Catalytic Systems Containing p-Toluenesulfonic Acid for the Coupling Reaction of Formaldehyde and Methyl Formate

The coupling reaction of formaldehyde （FA） and methyl formate （MF） to form methyl glycolate （MG） and methyl methoxy acetate （MMAc）, catalyzed by p-toluenesulfonic acid （p-TsOH） as well as assisted by different kinds of solvents or Ni-containing compounds, had been investigated. The results showed that when the reaction was carried out at 140 ℃, with a molar ratio of FA to MF of 0.65 ： 1, molar fraction of p-TsOH to total feedstock of 11.0%, and reaction time of 3 h, the yield of MG and MMAc was 31.1% and 17.1%, respectively, p-TsOH catalyzed the coupling reaction by means of the synergistic catalysis of protonic acidity and soft basicity. Adding extra solvents to the reaction system was unfavorable for the reaction. The composite catalytic system consisting of p-TsOH and NiX2 （X=Cl, Br, I） exhibited a high catalytic performance for the coupling reaction, and NiX2 acted as a promoter in the reaction, whose promotion for the catalysis increased in the following order： NiCl2〈NiBr2〈NiI2. The present system is less corrosive when compared with the previous system, in which strong inorganic liquid acids were used as catalysts.

An efficient and mild recycling of waste melamine formaldehyde foams by alkaline hydrolysis

Melamine formaldehyde foam(MFF)generates many poisonous chemicals through the traditional recycling methods for organic resin wastes.Herein,a high MFF degradation ratio of ca.97 wt.%was achieved under the mild conditions(160℃)in a NaOH–H2O system with ammelide and ammeline as the main degradation products.The alkaline solvent had an obvious corrosion effect for MFF,as indicated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The reaction process and products distribution were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and ^(13)C nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR).Besides,the MFF degradation products that have the similar chemical structures and bonding performances to those of melamine can be directly used as the raw material for synthesis of melamine urea-formaldehyde resins(MUFs).Moreover,the degradation system demonstrated here showed the high degradation efficiency after reusing for 7 times.The degradation process generated few harmful pollutants and no pre-or post-treatments were required,which proves its feasibility in the safe removal or recovery of waste MFF.

Indoor Formaldehyde Removal Techniques through Paints: Review

Due to its ability to cause illnesses and discomfort even at low concentrations, formaldehyde pollution of indoor air poses a significant risk to human health. Sources of formaldehyde in indoor environments include textiles, paints, wallpapers, glues, adhesives, varnishes, and lacquers;furniture and wooden products like particleboard, plywood, and medium-density fiberboard that contain formaldehyde-based resins;shoe products;cosmetics;electronic devices;and other consumer goods like paper products and insecticides. According to the World Health Organisation, indoor formaldehyde concentrations shouldn’t exceed 0.1 mg/m3. The methods include membrane separation, plasma, photocatalytic decomposition, physisorption, chemisorption, biological and botanical filtration, and catalytic oxidation. Materials based on metal oxides and supported noble metals work as oxidation catalysts. Consequently, a paint that passively eliminates aldehydes from buildings can be developed by adding absorbents and formaldehyde scavengers to the latex composition. It will be crucial to develop techniques for the careful detection and removal of formaldehyde in the future. Additionally, microbial decomposition is less expensive and produces fewer pollutants. The main goal of future research will be to develop a biological air quality control system that will boost the effectiveness of formaldehyde elimination. The various methods of removing formaldehyde through paints have been reviewed here, including the use of mixed metal oxides, formaldehyde-absorbing emulsions, nano titanium dioxide, catalytic oxidation, and aromatic formaldehyde abating materials that can improve indoor air quality.

A Comparison of Airborne Formaldehyde Field Measurements Collected in an Anatomic Pathology Laboratory

