Carbon-doped CuFe_(2)O_(4) with C-O-M channels for enhanced Fenton-like degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride: From construction to mechanism

Carbon-doped copper ferrite(C–CuFe_(2)O_(4))was synthesized by a simple two-step hydrothermal method,which showed enhanced tetracycline hydrochloride(TCH)removal efficiency as compared to the pure CuFe_(2)O_(4) in Fenton-like reaction.A removal efficiency of 94%was achieved with 0.2 g L^(-1) catalyst and 20 mmol L^(-1) H_(2)O_(2) within 90 min.We demonstrated that 5%C–CuFe_(2)O_(4) catalyst in the presence of H_(2)O_(2) was significantly efficient for TCH degradation under the near-neutral pH(5–9)without buffer.Multiple techniques,including SEM,TEM,XRD,FTIR,Raman,XPS M€ossbauer and so on,were conducted to investigate the structures,morphologies and electronic properties of as-prepared samples.The introduction of carbon can effectively accelerate electron transfer by cooperating with Cu and Fe to activate H_(2)O_(2) to generate·OH and·O_(2)^(-).Particularly,theoretical calculations display that the p,p,d orbital hybridization of C,O,Cu and Fe can form C–O–Cu and C–O–Fe bonds,and the electrons on carbon can transfer to metal Cu and Fe along the C–O–Fe and C–O–Cu channels,thus forming electron-rich reactive centers around Fe and Cu.This work provides lightful reference for the modification of spinel ferrites in Fenton-like application.

Silicalite-1 zeolite encapsulated Fe nanocatalyst for Fenton-like degradation of methylene blue

Encapsulation of Fe nanoparticles in zeolite is a promising way to significantly improve the catalytic activity and stability of Fe-based catalysts during the degradation process of organic pollutants.Herein,Fe nanocatalysts were encapsulated into silicalite-1(S-1)zeolite by using a ligand-protected method(with dicyandiamide(DCD)as a organic ligand)under direct hydrothermal synthesis condition.High-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM)results confirmed the high dispersion of Fe nanocatalysts which were successfully encapsulated within the voids among the primary particles of the S-1 zeolite.The developed S-1 zeolite encapsulated Fe nanocatalyst(Fe@S-1)exhibited significantly improved catalytic activity and reusability in the catalytic degradation process of methylene blue(MB).Specifically,the developed Fe0.021@S-1 catalyst showed high catalytic degradation activity,giving a high MB degradation efficiency of 100%in 30 min,outperformed the conventional impregnated catalyst(Fe/S-1).Moreover,the Fe@S-1 catalyst afforded an outstanding stability,showing only ca.7.9%activity loss after five cycling tests,while the Fe/S-1 catalyst presented a significantly activity loss of 50.9%after only three cycles.Notably,the encapsulation strategy enabled a relatively lower Fe loading in the Fe@S-1 catalyst in comparison with that of the Fe/S-1 catalyst,i.e.,0.35%vs.0.81%(mass).Radical scavenging experiments along with electron spin resonance(ESR)measurements confirmed that the major role of
OH in the MB degradation process.Specifically,Fe@S-1 catalyst with high molar ratio of[Fe(DCD)]Cl3 is beneficial to form Fe complexes/nanoclusters in the voids(which has large pore size of 1–2 nm)among the primary particles of the zeolite,and thus improving the diffusion and accessibility of reactants to Fe active sites,and thus exhibiting a relatively higher degradation efficiency.This work demonstrates that zeolite-encapsulated Fe nanocatalysts present potential applications in the advanced oxidation of wastewater treatment.

Synthesis of Magnetically Modified Fe-Al Pillared Bentonite and Heterogeneous Fenton-like Degradation of Orange II

Magnetically modified Fe-Al pillared bentonite（Fe3O4/ Fe-Al-Bent） was prepared via chemical co-precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction（XRD）, Brunauer-EmmettTeller（BET）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM）. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the degradation of Orange II by the obtained heterogeneous catalysts in the presence of H2O2. The experimental result indicated that the synthetic materials had a high catalytic activity and good reusability.

