Lucy Mar Camacho

Uranium removal from groundwater by natural clinoptilolite zeolite: effects of pH and initial feed concentration.

Adsorption of uranium (VI) on a natural clinoptilolite zeolite from Sweetwater County, Wyoming was investigated. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH and initial feed concentrations on uranium removal efficiency. It was found that the clinoptilolite can neutralize both acidic and low basic water solutions through its alkalinity and ion-exchange reactions with U within the solution, and adsorption of uranium (VI) species on clinoptilolite not only depends on the pH but also the initial feed concentration. The highest uranium removal efficiency (95.6%) was obtained at initial uranium concentration of 5mg/L and pH 6.0. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm model correlates well with the uranium adsorption equilibrium data for the concentration range of 0.1-500 mg/L. From the experimental data obtained in this work, it was found that the zeolite sample investigated in this work is a mixture of clinoptilolite-Na zeolite and mineral impurities with a relatively large specific surface area (BET of 18 m(2)/g) and promising adsorption properties for uranium removal from contaminated water.

Occurrence and treatment of arsenic in groundwater and soil in northern Mexico and southwestern USA

This review focuses on the occurrence and treatment of arsenic (As) in the arid region of northern Mexico (states of Chihuahua and Coahuila) and bordering states of the southwestern US (New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas), an area known for having high As concentrations. Information assembled and assessed includes the content and probable source of As in water, soil, and sediments and treatment methods that have been applied in the area. High As concentrations were found mainly in groundwater, their source being mostly from natural origin related to volcanic processes with significant anthropogenic contributions near mining and smelting of ores containing arsenic. The affinity of As for solid phases in alkaline conditions common to arid areas precludes it from being present in surface waters, accumulating instead in sediments and shifting its threat to its potential remobilization in reservoir sediments and irrigation waterways. Factors such as oxidation and pH that affect the mobility of As in the subsurface environment are mentioned. Independent of socio-demographic variables, nutritional status, and levels of blood lead, cognitive development in children is being affected when exposed to As. Treatments known to effectively reduce As content to safe drinking water levels as well as those that are capable of reducing As content in soils are discussed. Besides conventional methods, emergent technologies, such as phytoremediation, offer a viable solution to As contamination in drinking water.

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of fluoride on sol-gel-derived activated alumina adsorbents.

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of fluoride on a sol-gel-derived activated alumina and its modifications with calcium oxide or manganese oxide were studied to explore the feasibility of applying these adsorbents for fluoride removal from drinking water. The activated alumina adsorbents were characterized with SEM/EDS and N(2)-adsorption for their chemical and pore textural properties. The adsorption isotherms were correlated with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption equations. The fluoride adsorption isotherms on the sol-gel-derived activated alumina followed the Freundlich model while the fluoride adsorption isotherms on the calcium oxide- or manganese oxide-modified activated alumina adsorbents followed the Langmuir model. The calcium oxide-modified alumina adsorbent showed the highest fluoride adsorption capacities of 0.99 and 96.23mg/g at fluoride concentrations of 0.99 and 432mg/L, respectively. A pseudo-second-order model and an intraparticle kinetic model fitted well the adsorption kinetic data. It was found that both external and intraparticle diffusions contribute to the rate of removal of fluoride from the activated alumina-based adsorbents produced in our laboratory. The adsorption kinetic models evaluated in this work fitted well the adsorption uptake of fluoride from a Mexican groundwater on both calcium oxide- and manganese oxide-modified alumina adsorbents.

Arsenic removal from groundwater by MnO2-modified natural clinoptilolite zeolite: effects of pH and initial feed concentration.

Adsorption of arsenic (As(5+)) on natural and MnO(2)-modified clinoptilolite-Ca zeolite adsorbents was investigated to explore the feasibility of removing arsenic from groundwater using natural zeolite adsorbents. The natural and MnO(2)-modified clinoptilolite-Ca zeolite adsorbents were characterized with nitrogen adsorption at 77K for pore textural properties, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence for morphology, elemental composition and distribution. Batch adsorption equilibrium experiments were conducted to study the effects of pH and initial feed concentration on arsenic removal efficiency. It was found that the amphoteric properties and arsenic removal efficiency of the natural clinoptilolite-Ca zeolite were significantly improved after modification with MnO(2). The MnO(2)-modified zeolite could effectively remove arsenic from water at a wide pH range, and the arsenic removal efficiency that is basically independent of the pH of feed solutions varies slightly with the initial arsenic concentration in the feed solutions. The removal efficiency obtained on the modified zeolite was doubled as compared to that obtained on the unmodified zeolite. The MnO(2)-modified clinoptilolite-Ca zeolite appears to be a promising adsorbent for removing trace arsenic amounts from water.

Potable water recovery from As, U, and F contaminated ground waters by direct contact membrane distillation process.

