Fluoride Adsorption from Aqueous Solution by Modified Zeolite-Kinetic and Isotherm Studies.

Fluorine is a very common element in the Earth's crust and is present in the air, food, and in natural waters. It never meets in the free state in nature due to its high reactivity, and it comes in the form of fluorides. Depending on the concentration of fluorine absorbed, it may be beneficial or harmful to human health.

Opportunities for Recycling PV Glass and Coal Fly Ash into Zeolite Materials Used for Removal of Heavy Metals (Cd, Cu, Pb) from Wastewater.

This work shows the development and characterization of two zeolite structures by recycling PV glass and coal fly ash for the removal of cadmium, copper, and lead from synthetic solutions containing one or three cations. The materials were characterized in terms of crystalline structure (XRD), morphology (SEM, AFM), and specific surface. For increasing the heavy-metals removal efficiency, the adsorption conditions, such as substrate dosage, preliminary concentration, and contact time, were optimized.

Recent Developments in ZnS-Based Nanostructures Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment.

The continuous growth of the world population has led to the constant increase of environmental pollution, with serious consequences for human health. Toxic, non-biodegradable, and recalcitrant organic pollutants (e.g.

Polymer Composite-Based Materials with Photocatalytic Applications in Wastewater Organic Pollutant Removal: A Mini Review.

The development of new technologies using nanomaterials has allowed scientists to design advanced processes with many applications in environmental protection, energy production and storage, and medicinal bio-mediated processes. Due to their significant potential applications in different branches of science, the development of new polymer composites represents a priority, especially for nano-technological processes. Interest in polymeric composites was outlined by the synthesis of a large number of nano- or mezzo-scale materials with targeted functional properties for polymer matrix hybridization.

UV-Vis Activated CuO/SnO/WO Heterostructure for Photocatalytic Removal of Pesticides.

A three-steps sol-gel method was used to obtain a CuO/SnO/WO heterostructure powder, deposited as film by spray pyrolysis. The porous morphology of the final heterostructure was constructed starting with fiber-like WO acting as substrate for SnO development. The SnO/WO sample provide nucleation and grew sites for CuO formation.

Synthesis, Characterisation, Photocatalytic Activity, and Aquatic Toxicity Evaluation of TiO Nanoparticles.

Imidacloprid (IMD) is a toxic pesticide, and is one of the eight most widely used pesticides globally. Heterogeneous photocatalysis has often been investigated in recent years and can be successfully applied to remove imidacloprid from water. However, less investigated is the toxic effect of both the photocatalyst and the pesticide on aquatic life.

Photocatalytic Activity of CuS/WO and CuS/SnO Heterostructures for Indoor Air Treatment.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are commonly found in indoor spaces (e.g., homes or offices) and are often related to various illnesses, some of them with carcinogenic potential.

Synergic Effect of TiO Filler on the Mechanical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites.

Nanocomposites with polymer matrix offer excellent opportunities to explore new functionalities beyond those of conventional materials. TiO, as a reinforcement agent in polymeric nanocomposites, is a viable strategy that significantly enhanced their mechanical properties. The size of the filler plays an essential role in determining the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite.

Tuned S-Scheme CuS_TiO_WO Heterostructure Photocatalyst toward S-Metolachlor (S-MCh) Herbicide Removal.

A dual S-scheme CuS_TiO_WO heterostructure was constructed by sol-gel method using a two-step procedure. Due to the synthesis parameters and annealing treatment the heterostructure is characterized by sulfur deficit and oxygen excess allowing the passivation of oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated under UV and UV-Vis irradiation scenarios using S-MCh as reference pollutant.

Photocatalytic Activity of S-Scheme Heterostructure for Hydrogen Production and Organic Pollutant Removal: A Mini-Review.

Finding new technologies and materials that provide real alternatives to the environmental and energy-related issues represents a key point on the future sustainability of the industrial activities and society development. The water contamination represents an important problem considering that the quantity and complexity of organic pollutant (such as dyes, pesticides, pharmaceutical active compounds, etc.) molecules can not be efficiently addressed by the traditional wastewater treatments.

