Papers by Keyword: Treatment

Abstract: Black limestones were used as structural and ornamental stones in the facades of the four madrasas at Sultan Hasan mosque. Regrettably, the studied black limestone blocks have significantly suffered from deterioration mechanisms, causing severe damage forms such as discolouration, salt crystallization, cracking, fissuring, flaking, granular disintegration, and microbial growth. Examination and analysis of the studied black limestone were performed using polarizing light microscope, scanning electron microscope equipped with EDS, X-ray diffraction, and fungal investigation. The current research mainly presents an experimental study to evaluate the efficiency of nanocomposites prepared from SRC-220 (fluorinated polyurethane) and TiO₂ NPs in the treatment of the studied black limestone. The prepared TiO₂ nanocomposites were used for the treatment of experimental black limestone samples. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle concentration on the properties of the fabricated nanocomposites was comparatively tested. Experimental study was implemented using transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, static water contact angle, colourimetric investigation, abrasion resistance, self-cleaning activity, and fungistatic efficiency. The results proved that the addition of TiO₂ nanoparticles into SRC-220 pure polymer produced multifunctional nanocomposites characterized by high transparency, good consolidation effect, superhydrophobicity, self-cleaning, and antifugal efficiency. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the concentration of TiO₂ nanoparticles significantly affects the obtained properties of the prepared nanocomposites.

Abstract: The increasing demand for alternative water treatment methods has led to growing interest in natural coagulants for purifying surface water particularly in low-resource communities. In this study, the coagulation performance of orange (Citrus sinensis) seeds and peels as natural alternatives to alum for surface water treatment was investigated. Coagulant dosages ranging from 2–10 g/L were evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD). The results showed that orange seeds achieved maximum reductions of 73.6% turbidity, 61.7% TSS, 36.2% TDS, 65.5% COD and 48.3% BOD at an optimal dosage of 8 g/L, outperforming orange peels across all parameters. In comparison, alum at 2 g/L demonstrated higher treatment efficiency, with turbidity, COD and BOD reductions of 81.5%, 69.7%, and 55.6%, respectively. While reductions in turbidity and organic matter were substantial, TDS removal was limited thus suggesting the need for additional treatment stages to meet WHO drinking water standards. These findings suggest that orange seeds and peels are promising alternatives to conventional coagulants for surface water treatment and supports the application of natural and biodegradable alternatives for water treatment practices.

Abstract: The use of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al-NPs) in wastewater treatment has emerged as a promising approach due to their unique physicochemical properties, including a high surface area, strong adsorption capabilities, and effective adsorbent performance. This study investigates the use of Al-NPs for the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from synthetic aqueous solutions. COD is one of the main indicators of water pollution and can be used to assess water quality. The characterization of Al-NPs was conducted using various techniques, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique. XRD analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of Al-NPs with a well-defined crystalline structure and desirable crystallite size. The data correlated with TEM findings, validating the nanoscale properties of the Al-NPs. The EDX spectrum showed prominent peaks corresponding to aluminum (Al) and oxygen (O), indicating the presence of Al and possibly Al₂O₃. A higher BET surface area typically correlates with improved pollutant adsorption performance, as more surface sites are available for interaction. Adsorption data were analyzed using the Freundlich isotherm model, which suggested a heterogeneous adsorption surface, and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption mechanism was predominantly chemisorption. These findings highlight the potential of Al-NPs as effective adsorbents for pollutant removal from wastewater, with implications for optimizing treatment processes in industrial and domestic applications. The maximum removal efficiencies (R%) for chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate (PO₄), and total suspended solids (TSS) were 97.04%, 42.62%, and 98.63%, respectively. The highest removal efficiency was achieved at an Al-NP dosage of 120 mg/L. These findings demonstrate that Al-NPs can be effectively used as coagulants in wastewater treatment.

Abstract: Waste eggshell powders with a particle size of less than 0.315 μm were surface treated with vinyltrimethoxysilane. XRD, FT-IR, BET and SEM analyses were used to determine the surface characteristics of eggshells before and after silane treatment. The preparation of films of unplasticized suspension polyvinyl chloride with untreated and silane-treated eggshells was done by co-precipitation of solutions from cyclohexanone. The tensile properties of obtained films containing vinyltrimethoxysilane-treated eggshell powders were investigated and analyzed relative to the compositions with untreated powders.