Environmental monitoring of airborne formaldehyde (FA) using sensitive methodologies is fundamental to prevent health risks. The objective of this study was to compare three different FA monitoring methods during the daily activities of an anatomic pathology laboratory. Daily eight-hour measurements deriving from Radiello® passive diffusive samplers (PDS), NEMo XT continuous optical sensor (COS), and multi-gas 1512 photoacoustic monitor (MPM) were simultaneously compared over a period of 14 working days. Given the different daily distributions of the measurements performed by the three devices, all measurements were time-aligned for comparison purposes. The 95% limit of agreement (LOA) method was applied to estimate the degree of concordance of each device with respect to the others. Formaldehyde arithmetic mean measured using PDS was 32.6 ± 10.4 ppb (range: 19.8 - 62.7). The simultaneous measures performed by COS and MPM were respectively 42.4 ± 44.8 ppb (range: 7.0 - 175.0) and 189.0 ± 163.7 ppb (range: 40.0 - 2895.4). The MPM geometric mean (171.3 ppb) was approximately five times higher than those derived from COS (32.3 ppb) and PDS (31.4 ppb). The results of the LOA method applied to log-transformed FA data showed the same systematic discrepancies between MPM and the other two devices. A good agreement between PDS and COS could lead to a tailored approach according to the individual specificity of these techniques. This tool may be useful for accurately assessing the risk of FA exposure among healthcare workers. However, the limited specificity of the MPM does not support its use as a monitoring method for FA in the workplace.

Effect of Humidity on Formaldehyde Oxidation over Ce_(0.8)Zr_(0.2)O_(y)Catalyst

In the preparation of a series of Ce_(0.8)Zr_(0.2)O_(y)catalysts catalyzing the removal of formaldehyde,BET,H2-TPR,IR,SEM,XPS,and XRD were used to characterize the catalyst,and the influence of humidity on the catalyst activity was studied by adjusting the humidity during the process.The experimental results showed that the formaldehyde removal rate increased with the increase of humidity.When the humidity was higher than 50%,the formaldehyde removal rate decreased by 3%over that when the humidity was 50%.The characterization results showed that humidity facilitated the activation of oxygen and the formation of hydroxyl groups,which both promoted the formation and oxidative decomposition of intermediates and prevented the deposition of intermediates that clogged the pores,allowing more formaldehyde to be adsorbed and oxidized,which increased the activity of the catalyst.This provides new mechanistic evidence for the oxidation of formaldehyde and helps in the development of relatively low-cost materials for formaldehyde purification.

Comprehensive Analysis of Indoor Formaldehyde Removal Techniques:Exploring Physical,Chemical,and Biological Methods

This research focuses on the evaluation of diverse approaches for removing formaldehyde from indoor environments,which is a significant concern for indoor air quality.The study systematically examines physical,chemical,and biological methods to ascertain their effectiveness in formaldehyde mitigation.Physical methods,including air circulation and adsorption,particularly with activated carbon and molecular sieves,are assessed for their efficiency in various concentration scenarios.Chemical methods,such as photocatalytic oxidation using titanium dioxide and plasma technology,are analyzed for their ability to decompose formaldehyde into non-toxic substances.Additionally,biological methods involving plant purification and microbial transformation are explored for their eco-friendly and sustainable removal capabilities.The paper concludes that while each method has its merits,a combined approach may offer the most effective solution for reducing indoor formaldehyde levels.The study underscores the need for further research to integrate these methods in a practical,cost-effective,and environmentally sustainable manner,highlighting their potential to improve indoor air quality significantly.

Low-temperature catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde over Co_3O_4catalysts prepared using various precipitants

Co3O4 catalysts prepared with different precipitants（NH3·H2O,KOH,NH4HCO3,K2CO3 and KHCO3）were investigated for the oxidation of formaldehyde（HCHO）.Among these,KHCO3-precipitated Co3O4（KHCO3-Co） was the most active low-temperature catalyst,and was able to completely oxidize HCHO at the 100-ppm level to CO2 at 90℃.In situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that hydroxyl groups on the catalyst surface were regenerated by K~＋ and CO3^（2-）,thus promoting the oxidation of HCHO.Moreover,H2-temperature programmed reduction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that employing KHCO3 as the precipitant increased the Co^3＋/Co^2＋molar ratio on the surface of the Co3O4 catalyst,thus further promoting oxidation.Structural characterization revealed that catalysts precipitated with carbonate or bicarbonate reagents exhibited greater specific surface areas and pore volumes.Overall,these data suggest that the high activity observed during the Co3O4 catalyzed oxidation of HCHO can be primarily attributed to the presence of K~＋ and CO3^（2-） on the Co3O4 surface and the favorable Co^3＋/Co^2＋ ratio.

