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.

Study on the spatial and temporal evolutionary characteristics of ozone concentration and the impact of human activities in China in 2019

Ozone(O_(3))pollution has a profound impact on human health,vegetation development,and the ecological environment,making it a critical focus of global academic research.In recent years,O_(3)pollution in China has been on a steady rise,with ozone emerging as the sole conventional pollutant to consistently increase in concentration without any decline.This study conducted a quantitative analysis of O_(3)concentrations across 367 Chinese cities in 2019,examining spatial autocorrelation and local clustering of O_(3)levels,and investigated the diverse relationships between human activity factors and O_(3)concentration.The seasonal fluctuation of O_(3)exhibited the“M-type”pattern,with peak concentrations in winter and the lowest levels in summer.The center of O_(3)pollution migrated southeastward,with the area of highest concentration progressively shifting south along the eastern coast.Moreover,O_(3)concentration showed a strong positive correlation with population density,road freight volume,and industrial emissions,suggesting that human activities,vehicle emissions,and industrial operations are significant contributors to O_(3)production.The results provide comprehensive information on the characteristics,causes,and occurrence mechanism of O_(3)in Chinese cities that can be utilized by global government departments to formulate strategies to prevent and control O_(3)pollution.

Thermal pretreatment of willow branches impacts yield and pore development of activated carbon in subsequent activation with ZnCl_(2) via modifying cellulose structure

Development of pore structures of activated carbon(AC)from activation of biomass with ZnCl_(2) relies on content and structure of cellulose/hemicellulose in the feedstock.Thermal pretreatment of biomass could induce dehydration and/or aromatization to change the structure of cellulose/hemicellulose.This might interfere with evolution of structures of AC,which was investigated herein via thermal pretreatment of willow branch(WB)from 200 to 360℃and the subsequent activation with ZnCl_(2) at 550℃.The results showed that thermal pretreatment at 360℃(WB-360)could lead to substantial pyrolysis to form biochar,with a yield of 31.9%,accompanying with nearly complete destruction of cellulose crystals and remarkably enhanced aromatic degree.However,cellulose residual in WB-360 could still be activated to form AC-360 with specific surface area of 1837.9 m~2·g^(-1),which was lower than that in AC from activation of untreated WB(AC-blank,2077.8 m~2·g^(-1)).Nonetheless,the AC-200 from activation of WB-200 had more developed pores(2113.9 m~2·g^(-1))and superior capability for adsorption of phenol,due to increased permeability of ZnCl_(2) to the largely intact cellulose structure in WB-200.The thermal pretreatment did increase diameters of micropores of AC but reduced the overall yield of AC(26.8%for AC-blank versus 18.0%for AC-360),resulting from accelerated cracking but reduced intensity of condensation.In-situ infrared characterization of the activation showed that ZnCl_(2) mainly catalyzed dehydration,dehydrogenation,condensation,and aromatization but not cracking,suppressing the formation of derivatives of cellulose and lignin in bio-oil.The thermal pretreatment formed phenolic-OH and C=O with higher chemical innerness,which changed the reaction network in activation,shifting morphology of fibrous structures in AC-blank to“melting surface”in AC-200 or AC-280.

Properties of Activated Carbons from Sugarcane Leaves and Rice Straw Derived Charcoals by Activation at Low Temperature via KMnO_(4)Pre-Oxidation-Hydrolysis

Activated carbon preparation from sugarcane leaves and rice straw by carbonization(250℃–400℃)and activation at 500℃were studied.The effects of pre-oxidation,hydrolysis of derived charcoals by boiled KMnO4 aqueous solution were evaluated.The derived charcoals products were pretreated using oxidation-hydrolysis with 1–5 wt.%KMnO4 at 100℃and then activated at 500℃.The derived charcoal and activated carbon products were characterized by FTIR,XRD,SEM-EDS and BET.Iodine number and methylene blue number of derived products were also used for the analysis of the products.It was found that fabricated charcoal materials made at 350℃–400℃possess good characteristics with low content of surface functional groups and high carbon content.After pre-oxidation-hydrolysis and activation at 500℃,the resulting derived activated carbon materials from charcoals with 400℃carbonization temperature have high content of oxygen containing surface functional groups such as Mn-O,Si-O,Si-O-Si,C-O,or O-H.In addition,MnO2 accumulated on the surface of the derived activated carbon products.The surface area and pore volume of the activated carbon products have also increased with increasing of KMnO4 concentration from 1 to 3 wt.%and then decreased with 5 wt.%used during activation.Therefore,activated carbon products made by pre-oxidation-hydrolysis with 3 wt.%KMnO4 were used for Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption experiments.It was found that Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption on the activated carbon materials can be fitted with both the Freundlich and the Langmuir models.The calculated maximum Fe(Ⅲ)adsorption capacities of sugarcane leaves derived activated carbon and rice straw derived activated carbon products were 50.00 and 39.37 mg/g,respectively.It was shown that the effect of pre-oxidation-hydrolysis by KMnO4 and activation at 500℃are beneficial for activated carbon preparation with environmentally friendly and low-cost simplified operation.

Ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon from Taihu cyanobacteria via KOH activation for enhanced methylene blue adsorption

Cyanobacteria-based activated carbon(CBAC)was successfully prepared by pyrolysis-activation of Taihu cyanobacteria.When the impregnation ratio and activated temperature were 2 and 800-C,respectively,the optimal CBACs possessed an ultra-high specific surface(2178.90 m^(2)·g^(-1))and plenty of micro-and meso-pores,as well as a high pore volume(1.01 cm^(3)·g^(-1)).Ascribed to ultra-high surface area,π-π interaction,electrostatic interaction,as well as hydrogen-bonding interactions,the CBACs displayed huge superiority in efficient dye removal.The saturated methylene blue adsorption capacity by CBACs could be as high as 1143.4 mg·g^(-1),superior to that of other reported biomass-activated carbons.The adsorption was endothermic and modeled well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic,intra-particle diffusion,and Langmuir models.This work presented the effectiveness of Taihu cyanobacteria adsorbent ascribed to its super large specific surface area and high adsorption ability.

High adsorption selectivity of activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve boosting CO_(2)/N_(2) and CH_(4)/N_(2) separation

Flue gas and coal bed methane are two important sources of greenhouse gases.Pressure swing adsorption process has a wide range of application in the field of gas separation,and the selection of adsorbent is crucial.In this regard,in order to assess the better adsorbent for separating CO_(2) from flue gas and CH_(4) from coal bed methane,adsorption isotherms of CO_(2),CH_(4) and N_(2) on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieve are measured at 303.15,318.15 and 333.15 K,and up to 250 kPa.The experimental data fit better with Langmuir 2 compared to Langmuir 3 and Langmuir-Freundlich models,and Clausius-Clapeyron equation was used to calculate the isosteric heat.Both the order of the adsorbed amount and the adsorption heat on the two adsorbents are CO_(2)>CH_(4)>N_(2).The adsorption kinetics are calculated by the pseudo-first kinetic model,and the order of adsorption rates on activated carbon is N_(2)-CH_(4)>CO_(2),while on carbon molecular sieve,it is CO_(2)-N_(2)>CH_(4).It is shown that relative molecular mass and adsorption heat are the primary effect on kinetics for activated carbon,while kinetic diameter is the main resistance factor for carbon molecular sieve.Moreover,the adsorption selectivity of CH_(4)/N_(2) and CO_(2)/N_(2) were estimated with the ideal adsorption solution theory,and carbon molecular sieve performed best at 318.15 K for both CO_(2) and CH_(4) separation.The study suggested that activated carbon is a better choice for separating flue gas and carbon molecular sieve can be a strong candidate for separating coal bed methane.

Fate and Behavior of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Activated Carbon Adsorption

The accessibility of tetracycline resistance gene (tetG) into the pores of activated carbon (AC), as well as the impact of the pore size distribution (PSD) of AC on the uptake capacity of tetG, were investigated using eight types of AC (four coal-based and four wood-based). AC showed the capability to admit tetG and the average reduction of tetG for coal-based and wood-based ACs at the AC dose of 1 g·L-1 was 3.12 log and 3.65 log, respectively. The uptake kinetic analysis showed that the uptake of the gene followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics reaction, and the uptake rate constant for the coal-based and wood-based ACs was in the range of 5.97 × 10-12 - 4.64 × 10-9 and 7.02 × 10-11 - 1.59 × 10-8 copies·mg-1·min-1, respectively. The uptake capacity analysis by fitting the obtained experiment data with the Freundlich isotherm model indicated that the uptake constant (KF) values were 1.71 × 103 - 8.00 × 109 (copies·g-1)1-1/n for coal-based ACs and 7.00 × 108 - 3.00 × 1010 (copies·g-1)1-1/n for wood-based ones. In addition, the correlation analysis between KF values and pore volume as well as pore surface at different pore size regions of ACs showed that relatively higher positive correlation was found for pores of 50 - 100 Å, suggesting ACs with more pores in this size region can uptake more tetG. The findings of this study are valuable as reference for optimizing the adsorption process regarding antibiotic resistance-related concerns in drinking water treatment.

