Research

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14 pages, 4984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Investigation and Proposal of Artificial Neural Network Models of Lead and Cadmium Heavy Metal Ion Removal from Water Using Porous Nanomaterials

by Atef El Jery, Moutaz Aldrdery, Naoufel Ghoudi, Mohammadreza Moradi, Ismat Hassan Ali, Hussam H. Tizkam and Saad Sh. Sammen

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14183; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914183 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 969

Abstract

This study used porous nanomaterials MCM-41 and SBA-15, as well as their modified species, to remove lead and cadmium ions from water. We used X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) method to [...] Read more.

This study used porous nanomaterials MCM-41 and SBA-15, as well as their modified species, to remove lead and cadmium ions from water. We used X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) method to investigate the characteristics of porous nanomaterials. Additionally, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) measured the concentration of lead and cadmium ions. The stratigraphic analysis showed the samples’ isothermal shape to be type IV. This study investigated the amount, absorbent, pH changes, and adsorption time parameters. We observed that the adsorption efficiency of lead by the synthesized samples was higher than that of the adsorption of cadmium. Mesoporous structures also displayed increased adsorption efficiency due to the amino group. Four testing stages were conducted to determine the reproducibility of the adsorption by the synthesized samples, with the results showing no significant changes. As a result of the adsorption process, the structure of the recycled sample

{N H}_{2} - M C M - 41

was preserved. We also used artificial neural networks (ANN) to propose predictive models based on the experimental results. The ANN models were very accurate, such that the mean absolute error (MAE) was less than 2% and the

R^{2}

was higher than 0.98. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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16 pages, 4004 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Application of Ultrasonic Waves in the Pretreatment of Biological Sludge in Urban Sewage and Proposing an Artificial Neural Network Predictive Model of Concentration

by Atef El Jery, Houman Kosarirad, Nedasadat Taheri, Maryam Bagheri, Moutaz Aldrdery, Abubakr Elkhaleefa, Chongqing Wang and Saad Sh. Sammen

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 12875; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712875 - 25 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1105

Abstract

This research examines whether ultrasonic waves can enhance the hydrolysis, stability, and dewatering of activated sludge from raw urban wastewater. Sampling and physical examination of the activated sludge that was returned to the aeration pond were carried out using ultrasonic waves that were [...] Read more.

This research examines whether ultrasonic waves can enhance the hydrolysis, stability, and dewatering of activated sludge from raw urban wastewater. Sampling and physical examination of the activated sludge that was returned to the aeration pond were carried out using ultrasonic waves that were guided at frequencies of 30 and 50 kHz for periods of 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min. Various tests, including volatile suspended solids, inorganic solids, volatile solids, sludge resistant time, capillary suction time, total suspended solids, total solids, and volatile soluble solids, were carried out to advance further the processes of hydrolysis, stabilization, and dehydration of samples. According to the observations, the volatile soluble solids at a frequency of 30 kHz and

t = 15

min were raised by 72%. The capillary suction time of 30 and 50 kHz in 1 min demonstrated a drop of 29 and 22%, respectively. It is crucial to consider that, at 10 min and the frequency of 50 kHz, the greatest efficiency was found. The 30 kHz and 1 min yielded the optimum sludge dewatering conditions. Finally, artificial neural networks (ANN) are utilized to propose predictive models for concentration, and the results were also very accurate (

M A E = 1.37 %

). Regarding the computational costs, the ANN took approximately 5% of the time spent on experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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22 pages, 3828 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Malachite Green Using Hydrochar from PALM Leaves

by Hassan H. Hammud, Mohamad H. Hammoud, Aqeel A. Hussein, Youssef B. Fawaz, Malai Haniti Sheikh Abdul Hamid and Nadeem S. Sheikh

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118939 - 01 Jun 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1273

Abstract

Biochar was prepared by the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of palm leaves, characterized, and utilized as an adsorbent for Malachite Green dye (MG). The Higher Heating Value (HHV) of biochar depends on the carbonization temperature and has a maximum value of 24.81 MJ/kg. Activation [...] Read more.

