv on the Diffusion Range of Underwater Oil Spill
by Hong Ji, Yaxin Wang, Ting Wang, Ke Yang and Zhixiang Xing
Processes 2023, 11(8), 2332; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082332 - 03 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 756
Abstract
As oil spills cause harm to the survival and environment of the ocean, the objective of the present paper is to study the oil migration range using the key indicator kv, which is defined as the ratio of oil spill speed [...] Read more.
As oil spills cause harm to the survival and environment of the ocean, the objective of the present paper is to study the oil migration range using the key indicator kv, which is defined as the ratio of oil spill speed to ocean current speed. The correctness of diffusion models created and estimated for subsea oil spills can be verified by experiments. We also considered the effect of key indicators on the horizontal and vertical dispersion ranges of oil spills. The study’s findings show that, under various kv settings, the horizontal and vertical spreading heights of oil spills both increase as kv rises. When kv is equal, the leakage velocity and water flow velocity increase synchronously, and over time, the horizontal distance and vertical diffusion height of the oil spill gradually increase. In the early stages of an oil spill, when kv = 50, 100, or 150, the vertical spreading velocity will rapidly decrease. The vertical spreading speed of spilled oil increases as kv rises when the water flow rate remains constant. The horizontal migration distance grows as kv decreases when the leakage rate is constant. Fitting curves for the vertical rise height and horizontal spreading distance for the same and various kv settings were also obtained in order to anticipate the migration mode of oil spills. This is critical for dealing with environmental damage caused by maritime oil spills, as well as emergency responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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11 pages, 634 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Effect of Molasses Concentration, pH, and Time on Chromium Removal by Trichoderma spp. from the Effluents of a Peruvian Tannery
by Fabricio A. Tello-Galarreta, Juan H. Durand-Paz, Walter Rojas-Villacorta, Luis Cabanillas-Chirinos, Magaly De La Cruz-Noriega, Renny Nazario-Naveda, Santiago M. Benites and Segundo Rojas-Flores
Processes 2023, 11(5), 1557; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11051557 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1122
Abstract
The effluents generated by the tannery industry have a high content of chromium and other toxic elements, representing a potential threat to ecosystems. An eco-friendly alternative to treat these effluents is the use of microorganisms, such as fungi, with the capacity to biosorb [...] Read more.
The effluents generated by the tannery industry have a high content of chromium and other toxic elements, representing a potential threat to ecosystems. An eco-friendly alternative to treat these effluents is the use of microorganisms, such as fungi, with the capacity to biosorb heavy metals. The present work aims to determine the effect of the molasses concentration, pH variation, and time on the removal of total chromium using the filamentous fungus Trichoderma spp. An experimental design was adopted using pH (4 and 6), concentrations of molasses (0.5 and 1%), and time (8 and 12 days) as independent variables. The Trichoderma inoculum was constant in all the treatments. The different treatments were evaluated after 0, 8, and 12 days by taking 50 mL of sample from each bioreactor. The chromium concentration was subsequently determined in each sample. The results show that treatment 3 (1% molasses and pH 4) showed higher chromium removal after both 8 and 12 days. The concentrations of total chromium decreased from 665 mg/mL to values of 568 mg/mL by day 8 and 486 mg/mL by day 12. These values are, however, still above the maximum threshold imposed by Peruvian law regarding the discharge of non-domestic effluents into the sewage system. The results show that Trichoderma spp. can increasingly remove chromium from the effluent with longer incubation periods. However, future studies are necessary to determine the mechanisms of chromium biosorption by the fungus and the influence of other physicochemical parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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15 pages, 4026 KiB  
Article
Composites of Layered Double Hydroxides and ANA-Type Zeolite Synthesized from Hazardous Secondary Aluminum Dross for Cationic Dye Wastewater Treatment
by Bin Zhu, Lina Wang, Guo Li and Qiang Jin
Processes 2023, 11(4), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041002 - 26 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1200
Abstract
This work first transformed hazardous aluminum waste into low-cost MgAl−layered double hydroxide@ANA zeolite (LDHs@ANA) composite for dye wastewater adsorption, which was meaningful for waste recovery and pollution control. Based on this strategy, the Al(OH)3 extracted from secondary aluminum dross (a hazardous waste [...] Read more.