Abstract: The Aim of this Study is the Green Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPS) Using Pomegranate Peel Extract Utilized from Fruit Waste. Zno Nps were Characterized by X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectrum and UV–Vis Spectrophotometry. Also, Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Prepared Zno Nps Using the Jar Test Procedure was Employed after the Determination of the Optimum Dose of Zno Nps for the Removal of Pollutants from the Grey Water. Different Doses of Zno Nanoparticles (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 g/L) were Examined. the Results Obtained Confirmed that Zno Nps are Large Particles in Size Ranging from 54.2 to 86.4 Nm, Exist in a Pure and Crystalline Phase. the Results Obtained Showed that the Efficiency of Zno Nps for Pollutant Removal from Grey Water was Increased with the Increase of the Adsorbent Dose. the Best Removal Efficiency of Zno Nps was Obtained at a Dose of 400 Mg/L. the Removal Efficiency of Zno NPS was 98.16 %, 88.68%, 100%, 94.40%, 97.88%, 91.18%, 89.13%, 90.93%, and 90.37% for Ammonia (NH3+), Phosphorous (PO43-), Nitrate (NO3-), Oil & Grease, Total Nitrogen (TN), Turbidity, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) Removal, Respectively. the Cost Required for the Production of 100 g of Zno Nps was Calculated and Estimated to Be 42.37 Egyptian Pounds. in Conclusion Zno Nps Synthesized from Pomegranate Waste is a Sustainable, Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective Approach with Potent Efficiency for Pollutants Removal from Grey Water.

Abstract: Natural zeolites are materials which, due to the peculiarities of their crystal structure and high adsorption and ion exchange properties, have wide prospects for use in technologies of adsorption purification of aquatic environments. The paper presents the results of laboratory research in dynamic and static conditions of sorption properties of natural zeolite, which is currently used for purification of natural water from suspended solids in industrial water treatment plants. The sorption capacity of different fractions of this zeolite to ammonium nitrogen, fluorides and petroleum products has been established.

Abstract: Enhanced treatment of river water was investigated by the modified coagulation-flocculation process for the application of self-cleaning filters (SCF’s) in the removal of turbidity using a combination of Alum and Sudfloc 3880. This study is aimed to improve the removal of iron and turbidity concentrations from river water and reduce water loss. This is achieved by piloting innovative water treatment technologies such as the SCF’s Plant. The new technology further assessed the effectiveness, efficiency, and operability of the SCF’s Plant by varying certain operational parameters such as water flow, differential pressures, coagulant, and flocculent dosages. The results established in this study critically analyze the feasibility of deploying water treatment technologies such as the SCF Plant in areas with similar environmental conditions and/or facing similar water treatment challenges. The removal efficiencies of turbidity were about 40 % and further optimization will be continued until 90 % to 100 % is achieved. The average removal efficiency of turbidity was 40 % and achieved at a 250 m³/h flow rate. The average removal across all flow rates was over 20 %. Further optimization of the RF14 will be carried out using other chemical combinations and formulations at various process settings while bypassing the PLF filters. The PLF elements will be brought into service to further reduce the turbidity after the optimization of the RF14. Keywords: Water, Treatment, Coagulation, Flocculation, Processes, Technologies, Filters ^*

Abstract: In this study, the water hyacinth was used as a reinforcement of green composites. The chemicals for treatment of water hyacinth were solutions of alkaline, soap and water to determine water absorption. The chemical treated process of the water hyacinth fibers had important influences to the chemical structures and mechanical properties of the green composites. Micrographs analyses of scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed obviously roughness of fiber surface after the chemical treatment as well as arrangement of structures among the water hyacinth fibers. Similarly, the results of analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) showed that most of the intensity of the absorbed peaks was decreased markedly at the wavenumbers of 1375 cm^-1 and 1542 cm^-1. These are related to lignin extraction with alkaline solution, effectively. In particular, the compressive strength of the water hyacinth/roving composite has high value approximately to that of fiberglass composites (unfriendly composites). The water hyacinth/roving composites have significantly improvements in flexural and compressive strengths and this proves that the environmentally friendly composite responded to high requirements for various applications.

Abstract: Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) has gone through a rapid development since it’s discovery back in 2001. It is a famous research topic as it shows many advantages compared with traditional fluorescent material struggling with the issue of Aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), since it only emits fluorescence when gathered. AIE material can provide better sensitivity, better photobleaching resistance and SNR compared with traditional material. AIE material can be applied in the fields of biosensing and bioimaging to replace traditional material with a better performance. This article describes the concept and structure of AIE material, shows types of the material with examples, also introduces the application of AIE material in photodynamic therapy, this article talks about the concept, usage, advantages and drawbacks of applying material with AIE characteristics in photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: In present study, a simple chemical method for the synthesis of silver-reduced graphene oxide (AG/RGO) nanocomposite was reported. The objective is to evaluate the performance of AG/RGO in photocatalytic degradation activity of methyl orange (MO) under artificial visible light source. The synthesized catalyst was then characterized using field emissions scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscope (FESEM-EDX), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and UV-visible spectroscope (UV-VIS) to determine the morphology, physical and chemical composition of the photocatalyst. The characterization results show the synthesized catalyst possess nanometre dimension silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were deposited on reduced graphene oxide sheets. The photocatalytic activity of 0.3 g AG/RGO obtained through the degradation of 5 mg/l MO is 93.74% with a degradation rate of 3.1 × 10^-2 min^-1.