Adsorption of Malachite Green Using Activated Carbon from Mangosteen Peel: Optimization Using Box-Behnken Design

In this research,activated carbon from mangosteen peel has been synthesized using sulfuric acid as an activator.The adsorption performance of the activated carbon was optimized using malachite green dye as absorbate.Mala-chite green dye waste is a toxic and non-biodegradable material that damages the environment.Optimization of adsorption processes was carried out using Response Surface Methodology(RSM)with a Box-Behnken Design(BBD).The synthesized activated carbon was characterized using FTIR and SEM instruments.The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of a sulfonate group(-SO_(3)H)in the activated carbon,indicating that the activation pro-cess using sulfuric acid was successful.SEM characterization shows that activated carbon has porous morphology.Optimization was carried out for three adsorption parameters,namely contact time(20,60,and 120 min),adsor-bent mass(0.005,0.025,and 0.05 g),and initial concentration of malachite green solution(5,50,and 100 mg·L^(-1)).The concentration of the malachite green solution was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at the max-imum wavelength of malachite green,618 nm.The optimum of malachite green adsorption using mangosteen peel activated carbon was obtained at a contact time of 80 min,an adsorbent mass of 0.032 g,and malachite green initial concentration of 25 mg·L^(-1),with a maximum removal percentage and maximum adsorption capacity of 93.66%and 19.345 mg·g^(-1),respectively.

Improving the Quality of Baobab Oil by Filtration on Activated Carbon from the Fruit Capsules

The baobab, Adansonia digitata L., plays an important role in the economy of local populations. Nowadays, baobab seed oil is highly prized for its many cosmetic and therapeutic applications, and for its composition of unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, and tocopherols. However, it undergoes numerous reactions during production, processing, transport, and storage, leading to undesirable products that make it unstable. The aim of this study was to provide local processors with innovative solutions for the treatment of unrefined vegetable oils. To this end, an experimental device for filtering crude oil on activated carbon made from fruit capsules was designed. The results obtained after the treatment show a significant decrease at (p < 5%) in acid value (1.62 to 0.58 mg KOH/g), peroxide value (4.40a to 0.50c mEqO2/Kg), chlorophyll concentration (1.81 to 0.50 mg/Kg) and primary and secondary oxidation products. According to these results, activated carbon’s adsorptive power eliminates oxidation products and certain pro-oxidants such as chlorophyll, resulting in a cleaner, more stable and better storable oil.

Simultaneous Adsorption of Aqueous Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ Using Surfactant-Modified and Unmodified Activated Carbon in a Fixed Bed Column

The goal of this work is to improve the simultaneous removal of Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ ions from synthetic wastewater in a fixed bed column by incorporating sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) onto the surface of activated carbon made from coconut shells. The activated carbons were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX). The adsorption column dynamics were studied by varying the flow rates (5, 10 and 15 mL/min), bed heights (10, 15 and 20 cm), and initial concentrations (50, 150, and 250 mg/L). The activated carbon has a pore volume of 0.715 cm3/g and a BET-specific surface area of 1410 m2/g. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant incorporation onto the surface of the activated carbon enhances its capacity for simultaneous adsorption of Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ from the aqueous medium. The affinity of the heavy metals to both unmodified (AC) and modified (AC-SDS) activated carbons followed the order of Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Cd2+. The dynamic adsorption of the column depends on the flow rate, bed height, initial metal concentration, and SDS surface modification. With a 5 mL/min flow rate, a 20 cm bed height, and a 50 mg/L initial metal concentration, a maximum break-through time of 150 minutes for the unmodified activated carbon (AC) and 180 minutes for the SDS-modified activated carbon (AC-SDS) was reached.