Tandem Structures Semiconductors Based on TiO_SnO and ZnO_SnO for Photocatalytic Organic Pollutant Removal.

The photocatalyst materials correlation with the radiation scenario and pollutant molecules can have a significant influence on the overall photocatalytic efficiency. This work aims to outline the significance of optimizing the components mass ratio into a tandem structure in order to increase the photocatalytic activity toward pollutant removal. ZnO_SnO and TiO_SnO tandem structures were obtained by the doctor blade technique using different mass ratios between the components.

Enhancing the Photocatalytic Activity of SnO-TiO and ZnO-TiO Tandem Structures Toward Indoor Air Decontamination.

ZnO-TiO and SnO-TiO tandem structures were developed using the doctor blade technique. It was found that by employing organic hydrophilic and hydrophobic as additives into the precursor it is possible to tailor the film density and morphology with direct consequences on the photocatalytic activity of the tandem structures. The highest photocatalytic efficiency corresponds to ZnO-TiO and can reach 74.

Black TiO Synthesis by Chemical Reduction Methods for Photocatalysis Applications.

Applications of TiO nanomaterials in photocatalysis, batteries, supercapacitors and solar cells, have seen widespread development in recent decades. Nowadays, black TiO have won attention due to enhancing the solar light absorption by the formation of oxygen vacancies and Ti defects, to promote the separation of photo-generated charge carriers leading to the improvement of the photocatalytic performance in H production and pollutants degradation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of black TiO is also due to a lattice disorder on the surface and the presence of oxygen vacancies, Ti ions, Ti-OH and Ti-H groups.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Removal from Indoor Air by Heterostructures/Composites/Doped Photocatalysts: A Mini-Review.

The impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on indoor air quality and, furthermore, on human health is still a subject of research investigations considering the large increase in forms of cancer and related diseases. VOCs can be 10 times higher in indoor air concentrations then that of the outdoors, as a consequence of emissions from electronics, building materials and consumer goods. Direct transformation of VOCs in mineralization products seems to be an alternative to reduce indoor air contaminants.

The Influence of Photoactive Heterostructures on the Photocatalytic Removal of Dyes and Pharmaceutical Active Compounds: A Mini-Review.

The diversification of pollutants type and concentration in wastewater has underlined the importance of finding new alternatives to traditional treatment methods. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), among others, are considered as promising candidate to efficiently remove organic pollutants such as dyes or pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs). The present minireview resumes several recent achievements on the implementation and optimization of photoactive heterostructures used as photocatalysts for dyes and PhACs removal.

Metal Oxides-Based Semiconductors for Biosensors Applications.

The present mini review contains a concessive overview on the recent achievement regarding the implementation of a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) in biosensors used in biological and environmental systems. The paper explores the pathway of enhancing the sensing characteristics of metal oxides by optimizing various parameters such as synthesis methods, morphology, composition, and structure. Four representative metal oxides (TiO, ZnO, SnO, and WO) are presented based on several aspects: synthesis method, morphology, functionalizing molecules, detection target, and limit of detection (LOD).

The Influence of Light Irradiation on the Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants.

The design of a photocatalytic process must consider intrinsic and extrinsic parameters affecting its overall efficiency. This study aims to outline the importance of balancing several factors, such as radiation source, total irradiance, photon flux, catalyst substrate, and pollutant type in order to optimize the photocatalytic efficiency. Titanium oxide was deposed by the doctor blade technique on three substrates (microscopic glass (G), flour-doped tin oxide (FTO), and aluminum (Al)), and the photocatalytic properties of the samples were tested on two pollutants (tartrazine (Tr) and acetamiprid (Apd)).

Copper Sulfide Based Heterojunctions as Photocatalysts for Dyes Photodegradation.

The presence of toxic, non-biodegradable and harmful organic pollutants in soils, wastewater, and atmosphere has become an indisputable, and global fact as a significant environmental problem. The heterogeneous photocatalysis, an advanced oxidation process (AOP) using semiconductor materials as catalysts, is a topic of great interest considering the possibility of the pollutants removal from water. The photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants (i.