Synthesis of three-dimensional ordered mesoporous MnO_2 and its catalytic performance in formaldehyde oxidation

Three-dimensional（3D）ordered mesoporous MnO2 was prepared using KIT-6 mesoporous molecular sieves as a hard template.The material was used for catalytic oxidation of HCHO.The material has high surface areas and the mesoporous characteristics of the template,with cubic symmetry（ia3d）.It consists of a β-MnO2 crystalline phase corresponding to pyrolusite,with a rutile structure.Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the 3D-MnO2 catalyst has a large number of exposed Mn4＋ ions on the（110）crystal plane surfaces,with a lattice spacing of 0.311 nm; this enhances oxidation of HCHO.Complete conversion of HCHO to CO2 and H2O was achieved at 130 °C on 3D-MnO2; the same conversions on α-MnO2 and β-MnO2 nanorods were obtained at 140 and 180 °C,respectively,under the same conditions.The specific mesoporous structure,high specific surface area,and large number of surface Mn4＋ ions are responsible for the catalytic activity of 3D-MnO2 in HCHO oxidation.

Progress in research on catalysts for catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde

Formaldehyde（HCHO）is carcinogenic and teratogenic,and is therefore a serious danger to human health.It also adversely affects air quality.Catalytic oxidation is an efficient technique for removing HCHO.The development of highly efficient and stable catalysts that can completely convert HCHO at low temperatures,even room temperature,is important.Supported Pt and Pd catalysts can completely convert HCHO at room temperature,but their industrial applications are limited because they are expensive.The catalytic activities in HCHO oxidation of transition-metal oxide catalysts such as manganese and cobalt oxides with unusual morphologies are better than those of traditional MnO2,Co3O4,or other metal oxides.This is attributed to their specific structures,high specific surface areas,and other factors such as active phase,reducibility,and amount of surface active oxygens.Such catalysts with various morphologies have great potential and can also be used as catalyst supports.The loading of relatively cheap Ag or Au on transition-metal oxides with special morphologies potentially improves the catalytic activity in HCHO removal at room temperature.The preparation and development of new nanocatalysts with various morphologies and structures is important for HCHO removal.In this paper,research progress on precious-metal and transition-metal oxide catalyst systems for HCHO oxidation is reviewed; topics such as oxidation properties,structure–activity relationships,and factors influencing the catalytic activity and reaction mechanism are discussed.Future prospects and directions for the development of such catalysts are also covered.

Study on the Effectiveness of Circulation Well for Remediation of Benzene and Toluene Contaminated Silt Sand Aquifer

In order to investigate the remediation effect of groundwater circulation well on benzene and toluene contaminated silt sand aquifer,a simulation remediation experiment was conducted in the laboratory using a two-dimensional simulation tank.The results showed that in the silt sand aquifer,the concentrations of benzene and toluene decreased from 179.210 mg/L and 327.520 mg/L to below the detection limit after 24 h of operation of the circulation well.The closer to the circulation well in the horizontal direction,the faster the removal efficiency of benzene and toluene.The study has shown that circulating wells have good remediation effects on both benzene-and toluene-contaminated chalk sand aquifers.

Efficient activation of the Co/SBA-15catalyst by high-frequency AC-DBD plasma thermal effects for toluene removal

Dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)plasma excited by a high-frequency alternating-current(AC)power supply is widely employed for the degradation of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).However,the thermal effect generated during the discharge process leads to energy waste and low energy utilization efficiency.In this work,an innovative DBD thermally-conducted catalysis(DBD-TCC)system,integrating high-frequency AC-DBD plasma and its generated thermal effects to activate the Co/SBA-15 catalyst,was employed for toluene removal.Specifically,Co/SBA-15 catalysts are closely positioned to the ground electrode of the plasma zone and can be heated and activated by the thermal effect when the voltage exceeds 10 k V.At12.4 k V,the temperature in the catalyst zone reached 261℃ in the DBD-TCC system,resulting in an increase in toluene degradation efficiency of 17%,CO_(2)selectivity of 21.2%,and energy efficiency of 27%,respectively,compared to the DBD system alone.In contrast,the DBD thermally-unconducted catalysis(DBD-TUC)system fails to enhance toluene degradation due to insufficient heat absorption and catalytic activation,highlighting the crucial role of AC-DBD generated heat in the activation of the catalyst.Furthermore,the degradation pathway and mechanism of toluene in the DBD-TCC system were hypothesized.This work is expected to provide an energy-efficient approach for high-frequency AC-DBD plasma removal of VOCs.