Chemical Analysis of Activated Carbon from Bull and Cow Horns Pyrolysis to Be Used as Antidotes

The purpose of this study is to compare the results of chemical analysis of two types of activated from the pyrolysis of bull horn and that of cow. Six samples were used to measure pH, carbon, calcium and to determine adsorbent power. The pH was measured at a temperature of 20˚C using an “ANION 7010 ionomer” pH meter, the carbon (C) content was analyzed using a “EURO EA 3000” analyzer. and the electronic balance: “Sartorius CP-2P”, calcium (Ca) was analyzed using a DFS-8 spectrograph. For the adsorbency test, the 0.15% methylene blue R solution was used. At the end of this study, we found that the activated carbon from the bull horn demonstrated a carbon content that is higher than that of the cow horn (20.79% against 15.63%), activated carbon of cow horn is richer in calcium than that of bull horn (16.27% against 3.69%) and then the pH. The cow horn is higher than that of the bull horn (7.43 versus 6.5). For the adsorbent power, the sample (75% bull horn and 25% cow horn) was recorded with the greatest adsorbent power. Thus, from this study, it can be recommended as an activated carbon antidote to be used for poisonings treatment.

Comparison Between Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma and Ozone Regenerations of Activated Carbon Exhausted with Pentachlorophenol

In this study, two regeneration methods （dielectric barrier discharge （DBD） plasma and ozone （03） regeneration） of saturated granular activated carbon （GAC） with pentachlorophe- nol （PCP） were compared. The results show that the two regeneration methods can eliminate contaminants from GAC and recover its adsorption properties to some extent. Comparing the DBD plasma with 03 regeneration, the adsorption rate and the capacity of the GAC samples after DBD plasma regeneration are greater than those after 03 regeneration. 03 regeneration decreases the specific surface area of GAC and increases the acidic surface oxygen groups on the surface of GAC, which causes a decrease in PCP on GAC uptake. With increasing regeneration cy- cles, the regeneration efficiencies of the two methods decrease, but the decrease in the regeneration efficiencies of GAC after 03 regeneration is very obvious compared with that after DBD plasma regeneration. Furthermore, the equilibrium data were fitted by the Freundlich and Langmuir models using the non-linear regression technique, and all the adsorption equilibrium isotherms fit the Langmuir model fairly well, which demonstrates that the DBD plasma and ozone regeneration processes do not appear to modify the adsorption process, but to shift the equilibrium towards lower adsorption concentrations. Analyses of the weight loss of GAC show that 03 regeneration has a lower weight loss than DBD plasma regeneration.

Reclaimation of petroleum-based wastewater by noval ozone immobilized biological activated carbon process

Wastewater reclamation in the petroleum industries in Northern China is important because of the shortage of water resource. Conventional treatment technology used：in treating petroleum-based wastewater, namely the 3-phase biological process, typically removes COD, BODI grease, volatile hydrobenzenes, cyanides, sulfides and suspended solids. However, the process is often ineffective in ammonia-nitrogen removal, and thus the treated effluent quantity can＇ t meet the required standards for reuse. This paper investigated a novel ozone immobilized biological activated carbon（O3-IBAC） process for ammonia nitrogen removal from petroleum-based wastewater. Operated at a HRT （ Hydraulic Retention Time） of 15 minutes in IBACI and 27 minutes in IBAC2, the O3-IBAC process achieved ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency of 91%. In addition, the removal efficiencies 6f COD, volatile hydrobenzenes, suspended solids, turbidity and petroleum-based micropollutants were all above 90%. Competition between the autotrophs and heterotrophs was observed, which was indicated by an increase of ammonia nitrogen removal with a decrease of COD removal, and vise versa. Nitrite accumulation in IBACI followed by erobic shortcut denitrification in IBAC2 led to 28% of the Total Nitrogen removal efficiency. Pollutant reduction in＇ the IBAC process was achieved by a rapid physical adsorption and biodegradation on the activated carbon, which effectively retained the pollutants in the system despite the short hydraulic retention time.

