Isolative Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose and Cellulose Nanocrystals from Typha angustifolia

The application potential of cellulosic materials in natural composites and other fields needs to be explored to develop innovative, sustainable, lightweight, functional biomass materials that are also environmentally friendly. This study investigated Typha angustifolia (Typha sp.) as a potential new raw material for extracting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for application in wastewater treatment composites. Alkaline treatments and bleaching were used to remove cellulose from the stem fibres. The CNCs were then isolated from the recovered cellulose using acid hydrolysis. The study showed a few distinct functional groups (O-H, -C-H, =C-H and C-O, and C-O-C) in the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the smooth surface of CPC and CNCs, which resulted from removing lignin and hemicellulose from powdered Typha angustifolia. Based on the crystalline index, the powdered Typha angustifolia, CPC, and CNCs were 42.86%, 66.94% and 77.41%. The loss of the amorphous section of the Typha sp. fibre resulted in a decrease in particle size. It may be inferred from the features of a Typha sp. CNC that CNCs may be employed as reinforcement in composites for wastewater treatment.

The CARSO (Computer Aided Response Surface Optimization) Procedure in Optimization Studies

The paper illustrates innovative ways of using the CARSO (Computer Aided Response Surface Optimization) procedure for response surfaces analyses derived by DCM4 experimental designs in multivariate spaces. Within this method, we show a new feature for optimization studies: the results of comparing their quadratic and linear models for discussing the best way to compute the most reliable predictions of future compounds.

Impact of crystalline and amorphous iron-and aluminum hydroxides on mechanisms of phosphate adsorption and desorption

Fourier-transform infrared（FT-IR） spectroscopic experiments were carried out during phosphate adsorption on highly crystalline gibbsite, poorly crystalline 2-line-ferrihydrite and amorphous iron–aluminum–hydroxide mixtures in the molar ratio 1：0, 10：1, 5：1, 1：1, 1：5, 1：10 and 0：1. The OH stretching vibrational bands were utilized to analyze changes in structural and surface OH groups during adsorption, because the position of characteristic P／O vibrational bands can shift depending on reaction conditions, pH or adsorbed phosphate content.Adsorption and desorption kinetics were studied at pH6 and different initial phosphate concentrations to achieve varying phosphate coverage on the mineral surfaces. For gibbsite the formation of AlHPO4 and Al2HPO4 can be assumed, while for ferrihydrite, a FeHPO4 or Fe2PO4 complex and the precipitation of FePO4 with longer equilibration time were proposed.Fe2HPO4 or a Fe2PO4 surface complex was deduced for Fe-hydroxides, an AlH2PO4 surface complex was identified for Al-hydroxide, and both displayed either hydrogen bonds to neighboring hydroxyl groups or hydrogen bonds to outer-sphere complexes. Fe：Al-hydroxide mixtures with high Al ratios showed a low phosphate desorption rate, while ferrihydrite and the Fe：Al-hydroxide mixtures with high Fe ratios had almost negligible desorption rates. It was concluded that within the weakly associated amorphous FeO（OH） materials, FePO4 precipitated, which was bound by outer-sphere hydrogen bonds. With high Al ratios, desorption increased, which indicated weaker phosphate binding of both inner-sphere and outer-sphere complexes and hence, either no or minor quantities of precipitate. Ferrihydrite showed a more rigid structure and a lower extent of precipitation compared to amorphous Fe-hydroxide.

Phosphorus release from vivianite and hydroxyapatite by organic and inorganic compounds

Based on recent mining rates and the exhaustion of global phosphorus(P)reserves,there is a need to mobilize P already stored in soils,and its recovery from secondary resources such as Ca-and Fe-phosphates is important.The Ca-phosphate hydroxyapatite forms a good fertilizer source,while vivianite is formed in waterlogged soils and sediments.During sludge treatment,the formation of vivianite has been identified,being mainly Fe-phosphate.Long-term P release from both hydroxyapatite and vivianite was studied using different inorganic(CaCl2 and CaSO4)and organic(citric and humic acid)reagents during batch experiments.Reagents CaCl2 and CaSO4 represent the soil solution,while citric and humic acids as organic constituents affect P availability in the rhizosphere and during the process of humification.Additionally,the flow-through reactor(FTR)technique with an infinite sink was used to study the long-term P release kinetics.The cumulative P release was higher by organic acids than by inorganic compounds.The cumulative P release rates were higher in the FTR with CaCl2 as compared to the batch technique.The infinite sink application caused a continuously high concentration gradient between the solid and liquid phases,leading to higher desorption rates as compared to the batch technique.The predominant amount of the total P released over time was available for a short term.While inorganic anion exchange occurred at easily available binding sites,organic acids affected the more heavily available binding sites,which could be embedded within the mineral structure.The results showed that organic compounds,especially citric acid,play a superior role as compared to the inorganic constituents of the soil solution during the recovery of already stored P from the tertiary phosphates vivianite and hydroxyapatite.