Maria Harja

Comparison of Mechanical Properties for Polymer Concrete with Different Types of Filler

Sustained research and development work on the utilization of waste (fly ash and silica fume) for various productive uses have been carried out. In the construction industry, major attention has been devoted to the use of fly ash and silica fume in concrete as addition to or as cement replacement. The utilization of a solid waste, fly ash and silica fume, in polymer concrete was reported in this paper including the effects on the compressive strength, flexural strength, and split tensile strength. The results show the influence of fly ash and silica fume content on the mechanical properties of polymer concrete with epoxy resin. The fillers improved the mechanical characteristics of polymer concrete compared to that of polymer concrete without filler: the compressive strength of polymer concrete with fly ash content was favorably influenced by the filler compound to polymer concrete with silica fume.

Low cost adsorbents obtained from ash for copper removal

We investigated the utilization of ash and modified ash as a low-cost adsorbent to remove copper ions from aqueous solutions such as wastewater. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the factors affecting adsorption of copper. The influence of pH, adsorbent dose, initial Cu2+ concentration, type of adsorbent and contact time on the adsorption capacity of Cu2+ from aqueous solution by the batch adsorption technique using ash and modified ash as a low-cost adsorbent were investigated. The optimum pH required for maximum adsorption was found to be 5. The results from the sorption process showed that the maximum adsorption rate was obtained at 300 mg/L when a different dosage of fly ash was added into the solution, and it can be concluded that decreasing the initial concentration of copper ion is beneficial to the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. With the increase of pH value, the removal rate increased. When the pH was 5, the removal rate reached the maximum of over 99%. When initial copper content was 300 mg/L and the pH value was 5, the adsorption capacity of the zeolite Z 4 sample reached 27.904 mg/g. The main removal mechanisms were assumed to be the adsorption at the surface of the fly ash together with the precipitation from the solution. The adsorption equilibrium was achieved at pH 5 between 1 and 4 hours in function of type of adsorbent. A dose of 1: 25 g/mL of adsorbent was sufficient for the optimum removal of copper ions. For all synthesized adsorbents the predominant mechanism can be described by pseudo-second order kinetics.

Using Neural Networks for Prediction of Properties of Polymer Concrete with Fly Ash

AbstractThis paper presents the results of studies conducted with neural networks on determining the properties of polymer concrete with fly ash. Polymer concrete with different contents of fly ash and resin was prepared and tested for determining the influence of fly ash on the properties. Using neural networks, the experimental results were analyzed for predicting the compressive strength and flexural strength, and also on the basis of a model with given values of properties, to ascertain the composition (content of resin, aggregate, and fly ash). Eleven sets were considered for training and four for verification. Reverse modeling proves that the largest values for compressive strength and flexural strength are obtained for a resin content of approximately 15–16%, and a fly ash content of approximately 8–9%.

Removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using low-cost sorbents obtained from ash

This study’s main objective was the development of effective low-cost sorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. The influence of different factors on the sorption capacity of ash and modified ash as low-cost sorbents obtained by different methods was investigated. The synthesis of new ash-based materials was carried out at ambient temperature (20°C), 70°C, and 90°C, respectively, in an alkaline medium with NaOH concentrations of 2 M and 5 M, respectively, corresponding to a mixture with solid/liquid ratios of 1: 3 and 1: 5, respectively. The prepared materials (sorbents) were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), X-ray diffraction, and BET surface measurement. Adsorption isotherms were determined using the batch equilibrium method. The results showed that these types of new materials displayed a good capacity to remove copper, nickel, and lead ions (29.97 mg of Cu2+ per g of sorbent, 303 mg of Ni2+ per g of sorbent, and 1111 mg of Pb2+ per g of sorbent) from aqueous solutions. The modified materials were prepared using an alkaline attack (a recognised method used in previous studies), but Romanian ash from a thermal power plant was studied for the above purpose for the first time. Hence, the factors which affect the sorption capacity of the prepared low-cost sorbents were determined and their behaviour was explained, taking into account the composition and structure of the new materials.

Acid Black 172 dye adsorption from aqueous solution by hydroxyapatite as low-cost adsorbent

The Acid Black 172 dye adsorption on the uncalcined hydroxyapatite nanopowder was investigated. The hydroxyapatite prepared by wet coprecipitation method has high specific surface area of 325 m2/g and crystal sizes smaller than 70 nm. The batch adsorption experiments revealed that under the optimum adsorption conditions (pH 3, hydroxyapatite dosage 2 g/L, initial dye concentration 400 mg/L and temperature 20 °C) the dye removal efficiency was 95.78% after 1 h of adsorption. The adsorption kinetics was best described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The intraparticle diffusion model shows that intraparticle diffusion is not the sole rate-limiting step; the mass transfer also influences the adsorption process in its initial period. The Langmuir isotherm model best represented the equilibrium experimental data, and the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) was 312.5 mg/g.