Inactivation Removal for Excess Propagation of Copepod of Zooplankton in Ozone-Granular Activated Carbon Filter in Southern China

Comparative experiments on the inactivation of Copepod were investigated in southern China. The 100% of inactivation effect may be attained by 3.0 mg/L of ozone for contacting time of 25 min, whereas 0.5 mg/L of dosage resulted in only 30% of inactivation rate. Copepod may not be completely inactivated by ozone oxidation for feasible dosage limited by higher bromide in raw water. The favorable environment of granular activated carbon （GAC） filter provided Copepod with conditions for excess propagation, The disinfection experimental results show that the inactivation rate is 90% by 2.0 mg/L of chloramines for contacting time of 30 min, whereas only 70% is attained with chlorine. The GC-MS examination indicates that the total organic substance is increased to 92 specie： inciuding 13 sorts of halogenated hydrocarbon by chlorine disnfection, which is more than that of chloramines. More products of bromiinated trihalomethanes occur in treated water by chlorine, disinfection and total amount of THMs is 3 times as high as that of chloramines.

Effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia,China

It is of great significance to study the effects of desert plants on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon(SOC)for maintaining the stability of the desert ecosystem.In this study,we studied the responses of soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions(particulate organic carbon(POC)and mineral-associated organic carbon(MAOC))to five typical desert plant communities(Convolvulus tragacanthoides,Ephedra rhytidosperma,Stipa breviflora,Stipa tianschanica var.gobica,and Salsola laricifolia communities)in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China.We recorded the plant community information mainly including the plant coverage and herb and shrub species,and obtained the aboveground biomass and plant species diversity through sample surveys in late July 2023.Soil samples were also collected at depths of 0–10 cm(topsoil)and 10–20 cm(subsoil)to determine the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities.The results showed that the plant coverage and aboveground biomass of S.laricifolia community were significantly higher than those of C.tragacanthoides,S.breviflora,and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities(P<0.05).Soil enzyme activities varied among different plant communities.In the topsoil,the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase(ALP)andβ-1,4-glucosidas(βG)were significantly higher in E.rhytidosperma and S.tianschanica var.gobica communities than in other plant communities(P<0.05).The topsoil had higher POC and MAOC contents than the subsoil.Specifically,the content of POC in the topsoil was 18.17%–42.73%higher than that in the subsoil.The structural equation model(SEM)indicated that plant species diversity,soil pH,and soil water content(SWC)were the main factors influencing POC and MAOC.The soil pH inhibited the formation of POC and promoted the formation of MAOC.Conversely,SWC stimulated POC production and hindered MAOC formation.Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions,as well as the drivers of SOC fractions in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain and other desert ecosystems.

In-situ construction of abundant active centers on hierarchically porous carbon electrode toward high-performance phosphate electrosorption: Synergistic effect of electric field and capture sites

Phosphate removal is crucial for eutrophication control and water quality improvement.Electro-assisted adsorption,an eco-friendly elec-trosorption process,exhibited a promising potential for wastewater treatment.However,there are few works focused on phosphate electro-sorption,and reported electrodes cannot attach satisfactory removal capacities and rates.Herein,electro-assisted adsorption of phosphate via in-situ construction of La active centers on hierarchically porous carbon(LaPC)has been originally demonstrated.The resulted LaPC composite not only possessed a hierarchically porous structure with uniformly dispersed La active sites,but also provided good conductivity for interfacial electron transfer.The LaPC electrode achieved an ultrahigh phosphate electrosorption capability of 462.01 mg g^(-1) at 1 V,outperforming most existing electrodes.The superior phosphate removal performance originates from abundant active centers formed by the coupling of electricfield and capture sites.Besides,the stability and selectivity toward phosphate capture were maintained well even under comprehensive conditions.Moreover,a series of kinetics and isotherms models were employed to validate the electrosorption process.This work demonstrates a deep understanding and promotes a new level of phosphate electrosorption.

Conversion of Lignin into Porous Carbons for High-Performance Supercapacitors via Spray Drying and KOH Activation: Structure-Properties Relationship and Reaction Mechanism

Lignin-derived porous carbons have emerged as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.However,the challenge remains in designing and controlling their structure to achieve ideal electrochemical performance due to the complex molecular structure of lignin and its intricate chemical reactions during the activation process.In this study,three porous carbons were synthesized from lignin by spray drying and chemical activation with vary-ing KOH ratios.The specific surface area and structural order of the prepared porous carbon continued to increase with the increase of the KOH ratio.Thermogravimetric-mass spectrometry(TG-MS)was employed to track the molecular fragments generated during the pyrolysis of KOH-activated lignin,and the mechanism of the thermochemical conversion was investigated.During the thermochemical conversion of lignin,KOH facili-tated the removal of H2 and CO,leading to the formation of not only more micropores and mesopores,but also more ordered carbon structures.The pore structure exhibited a greater impact than the carbon structure on the electrochemical performance of porous carbon.The optimized porous carbon exhibited a capacitance of 256 F g-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g-1,making it an ideal electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

