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Separations

Separations - formerly Chromatography - is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on separation and purification science and technology in all areas of chemical, biological, physical science, and separation performance, published monthly online by MDPI.
The Central European Group of Separation Sciences (CEGSS) is affiliated with Separations and its members receive discounts on the article processing charges.
Quartile Ranking JCR - Q3 (Chemistry, Analytical)

All Articles (2,325)

Sustainable Luffa cylindrica Bio-Sponge Immobilized with Trichoderma koningiopsis UFPIT07 for Efficient Azo Dye Removal from Textile Effluents

  • Paulo Henrique Silva de França Dias,
  • Raphael Luiz Andrade Silva and
  • Anna Gabrielly Duarte Neves
  • + 11 authors

The contamination of water bodies by industrial dyes is a critical environmental challenge due to the toxicity and persistence of these compounds in aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the efficiency of Trichoderma koningiopsis immobilized on Luffa cylindrica matrices for the decolorization of the azo dye Direct Black 22 (DB22), proposing a biotechnological approach for wastewater treatment. The fungus was cultivated and immobilized on matrices characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Experiments under different temperature, pH, and initial dye concentration conditions demonstrated that the immobilized system achieved up to 96% decolorization within 24 h under optimized conditions of 50 °C and pH 4, significantly outperforming the free fungus. The Luffa cylindrica matrix provided mechanical stability and a larger contact area for DB22 decolorization. Thus, the immobilized Trichoderma koningiopsis system on Luffa cylindrica stands out as a sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient alternative for dye removal from textile effluents, contributing to safer and more effective environmental practices.

19 December 2025

Luffa cylindrica matrix and its functionality in the immobilization system of Trichoderma koningiopsis UFPIT07 for the removal of the dye Direct Black 22. (A) Natural Luffa cylindrica without fungal growth. (B) Luffa cylindrica after the immobilization process. (C) Luffa cylindrica after exposure to DB22 dye (250 mg·L−1).

Mixed amine/sulfolane (TMS) biphasic solutions have gained attention for their adjustable structure–activity relationships and lower regeneration energy. In this study, monoethanolamine (MEA) is employed as the main absorbent and polyamine as the co-absorbent, which are subsequently mixed with the phase separation promoter sulfolane (TMS) to form ternary biphasic solvent systems. Polyamine co-absorbents include 3-Dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA), 3-Diethylaminopropylamine (DEAPA), and Diethylenetriamine (DETA). Phase separation, absorption, and desorption performances were systematically studied. Reaction and phase separation mechanisms were elucidated through 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The overall mass transfer coefficients (KG) were measured using a wetted wall column (WWC). Variations in the amine-to-sulfolane concentration ratio showed minimal impact on phase volume, while temperature and solvent composition significantly influenced phase separation behavior. All three solvents exhibited superior CO2 capture performance, with CO2 loadings in the rich phases ranging from 4.09 to 4.71 mol/L and over 96.82% of CO2 concentrated in them, cyclic capacities reached or exceeded 3 mol/L, and regeneration energy consumption was 29.63–55.51% lower than 5 M MEA. 13C NMR analysis indicated that multiple N atoms in polyamines promoted the formation of additional ionic species during CO2 absorption, thereby enhancing phase separation completeness. Furthermore, KG values for the ternary systems exceeded that of conventional MEA, with the MEA/DEAPA/TMS system exhibiting a 1.7-fold increase. These findings demonstrated the industrial potential of MEA/polyamine/TMS biphasic solvents for efficient CO2 capture.

18 December 2025

The wetted-wall column (WWC) apparatus schematics.

Over the past few years, the misuse of medications has progressively increased, posing a significant public health concern. This study proposed the development and validation of an alternative and greener analytical method for the determination of dextromethorphan (DXM) and its major metabolite, dextrorphan (DXO), in urine matrices using bar adsorptive microextraction (BAμE), followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Under optimized experimental conditions, average recoveries of 96.3% and 80.4% were achieved for DXM and DXO, respectively. The analytical limits obtained were 0.016 μg/mL for the limit of detection and 0.054 μg/mL for the limit of quantification. The working range was from 0.06 μg/mL to 2.0 μg/mL, with linearity for both compounds by determination coefficients (r2 > 0.99) and the goodness-of-fit and lack-of-fit tests. Intra-day precision and trueness yielded values below 8.77% and 16.28%, respectively, for both compounds. Inter-day precision and trueness values were below 7.67% and 9.73%, respectively. The application to 26 urine samples allowed the quantification of both compounds, with concentrations ranging from 0.06 to 3.21 μg/mL for DXM and 0.06 to 8.88 μg/mL for DXO. The method proved to be effective, selective, sensitive, simple, and cost-effective in the detection and quantification of DXM and DXO, reinforcing its applicability and feasibility in various laboratory contexts.

16 December 2025

Effect of the selectivity of the different sorbent phases tested, (a) ACs and (b) polymers, on the recovery of the analytes under study, obtained by BAμE-μLD/GC-MS(SIM). Test conditions: 1 mL of ultrapure water fortified with 100 μL of working solution.

A robust and stability-indicating Reverse Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of bexagliflozin and its related impurities in accordance with the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH Q2(R1)) guidelines. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column using a mobile phase of methanol and ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.2) in a 60:40 (v/v) ratio, with a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min−1 and UV detection at 220 nm. The method was validated for linearity, sensitivity (LOD and LOQ), precision, robustness, and system suitability, all within acceptable limits for low-concentration analysis. Excellent linearity (r2 > 0.999) and precision (%RSD 0.3–4.4%) confirmed its reliability for stability assessment. The assay was performed at 100 µg·mL−1, where all validation parameters showed %RSD values ≤ 2%, demonstrating high precision and robustness. Forced degradation studies under acidic, basic, oxidative, photolytic, and thermal conditions revealed a major degradation product formed under acidic stress. This product was isolated and structurally characterized using LC–MS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR, and is reported here for the first time. The proposed RP-HPLC method proved to be specific, precise, and reliable for the determination of bexagliflozin and its related impurities, making it suitable for routine stability testing, quality control, and pharmaceutical development applications.

15 December 2025

Chemical structure of bexagliflozin (1) and the isolated impurity (2).

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Separations - ISSN 2297-8739