Efficient treatment of veterinary pharmaceutical industrial wastewater by catalytic ozonation process: degradation of enrofloxacin via molecular ozone reactions.

The study focused on the efficacious performance of bimetallic Fe-Zn loaded 3A zeolite in catalytic ozonation for the degradation of highly toxic veterinary antibiotic enrofloxacin in wastewater of the pharmaceutical industry. Batch experiments were conducted in a glass reactor containing a submerged pump holding catalyst pellets at suction. The submerged pump provided the agitation and recirculation across the solution for effective contact with the catalyst. The effect of ozone flow (0.8-1.55 mg/min) and catalyst dose (5-15 g/L) on the enrofloxacin degradation and removal of other conventional pollutants COD, BOD5, turbidity was studied. In batch experiments, 10 g of Fe-Zn 3A zeolite efficiently removed 92% of enrofloxacin, 77% of COD, 69% BOD5, and 61% turbidity in 1 L sample of pharmaceutical wastewater in 30 min at 1.1 mg/min of O3 flow. The catalytic performance of Fe-Zn 3A zeolite notably exceeded the removal efficiencies of 52%, 51%, 52%, and 59% for enrofloxacin, COD, BOD5, and turbidity, respectively, achieved with single ozonation process. Furthermore, an increase in the biodegradability of treated pharmaceutical industrial wastewater was observed and made biodegradable easily for subsequent treatment.

Synergistic effect of plasma power and temperature on the cracking of toluene in the N2 based product gas.

In this research, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor is used to study the cracking of the toluene into C1-C6 hydrocarbons. The combined effect of parameters such as temperature (20-400 °C) and plasma power (10-40 W) was investigated to evaluate the DBD reactor performance. The main gaseous products from the decomposition of toluene include lower hydrocarbon (C1-C6). The cracking of toluene increases with power at all temperatures (20-400 °C). On the otherhand, it decreases from 92.8 to 73.1% at 10 W, 97.2 to 80.5% at 20, 97.5 to 86.5% at 30 W, and 98.4 to 93.7% at 40 W with raising the temperature from 20 to 400 °C. Nonetheless, as the temperature and plasma input power increase, the methane yield increases. At 40 W, the maximum methane yield was 5.1%. At 10 and 20 W, the selectivity to C2 increases as the temperature rises up to 400 °C. At 30 and 40 W, it began to drop after 300 °C due to the formation of methane and the yield of methane increases significantly beyond this temperature.

A Comprehensive Review on Zeolite Chemistry for Catalytic Conversion of Biomass/Waste into Green Fuels.

Numerous attempts have been made to produce new materials and technology for renewable energy and environmental improvements in response to global sustainable solutions stemming from fast industrial expansion and population growth. Zeolites are a group of crystalline materials having molecularly ordered micropore arrangements. Over the past few years, progress in zeolites has been observed in transforming biomass and waste into fuels. To ensure effective transition of fossil energy carriers into chemicals and fuels, zeolite catalysts play a key role; however, their function in biomass usage is more obscure. Herein, the effectiveness of zeolites has been discussed in the context of biomass transformation into valuable products. Established zeolites emphasise conversion of lignocellulosic materials into green fuels. Lewis acidic zeolites employ transition of carbohydrates into significant chemical production. Zeolites utilise several procedures, such as catalytic pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, and hydro-pyrolysis, to convert biomass and lignocelluloses. Zeolites exhibit distinctive features and encounter significant obstacles, such as mesoporosity, pore interconnectivity, and stability of zeolites in the liquid phase. In order to complete these transformations successfully, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the chemistry of zeolites. Hence, further examination of the technical difficulties associated with catalytic transformation in zeolites will be required. This review article highlights the reaction pathways for biomass conversion using zeolites, their challenges, and their potential utilisation. Future recommendations for zeolite-based biomass conversion are also presented.

Application of poly aluminum chloride and alum as catalyst in catalytic ozonation process after coagulation for the treatment of textile wastewater.

Textile wastewater is ranked highly contaminated among all industrial waste. During textile processing, the consumption of dyes and complex chemicals at various stages makes textile industrial wastewater highly challenging. Therefore, conventional processes based on single-unit treatment may not be sufficient to comply with the environmental quality discharge standards and more stringent guidelines for zero discharge of hazardous chemicals (ZDHC). In this study, a novel approach was followed by recycling Poly aluminum chloride (PACl) and Alum as a catalyst for the first time in the catalytic ozonation treatment process leading to a nascent method after using them as a coagulant in Coagulation/Flocculation. In the current investigation, six different combinations were studied to remove turbidity, TSS, COD, BOD5, color, and biodegradability (BOD5/COD ratios) of wastewater. Moreover, Central Composite Design was implied using RSM in Minitab software. During the combination of treatment processes, it was found that the pre-coagulation/flocculation with coagulant PACl followed by post-catalytic ozonation with recycled PACl, a more effective treatment than others. The optimum R.E of turbidity, TSS, COD, and color were 84%, 86%, 89%, and 98%, respectively. Moreover, a decrease in toxicity and increase in biodegradability (BOD5/COD ratio from 0.29 to 0.54) was observed as well. The electrical energy demand and operational costs of treatment processes were estimated and compared with other treatment processes.

