Enhancing Methylene Blue Removal through Adsorption and Photocatalysis-A Study on the GO/ZnTiO/TiO Composite.

This study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing a graphene oxide/ZnTiO/TiO (GO/ZTO/TO) composite to efficiently remove methylene blue (MB) from water, presenting a novel solution to address industrial dye pollution. GO and ZTO/TO were synthesized by the modified Hummers and sol-gel methods, respectively, while GO/ZTO/TO was prepared using a hydrothermal process. The structural and surface properties of the composite were characterized using various analytical techniques confirming the integration of the constituent materials and suitability for dye adsorption.

Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Hydroxyl and Epoxy Group Effects on Graphene Oxide Properties.

In this study, we analyzed the impact of hydroxyl and epoxy groups on the properties of graphene oxide (GO) for the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from water, addressing the urgent need for effective water purification methods due to industrial pollution. Employing a dual approach, we integrated experimental techniques with theoretical modeling via density functional theory (DFT) to examine the atomic structure of GO and its adsorption capabilities. The methodology encompasses a series of experiments to evaluate the performance of GO in MB dye adsorption under different conditions, including differences in pH, dye concentration, reaction temperature, and contact time, providing a comprehensive view of its effectiveness.

Comparative Study of the Effect of Doping ZnTiO with Rare Earths (La and Ce) on the Adsorption and Photodegradation of Cyanide in Aqueous Systems.

Cyanide is a highly toxic compound that can pose serious health problems to both humans and aquatic organisms. Therefore, the present comparative study focuses on the removal of total cyanide from aqueous solutions by photocatalytic adsorption and degradation methods using ZnTiO (ZTO), La/ZnTiO (La/ZTO), and Ce/ZnTiO (Ce/ZTO). The nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Specific surface area (SSA).

The Effect of La on the Methylene Blue Dye Removal Capacity of the La/ZnTiO Photocatalyst, a DFT Study.

Theoretically, lanthanum can bond with surface oxygens of ZnTiO to form La-O-Ti bonds, resulting in the change of both the band structure and the electron state of the surface. To verify this statement, DFT calculations were performed using a model with a dispersed lanthanum atom on the surface (101) of ZnTiO. The negative heat segmentation values obtained suggest that the incorporation of La on the surface of ZnTiO is thermodynamically stable.

Morphotype-based characterization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in a restored tropical dry forest, Margarita island-Venezuela.

The mycorrhizal component of revegetated areas after ecological restoration or rehabilitation in arid and semiarid tropical areas has been scarcely assessed, particularly those made after mining disturbance. We evaluated and compared the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of a small area of restored tropical dry forest destroyed by sand extraction, with a non-restored area of similar age, at the peninsula of Macanao, Margarita Island (Venezuela). Our study was undertaken in 2009, four years after planting, and the mycorrhizal status was evaluated in four restored plots (8 x 12.