Amino acids modified nanoscale zero-valent iron:Density functional theory calculations,experimental synthesis and application in the Fenton-like degradation of organic solvents

To improve the adsorption and catalytic performance of heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts for oil wastes,amino acids were used to modify nanoscale zero-valent iron(AA@Fe^(0)),which were applied in the Fenton-like degradation of organic solvents(tributyl phosphate and n-dodecane,named TBP and DD).Twelve amino acids,i.e.,glycine(Gly),alanine(Ala),leucine(Leu),proline(Pro),phenylalanine(Phe),methionine(Met),cysteine(Cys),asparagine(Asn),serine(Ser),glutamic acid(Glu),lysine(Lys)and arginine(Arg),were selected and calculated by density functional theory(DFT).The optimized structure,charge distribution,the highest occupied molecular orbital(HOMO),the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital(LUMO),interaction region indicator(IRI)isosurface map and adsorption energy of AA@Fe^(0),AA@Fe^(0)-TBP and AA@Fe^(0)-DD were studied,which indicated that Fe is more likely to approach and charge transfer with-COO and-NH_(3) on theα-carbon of amino acids.There is strong attraction between Fe and–COO,and Van der Waals force between Fe and-NH_(3),respectively.In the interaction of AA@Fe^(0)with TBP and DD,Van der Waal force plays an important role.AA@Fe^(0)was synthesized in laboratory and characterized to investigate physicochemical properties.In Fenton-like degradation of organic solvents,the change of COD in water phase during the degradation process as well as the volume of the organic phase after the reaction were investigated.The results of calculations combined with experiments showed that Ser-modified Fe^(0)performed the best in these amino acids,with 98%removal of organic solvents.A possible catalytic mechanism was proposed in which amino acids acted a linking role between Fe and organic solvents,activating H_(2)O_(2)to generate hydroxyl radicals for the degradation of organic solvents.

Nanostructured ZnO/BiVO_(4)I-scheme heterojunctions for piezocatalytic degradation of organic dyes via harvesting ultrasonic vibration energy

BiVO_(4)porous spheres modified by ZnO were designed and synthesized using a facile two-step method.The resulting ZnO/BiVO_(4)composite catalysts have shown remarkable efficiency as piezoelectric catalysts for degrading Rhodamine B(RhB)unde mechanical vibrations,they exhibit superior activity compared to pure ZnO.The 40wt%ZnO/BiVO_(4)heterojunction composite displayed the highest activity,along with good stability and recyclability.The enhanced piezoelectric catalytic activity can be attributed to the form ation of an I-scheme heterojunction structure,which can effectively inhibit the electron-hole recombination.Furthermore,hole(h+)and superoxide radical(·O_(2)^(-))are proved to be the primary active species.Therefore,ZnO/BiVO_(4)stands as an efficient and stable piezoelectric catalyst with broad potential application in the field of environmental water pollution treatment.

Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)films with simultaneous high oxygen barrier and fast degradation properties

Although poly(lactic acid)(PLA)is a good environmentally-friendly bio-degradable polymer which is used to substitute traditional petrochemical-based polymer packaging films,the barrier properties of PLA films are still insufficient for high-barrier packaging applications.In this study,oxygen scavenger hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)and cobalt salt catalyst were incorporated into the PLA/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)(PLA/PBAT),followed by melting extrusion and three-layer co-extrusion blown film process to prepare the composite films.The oxygen permeability coefficient of the composite film combined with 6 wt%oxygen scavenger and 0.4 wt%catalyst was decreased significantly from 377.00 cc·mil·m^(-2)·day^(-1)·0.1 MPa^(-1) to 0.98 cc·mil·m^(-2)·day^(-1)·0.1 MPa^(-1),showing a remarkable enhancement of 384.69 times compared with the PLA/PBAT composite film.Meanwhile,the degradation behavior of the composite film was also accelerated,exhibiting a mass loss of nearly 60%of the original mass after seven days of degradation in an alkaline environment,whereas PLA/PBAT composite film only showed a mass loss of 32%.This work has successfully prepared PLA/PBAT composite films with simultaneously improved oxygen barrier property and degradation behavior,which has great potential for high-demanding green chemistry packaging industries,including food,agricultural,and military packaging.

