Cristian Simion

Mechanochemical degradation of chlorinated contaminants in fly ash with a calcium-based degradation reagent.

This report presents our results in a low-temperature mechanochemical hydrodechlorination process applied to fly ash coming from a municipal waste incinerator in order to efficiently remove all traces of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs. We found that the most suitable degradation agent is a mixture of metallic calcium and calcium oxide. A sample of fly ash presenting a TEQ of 5200 pg g(-1) was completely detoxified (no traces of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs detected) after ball-milling at 400 rpm over night.

Highly effective degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil mediated by a Ca/Rh bicatalytic system.

Treatment of PCBs in soil using metallic calcium and alcohol ultimately reduced 1300 x 10(-3)mgkg(-1) PCB concentration to 1.8 x 10(-3)mg kg(-1). Moreover, using the metallic calcium catalyst method to promote the effective use of hydrogen gas in the presence of a specific reducing catalyst such as Rh/C, the decomposition efficiency of PCBs was notably increased despite mild reaction conditions. The total PCB concentration of treated soils decreased from 1300 x 10(-3)mg kg(-1) to 0.62 x 10(-3)mg kg(-1) (decomp. avg.=99.95%). Treatment of soils with metallic calcium and a Rh/C catalyst in alcohol under mild conditions such as 0.15-0.26 MPa at room temperature is extremely effective for degradation of existing PCBs.

Synthesis of imines, diimines and macrocyclic diimines as possible ligands, in aqueous solution

Although it is recognized that the presence of water is disadvantageous for imine synthesis, we demonstrate that such synthesis can be effective in completely aqueous media, without any catalyst and under mild conditions. Thus, aryl-aryl, aryl-alkyl, alkyl-aryl and alkyl-alkyl monoimines as well as a large variety of diimines are obtained by direct condensation of the corresponding carbonyl compounds and amines, in water. The same process is used to synthesize macrocyclic diimines starting from methylene, ethylene, trimethylene and tetramethylene glycol bis(2-formylphenyl ether) and ethylene-, trimethylene- and tetramethylene-diamine, some of these macrocycles being known for their chelating properties.

Preferential removal and immobilization of stable and radioactive cesium in contaminated fly ash with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension

In this work, the capability of nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension in removing and/or immobilizing stable ((133)Cs) and radioactive cesium species ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in contaminated fly ash was investigated. After a first methanol and second water washing yielded only 45% of (133)Cs removal. While, after a first methanol washing, the second solvent with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension yielded simultaneous enhanced removal and immobilization about 99% of (133)Cs. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the mass percent of detectable (133)Cs on the fly ash surface recorded a 100% decrease. When real radioactive cesium contaminated fly ash (containing an initial 14,040Bqkg(-1)(134)Cs and (137)Cs cumulated concentration) obtained from burning wastes from Fukushima were reduced to 3583Bqkg(-1) after treatment with nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension. Elution test conducted on the treated fly ash gave 100BqL(-1) total (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in eluted solution. Furthermore, both ash content and eluted solution concentrations of (134)Cs and (137)Cs were much lower than the Japanese Ministry of the Environment regulatory limit of 8000Bqkg(-1) and 150BqL(-1) respectively. The results of this study suggest that the nanometallic Ca/CaO methanol suspension is a highly potential amendment for the remediation of radioactive cesium-contaminated fly ash.

Selective sequential separation of ABS/HIPS and PVC from automobile and electronic waste shredder residue by hybrid nano-Fe/Ca/CaO assisted ozonisation process

The separation of plastics containing brominated flame retardants (BFR) like (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) from automobile and electronic waste shredder residue (ASR/ESR) are a major concern for thermal recycling. In laboratory scale tests using a hybrid nano-Fe/Ca/CaO assisted ozonation treatment has been found to selectively hydrophilize the surface of ABS/HIPS and PVC plastics, enhancing ABS wettability and thereby promoting its separation from ASR/ESR by means of froth flotation. The water contact angles, of ABS/HIPS and PVC decreased, about 18.7°, 18.3°, and 17.9° in ASR and about 21.2°, 20.7°, and 20.0° in ESR respectively. SEM-EDS, FT-IR, and XPS analyses demonstrated a marked decrease in [Cl] and a significant increase in the number of hydrophilic groups, such as CO, CO, and (CO)O, on the PVC or ABS surface. Under froth flotation conditions at 50rpm, about 99.1% of combined fraction of ABS/HIPS in ASR samples and 99.6% of ABS/HIPS in ESR samples were separated as settled fraction. After separation, the purity of the recovered combined ABS/HIPS fraction was 96.5% and 97.6% in ASR and ESR samples respectively. Furthermore, at 150rpm a 100% PVC separation in the settled fraction, with 98% and 99% purity in ASR and ESR plastics, respectively. Total recovery of non-ABS/HIPS and PVC plastics reached nearly 100% in the floating fraction. Further, this process improved the quality of recycled ASR/ESR plastics by removing surface contaminants or impurities.