This work first transformed hazardous aluminum waste into low-cost MgAl−layered double hydroxide@ANA zeolite (LDHs@ANA) composite for dye wastewater adsorption, which was meaningful for waste recovery and pollution control. Based on this strategy, the Al(OH)3 extracted from secondary aluminum dross (a hazardous waste in the aluminum industry) was used as an aluminum source to synthesize LDHs@ANA composite, which had more excellent adsorption capacity to methylene blue than MgAl−LDHs and ANA alone. The composite consisted of spherical ANA particles uniformly covered with LDH nanosheets, which effectively avoided a large amount of aggregation between nanosheets and increased specific surface areas and pore volumes. The kinetic results indicated that the adsorption process conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption site was the main factor affecting the adsorption process. The equilibrium studies showed the adsorption process was exothermic, and the Langmuir model best fitted for the adsorption process, with a maximum adsorption capacity reaching 65.27 mg/g. Meanwhile, the effects of pH, adsorbent concentration, initial methylene blue concentration, and adsorption time on the LDHs@ANA were analyzed. Overall, this work provides a fresh concept for the preparation of low-cost adsorbents from aluminum waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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24 pages, 5971 KiB  
Article
Statistical Optimisation of Used-Cooking-Oil Degradation by Burkholderia vietnamiensis AQ5-12 and Burkholderia sp. AQ5-13
by Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed, Siti Aqlima Ahmad, Mohd Yunus Shukor and Mohd Termizi Yusof
Processes 2022, 10(11), 2178; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10112178 - 24 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1390
Abstract
Used cooking oil (UCO) is a hydrocarbon that causes significant environmental pollution globally. Oil is a difficult pollutant to remove from the environment due to its hydrophobic nature. Bioremediation is preferred over chemical and physical remediation approaches as it is more economical and [...] Read more.
Used cooking oil (UCO) is a hydrocarbon that causes significant environmental pollution globally. Oil is a difficult pollutant to remove from the environment due to its hydrophobic nature. Bioremediation is preferred over chemical and physical remediation approaches as it is more economical and environmentally friendly. Hence, the search for a microbe with outstanding degrading capability is imperative due to the nature of hydrocarbons as pollutants. The current study evaluates the ability of glyphosate degrader isolates, Burkholderia vietnamiensis AQ5-12 and Burkholderia sp. AQ5-13, to degrade UCO as the sole carbon source. The physico-cultural conditions affecting the activities of the isolates were studied using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and response-surface methodology (RSM). The temperature, agitation speed, UCO concentration, nitrogen supply, yeast extract concentration, and inoculum size were optimised during a 7-day incubation period. Based on the OFAT results, the highest degradations were 62.23% and 58.33% for the isolates AQ5-12 and AQ5-13, respectively. The optimisation of RSM showed 83.42% and 87.09% degradation of the UCO by the AQ5-12 and AQ5-13 isolates. Parameters including the temperature, yeast extract, and ammonium sulphate concentration provided significant interaction for the RSM model in the isolate AQ5-12. Meanwhile, AQ5-13 showed significance in all five parameters: pH, UCO concentration, temperature, yeast extract, and ammonium sulphate concentration. The degradation efficiency validated via RSM demonstrated better results than the OFAT approach. The model validation has verified no significant difference between the experimental and predicted values. The ability of these two bacterial isolates to degrade UCO is a worthwhile procedure in the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-rich areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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20 pages, 7640 KiB  
Article
Forecasting of Air Quality Using an Optimized Recurrent Neural Network
by Khawaja Hassan Waseem, Hammad Mushtaq, Fazeel Abid, Adnan M. Abu-Mahfouz, Asadullah Shaikh, Mehmet Turan and Jawad Rasheed
Processes 2022, 10(10), 2117; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10102117 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2662
Abstract
Clean air is necessary for leading a healthy life. Many respiratory illnesses have their root in the poor quality of air across regions. Due to the tremendous impact of air quality on people’s lives, it is essential to devise a mechanism through which [...] Read more.
Clean air is necessary for leading a healthy life. Many respiratory illnesses have their root in the poor quality of air across regions. Due to the tremendous impact of air quality on people’s lives, it is essential to devise a mechanism through which air pollutants (PM2.5, NOx, COx, SOx) can be forecasted. However, forecasting air quality and its pollutants is complicated as air quality depends on several factors such as weather, vehicular, and power plant emissions. This aim of this research was to find the impact of weather on PM2.5 concentrations and to forecast the daily and hourly PM2.5 concentration for the next 30 days and 72 h in Pakistan. This forecasting was done through state-of-the-art deep learning and machine learning models such as FbProphet, LSTM, and LSTM encoder–decoder. This research also successfully forecasted the proposed daily and hourly PM2.5 concentration. The LSTM encoder–decoder had the best performance and successfully forecasted PM2.5 concentration with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 28.2%, 15.07%, and 42.1% daily, and 11.75%, 9.5%, and 7.4% hourly for different cities in Pakistan. This research proves that a data-driven approach is essential for resolving air pollution in Pakistan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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21 pages, 6160 KiB  
Article
Sorption of Mercury in Batch and Fixed-Bed Column System on Hydrochar Obtained from Apple Pomace
by Krzysztof Szostak, Gabriela Hodacka, Olga Długosz, Jolanta Pulit-Prociak and Marcin Banach
Processes 2022, 10(10), 2114; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10102114 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1437
Abstract
This paper presents the methodology for the preparation of hydrochar obtained from waste materials of natural origin and investigates its applicability for removing mercury ions from aqueous systems. The sorption properties of the obtained hydrochar were investigated in a batch and in a [...] Read more.
