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Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2020) | Viewed by 18726

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Guest Editor
Advanced Separation Processes Group, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Interests: chemical engineering; wastewater treatment; separation processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water is a scarce, necessary, and natural resource, and it is our responsibility to take all the necessary measures to protect its availability. Unfortunately, one of main serious environmental issues of the modern society is global water pollution due to the rapid growth in population, urbanization, and industrialization. This problem threatens the sustainable development of both humans and ecosystems.

One of the principal causes of water pollution is the disposal of large amounts of industrial wastes into the water bodies without adequate waste management systems.

In the industry, there are a large number of conventional methods and some advanced techniques for treating wastewater; however, most of them are constrained by low efficiency and stability, high cost, and/or formation of harmful by-products. Because of this, new pollution identification techniques and wastewater treatment processes need to be implemented in order to meet the needs of contemporary society. The aim of this Special Issue on “Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment” is to collect new available information in this field.

Dr. Begoña González
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • water
  • wastewater treatment
  • water analysis
  • environmental problems
  • water pollution

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2723 KiB  
Article
Properties Analysis and Preparation of Biochar–Graphene Composites Under a One-Step Dip Coating Method in Water Treatment
by Ze Yu, Wenxuan Wang, He Gao and Daxin Liang
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 3689; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113689 - 26 May 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4469
Abstract
In order to improve the adsorption efficiency of biochar in water treatment, biochar–graphene (BG) composites were prepared by the one-step dip coating method and applied to remove phthalates from water. Firstly, the materials and equipment needed for the experiment are introduced. The steps [...] Read more.
In order to improve the adsorption efficiency of biochar in water treatment, biochar–graphene (BG) composites were prepared by the one-step dip coating method and applied to remove phthalates from water. Firstly, the materials and equipment needed for the experiment are introduced. The steps of preparing graphene oxide (GO) by the improved Hummers method and BG composites by one-step dip coating are discussed. Then, the morphology characterization, adsorption performance measurement, and isothermal model of BG composites are introduced. Finally, the structure characterization, adsorption kinetics, and adsorption isotherms of BG composites are analyzed. The results show that the properties of biochar could be changed by one-step dip coating, and the biochar could form composites with graphene. Compared with biochar, biochar–graphene composites have greater surface area and porosity. When the pyrolysis temperature was 600 °C, the specific surface area of biochar was 8.4 m2g−1, and the specific surface area of the biochar–graphene composite was 221.3 m2g−1. When the temperature was 300 °C, the specific surface area of biochar was 11.01 m2g−1, and the specific surface area of biochar–graphene composite was 251.82 m2g−1. The formation of graphene on the surface of biochar can increase the stability of the composite and acts as a very high potential active site. The porous structure and surface properties of biochar–graphene composites regulate the adsorption rate of pollutant molecules, thereby improving the adsorption performance. When the adsorption equilibrium was reached, the adsorption effect of phthalate esters on the biochar/graphene composite at the pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C was the best, and the adsorption capacity of Dimethyl phthalate (DMP)was 35.2 mg/g, that of Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was 26.4 mg/g, and that of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) was 25.1 mg/g. The adsorption effect of DMP was the best. The results of the isotherm study indicate that the adsorption of phthalates by BG composites has great potential, which provides a good theoretical basis for the application of BG composites in environmental protection in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment)
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8 pages, 1122 KiB  
Article
On the Active Adsorption of Chromium(III) from Alkaline Solutions Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
by Francisco José Alguacil and Félix A. López
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10010036 - 19 Dec 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2193
Abstract
The present investigation deals with the adsorption of chromium(III) from alkaline media, as representative of highly-caustic component solutions of nuclear tank wastes, using multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The adsorption of Cr(III) has been studied under various experimental conditions, i.e., stirring speed of the aqueous [...] Read more.