Activity Data and Emission Factor for Forestry and Other Land Use Change Subsector to Enhance Carbon Market Policy and Action in Malawi

Activity data and emission factors are critical for estimating greenhouse gas emissions and devising effective climate change mitigation strategies. This study developed the activity data and emission factor in the Forestry and Other Land Use Change (FOLU) subsector in Malawi. The results indicate that “forestland to cropland,” and “wetland to cropland,” were the major land use changes from the year 2000 to the year 2022. The forestland steadily declined at a rate of 13,591 ha (0.5%) per annum. Similarly, grassland declined at the rate of 1651 ha (0.5%) per annum. On the other hand, cropland, wetland, and settlements steadily increased at the rate of 8228 ha (0.14%);5257 ha (0.17%);and 1941 ha (8.1%) per annum, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicate that the “grassland to forestland” changes were higher than the “forestland to grassland” changes, suggesting that forest regrowth was occurring. On the emission factor, the results interestingly indicate that there was a significant increase in carbon sequestration in the FOLU subsector from the year 2011 to 2022. Carbon sequestration increased annually by 13.66 ± 0.17 tCO2 e/ha/yr (4.6%), with an uncertainty of 2.44%. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is potential for a Carbon market in Malawi.

Preparation of activated carbon from sunflower straw through H_(3)PO_(4) activation and its application for acid fuchsin dye adsorption

With the development circular economy, the use of agricultural waste to prepare biomass materials to remove pollutants has become a research hotspot. In this study, sunflower straw activated carbon (SSAC) was prepared by the one-step activation method, with sunflower straw (SS) used as the raw material and H3PO4 used as the activator. Four types of SSAC were prepared with impregnation ratios (weight of SS to weight of H3PO4) of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:5, corresponding to SSAC1, SSAC2, SSAC3, and SSAC4, respectively. The adsorption process of acid fuchsin (AF) in water using the four types of SSAC was studied. The results showed that the impregnation ratio significantly affected the structure of the materials. The increase in the impregnation ratio increased the specific surface area and pore volume of SSAC and improved the adsorption capacity of AF. However, an impregnation ratio that was too large led to a decrease in specific surface area. SSAC3, with an impregnation ratio of 1:3, had the largest specific surface area (1 794.01 m2/g), and SSAC4, with an impregnation ratio of 1:5, exhibited the smallest microporosity (0.052 7 cm3/g) and the largest pore volume (2.549 cm3/g). The adsorption kinetics of AF using the four types of SSAC agreed with the quasi-second-order adsorption kinetic model. The Langmuir isotherm model was suitable to describe SSAC3 and SSAC4, and the Freundlich isotherm model was appropriate to describe SSAC1 and SSAC2. The result of thermodynamics showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. At 303 K, SSAC4 showed a removal rate of 97.73% for 200-mg/L AF with a maximum adsorption capacity of 2 763.36 mg/g, the highest among the four types of SSAC. This study showed that SAAC prepared by the H3PO4-based one-step activation method is a green and efficient carbon material and has significant application potential for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater.

Adsorption behavior of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.It frequently contaminates cereals used for foods or animal feeds,especially deposited in crude corn oil.Certain amounts of zearalenone can be removed during refining processes.In this study,we studied the influence of activated carbon and six industial absorbents(zeolite,diatomite,attapulgite,perlite,montmorillonite and activated clay)on the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil and explored the absorption mechanism of activated carbon.Results showed that activated carbon had an excellent adsorption capacity of zearalenone compared with the other six industrial adsorbents.For activated carbon,a high removal rate of zearalenone(exceeding 83%)from heavily zearalenone-polluted corn oil was achieved and the removal rate of zearalenone was kept above 60%after five regeneration cycles.The research on the adsorption mechanism of activated carbon showed that Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model could well described the adsorption process.The thermodynamic study demonstrated that adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy further revealed that activated carbon was effectively combined with zearalenone viaπ-πinteraction.Thus,activated carbon is an efficient and suitable adsorbent to control the levels of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil.This study not only proposed a systematic research scheme for the mechanism study of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone in corn oil,but also provided the scientific basis for developing effective methods to eliminate zearalenone in refined vegetable oils.