Sustainable Organo-Inorganic Metal Composites for Catalytic Degradation of Industrial Persistent Toxic Substances and Energy Storage

Colossal quantity of wastewater contaminated with persistent hazardous substances and degradable toxic compounds to the atmosphere are generated annually. Amongst the particular pollutant, chemicals, organic dyestuffs are of a considerable significance by virtue of its applications in fibers, fabric, coloring element, printed matter and manuring production. The present chapter comprises a complete perspective of green and sustainable organic-inorganic metal nanocomposites for heterogeneous chemical curtail of precarious organic noxious tinge (Chromotrope-2R, Eosin-Y and Methylene Blue) and energy storage (H2 and C2H4). The nanocomposites were designed by simple strategy adopting nanostructured porous carbon material developed from reasonable pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO) related pitch remains.

Photodegradation of Cationic and Anioic Dyes by pH-Dependent Dispersion of Amphoteric g-C3N4 Nanosheets

g-C3N4 nanosheets (NSs) were prepared via H2SO4 exfoliation from the bulky g-C3N4 and the photocatalytic (PC) activities were investigated comprehensively using Rodamine B (RhB) and Chromotrope 2R (Ch2R) as candidate pollutants. The results showed that the pH value have important functions in the improvement of photodegradation performance of C3N4 NSs. RhB as cationic dye could be photodegraded more efficiently under acidic conditions while Ch2R as anionic dye was degraded easily in pH ≥ 11 solution. In particular, the Ch2R could be degraded completely within only 30 min in pH = 11 solution. It might be because the amphoteric C3N4 NSs surface with carboxyl and amino groups possessed negative and positive charges in alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively. These results presumably provided a new idea to enhance the pH-dependent photodegradation activity and degrade different types of pollutants selectively by adjusting the pH of amphoteric nanocatalyts.

GREEN VORTEX-ASSISTED IONIC LIQUID-BASED DISPERSIVE LIQUID-LIQUID MICROEXTRACTION FOR ENRICHMENT AND DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM AND LEAD IN WATER, VEGETABLES AND TOBACCO SAMPLES

Objective: An eco-friendly, simple and sensitive vortex-assisted ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method (VA-IL-DLLµE) has been proposed to enrich and determine trace levels of cadmium (Cd2+ ) and lead (Pb2+ ) ions in water, vegetables and tobacco samples, prior to its FAAS determination. Methods: The proposed method based on utilization of ionic liquid (IL) (1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate [HMIM][FAP]) as an extraction solvent for both ions after the complexation with 4,5-dihydroxy-3-phenylazo-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, disodium salt (Chromotrope 2R) at pH 6.5. The impact of different analytical parameters on microextraction efficiency was optimized. Results: In the ranges of 1.0–300 and 2.0-400 μg/ml, the calibration graphs were linear. The limits of detection were 0.3 and 0.6 μg/ml for Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions, respectively. The preconcentration factor was 100. The relative standard deviation (RSD %)<3.0%, which indicates the proposed method has high precision. Conclusion: The proposed VA-IL-DLLµE method was developed and applied for the estimation of Cd2+ and Pb2+ ion content in various water, vegetables and tobacco samples, and satisfactory results were obtained. The obtained recovery values showed good agreement with the certified values.

Kinetic Evaluation of Dye Decolorization by Fenton Processes in the Presence of 3-Hydroxyanthranilic Acid

The fungal metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) was used as a redox mediator with the aim of increasing dye degradation by Fenton oxidative processes (Fe2+/H2O2, Fe3+/H2O2). Its Fe3+-reducing activity can enhance the generation of reactive oxygen species as HO● radicals. Initially, the influence of 3-HAA on decolorization kinetics of five dyes (methylene blue, chromotrope 2R, methyl orange, phenol red, and safranin T) was investigated using decolorization data from a previous work conducted by the present research group. Fe3+-containing reaction data were well fitted with first-order and mainly second-order kinetic models, whereas the BMG (Behnajady, Modirshahla and Ghanbary) model obtained optimal fit to Fe2+. Improvements in kinetic parameters (i.e., apparent rate constants and maximum oxidation capacity) were observed with the addition of 3-HAA. In another set of experiments, a decrease in apparent activation energy was observed due to introducing 3-HAA into reactions containing either Fe2+ or Fe3+ in order to decolorize phenol red at different temperatures. This indicates that the redox mediator decreases the energy barrier so as to allow reactions to occur. Thus, based on recent experiments and the reaction kinetics models evaluated herein, pro-oxidant properties have been observed for 3-HAA in Fenton processes.