Solvent-free synthesis and application of nano-Fe/Ca/CaO/[PO4] composite for dual separation and immobilization of stable and radioactive cesium in contaminated soils

This study assessed the synthesis and application of nano-Fe/Ca/CaO-based composite material for use as a separation and immobilizing treatment of dry soil contaminated by stable ((133)Cs) and radioactive cesium species ((134)Cs and (137)Cs). After grinding with nano-Fe/CaO, nano-Fe/Ca/CaO, and nano-Fe/Ca/CaO/[PO4], approximately 31, 25, and 22 wt% of magnetic fraction soil was separated. Their resultant (133)Cs immobilization values were about 78, 81, and 100%, respectively. When real radioactive cesium contaminated soil obtained from Fukushima was treated with nano-Fe/Ca/CaO/[PO4], approximately 27.3 wt% of magnetic and 72.75% of non-magnetic soil fractions were separated. The highest amount of entrapped (134)Cs and (137)Cs was found in the lowest weight of the magnetically separated soil fraction (i.e., 80% in 27.3% of treated soil). Results show that (134)Cs and (137)Cs either in the magnetic or non-magnetic soil fractions was 100% immobilized. The morphology and mineral phases of the nano-Fe/Ca/CaO/[PO4] treated soil were characterized using SEM-EDS, EPMA, and XRD analysis. The EPMA and XRD patterns indicate that the main fraction of enclosed/bound materials on treated soil included Ca/PO4 associated crystalline complexes. These results suggest that simple grinding treatment with nano-Fe/Ca/CaO/[PO4] under dry conditions might be an extremely efficient separation and immobilization method for radioactive cesium contaminated soil.

Highly meso-Diastereoselective Pinacol Coupling of Aromatic Aldehydes Mediated by Al Powder/Copper Sulfate in Water

Abstract Pinacol-type coupling reaction products presenting a high meso-diastereoselectivity (the ratio dl/meso was 4/96 up to 1/99) were obtained in fair to good yields (24–69%) using several aromatic aldehydes as starting materials and aluminium powder/copper sulfate as catalysts, in water, under reflux conditions.

Rapid and Convenient Thioester Synthesis Under Phase-Transfer Catalysis Conditions

Various thioesters were obtained through an efficient phase-transfer catalysis method, by treating several thiophenols with different acyl chlorides, in a biphasic system composed of 10% aqueous NaOH and dichloromethane in the presence of tetrabutylammonium chloride. The thiolation reaction was complete in only 5 minutes, at 0°C.

O-Acylation of Substituted Phenols with Various Alkanoyl Chlorides Under Phase-Transfer Catalyst Conditions

Abstract Esterification of several types of mono- and disubstituted phenols with various mono- and dialkanoyl chlorides was performed in phase-transfer catalysis conditions, using tetrabutylammonium chloride in a mixture of aqueous NaOH and dichloromethane. The process is particularly efficient (almost quantitative yields) as well as rapid (only 5 min reaction time, at a temperature of 0 °C). GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

A direct method for the decontamination of a fly ash amended wet soil, artificially polluted with dioxins

AbstractWe report hereby the first method of direct treatment of a wet soil containing toxic polychloroderivatives. Using a system with metallic Ca and 5% Rh fixed on charcoal in methanol, soil samples artificially polluted with fly ash containing polychloro-dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), polychloro-dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (co-PCBs), and having 69.2% to 84.6% moisture content, were successfully treated and decontaminated. This treatment afforded excellent hydrodechlorination yields for the 29 most toxic congeners of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs (98.3% degradation yield based on toxic equivalent quotient — or TEQ) after a 24 h treatment, at room temperature.