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Adsorption Mechanism of Novel Porous Materials in Wastewater Treatment, 2nd Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 2844

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Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Sq. 3, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Interests: adsorption; chemistry; physicochemistry; silica nanoparticles; aromatic compounds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes and organic contaminants are discharged in a huge quantity from industries and agriculture. On the other hand, medical drugs such as antimicrobials are used for the therapeutic treatment of diseases in humans and animals such as cattle, swine, poultry, and fish for growth promotion. Today, as a consequence of the overuse of chemicals in agriculture, industries, and uprising of prescription medicines as polar molecule pollutants in the aquatic environment, we have found ourselves in a more hostile environment with many hazardous materials, with an omnipresent impact on the local environment. Today, this phenomenon has aroused concerns because these discharged contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, can persist in the environment and be consumed by humans via the food chain or via drinking water in the long run. We cannot overemphasize the importance of the removal of adsorbates. Consequently, public detection, investigation of their environmental behaviors, and their removal using different techniques have become an urgent issue, which is why various articles have discussed removal technologies and adsorption mechanisms—albeit only from a macroscopic or microscopic view, and not from the nanoscale.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to remind everyone of our collective responsibility as regards removing environmental contaminants. We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to propose new types of adsorbents, and develop a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of adsorption processes with regard to equilibrium and kinetics.

Prof. Dr. Anna Deryło-Marczewska
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • porous materials
  • nanominerals
  • adsorption mechanism
  • metal–organic framework materials
  • heavy metals
  • organic contaminants
  • pharmaceuticals
  • molecular simulation
  • morphology

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 2002 KiB  
Article
Evaluating and Selecting Kinetic and Isotherm Models for Copper and Nickel Removal Using Cow Bone Char as an Adsorbent via Excel Solver Functions
by Pornmongkol Tansomros, Poramed Aungthitipan, Surachai Wongcharee, Sukanya Hongthong, Torpong Kreetachat, Nopparat Suriyachai, Wipada Dechapanya, Nipada Papukdee and Chatklaw Jareanpon
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(9), 4316; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094316 - 1 May 2025
Abstract
This study explores the effectiveness of cow bone char as a low-cost, eco-friendly, and biodegradable adsorbent for removing Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from acidic wastewater as challenging is due to heavy metal-contaminated industrial wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate performance, with [...] Read more.
This study explores the effectiveness of cow bone char as a low-cost, eco-friendly, and biodegradable adsorbent for removing Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from acidic wastewater as challenging is due to heavy metal-contaminated industrial wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate performance, with advanced nonlinear kinetic and isotherm models applied to analyze the adsorption behavior. Model fitting was performed using Microsoft Excel Solver, and model selection was validated using the Akaike Information Criterion and Average Absolute Relative Deviation Percentage. The FL-PFO kinetic model provided the best fit for time-dependent data, while the Liu and Toth isotherm models most accurately described equilibrium adsorption. Maximum adsorption capacities were 110 mg g−1 for Cu(II) and 95 mg g−1 for Ni(II), with Cu(II) exhibiting faster and more complete removal. Reusability testing over five cycles showed good potential for repeated use, though with gradual efficiency decline due to structural degradation and limited site regeneration. These results confirm the suitability of cow bone char as a sustainable and effective adsorbent for heavy metal removal, particularly in low-resource or decentralized water treatment systems. Full article
30 pages, 6636 KiB  
Article
Biomass-Derived Nanoporous Carbon Honeycomb Monoliths for Environmental Lipopolysaccharide Adsorption from Aqueous Media
by Jakpar Jandosov, Dmitriy Berillo, Anil Misra, Mo Alavijeh, Dmitriy Chenchik, Alzhan Baimenov, Maria Bernardo, Seitkhan Azat, Zulkhair Mansurov, Joaquin Silvestre-Albero and Sergey Mikhalovsky
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26030952 - 23 Jan 2025
Viewed by 929
Abstract
After undergoing biological treatment, wastewater still contains substances with endotoxic activity, such as lipopolysaccharide. However, due to the increasing practice of treating wastewater to make it suitable for drinking (potable reuse), the removal of these endotoxic active materials is crucial. These substances can [...] Read more.
After undergoing biological treatment, wastewater still contains substances with endotoxic activity, such as lipopolysaccharide. However, due to the increasing practice of treating wastewater to make it suitable for drinking (potable reuse), the removal of these endotoxic active materials is crucial. These substances can be harmful to human health, leading to a condition called endotoxaemia. Furthermore, environmental endotoxins pose risks to pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and the quality of the final pharmaceutical products. Ultimately, the most significant concern lies with the patient, as exposure to such substances can have adverse effects on their health and well-being. Activated carbon has a proven efficiency for endotoxin removal; rice husk (RH), as a type of natural lignocellulosic agricultural waste, is a unique carbon precursor material in terms of its availability, large-scale world production (over 140 million tons annually), and is characterized by the presence of nanoscale silica phytoliths, which serve as a template to create additional meso/macropore space within the nanoscale range. High surface area RH/lignin-derived honeycomb monoliths were prepared in this study via extrusion, followed by carbonization and physical and chemical activation to develop additional pore space. The nanoporosity of the carbon honeycomb monoliths was established by means of low-temperature nitrogen adsorption studies, using calculations based on QSDFT equilibrium and BJH models, as well as mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and SEM investigations. An alternative method for the elimination of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)—a conventional marker—using filtration in flowing recirculation systems and the adsorbent activity of the monoliths towards LPS was investigated. Since LPS expresses strong toxic effects even at very low concentrations, e.g., below 10 EU/mL, its removal even in minute amounts is essential. It was found that monoliths are able to eliminate biologically relevant LPS levels, e.g., adsorption removal within 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min of circulation reached the values of 49.8, 74.1, 85.4, 91.3%, and 91.6%, respectively. Full article
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20 pages, 4684 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Mechanism of a Green Scale and Corrosion Inhibitor
by Linlin Zhao, Yu Han, Xiaojuan Zhang, Zhongyan Cao, Xiaowei Zhao, Yuxia Wang, Yonghong Cai, Yufeng Wu and Ying Xu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10150; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810150 - 21 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1256
Abstract
A new green water treatment agent, a poly(aspartic acid)-modified polymer (PASP/5–AVA), was synthesized using polysuccinimide and 5-aminovaleric acid (5-AVA) in a hybrid system. The structure was characterized, and the scale and corrosion inhibition performance were carried out with standard static scale inhibition and [...] Read more.
A new green water treatment agent, a poly(aspartic acid)-modified polymer (PASP/5–AVA), was synthesized using polysuccinimide and 5-aminovaleric acid (5-AVA) in a hybrid system. The structure was characterized, and the scale and corrosion inhibition performance were carried out with standard static scale inhibition and electrochemical methods, respectively. The mechanism was explored using XRD, XPS, SEM, and quantum chemistry calculations. The results indicated that PASP/5–AVA exhibited better scale and corrosion inhibition performance than PASP and maintained efficacy and thermal stability of the scale inhibition effect for a long time. Mechanistic studies indicated that PASP/5–AVA interferes with the normal generation of CaCO3 and CaSO4 scales through lattice distortion and dispersion, respectively; the combined effect of an alkaline environment and terminal electron-withdrawing -COOH groups can induce the stable C- ionic state formation in -CH2- of the extended side chain, thus enhancing its chelating ability for Ca2+ ions. At the same time, the extension of the side chain length also enhances the adsorption ability of the agent on the metal surface, forming a thick film and delaying the corrosion of the metal surface. This study provides the necessary theoretical reference for the design of green scale and corrosion agents. Full article
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