In this study, the feasibility of the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process to recover arsenic, uranium and fluoride contaminated saline ground waters was investigated. Two types of membranes (polypropylene, PP; and polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) were tested to compare the permeate production rates and contaminant removal efficiencies. Several experiments were conducted to study the effect of salts, arsenic, fluoride and uranium concentrations (synthetic brackish water with salts: 1000-10,000 ppm; arsenic and uranium: 10-400 ppb; fluoride: 1-30 ppm) on the desalination efficiency. The effect of process variables such as feed flow rate, feed temperature and pore size was studied. The experimental results proved that the DCMD process is able to achieve over 99% rejection of the salts, arsenic, fluoride and uranium contaminants and produced a high quality permeate suitable for many beneficial uses. The ability to utilize the low grade heat sources makes the DCMD process a viable option to recover potable water from a variety of impaired ground waters.

Abandoned PbZn mining wastes and their mobility as proxy to toxicity: A review.

Lead and zinc (PbZn) mines are a common occurrence worldwide; and while approximately 240 mines are active, the vast majority have been abandoned for decades. Abandoned mining wastes represent a serious environmental hazard, as Pb, Zn and associated metals are continuously released into the environment, threatening the health of humans and affecting ecosystems. Iron sulfide minerals, when present, can form acid mine drainage and increase the toxicity by mobilizing the metals into more bioavailable forms. Remediation of the metal waste is costly and, in the case of abandoned wastes, the responsible party(ies) for the cleanup can be difficult to determine, which makes remediation a complex and lengthy process. In this review, we provide a common ground from a wide variety of investigations about concentrations, chemical associations, and potential mobility of Pb, Zn and cadmium (Cd) near abandoned PbZn mines. Comparing mobility results is a challenging task, as instead of one standard methodology, there are 4-5 different methods reported. Results show that, as a general consensus, the metal content of soils and sediments vary roughly around 1000mg/kg for Zn, 100 for Pb and 10 for Cd, and mobilities of Cd>Zn>Pb. Also, mobility is a function of pH, particle size, and formation of secondary minerals. New and novel remediation techniques continue to be developed in laboratories but have seldom been applied to the field. Remediation at most of the sites has consisted of neutralization (e.g. lime,) for acid mine discharge, and leveling followed by phytostabilization. In the latter, amendments (e.g. biochar, fertilizers) are added to boost the efficiency of the treatment. Any remediation method has to be tested before being implemented as the best treatment is site-specific. Potential treatments are described and compared.

Membrane Distillation for Desalination and Other Separations

Membrane distillation is an emerging membrane technology used for desalination of seawater or brackish water, solution concentration, recovery of volatile compounds from aqueous solutions and other separation and purification processes. Membrane distillation differs from other membrane technologies in that the driving force for separation is the difference in vapor pressure of volatile compound across the membrane, rather than total pressure. The main advantage of membrane distillation over the conventional thermal distillation is that membrane distillation could occur at a much lower temperature than the conventional thermal distillation. The membranes used in membrane distillation are hydrophobic, which allow water vapor to pass through but not liquid solution. The vapor pressure gradient is created by heating the feed solution and cooling/purging the condensate in the permeate side. Therefore, membrane distillation enables separation to occur below the normal boiling point of the feed solution and could utilize low-grade heat from alternative energy sources. The objective of this review is to cover the basic principles and configurations of membrane distillation process, membrane physical characteristics, heat and mass transfer characteristics, and the effect of operating conditions. Also, major applications of this new technology in desalination, food industry and environmental protection, and latest patent developments and future trend in membrane distillation are presented.

The Adsorption Properties of Bacillus atrophaeus Spore on Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

An equilibrium study of Bacillus atrophaeus (B.a) spores on functionalized Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) has been performed in order to characterize the adsorption properties of the spores/nanotubes complex. The carbon nanotubes here investigated were subjected to a two-step purification and functionalization treatment in order to introduce chemical groups on their basal planes. The inclusion of carboxyl functional groups on the nanotubes was corroborated by Raman and infrared spectroscopy. These carboxyl groups appear to enhance the nanotube-B.a. interaction by reacting with the proteinaceous pili appendages present on the spore surface. The adsorption data demonstrate that bacillus spores diffuse faster on functionalized carbon nanotubes than on as-received and purified nanomaterials. Transmission Electron Microscopy also shows that the chemically treated nanotubes resulted in a swollen nano-network which seems to further enhance the bacillus adsorption due to a more extensive spore-nanotube contact area.

Evaluation of Novel Modified Activated Alumina as Adsorbent for Arsenic Removal

In this research work, the feasibility of using novel activated alumina (AA) and modified AA adsorbents for arsenic (As) removal from drinking water was evaluated. A sol-gel derived activated alumina adsorbent was prepared. Equilibrium adsorption studies were conducted to evaluate the As removal efficiency of synthesized and modified adsorbents. Results on As adsorption using Solgel AA and modified Solgel AA adsorbents demonstrated that ZnO nanoparticle-modified AA (Nanogel AA) provided better adsorption performance. The high As adsorption capacity of Nanogel AA is attributed to the enhanced pore textural and surface properties as well as to the pH independency of the adsorbent. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm fitted well with the adsorption of arsenic over modified AA.