Efficient chemical mechanical polishing of W promoted by Fenton-like reaction between Cu^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)

The Fenton-like reaction between Cu^(2+)and H_(2)O_(2)was employed in chemical mechanical polishing to achieve efficient and high-quality processing of tungsten.The microstructure evolution and material removal rate of tungsten during polishing process were investigated via scanning electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,ultraviolet−visible spectrophotometry,and electrochemical experiments.The passivation behavior and material removal mechanism were discussed.Results show that the use of mixed H_(2)O_(2)+Cu(NO_(3))_(2)oxidant can achieve higher polishing efficiency and surface quality compared with the single oxidant Cu(NO_(3))_(2)or H_(2)O_(2).The increase in material removal rate is attributed to the rapid oxidation of W into WO_(3)via the chemical reaction between the substrate and hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton-like reaction.In addition,material removal rate and static etch rate exhibit significantly different dependencies on the concentration of Cu(NO_(3))_(2),while the superior oxidant for achieving the balance between polishing efficiency and surface quality is 0.5 wt.%H_(2)O_(2)+1.0 wt.%Cu(NO_(3))_(2).

Dynamic Regulation of Hydrogen Bonding Networks and Solvation Structures for Synergistic Solar‑Thermal Desalination of Seawater and Catalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants

Although solar steam generation strategy is efficient in desalinating seawater,it is still challenging to achieve continuous solar-thermal desalination of seawater and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants.Herein,dynamic regulations of hydrogen bonding networks and solvation structures are realized by designing an asymmetric bilayer membrane consisting of a bacterial cellulose/carbon nanotube/Co_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)nanorod top layer and a bacterial cellulose/Co_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)nanorod(BCH)bottom layer.Crucially,the hydrogen bonding networks inside the membrane can be tuned by the rich surface–OH groups of the bacterial cellulose and Co_(2)(OH)_(2)CO_(3)as well as the ions and radicals in situ generated during the catalysis process.Moreover,both SO_(4)^(2−)and HSO_(5)−can regulate the solvation structure of Na^(+)and be adsorbed more preferentially on the evaporation surface than Cl^(−),thus hindering the de-solvation of the solvated Na^(+)and subsequent nucleation/growth of NaCl.Furthermore,the heat generated by the solar-thermal energy conversion can accelerate the reaction kinetics and enhance the catalytic degradation efficiency.This work provides a flow-bed water purification system with an asymmetric solar-thermal and catalytic membrane for synergistic solar thermal desalination of seawater/brine and catalytic degradation of organic pollutants.

Iron-glutamate-silicotungstate ternary complex as highly active heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for 4-chlorophenol degradation

A novel iron-glutamate-silicotungstate ternary complex（FeШGluS iW） was synthesized from ferric chloride（FeI II）,glutamic acid（Glu）,and silicotungstic acid（SiW）,and used as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst for 4-chlorophenol（4-CP） degradation at neutral pH value. The prepared FeШGluS iW was characterized using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy,thermogravimetry,Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that FeШGluS iW has the formula [Fe（C5H8NO4）（H2O）]2SiW 12O40？13H2O,with glutamate moiety and Keggin-structured SiW 12O404- heteropolyanion. The catalyst showed high catalytic activity in 4-CP degradation in the dark and under irradiation. Under the conditions of 4-CP 100 mg/L,FeШGluS iW 1.0 g/L,H2O2 20 mmol/L,and pH = 6.5,4-CP was completely decomposed in 40 min in the dark and in 15 min under irradiation. When the reaction time was prolonged to 2 h,the corresponding total organic carbon removals under dark and irradiated conditions were ca. 27% and 72%,respectively. The high catalytic activity of FeI IIGluS iW is resulted from hydrogen bonding of H2O2 on the FeI IIGluS iW surface. The enhanced degradation of 4-CP under irradiation arises from simultaneous oxidation of 4-CP through Fenton-like and photocatalytic processes respectively catalyzed by ferric iron and the SiW 12O404- hetropolyanion in FeШGluS iW.

