Magnetic chitosan/calcium alginate double-network hydrogel beads: Preparation, adsorption of anionic and cationic surfactants, and reuse in the removal of methylene blue.

Robust and reusable magnetic chitosan/calcium alginate double-network hydrogel beads (CSMAB) with an environmentally benign biocomposite material synthesis approach were used adsorption of surfactant and removal of methylene blue dye sequentially for the first time. Double network hydrogel structure with sodium alginate and chitosan and acidification of the surface with HCl provided the reusability of the beads at the pollutant removal in water. The CSMAB beads were characterized for structural analysis by FESEM, EDX, BET, VSM, and FTIR techniques.

Green synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles using Ficus carica (common fig) dried fruit extract.

Ficus carica (common fig) dried fruit extract was used to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles in this study. Biomaterials in the common fig dried fruit extract synthesized the iron nanoparticles by reducing the iron precursor salt and then acted as capping and stabilizing agents. The nanoparticles were produced smaller than 20 nm diameters and oxidized due to the high phenolic compound content in the common fig dried fruit extract.

Optimization of solid content, carbon/nitrogen ratio and food/inoculum ratio for biogas production from food waste.

Biogas production from food waste has been used as an efficient waste treatment option for years. The methane yields from decomposition of waste are, however, highly variable under different operating conditions. In this study, a statistical experimental design method (Taguchi OA) was implemented to investigate the effects of simultaneous variations of three parameters on methane production.

Determination of acute and early life stage toxicity of fat-plant effluent using zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The present study examines the effects of an effluent from a fat plant (FP) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae using the whole effluent toxicity testing methods (WET). The method is based on acute toxicity using 96-h larval mortality and chronic toxicity using endpoints such as the time to hatch, hatching success, deformity, growth rate, swim-up failure, accumulative mortality, and sex ratio. On the basis of larval mortality the 96-h LC(50) (the concentration was lethal to 50% of newly hatching zebrafish larvae) was 68.

Optimization of Bomaplex Red CR-L dye removal from aqueous solution by electrocoagulation using aluminum electrodes.

In this paper, Taguchi method was applied to determine the optimum dye removal from aqueous solution by electrocoagulation using aluminum electrodes. An orthogonal array (OA(16)) experimental design that allows to investigate the simultaneous variations of five parameters (initial dye concentration, initial pH of the solution, supporting electrolyte concentration, supporting electrolyte type and current density) having four levels was employed to evaluate the effects of experimental parameters. Performance measure analysis was followed by performing a variance analysis, in order to determine the optimum levels and relative magnitude of the effect of parameters.

Electrocoagulation of synthetically prepared waters containing high concentration of NOM using iron cast electrodes.

The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the treatability of synthetically prepared water with high concentration of humic substances by electrocoagulation in batch mode using iron cast electrodes. Effects of applied potential, initial humic substance concentration and supporting electrolyte type on humic substance removal efficiency were investigated. NaNO3, Na2SO4 and NaCl were used as supporting electrolyte.

The effects of pH on phosphate removal from wastewater by electrocoagulation with iron plate electrodes.

In this study, the effect of pH on phosphate removal from wastewater by electrocoagulation with iron plate electrodes has been investigated. For this aim, experiments have been carried out controlled initial pH values within the range of 3-9. Effects of initial pH have been analyzed on efficiencies of phosphate removal and energy consumptions.