Visible light photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B over silver-doped titanium dioxide nanocomposites supported on Fuller's earth.

Silver-doped-titanium dioxide nanoparticles supported on Fuller's earth, prepared by the sol-gel method, were characterized with XRD, TGA, zeta potential, SEM, EDX, TEM, XPS, photoluminescence and UV-DRS measurements. The material, Ag-TiO-Fuller's earth (AgTF), was tested for photocatalytic activity concerning the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation with pH, catalyst dosage, and dye concentration as the process variables. The degradation kinetics indicated pseudo-first-order kinetics with rate constant of (i) 0.

Facile synthesis of chitosan-modified ZnO/ZnFeO nanocomposites for effective remediation of groundwater fluoride.

This study explores the possibility of developing an eco-friendly adsorbent for effective remediation of groundwater fluoride, a well-known health hazard affecting more than 25 nations on the various continents. A facile and milder approach has been adopted to synthesize chitosan-modified ZnO/ZnFeO nanocomposites. The synthesized materials have been characterized by different spectroscopic, microscopic, and diffractometric techniques.

Hydrocarbons and heavy metals in fine particulates in oil field air: possible impacts on production of natural silk.

Analyses of fine particulates (PM2.5) from the upper Assam oil fields of India indicated considerable presence of higher hydrocarbons (C22-C35) and heavy metals, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. This has raised serious concern for the sustainability of the exotic Muga (Antheraea assama) silk production, which has been a prime activity of a large number of people living in the area.

Adsorption of a few heavy metals on natural and modified kaolinite and montmorillonite: a review.

The feasibility of using two important and common clay minerals, kaolinite and montmorillonite, as adsorbents for removal of toxic heavy metals has been reviewed. A good number of works have been reported where the modifications of these natural clays were done to carry the adsorption of metals from aqueous solutions. The modification was predominantly done by pillaring with various polyoxy cations of Zr4+, Al3+, Si4+, Ti4+, Fe3+, Cr3+or Ga3+, etc.

Wet oxidative method for removal of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in water using Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II) supported MCM41 catalysts.

Chlorophenols in water are resistant to biological oxidation and they have to be destroyed by chemical oxidation. In the present work, Fe(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) incorporated MCM41 mesoporous solids were used as catalysts for oxidation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol in water with or without the oxidant, H(2)O(2). The catalysts were prepared by impregnation and were characterized by XRD and FTIR measurements.