Efficient visible light photo-Fenton-like degradation of organic pollutants using in situ surface-modified BiFeO_3 as a catalyst

The visible light photo-Fenton-like catalytic performance of BiFeO3 nanoparticles was investigated using Methyl Violet （MV）, Rhodamine B （RhB） and phenol as probes. Under optimum conditions, the pseudo first-order rate constant （k） was determined to be 2.21 × 10^-2, 5.56 × 10^-2 and 2.01 × 10^-2 min〈 for the degradation of MV （30 μmol/L）, RhB （10 μmol/L） and phenol （3 mmol/L）, respectively, in the BiFeO3-H202-visible light （Vis） system. The introduction of visible light irradiation increased the k values of MV, RhB and phenol degradation 3.47, 1.95 and 2.07 times in comparison with those in dark. Generally, the k values in the BiFeO3- H202-Vis system were accelerated by increasing BiFeO3 load and H202 concentration, but decreased with increasing initial pollutant concentration. To further enhance the degradation of pollutants at high concentrations, BiFeO3 was modified with the addition of surface modifiers. The addition of ethylenediamineteraacetic acid （EDTA, 0.4 mmol/L） increased the k value of MV degradation （60 μmol/L） from 1.01 × 10.2 min^-1 in the BiFeO3-H202-Vis system to 1.30 min^-1 in the EDTA-BiFeO3-H2O2-Vis system by a factor of 128. This suggests that in situ surface modification can enable BiFeO3 nano-particles to be a promising visible light photo-Fenton-like catalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants.

A confined micro-reactor with a movable Fe_(3) O_(4) core and a mesoporous TiO_(2) shell for a photocatalytic Fenton-like degradation of bisphenol A

Photocatalysis and Fenton process are two primary and promising advanced oxidation processes to degrade organic pollutants.However,the practical applications of single photocatalysis and Fenton process are still limited.Introducing one of them into another to form a combined photocatalytic Fentonlike system has shown great potential but still faces challenges in designing a well-tailored catalyst.Herein,a confined photocatalytic Fenton-like micro-reactor catalyst with a movable Fe_(3) O_(4) core and a mesoporous TiO_(2) shell has been constructed via a successive Stober coating strategy,followed by an ultrasound assisted etching method.The resulting micro-reactor possesses well-defined yolk-shell structures with unifo rm mesopores(~4 nm),a large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) surface area(~166.7 m^(2)/g),a high pore volume(~0.56 cm^(3)/g) and a strong magnetization(~51 emu/g),as well as tunable reactor sizes(20-90 nm).When evaluated for degrading bisphenol A under solar light in the presence of peroxymo no sulfate,the micro-reactor exhibits a superior catalytic degradation perfo rmance with a high magnetic separation efficiency and an excellent recycle ability.The outstanding performance can be attributed to its unique textual structure,which leads to a great syne rgistic effect from the photocatalytic and Fenton-like process.This study gives an important insight into the design and synthesis of an advanced micro-reactor for a combined advanced oxidation processes(AOPs).