Co_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2) composite photocatalyst:Preparation and synergistic degradation performance of toluene

TiO_(2) nanobelts and Co_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2) catalytic materials were prepared using the hydrothermal method.The cat-alyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,transmission electron microscopy,X-ray electron spectroscopy,and fluorescence spectroscopy.At room temperature,with a relative humidity of 50.0%,the total gas flow rate of 1.0 L·min-1,the space velocity of 1.05×10^(4) h^(-1),and toluene volume concentration of 25.0µL·L^(-1),two 6 W vacuum ultraviolet lamps were used as light sources to catalyze,degrade,and mineralize toluene.The results show that the prepared catalyst is in the shape of nano-ribbons.The loading of Co_(3)O_(4) inhibits the recombina-tion of photogenerated electrons and holes and can effectively improve the catalytic performance.The Co_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2) with a load of 6.0%Co_(3)O_(4) has the best catalytic effect.When N2 was used as a carrier gas,the degradation rate of tol-uene was only 34.7%.The toluene degradation is mainly due to the photolysis of vacuum ultraviolet light.When air was used as a carrier gas,O_(3) was produced.The Co_(3)O_(4)/TiO_(2) with a load of 6.0%and vacuum ultraviolet synergistical-ly promote toluene degradation.The highest degradation rate of toluene was 91.7%and the mineralization rate was 74.6%.The degradation rate of toluene was 2.6 times that of nitrogen as a carrier gas.

Benzene and Toluene Levels Measured with DOAS During Vehicular Restrictions in Beijing

Measurements of atmospheric benzene and toluene were carried out continuously using dif- ferential optical absorption spectroscopy from August 7 to August 28 in Beijing during the period of vehicular restrictions. The correlations between traffic flows and totals of benzene and toluene were studied during the period of vehicular traffic restrictions from August 17 to August 20 and non-traffic restrictions on August 16 and August 21. The correlation coef- ficient was 0.8 between benzene and toluene. And the calculated daily mean value ratios of benzene to toluene were 0.43-0.50. During the period of vehicular restrictions, traffic flows were reduced about 11.8% and the levels of benzene and toluene were reduced by 11.4% and 12.8%, respectively. The vehicle emissions were recognized as the major sources for atmospheric benzene and toluene in Beijing.

Inactivation Kinetics of β-N-Acetyl-D-Glucosaminidase from Prawn (Penaeus vannamei) by Formaldehyde

β-N-Acetyl-D-glucosaminidase （NAGase, EC.3.2.1.52） is chitinolytic enzymes and disintegrate dimmer and trimer a composition of oligomers of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosamine （NAG） into monomer. Prawn （P. vannamei） NAGase is involved in digestion and molting processes. Some pollutants in seawater affect the enzyme activity causing loss of the biological function of the enzyme, which affects the exuviating shell and threatens the survival of the animal. The effect of formaldehyde on prawn （P. vannamei） β-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase activity for the hydrolysis of pNP-NAG has been studied. The results show that formaldehyde, at appropriate concentrations, can lead to reversible inactivation of the enzyme, and the IC50 is estimated to be 1.05mol· L^-1. The inactivation mechanism obtained from Lineweaver-Burk plots shows that the inactivation of the enzyme by formaldehyde belongs to the competitive type. The inactivation kinetics of the enzyme by formaldehyde has been studied using the progress-of-substrate-reaction method described by Tsou, and the rate constants have been determined. The results show that k＋0 is much larger than k-0, indicating the free enzyme molecule is fragile in the formaldehyde solution.

Preparation of phenol formaldehyde resin from phenolated wood

The technique for preparing phenol formaldehyde resin from phenolated wood (PWF) and its characters were studied and analyzed. Poplar (Populus spp.) wood meal was liquefied by phenol in the presence of sulfuric acid as a catalyst. After the liquefied products were cooled, alkaline catalyst and formaldehyde were added. The mixture was kept at (60?) C for 1h and then was heated to (85?) C for 1h. The influence of molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol (F/P) was investigated. The results showed when the molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol was over 1.8, the PWF adhesives had high bond quality, bond durability and extremely low aldehydes emissions.

