Application of Raney Al-Ni Alloy for Simple Hydrodehalogenation of Diclofenac and Other Halogenated Biocidal Contaminants in Alkaline Aqueous Solution under Ambient Conditions.

Raney Al-Ni contains 62% of NiAl and 38% NiAl crystalline phases. Its applicability has been studied within an effective hydrodehalogenation of hardly biodegradable anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in model aqueous concentrates and, subsequently, even in real hospital wastewater with the aim of transforming them into easily biodegradable products. In model aqueous solution, complete hydrodechlorination of 2 mM aqueous diclofenac solution (0.

Innovative in situ remediation of mine waters using a layered double hydroxide-biochar composite.

The current demand for alternative water sources requires the incorporation of low-cost composites in remediation technologies. These represent a sustainable alternative to more expensive, commercially used adsorbents. The main objective of this comprehensive field-scale study was to incorporate the layered double hydroxides (LDHs) into the hybrid biochar-based composites and apply an innovative material to remediate As/Sb-rich mine waters.

Concentrations of selected trace elements in surface soils near crossroads in the city of Bratislava (the Slovak Republic).

It is well known that road transport emits various trace elements into the environment, which are deposited in soils in the vicinity of roads, so-called roadside soils, and thus contributes to the deterioration of their chemical state. The aim of this work was to determine concentrations of some metals and metalloids (arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn)) in soils from crossroads with traffic signals, which are characterized by deceleration of vehicles and increased emissions of elements related mainly to brake and tyre wear. The results confirmed a moderate enrichment of soils with Cu, Pb, and Zn (enrichment factor (EF) values > 2) and significant enrichment for Sb (EF > 5), while the other elements showed no or minimal enrichment.

Total mercury, chromium, nickel and other trace chemical element contents in soils at an old cinnabar mine site (Merník, Slovakia): anthropogenic versus natural sources of soil contamination.

The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence and distribution of total mercury (Hg) and other trace elements of environmental concern, such as arsenic (As), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and vanadium (V), in soils from the abandoned Merník cinnabar mine in eastern Slovakia. For this purpose, thirty soil samples from two depth intervals within the mine area (n = 60 soil samples) and additional sixteen soil samples from adjacent areas (n = 25 soil samples) were collected. Total Hg was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry, while As and other metals were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

Use of the ferrates (FeIV-VI) in combination with hydrogen peroxide for rapid and effective remediation of water--laboratory and pilot study.

In recent years, particles of iron in higher oxidation states (Fe(IV-VI)), commonly called ferrates, have been presented theoretically as very effective oxidants. They can potentially be used for elimination of a wide range of organic and inorganic contaminants. However, so far the majority of applications have been carried out only as laboratory tests using model samples in many cases.

The Application of Nano-Sized Zero-Valent Iron for In Situ Remediation of Chlorinated Ethylenes in Groundwater: A Field Case Study.

In this paper, the authors present the pilot in situ application of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) for effective remediation of groundwater in an industrial area contaminated by chlorinated ethylenes (CEs), which create a significant group of global environmental contaminants. This work covers the entire 1-year remediation process, including systematic laboratory tests and field application techniques for nZVI. The application was carried out in the area of a metal fabrication industrial facility in the Czech Republic.

Application of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for the analysis of selected drug residues in wastewater and surface water.

Pharmaceutical residues have become tightly controlled environmental contaminants in recent years, due to their increasing concentration in environmental components. This is mainly caused by their high level of production and everyday consumption. Therefore there is a need to apply new and sufficiently sensitive analytical methods, which can detect the presence of these contaminants even in very low concentrations.