Degradation of n-butyl xanthate using fly ash as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst

Heterogeneous Fenton-like process using fly ash as a catalyst was studied to degrade n-butyl xanthate form aqueous solution. The different reaction parameters on the degradation efficiency of the process were investigated. The fly ash/H2O2 catalyst possesses a high oxidation activity for n-butyl xanthate degradation in aqueous solution. It is found that both the dosage of catalyst and initial solution pH significantly affect the n-butyl xanthate conversion efficient. The results indicate that by using 1.176 mmol/L H2O2 and 1.0 g/L fly ash catalyst with mass fraction of 4.14% Fe(III) oxide at pH 3.0, almost 96.90% n-butyl xanthate conversion and over 96.66% COD removal can be achieved within 120 min with heterogeneous catalysis by fly ash. CS2 as an intermediate of n-butyl xanthate oxidation. Finally, it is demonstrated that the fly ash/H2O2 catalytic oxidation process can be an efficient method for the treatment of n-butyl xanthate containing wastewater.

Adsorption and degradation of norfloxacin by a novel molecular imprinting magnetic Fenton-like catalyst

In this study,a novel magnetically separable adsorbent,molecular imprinting magnetic γ-Fe_2O_3/crosslinked chitosan composites(MIPs),were prepared by a microemulsion process.Adsorption and Fenton-like oxidative degradation of a model pharmaceutical pollutant norfloxacin(NOR) by using MIPs were investigated.Various characterization methods were used to study the properties of MIPs,and it is suggested that the hydroxyl groups are the main adsorption sites for NOR.MIPs present better selective adsorption for NOR than its reference antibiotic sulfadiazine.The NOR adsorption data can be well fitted by Langmuir isotherm model and pseudosecond-order kinetic model.The optimum pH range for NOR adsorption is 7-10.In addition,the MIP-catalyzed Fenton-like system(MIPs/H_2O_2) exhibits remarkably faster removal rate for NOR than the case of γ-Fe_2O_3/H_2O_2.The result indicates that MIPs will be a good functional material in decontamination of pharmaceutical wastewaters since MIPs can be magnetically recycled after the treatment.

Comparing dark-and photo-Fenton-like degradation of emerging pollutant over photo-switchable Bi2WO6/CuFe2O4: Investigation on dominant reactive oxidation species

The extensive use of tetracycline hydrochloride(TCH)poses a threat to human health and the aquatic environment.Here,magnetic p-n Bi2WO6/CuFe2O4 catalyst was fabricated to efficiently remove TCH.The obtained Bi2WO6/CuFe2O4 exhibited 92.1%TCH degradation efficiency and 50.7%and 35.1%mineralization performance for TCH and raw secondary effluent from a wastewater treatment plant in a photo-Fenton-like system,respectively.The remarkable performance was attributed to the fact that photogenerated electrons accelerated the Fe(III)/Fe(II)and Cu(II)/Cu(I)conversion for the Fenton-like reaction between Fe(II)/Cu(I)and H2O2,thereby generating abundant·OH for pollutant oxidation.Various environmental factors including H2O2 concentration,initial pH,catalyst dosage,TCH concentration and inorganic ions were explored.The reactive oxidation species(ROS)quenching results and electron spin resonance(ESR)spectra confirmed that·O2-and·OH were responsible for the dark and photo-Fenton-like systems,respectively.The degradation mechanisms and pathways of TCH were proposed,and the toxicity of products was evaluated.This work contributes a highly efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst and provides a clear mechanistic explanation for the removal of antibiotic pollutants in environmental remediation.

