B. Ledesma

Conversion of tomato-peel waste into solid fuel by hydrothermal carbonization: Influence of the processing variables.

In this work, the influence of the variables temperature, residence time, and biomass/water ratio on the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of tomato peel was investigated. The implementation of a Design of Experiments - Response Surface Methodology approach allowed to identify the importance of each variable, as well as their interactions, in both the reactivity (solid yield) and energy densification (increase in higher heating value). The HTC residence time and specially temperature had a major effect on the process, increasing the solid yield and promoting energy densification. Ratio had a minor effect although under certain temperature and time conditions, it was a decisive parameter. Solid yields in the range 27.6% and 87.7% with corresponding high heating values 23.6-34.6 MJ kg(-1) were obtained. From the statistical processing of the experimental data obtained pseudo-second order models were developed. It was proven that these approaches envisaged the hydrochar final characteristics successfully. From the elemental analysis and the FTIR spectra, it was possible to investigate the HTC pathway, which was defined as a combination of several processes; considering dehydration and decarboxylation reactions and especially lignin depolimerization reactions, which lead to the formation of monomeric radicals. Moreover, the surface morphology of selected hydrochars by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed the original structure scaffold, with minor changes between hydrochars prepared under different conditions.

Removal of Amitriptyline from Aqueous Media Using Activated Carbons

This paper reports the removal of amitriptyline, a widely used tricyclic anti-depressant, from aqueous solutions by six activated carbons produced from cork, coffee endocarp and eucalyptus pulp. The results of this study showed that samples from cork and eucalyptus pulp, activated at 800 °C, exhibited the highest adsorption capacity of 120 mg/g and 110 mg/g, respectively. Samples produced from coffee endocarp showed the lowest capacity. Amitriptyline adsorption was almost independent of the pH of the solution and occurred via three different mechanisms based on the dispersive and chemical interactions between amitriptyline molecules and the carbon surface.

Study of the Mechanisms Involved in the Adsorption of Amitriptyline from Aqueous Solution onto Activated Carbons

Two commercial activated carbons (DA and CB) differing in their porosity (one being microporous and the other mesoporous) and in their surface chemistries (one being acidic and the other basic in character) were modified by thermal and oxidizing treatment in order to change their surface properties. The changes induced by these processes were studied by means of ultimate analyses, nitrogen adsorption isotherms measured at −196 °C, mercury porosimetry, FT-IR spectroscopy and determination of their point of zero charge (PZC) values. Subsequently, the adsorption of amitriptyline onto both the pristine and treated carbons was studied at pH values of 3 and 7 and a temperature of 25 °C. The results obtained allowed the possible mechanisms governing the adsorption process to be analyzed in order to optimize the type of adsorbent needed to remove this particular drug from aqueous solution.

Modelling the Adsorption of p-Nitrophenol by the Boyd Method in Conjunction with the Finite Element Method

Adsorption kinetics are often studied by non-dimensional models that allow a good fitting of the experimental data. Nevertheless, their physical interpretation is very limited because the particle geometry is not considered. In this work, the adsorption kinetics of p-nitrophenol onto two commercial activated carbons with different textural and geometrical characteristics was studied. For this purpose, two types of models were used: zero-dimensional models which do not take the system geometry into account; and the Boyd model, which takes the shape of the adsorbent molecule into account. In contrast to previous published works, the Boyd model was solved by means of the finite element method using the commercial software COMSOL. This paper provides a new insight into the modelling of adsorption kinetics when non-spherical adsorbents are employed.

Towards sustainable micro-pollutants’ removal from wastewaters: caffeine solubility, self-diffusion and adsorption studies from aqueous solutions into hydrochars

ABSTRACT Hydrochars obtained via hydrothermal carbonisation of pistachio shells are both a sustainable and an efficient alternative to commercial activated carbons for the removal of micro-pollutants from wastewaters that are difficult to handle by conventional treatments. Here a combined experimental and molecular simulation approach is adopted for the study of the caffeine/hydrochars aqueous systems. This case study serves to tune a general framework for the rational customisation of surface functional groups on hydrochars for the selective adsorption of micro-pollutants from wastewaters. Caffeine’s solubility, self-diffusion and adsorption results from aqueous solutions at relevant conditions are presented. Insights about the role of surface functional groups over the caffeine adsorption mechanism into hydrochars are gained and discussed. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Homogeneous Diffusion Solid Model as a Realistic Approach to Describe Adsorption onto Materials with Different Geometries

In this work, the adsorption kinetics of p-nitrophenol (PNP) onto several commercial activated carbons (ACs) with different textural and geometrical characteristics was studied. For this aim, a homogeneous diffusion solid model (HDSM) was used, which does take the adsorbent shape into account. The HDSM was solved by means of the finite element method (FEM) using the commercial software COMSOL. The different kinetic patterns observed in the experiments carried out can be described by the developed model, which shows that the sharp drop of adsorption rate observed in some samples is caused by the formation of a concentration wave. The model allows one to visualize the changes in concentration taking place in both liquid and solid phases, which enables us to link the kinetic behaviour with the main features of the carbon samples.