Guisheng Qi

Removal of heavy metal ions by magnetic chitosan nanoparticles prepared continuously via high-gravity reactive precipitation method

This study aimed to provide a continuous method for the preparation of magnetic Fe3O4/Chitosan nanoparticles (Fe3O4/CS NPs) that can be applied to efficient removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. Using a novel impinging stream-rotating packed bed, the continuous preparation of Fe3O4/CS NPs reached a theoretical production rate of 3.43kg/h. The as-prepared Fe3O4/CS NPs were quasi-spherical with average diameter of about 18nm and saturation magnetization of 33.5emu/g. Owing to the strong metal chelating ability of chitosan, the Fe3O4/CS NPs exhibited better adsorption capacity and faster adsorption rates for Pb(II) and Cd(II) than those of pure Fe3O4. The maximum adsorption capacities of Fe3O4/CS NPs for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were 79.24 and 36.42mgg-1, respectively. In addition, the Fe3O4/CS NPs shown excellent reusability after five adsorption-desorption cycles. All the above results provided a potential method for continuously preparing recyclable adsorbent with a wide prospect of application in wastewater treatment.

Behavior of activated carbons by compound modification in high gravity for toluene adsorption

The rotating packed bed is a chemical apparatus that strengthens mass transfer between phases to enhance their reactivity. It can be used to modify adsorbent materials, greatly improving their chemical properties. This article studies the effect of compound modification of activated carbons in a high-gravity environment on their toluene adsorption. The compound modification includes physical (N2) and chemical modification (HNO3), and the effect of modification is compared between traditional fixed-bed and rotating packed bed modification. The physical characteristics of the activated carbons, including pore size, specific surface area, and morphology are tested by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and scanning electron microscopy, and the surface functional groups of the activated carbons are determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Boehm titration. The results indicate that the activated carbons modified by rotating packed bed have a larger specific surface area (871.5 m2/g) and smaller pore size (0.524 nm), and the content of acidic oxygen-containing groups is 1.5 times that of unmodified activated carbons. The adsorption capacity of the activated carbons compound-modified by rotating packed bed increases by 69% compared with the unmodified activated carbons. The adsorption by the rotating packed bed-compound-modified activated carbons obeys the Freundlich model. The modification of activated carbons by rotating packed bed greatly enhances their specific surface area, pore size, and surface content of oxygen-containing functional groups, markedly improving the adsorption performance and increasing the utilization rate.