Inhibition of protein degradation increases the Bt protein concentration in Bt cotton

Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)cotton production is challenged by two main problems,i.e.,the low concentration of Bt protein at the boll setting stage and the lowest insect resistance in bolls among all the cotton plant’s organs.Therefore,increasing the Bt protein concentration at the boll stage,especially in bolls,has become the main goal for increasing insect resistance in cotton.In this study,two protein degradation inhibitors(ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid(EDTA)and leupeptin)were sprayed on the bolls,subtending leaves,and whole cotton plants at the peak flowering stage of two Bt cultivars(medium maturation Sikang 1(SK1))and early maturation Zhongmian 425(ZM425)in 2019 and 2020.The Bt protein content and protein degradation metabolism were assessed.The results showed that the Bt protein concentrations were enhanced by 21.3 to 38.8%and 25.0 to 38.6%in the treated bolls of SK1 and ZM425 respectively,while they were decreased in the subtending leaves of these treated bolls.In the treated leaves,the Bt protein concentrations increased by 7.6 to 23.5%and 11.2 to 14.9%in SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The combined application of EDTA and leupeptin to the whole cotton plant increased the Bt protein concentrations in both bolls and subtending leaves.The Bt protein concentrations in bolls were higher,increasing by 22.5 to 31.0%and 19.6 to 32.5%for SK1 and ZM425,respectively.The organs treated with EDTA or/and leupeptin showed reduced free amino acid contents,protease and peptidase activities and significant enhancements in soluble protein contents.These results indicated that inhibiting protein degradation could improve the protein content,thus increasing the Bt protein concentrations in the bolls or/and leaves of cotton plants.Therefore,the increase in the Bt protein concentration without yield reduction suggested that these two protein degradation inhibitors may be applicable for improving insect resistance in cotton production.

Achieving high-efficient photocatalytic persulfate-activated degradation of tetracycline via carbon dots modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons

The synergistic reaction of photocatalysis and advanced oxidation is a valid strategy for the degradation of harmful antibiotic wastewater.Herein,carbon dots(CDs)modified MIL-101(Fe)octahedrons to form CDs/MIL-101(Fe)composite photocatalyst was synthesized for visible light-driven photocatalytic/persulfate(PS)-activated tetracycline(TC)degradation.The electron spin resonance(ESR)spectra,scavenging experiment and electrochemical analysis were carried out to reveal that the high visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation activity of TC over CDs/MIL-101(Fe)photocatalysts is not only ascribed to the production of free active radicals in the CDs/MIL-101(Fe)/PS system(·OH,·SO_(4-),^(1)O_(2),h^(+)and·O_(2)^(-))but also attributed to the consumption of electrons caused by the PS,which can suppress the recombination of photo-generated carriers as well as strong light scattering and electron trapping effects of CDs.Finally,the possible degradation pathways were proposed by analyzing intermediates via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique.This research presents a rational design conception to construct a CDs/PS-based photocatalysis/advanced oxidation technology with high-efficient degradation activity for the remediation of organic antibiotic pollutant wastewater and for the improvement of carrier transport kinetics of photocatalysts.

Synergistic microcystin degradation by a novel bacterium isolated from shrimp pond and fulvic acids

Using the Widdel medium with extracted microcystin(MC)as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources,the MC-degrading bacteria community S_6 was enriched from the sediment of Litopenaeus vannamei pond,and a novel MC-degrading bacteria strain was isolated from S_6.According to 16S rDNA gene sequence and biochemical characteristics,the isolated strain was identified and named Nitratireductor aquimarinus D_(1).Fulvic acid(FA),as a widely existing photosensitizer involved in MC photodegradation,coexists with MC-degrading bacteria in natural water.The synergistic effects of N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA on MC degradation were evaluated via comparing the degradation rate of MC induced by N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA alone and in combination under natural light conditions.Compared with the control group,the supplementation of N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA alone or in combination could significantly increase the degradation rate of MC(P<0.05).In the first 36 h,the degradation effect of FA on MC was better than that of N.aquimarinus D_(1),but the degradation effect was opposite at 48 h.N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA did not show synergistic effect on MC degradation until 48 h.In the application of N.aquimarinus and FA to degrade MC in aquaculture pond,there might be a time-lag effect in the synergistic degradation.

