Continuous Fixed-Bed Column Studies on Congo Red Dye Adsorption-Desorption Using Free and Immobilized Nelumbo nucifera Leaf Adsorbent

The adsorption of Congo red (CR), an azo dye, from aqueous solution using free and immobilized agricultural waste biomass of Nelumbo nucifera (lotus) has been studied separately in a continuous fixed-bed column operation. The N. nucifera leaf powder adsorbent was immobilized in various polymeric matrices and the maximum decolorization efficiency (83.64%) of CR occurred using the polymeric matrix sodium silicate. The maximum efficacy (72.87%) of CR dye desorption was obtained using the solvent methanol. Reusability studies of free and immobilized adsorbents for the decolorization of CR dye were carried out separately in three runs in continuous mode. The % color removal and equilibrium dye uptake of the regenerated free and immobilized adsorbents decreased significantly after the first cycle. The decolorization efficiencies of CR dye adsorption were 53.66% and 43.33%; equilibrium dye uptakes were 1.179 mg g–1 and 0.783 mg g–1 in the third run of operation with free and immobilized adsorbent, respectively. The column experimental data fit very well to the Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models for the free and immobilized adsorbent with coefficients of correlation R2 ≥ 0.976 in various runs. The study concludes that free and immobilized N. nucifera can be efficiently used for the removal of CR from synthetic and industrial wastewater in a continuous flow mode. It makes a substantial contribution to the development of new biomass materials for monitoring and remediation of toxic dye-contaminated water resources.

Transport of Polymer-Coated Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles in Porous Media

Injecting fluids into deep underground geologic structures is a critical component to development of long-term strategies for managing greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating energy extraction operations. Recently, we reported that metal-organic frameworks are low-frequency absorptive acoustic metamaterial that may be injected into the subsurface enhancing geophysical monitoring tools used to track fluids and map complex structures. A key requirement for this nanotechnology deployment is transportability through porous geologic media without being retained by mineral-fluid interfaces. Flow-through column studies were used to estimate transport and retention properties of five different polymer-coated MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticles in siliceous porous media. Nanoparticle transport experiments revealed that nanoparticle surface characteristics play a critical role in nanoparticle colloidal stability and as well the transport.

Anionic Dye Removal by Polypyrrole-Modified Red Mud and Its Application to a Lab-Scale Column: Adsorption Performance and Phytotoxicity Assessment

In this study, polypyrrole-modified red mud (PRM) was prepared for the efficient removal of anionic dyes (methyl orange and Congo red) from aqueous solutions. The phytotoxicity (bean sprouts) of the dye solution before and after dye removal was investigated. Adsorption kinetics confirmed that the adsorption of methyl orange (MO) and Congo red (CR) on PRM was controlled by chemical reactions between the functional groups of polypyrrole and dyes. From Langmuir isotherm fitting, we found the theoretical adsorption capacities of MO and CR on PRM were 194.1 and 314.9 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption progress of MO and CR on PRM was found to be spontaneous and endothermic. The column studies demonstrated that, under dynamic flow, the PRM can efficiently remove MO and CR from aqueous solution, with adsorption capacities of 31.08 and 55.04 mg/g, respectively. In the toxicity test, the phytotoxicity of the column effluents (after dye removal) was significantly lowered compared to the initial dye influents. After the removal of MO and CR, the average root length of bean sprouts was increased from 3.30 cm to 5.18 cm and from 3.01 cm to 7.00 cm, respectively. These findings highlighted the efficient removal of dyes by PRM from aqueous solution, demonstrating the possible application of PRM for the removal of dye from dye-contaminated wastewaters.

Estimation of Iodine Leaching in Soil Amended with Organic and Inorganic Materials Using HYDRUS 1-D Model

This study investigated the ability of a HYDRUS 1D model for predicting the vertical distribution of potassium iodine (200 ppm) in soil columns after amendment with five different common remediation materials (gypsum, lime, fly ash, charcoal, and sawdust) at a rate of 2.5% (w/w), relative to an unamended control soil. Results showed that relative to the unamended soil, iodine leaching was decreased by all amendments but that the magnitude of the decreases varied with the soil amendment applied. Iodine content was highest in the upper layer of the soil columns and decreased progressively with soil depth. The model was evaluated via comparison of the model simulated values with measured values from the soil column studies. The results showed that the HYDRUS 1D model efficiency was near to 1, indicating the stimulated results near to the measured values. Therefore, this study showed that iodine leaching through a soil could be ascertained well using a HYDRUS 1D model. The model over predicted iodine leaching, results in a weak correspondence between the simulated and the measured results for iodine leaching. This suggests that the HYDRUS-1D model does not explain accurately different organic and inorganic amended soil and the preferential flow that occurs in these columns. This may be due to the fact that Freundlich isotherm, which is part of the transport equations, does not sufficiently describe the mechanism of iodine adsorption onto the soil particles. This study would help to select an amendment for an effective management strategy to reduce exogenous iodine losses from agro-ecosystems. This would also improve scientific understanding of iodine transport in soil profile.