This paper presents the methodology for the preparation of hydrochar obtained from waste materials of natural origin and investigates its applicability for removing mercury ions from aqueous systems. The sorption properties of the obtained hydrochar were investigated in a batch and in a flow-through column system. The hydrochar material was obtained from apple pomace, which was hydrothermally carbonized in 230 °C for 5 h in a hydrothermal reactor. The hydrochar formed in the process was thermally activated with an inert gas flow—CO2. Obtained materials were characterised with XRD, FTIR-ATR, SEM-EDS and nitrogen sorption (BET) analyses, which confirmed the obtaining of a highly porous carbon material with a specific surface area of 145.72 m2/g and an average pore diameter of 1.93 nm. The obtained hydrochar was analysed for sorption of mercury ions from aqueous solutions. Equilibrium isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich, Temkin, Hill, Redlich-Peterson, Sips and Toth) and kinetic models (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion) were determined. The sorption process of mercury on the obtained material is best described using the Freundlich isotherm and a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. This indicates that the process is chemical in nature The sorption of mercury ions from an aqueous solution with a concentration of C0 = 100 mg Hg/dm3 has been also carried out in a flow-through column system. The data obtained from adsorption were fitted to mathematical dynamic models (Bohart–Adams, Thomas, Yoon–Nelson, Clark, BDST and Yan) to illustrate the bed breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic column parameters. The Yan model has the best fit across the study area, although the Thomas model better predicts the maximum capacity of the bed, which is qmax = 111.5 mg/g. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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Review

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18 pages, 19170 KiB  
Review
Treatment Wetlands in Mexico for Control of Wastewater Contaminants: A Review of Experiences during the Last Twenty-Two Years
by José Luis Marín-Muñiz, Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo, María Cristina López-Méndez, Mayerlin Sandoval-Herazo, Roberto Ángel Meléndez-Armenta, Humberto Raymundo González-Moreno and Sergio Zamora
Processes 2023, 11(2), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11020359 - 23 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2429
Abstract
Constructed or treatment wetlands (CWs) are a sustainable option to clean wastewater in the face of water pollution problems. Consequently, this study was aimed at reviewing and analyzing the use of CWs in Mexico. This involved types, sizes, and functionality in the removal [...] Read more.
Constructed or treatment wetlands (CWs) are a sustainable option to clean wastewater in the face of water pollution problems. Consequently, this study was aimed at reviewing and analyzing the use of CWs in Mexico. This involved types, sizes, and functionality in the removal of pollutants, as well as the main plant species that are used. Furthermore, 67 studies regarding CWs were found, which were classified according to the treatment area as microcosms, mesocosms, pilot scale, and full-scale at 18, 30, 25, and 27%, respectively. The most used types of CWs are those of subsurface flow (87%) versus free-water surface (13%), of which horizontal flow direction (58%) are the most common. Considering Full-Scale CWs, the pollutant removal reported for COD, BOD5, TN, and TP oscillated between 50–90%, 60–90%, 30–90%, and 30–70%, respectively. Among the vegetation that is more used for Mexican CWs, 78 different species were detected; Typha and Cyperus hydrophytes species and ornamental flowering plants as Zantedeschia aethiopica., Canna genus., Heliconia genus, Hedychium coronarium, and Anturium andreanum species (plants with commercial value) were the most used plants. It was concluded that although there is an important advance in the use of ecotechnology as it is an attractive answer for decentralized wastewater treatment in Mexico, results revealed the need to migrate towards the use of CWs in full-scale size, in order to address real pollution problems. Thus, the further implementation of CWs in rural and urban regions with similar tropical and subtropical characteristics as in Mexico is suggested by the authors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control, Removal and Optimization of Environmental Contaminants)
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