The present investigation deals with the adsorption of chromium(III) from alkaline media, as representative of highly-caustic component solutions of nuclear tank wastes, using multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The adsorption of Cr(III) has been studied under various experimental conditions, i.e., stirring speed of the aqueous solution, initial metal and adsorbent concentrations, NaOH concentration in the aqueous solution, and temperature. The rate law indicated that chromium adsorption is well represented by the particle diffusion model, whereas the adsorption process fits with the pseudo-second order kinetic model within an exothermic setting. Equilibrium data fit to the Langmuir type-2 equilibrium isotherm in a spontaneous process. Chromium(III) can be eluted from metal-loaded nanotubes using acidic solutions, from which fine chromium(III) oxide pigment can ultimately be yielded. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment)
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8 pages, 1939 KiB  
Article
Recovery and Elimination of Phenolic Pollutants from Water Using [NTf2] and [Nf2]-Based Ionic Liquids
by Olalla G. Sas, Ángeles Domínguez and Begoña González
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(20), 4321; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9204321 - 14 Oct 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2447
Abstract
At present, pollution is one of the most important problems worldwide. Industrial growth makes it necessary to develop techniques to remove pollutant substances from water, since water is an important natural source for life. One of these techniques is liquid–liquid extraction, which is [...] Read more.
At present, pollution is one of the most important problems worldwide. Industrial growth makes it necessary to develop techniques to remove pollutant substances from water, since water is an important natural source for life. One of these techniques is liquid–liquid extraction, which is used to remove phenolic compounds from wastewaters. Volatile organic compounds are used as common extraction solvents in liquid–liquid extractions; nevertheless, some of their properties, such as toxicity and volatility, make it necessary to replace them with other less toxic solvents. In this work, the capability of four ionic liquids, based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [NTf2] and bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide [Nf2] anions and different cations to remove phenolic compounds from water was studied. The phenolic compounds used in this study were phenol, o-cresol, and 2-chlorophenol, and the effects of the extraction solvent and phenol structures were analyzed. For that, a liquid–liquid extraction was carried out, and the extraction yield was determined. In general, high extraction efficiencies were obtained for all studied systems, obtaining the highest extraction efficiencies using the pyrrolidinium cation-based ionic liquids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment)
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10 pages, 1915 KiB  
Article
The Possibility of Using Spent Coffee Grounds to Improve Wastewater Treatment Due to Respiration Activity of Microorganisms
by Monika Vítězová, Simona Jančiková, Dani Dordević, Tomáš Vítěz, Jakub Elbl, Nikola Hanišáková, Josef Jampílek and Ivan Kushkevych
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(15), 3155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9153155 - 2 Aug 2019
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9098
Abstract
Spent coffee ground (SCG) may affect wastewater treatment processes due to high coffee consumption worldwide. The impact of the main chemical compounds present in SCG on respiration activity of sewage sludge was investigated. The results showed approximately two times higher respiration in the [...] Read more.
Spent coffee ground (SCG) may affect wastewater treatment processes due to high coffee consumption worldwide. The impact of the main chemical compounds present in SCG on respiration activity of sewage sludge was investigated. The results showed approximately two times higher respiration in the samples where various types of SCG were present in comparison with samples without SCG. During intense microbial metabolism, statistically significant (p < 0.05) decreases in caffeine, total polyphenols, and chlorogenic acid contents after processing and in filtrate was observed. The monitored compounds (caffeine, polyphenols, and chlorogenic acid) deteriorated due to their probable inclusion in microbiological metabolism. Increase in respiration activity of microorganisms in the presence of cheap waste material such as coffee grounds can help to improve wastewater treatment. The research was focused on spent coffee grounds’ impact on the respiratory activity of microorganisms in the activated sludge taken from small and large wastewater treatment plants. The impact was measured in more detail due to the inclusion of different coffee species (Robusta and Arabica) in diverse concentrations. The novelty of the study can also be seen through the literature overview, where information cannot be found about SCG influence on the respiration activity of microbial communities, and data on the possible SCG aerobic degradation or utilization by a sewage sludge bacterial consortium has also never been reported. The study has shown the possibility of improving wastewater treatment due to respiration activity of microorganisms in the presence of cheap waste material such as coffee grounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Water Analysis and Wastewater Treatment)
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