Biochar was prepared by the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of palm leaves, characterized, and utilized as an adsorbent for Malachite Green dye (MG). The Higher Heating Value (HHV) of biochar depends on the carbonization temperature and has a maximum value of 24.81 MJ/kg. Activation using H₂O₂ oxidation of HTC biochar prepared at 208 °C produced AHTC with improved capacity. The optimum pH was found to be in the range 7–8. Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption isotherms were used to study MG adsorption data. The Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit for experimental data. Experiments conducted using activated biochar AHTC at 25 °C resulted in an adsorption capacity of 62.80 mg/g, far greater than what was observed for HTC biochar (45.59 mg/g). The maximum adsorption capacity was 88% when the concentration of MG solution was 66 ppm. The free energy change in adsorption DG° indicated that the adsorption process was spontaneous. Adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Fixed-column adsorptions models, namely, Thomas, Yan et al. and Yoon–Nelson models, were investigated for AHTC. The column adsorption capacity determined by the Thomas model was 33.57 mg/g. In addition, a computational investigation has been carried out to determine the structural and electronic features, as well as the quantum chemical parameters of HTC and MG. Moreover, the interaction between the HTC and MG is investigated, which is further elaborated by performing non-covalent interaction (NCI) through the reduced density gradient (RDG) analysis. Thus, the easily prepared hydrochar from abundant waste palm leaves can be used as a high-value biocoal and efficient adsorbent of the cationic dye malachite green. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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20 pages, 5951 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis and Characterization of the Carbonate Hydrotalcites (NiAl-HT, CoAl-HT, and NiCoAl-HT), and Its Application for Removal of the Anionic Azo Dye Titan Yellow from Aqueous Solution

by Samira Chouikh, Sabrina Cheikh, Ali Imessaoudene, Lotfi Mouni, Abdeltif Amrane, Amine Benahmed and Noureddine Bettahar

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7948; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107948 - 12 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1097

Abstract

This work focuses on studying the removal of Titan Yellow (TY) dye, which is a water pollutant using three matrices of layered double hydroxide (LDHs; M⁺²Al-HT), with M⁺² = Ni, Co, or NiCo were synthesized using the co-precipitation technique in [...] Read more.

This work focuses on studying the removal of Titan Yellow (TY) dye, which is a water pollutant using three matrices of layered double hydroxide (LDHs; M⁺²Al-HT), with M⁺² = Ni, Co, or NiCo were synthesized using the co-precipitation technique in a solution with a constant pH. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the formed solids shows that the synthesized phase is the LDH type with the average interlamellar distance (d_spacing ≈ 7.595 Å). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra were compared, before and after adsorption, confirming the displacement of the carbonated interlayers and confirmed the presence of the S=O bond in the dye under study. Thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG/DTG) shows temperatures of decarbonation of the LDHs. The BET specific surface areas of NiAl-HT, NiCoAl-HT, and CoAl-HT were found equal to 156.819 m²∙g⁻¹, 142.72 m²∙g⁻¹, and 56.98 m²∙g⁻¹, respectively, and the SEM-EDX micrographs results confirmed the creation of the hydrotalcite type material. The UV–visible study of the adsorption of TY is performed by varying different parameters such as pH of the solution, mass, contact time, and temperature. The obtained isotherms from this kinetic study show that the adsorption of TY dye is more efficient in NiAl-HT. It can, therefore, be stated that the adsorption process of TY is endothermic and spontaneous. The results of this study could be extended to other anionic azo dyes having similar chemical structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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20 pages, 6196 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Monodispersed NiO Nanoparticles into SBA-15: An Efficient Nanocatalyst to Produce Ketone-Alcohol (KA) Oil by the Oxidation of Cyclohexane in Mild Conditions

by Mohamed Abboud, Reem S. Alnefaie, Asla A. AL-Zahrani, Nabil Al-Zaqri, Mohammad Abu Haija, Azza Al-Ghamdi, Mabkhoot Alsaiari, Mohammed Jalalah, Omeer Albormani and Mohamed S. Hamdy

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5817; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075817 - 27 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1390

Abstract

A simple and efficient approach to preparing highly efficient and reusable NiO@SBA-15 nanocatalysts for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce ketone-alcohol (KA) oil was reported. These nanocatalysts were prepared by the dispersion of NiO NPs into SBA-15 using a coordination-assisted grafting method. In [...] Read more.

A simple and efficient approach to preparing highly efficient and reusable NiO@SBA-15 nanocatalysts for the oxidation of cyclohexane to produce ketone-alcohol (KA) oil was reported. These nanocatalysts were prepared by the dispersion of NiO NPs into SBA-15 using a coordination-assisted grafting method. In this approach, four commercially available nickel salts were immobilized into amino-functionalized SBA-15. After washing and calcination, four new nanocatalysts were obtained. The high dispersion of NiO NPs into SBA-15 was confirmed by HR-TEM and XRD. Different oxidants such as O₂, H₂O₂, t-butyl hydrogen peroxide (TBHP), and meta-Chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) were evaluated. However, m-CPBA exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Compared to different catalysts reported in the literature, for the first time, 75–99% of cyclohexane was converted to KA oil over NiO@SBA-15. In addition, the cyclohexane conversion and K/A ratio were affected by the reaction time, catalyst dose, Ni content, and NiO dispersion. Moreover, NiO@SBA-15 maintained a high catalytic activity during five successive cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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20 pages, 4784 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Dye from Aqueous Solution Using Ectodermis of Prickly Pear Fruits-Based Bioadsorbent

by Fatimah A. M. Al-Zahrani, Badria M. Al-Shehri and Reda M. El-Shishtawy

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 4700; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064700 - 07 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1361

Abstract

Billions of grams of ectodermic fruits, such as prickly pear fruits, are removed and thrown as waste worldwide. In this study, an inexpensive approach was used to successfully transform the agricultural waste prickly pear fruit peels (PPFP) into a new adsorbent used to [...] Read more.