Magnetic activated carbon for the removal of methyl orange from water via adsorption and Fenton-like degradation

Water pollution caused by organic dyes is a critical environmental issue.Although activated carbon(AC)is commonly used for dye adsorption,its effectiveness is limited by challenges in separation and regeneration.To address these limitations,a convenient recyclable magnetic activated carbon(MAC)was fabricated via co-precipitation and calcination method,serving as adsorbent and catalyst for methyl orange(MO)removal through a Fenton-like degradation process.Characterization techniques,including XRD,FTIR,SEM and TEM,confirmed that Fe_(3)O_(4) nanoparticles(10–20 nm)were uniformly dispersed on AC surface.The MAC maintaining a high surface area(997 m^(2)/g)and pore volume(0.795 cm^(3)/g)and exhibited superparamagnetic properties with a saturated magnetization of 5.52 emu/g,enabling effective separation from aqueous solutions by magnet.Batch adsorption studies revealed that MO adsorption onto MAC followed pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm model,with a maximum adsorption capacity of 205 mg/g at 25℃.Thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic.Simultaneous degradation of MO and in-situ regeneration of MAC were achieved via Fenton-like reaction using sodium persulfate(PS).Under a PS concentration of 9 mmol/L,the MO removal efficiency near 95%after 60 min,with a total organic carbon(TOC)reduction of 83.1%.The reaction of Fe_(3)O_(4) and oxygen functional groups on AC surface with PS facilitated the generation of SO_(4)^(·-),thereby enhancing catalytic degradation of MO.The degradation efficiency improved as the temperature increased from 25℃ to 45℃.Cycle tests demonstrated that the MO removal efficiency of MAC remained above 90%after 5 cycles of regeneration.Overall,this study highlights the potential of MAC for efficient removal of organic dyes from water through the coupling of adsorption and Fenton-like degradation,providing a promising solution for addressing water pollution challenges.

Microbial Degradation of Organic Contaminants in Streambed/Floodplain Sediments in Passaic River—New Jersey Area

This paper is intended to explore soil organic matter and carbon isotope fractionation at three locations of the Passaic River to determine if microbial degradation of organic contaminants in soil is correlated to the surrounding physical environment. Microbial degradation of organic contaminants is important for the detoxification of toxic substances thereby minimizing stagnation in the environment and accumulating in the food chain. Since organic contaminants are not easily dissolved in water, they will penetrate sediment and end up enriching the adjacent soil. The hypothesis that we are testing is microbial activity and carbon isotope fractionation will be greater in preserved soils than urban soils. The reason why this is expected to be the case is the expectation of higher microbial activity in preserved environments due to less exposure to pollutants, better soil structure, higher organic matter content, and more favorable conditions for microbial growth. This is contrasted with urban soils, which are impacted by pollutants and disturbances, potentially inhibiting microbial activity. We wish to collect soil samples adjacent to the Passaic River at a pristine location, Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge, a suburban location, Goffle Brook Park, Hawthorne NJ, and an urban location, Paterson NJ. These soil samples will be weighed for soil organic matter (SOM) and weighed for isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to test organic carbon isotopes. High SOM and δ13C depletion activity indicate microbial growth based on the characteristics of the soil horizon rather than the location of the soil sample which results in degradation of organic compounds.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Plastic Waste: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

Microplastics are persistent anthropogenic pollutants that have become a global concern due to their widespread distribution and unfamiliar threat to the environment and living organisms. Conventional technologies are unable to fully decompose and mineralize plastic waste. Therefore, there is a need to develop an environmentally friendly, innovative and sustainable photocatalytic process that can destroy these wastes with much less energy and chemical consumption. In photocatalysis, various nanomaterials based on wide energy band gap semiconductors such as TiO2 and ZnO are used for the conversion of plastic contaminants into environmentally friendly compounds. In this work, the removal of plastic fragments by photocatalytic reactions using newly developed photocatalytic composites and the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of microplastics are systematically investigated. In these degradation processes, sunlight or an artificial light source is used to activate the photocatalyst in the presence of oxygen.