Removal of cadmium(II) from aqueous solution by adsorption onto modified algae and ash

Pollution with cadmium ions has serious negative consequences on human health and environment. Adsorption of low-cost materials represents a viable option for the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous media. In this study are comparatively discussed the adsorption behaviour of cadmium(II) on two low-cost materials, one of biologic nature (marine algae) and other of inorganic nature (ash), after their treatment with alkaline solution. The influence of contact time and initial cadmium ions concentration was studied in batch system, for each type of adsorbent. In optimum experimental conditions (solution pH of 5.0; adsorbent dose of 8 g L−1 ) and an initial cadmium concentration of 360mg L−1, the obtained uptake capacities reach to 34.15mg g−1 for the modified algae and to 43.12mg g−1 for the modified ash, respectively. The uptake data were analyzed using two isotherm models (Langmuir and Freundlich) and the models’ parameters were evaluated. The results indicate that t heLangmuir model provides the best correlation of experimental data for both adsorbents, and the maximum adsorption capacities were 41.8mg g−1 for modified algae and 48.0 mg g−1 for modified ash, respectively. The kinetics of the cadmium uptake was modelled using the pseudofirst order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion model equations. It was shown that the pseudo-second order kinetic equation could best describe the adsorption kinetics of cadmium ions, whatever the nature of adsorbent.

Kinetic and equilibrium studies on adsorption of Reactive Blue 19 dye from aqueous solutions by nanohydroxyapatite adsorbent

Abstract In the present study the adsorption of Reactive Blue 19 dye on the hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanopowders was investigated. The batch adsorption experiments were performed by monitoring the adsorbent dosage, contact time, dye solution concentration, pH and temperature. At pH 3 and 20°C, high dye removal rates of about 95.58% and 86.95% for the uncalcined and calcined nanohydroxyapatites, respectively, were obtained. The kinetic studies indicated the dye adsorption onto nanohydroxyapatite samples to follow a pseudo-second order model. The Langmuir isotherm was found to be the best to represent the equilibrium with experimental data. The maximum adsorption capacity of uncalcined and calcined nanohydroxyapatite samples has been found to be 90.09 mg/g and 74.97 mg/g, respectively.

Retention of barium and europium radionuclides from aqueous solutions on ash-based sorbents by application of radiochemical techniques.

New materials were synthesized for application in sorption of radionuclides from aqueous solutions. The elaboration was performed by conversion of power plant ash using the hydrothermal method under optimum experimental conditions. Sodalite, Na-Y, and analcime were formed from ash precursor during the treatment, exhibiting thermal stability as revealed by the characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and pore volume were determined and they presented higher values than plant ash. The ability of the new products to retain Ba and Eu radionuclides was studied in aqueous solutions using (133)Ba and (152)Eu as tracers and γ-ray spectroscopy under batch experiments. The experimental data were modeled by the Langmuir and Freundlich equations, whereas sorption kinetics measurements were performed at 293, 308, and 323K and thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The release of the sorbed ions into the environment was also tested by leaching experiments. The results of these tests indicated that the synthesized materials are very efficient in removing the aforementioned metals from aqueous solutions and can be considered as potential low-cost sorbents in nuclear waste management.

Removal of Astrazone Blue from aqueous solutions onto brown peat. Equilibrium and kinetics studies

The aim of this study is to characterize and assess the sorption potential of brown peat, in relation to colored pollutants from the textile industry wastewater. The objectives of this paper were: the physicochemical, morphological, and mineralogical characterization of brown peat, testing the adsorption capacity of natural and chemically treated peat samples for Astrazone Blue, evaluation of adsorption process from equilibrium isotherm and kinetic point of view. The characteristics of the peat samples were investigated using elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Experimental data indicated that the brown peat tested confirm a high level of adsorption (removal efficiency >93.00%, adsorption capacity reaching up to 24.27 mg/g) of Astrazone Blue from aqueous solution. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were used to find the best equation able to describe the adsorption process. Experimental adsorption data were successfully described by the Langmuir equilibrium isotherm model. This fact is supported by the agreement between the q values obtained using the Langmuir equation (26.32 mg/g), and the ones obtained experimentally (24.27 mg/g). The kinetic studies showed that the pseudo-second-order model described Astrazone Blue sorption kinetics, as confirmed by the high values of R2, which are over 0.99 for the whole investigated concentration range (200 to 800 mg/L). The use of brown peat adsorbent is more advantageous compared with other materials since it does not require a preliminary treatment, is low-cost and is an eco-friendly adsorbent. Hence, this peat appears to be a viable material for the decontamination of effluents containing dyes.

Studies on adsorption of oxytetracycline from aqueous solutions onto hydroxyapatite

The presence of antibiotics in the water and wastewater has raised problems due to potential impacts on the environment and consequently their removal is of great importance. For this reason, this article aims to perform a study on the possibility of oxytetracycline (OTC) adsorption from aqueous medium by using the hydroxyapatite (HA) nanopowders as adsorbent materials. The hydroxyapatite nanopowders were synthesized by wet precipitation method by using orthophosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide as raw materials and investigated by XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR and BET methods. The uncalcined and calcined hydroxyapatite samples have hexagonal crystal structure with crystal sizes smaller than 100nm and a specific surface area of 316m2/g and 139m2/g, respectively. The adsorption behavior of oxytetracycline, a zwitterionic antibiotic, on nanohydroxyapatite was investigated as a function of pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and drug concentration by means of batch adsorption experiments. High oxytetracycline removal rates of about 97.58% and 89.95% for the uncalcined and calcined nanohydroxyapatites, respectively, were obtained at pH8 and ambient temperature. The adsorption process of oxytetracycline onto nanohydroxyapatite samples was found to follow a pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models. The maximum adsorption capacities of 291.32mg/g and 278.27mg/g for uncalcined and calcined nanohydroxyapatite samples, respectively, have been found. The adsorption mechanism of OTC on the hydroxyapatite surface at pH8 can be established via surface complexation. The obtained results are indicative of good hydroxyapatite adsorption ability towards oxytetracycline drug.