Preparation of Corncob-Like WO3 Nanomaterials and Their Photocatalytic Treatment of Toluene

Corn rod-like WO3 nanomaterials were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure and optical absorption properties of the prepared samples were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR and UV-Vis-DRS. The WO3 materials were corn rod-like morphology with about 800 nm for length and 150 nm for diameter, especially there were plenty of corn particles (about 20 nm) on the surface of corn rods. The X-ray diffraction peaks of the products corresponded with WO3 standard card, and the characteristic peak of W-O bond was found in the infrared spectrum. The absorption band edge of the products was about 480 nm, indicating their potential visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity. In situ FTIR technology research showed that the prepared WO3 nanomaterials had visible photocatalytic activity to gas-phase toluene. After a photocatalytic reaction for 8 hours toluene was effectively degraded, and carboxylic acid and aldehyde could be regarded as the intermediate products, and CO2 was produced as the final product during the reaction process.

Flow injection chemiluminescence determination of meloxicam using potassium permanganate and formaldehyde system

A simple, rapid and sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence （FI-CL） method has been developed for the determination of meloxicam. The method is based on the CL-emitting reaction between meloxicam and potassium permanganate in a hydrochloric acid medium, enhanced by formaldehyde （HCHO）. Under optimum conditions, calibration curve over the range of 1.0-20.0μg/mL was obtained. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of meloxicam in capsules with no evi- dence of interference from common excipients. The detection limit of this method was 25.6 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation was 2.1% for 10.0 μg/mL meloxicam. The sample throughput was found to be 120 samples/h.

Quality Synthetic Evaluation of Urea Formaldehyde Foam Substrate in Turf Establishment

[Objective]The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of three kinds of urea formaldehyde foam substrate in tall fescue establishment as well as to study on evaluation of turf quality.[Method]The visual estimates,ecological quality estimates and utility quality estimates were used as the 1st level indicators,and the density,color,texture,uniformity,green period,cover degree,biomass,emergence energy,growth rate and turf-forming time were used as the corresponding 2nd level indicators.With T.L.Satty＇s method Analytic Hierarchy Process（AHP） and the fuzzy synthesis evaluation method,the weight ratio of matrix was obtained and the synthetic evaluation result was accorded with facts,then it could be regarded as the satisfying value of weight.[Result]The quality of three covering soil treatments was better than that of uncovering treatment and conventional treatment,the quality synthetic evaluation of F1 was the best,which was about 0.770.[Conclusion]Urea formaldehyde foam substrate showed high quality for turf establishment,which could be further spread and applied.

Study on ternary polymerization of toluene diisocyanate

For the production of reactive polyurethane cross-linkinger and curing agents, 2, 4-diisocyanate toluene （TDI） terpolymer, which possesses the rigid structures of hexatomic ring and three reactive functional groups, was synthesized and characterized by the Fourier transform infrared （FFIR）, the gel permeation chromatography （GPC） and the chemical analysis methods. The reaction conditions were studied and optimized. A tracking research on the polymerization process of TDI was taken by using the GPC. The formation processes of the terpolymer, oligomers and higher-polymers were also dealt with. Results show that the TDI terpolymer can be prepared in the presence of Cat-3 catalyst and at the reaction temperature of （60 ±2）℃. The reaction time is short, its outcomes have narrow molecular weights distribution, namely molecular weights from 530 to 550, Mw/Mn =1.10, and the mass fraction of NCO is （25. 0 ± 0. 5）%. With the reaction time prolonging, however, TDI can be further higher-polymedzed to form higher-polymers. Benzoyl chloride （0. 4%, mass fraction）, as the stabilizing agent, can effectively inhibit the occurrence of higher-polymerization. The obtained TDI terpolymer can be stable for more than half a year.

The effect of urea pretreatment on the formaldehyde emission and properties of straw particleboard

For manufacturing low-formaldehyde emission particleboard from wheat straw and urea-formaldehyde （UF） resins using urea treatment for indoor environments, we investigated the influence of urea treatment on the formaldehyde emission, physical and mechanical properties of the manufactured particleboard. Wheat straws were treated at three levels of urea concentration （5%, 10%, 15%） and 95℃ as holding temperature. Wheat straw particleboards were manufactured using hot press at 180℃ and 3 MPa with two types of UF adhesive （UF-45, UF-91）. Then the formaldehyde emission values, physical properties and mechanical properties were considered. The results show that the for- maldehyde emission value was decreased by increasing urea concentration. Furthermore, the results indicate that the specimens under urea treatment have better mechanical and physical properties compared with control specimens. Also specimens under urea treatment at 10% concentration and UF-91 type adhesive have the most optimum physical and mechanical strength.