Billions of grams of ectodermic fruits, such as prickly pear fruits, are removed and thrown as waste worldwide. In this study, an inexpensive approach was used to successfully transform the agricultural waste prickly pear fruit peels (PPFP) into a new adsorbent used to remove dye (PTZIDM). The adsorbent PPFP revealed a porous structure and a fair surface area. It was characterized and evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and surface area measurements (BET). The effectiveness of the PPFP’s adsorption was assessed in relation to pH, PPFP dose, contact time, and initial dye concentration. The kinetics and isotherm characteristics were investigated. More than 95% removal efficiency was obtained within 60 min at the adsorbent dose of 0.1 g for an initial dye concentration of 1 × 10⁻⁵ M at pH 3. The pseudo-second-order models and the Langmuir isotherm are excellent at explaining the characteristic of dye adsorption. This work offers a rapid and simple method for efficiently converting biomass waste and using it to remove pollutants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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18 pages, 3714 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Investigation of the Effect of EggshellPowder and Calcium Carbonate as Additivesin Eco-Friendly Polymer Drilling Fluids

by Asma Nour El Houda Sid, Hichem Tahraoui, Mohammed Kebir, Mohammed Amin Bezzekhami, Benalia Kouini, Amel Hind Hassein-Bey, Toumi Selma, Abdeltif Amrane, Ali Imessaoudene and Lotfi Mouni

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3375; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043375 - 12 Feb 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1970

Abstract

Drilling fluid systems have seen the addition of new natural additives in recent years in order to replace traditional additives, improve their rheological properties, and ensure the functionality of the drilling fluid taking into account health and environmental factors. This paper aims to [...] Read more.

Drilling fluid systems have seen the addition of new natural additives in recent years in order to replace traditional additives, improve their rheological properties, and ensure the functionality of the drilling fluid taking into account health and environmental factors. This paper aims to study and compare the effect of the addition of eggshell powder (ESP) as a native and local additive and calcium carbonate (CC) as a traditional and conventional additive on the rheological and filtration properties of the drilling fluid system based on Na-bentonite of the region of Meghnia (Algeria). The test results of 10, 20, and 30 g of CCwerecompared to the same concentrations of ESP.The findings showed that the CC with various concentrations (10, 20, and 30 g) increases the rheological properties and the mud density while it reduces the filter cake and the fluid loss values which are desirable, calcium carbonate had aslightly higher effect on the pH. The obtained results following the addition of ESP with different ratios revealed that the latter has a considerable impact on the plastic viscosity, the yield point, the gel strength, and the cake thickness. Additionally, the effect of the presence of eggshell as an additive in pH, fluid loss, and mud density was studied; we observed a slight increase in the pH, while the fluid loss values decreased. However, the mud density values increased. Beyond 20 g of eggshell, the properties of the mud becomeundesirable. Moreover, this study contributes tonewfindings and suggests that the utilization of waste food and local goods in drilling mud mixtures has a bright future respecting the percentages of use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 2484 KiB

Open AccessReview

Agricultural Wastes as Renewable Biomass to Remediate Water Pollution

by Awal Noor and Sher Ali Khan

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4246; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054246 - 27 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3496

Abstract

Increases in agricultural waste, population, and industrialization are leading to serious environmental problems, in particular drinking water contamination. Continuous efforts have been made to remediate water pollution through different approaches, either by decreasing the interring of pollutants or treatment of already contaminated water. [...] Read more.

Increases in agricultural waste, population, and industrialization are leading to serious environmental problems, in particular drinking water contamination. Continuous efforts have been made to remediate water pollution through different approaches, either by decreasing the interring of pollutants or treatment of already contaminated water. The development of an efficient, cheaper, and renewable adsorbent is the focus of the current research. Agricultural wastes are cheap materials for this purpose and have attracted much attention of researchers. These agricultural wastes are either field residues such as stems, stalks, and leaves, or process residues such as husks, roots, and bagasse, as they have the same chemical composition (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignocelluloses). These wastes are processed using different methods to yield an efficient adsorbent. Chemical modification is used to prepare novel efficient adsorbents using agricultural wastes, rather than incineration of these materials. This review summarizes the research outcomes in terms of chemical modification and application of agricultural wastes used for the eradication of organic and inorganic pollutants from water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Material and Technology in Wastewater Treatment: Contaminant Removal, Adsorption and Nutrient Recovery)

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