Application of Fe-RGO for the removal of dyes by catalytic ozonation process.

Due to continuous industrialization, the discharge of hazardous dyes has enormously disrupted the ecosystem causing environmental problems. Due to the stable recalcitrant nature of dyes, advanced catalytic ozonation processes with the latest catalyst are under investigation. Fe-RGO is an effective oxidation catalyst, and the metal loaded platform provides enhanced catalytic performance. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Fe-RGO/O3 process for the removal of dyes. In the current research, the application of iron-coated reduced graphene oxide (Fe-RGO) was studied as a catalyst in the heterogeneous catalytic ozonation process to remove dyes. Methylene blue (MB) was selected as a model pollutant. RGO was prepared using the improved Hummers method and was coated with iron (Fe) implying the impregnation method. The FTIR, SEM-EDX, XRD, and BET analyses of RG and Fe-RGO were performed to characterize the catalyst. The effect of various parameters such as pH (3-10), catalyst dose (0.01-0.04 g), and radical scavengers (NaHCO3, NaCl) on removal efficiency was elucidated. The result revealed an excellent catalytic efficiency of Fe-RGO in the ozonation process. At optimum conditions, 96% removal efficiency was achieved in catalytic ozonation at pH 7 with a catalyst dose of 0.02 g and ozone dose 0.5 mg/min, after 10 min. Interestingly, a slight decrease in removal efficiency was observed in the catalytic ozonation process in hydroxyl radical scavengers (NaCl and NaHCO3), which makes the proposed catalyst more applicable in real conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that Fe-RGO can be used as an excellent catalyst for the removal of dyes in real conditions where radical scavengers may be present in a significant amount.

Food insufficiency and Twitter emotions during a pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic initially caused worldwide concerns about food insecurity. Tweets analyzed in real-time may help food assistance providers target food supplies to where they are most urgently needed. In this exploratory study, we use natural language processing to extract sentiments and emotions expressed in food security-related tweets early in the pandemic in U.S. states. The emotion joy dominated in these tweets nationally, but only anger, disgust, and fear were also statistically correlated with contemporaneous food insufficiency rates reported in the Household Pulse Survey; more nuanced and statistically stronger correlations are detected within states, including a negative correlation with joy.

Enhancing biohydrogen production from lignocellulosic biomass of Paulownia waste by charge facilitation in Zn doped SnO2 nanocatalysts.

The goal of this research was to study the role of excess charges in regulating biohydrogen production from Paulownia. The excess charges were generated through charge compensation in SnO2 nanocatalysts by Zn doping. The maximum hydrogen yield of 335 mL was observed at 8%Zn doping with a concentration of 150 mg/L, 47% higher as compared to standard sample. It was observed that the hydrogen production rate increased with Zn doping and the highest value (77 mL/h) was observed for 8%Zn at 24 h. The decrease in the total amount of byproducts (2.52 g/L from 4.28 g/L) at 8% Zn indicates an increase in bacterial metabolism. The lowest value of oxidation-reduction potential (-525 mV) at 24 h for 8%Zn confirms that Zn doping provides excessive electrons to the fermentative medium which helps the bacteria to transfer electrons faster during the redox reaction, hence, enhancing the enzymatic process and eventually hydrogen production.

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using polyaniline-based silver-doped zinc sulfide (PANI-Ag/ZnS) composites.

This study set out to determine the photocatalytic degradation potential of polyaniline-based silver-doped zinc sulfide composite (PANI-Ag/ZnS) for effective degradation of methylene blue. The heterogeneous photocatalytic experiments were carried out by irradiating aqueous dye solutions with ultraviolet light (UV-254 nm). The catalysts (ZnS, Ag/ZnS, PANI-ZnS, and PANI-Ag/ZnS) were prepared successfully and characterized by Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDX). Combined with density functional theory calculations, a set of calculations has been performed for optimization, computation, and accuracy of the structure. After the optimization, the equilibrium lattice were a=b= (0.54447 nm), in good agreement with experimental results (a=b=c=0.54093 nm). Fermi energy levels Ef, indicating Ag-doped in ZnS as the impurity acceptor and for better visible-light photo-catalysis, narrow bandgap, and acceptor states are beneficial. The optimization of effective parameters like pH, catalyst dose, oxidant dose, dye concentration, and reaction time was carried out. The best degradation efficiency (> 95%) of PANI-Ag/ZnS composite against methylene was achieved within 60 min of reaction time under optimized conditions. The optimized conditions were recoded as follows: pH = 7, catalysts dose = 30 mg/L, oxidant dose = 3 mM, and irradiation time = 60 min under UV-254 nm for all catalysts. The central composite design (CCD) under the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was chosen as a statistical tool to obtain the correlation of influential parameters. Five successive reusability trials were carried out to check the stability of catalysts.

Consumer choice of health facility among the lowest socioeconomic group in newly established demand-side health-financing scheme in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The Social Health Protection Initiative (SHPI) was introduced initially in Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The initiative aimed to provide the lowest socioeconomic group of the population with in-patient healthcare services, which otherwise would be financially hard to obtain. It is one of the flagship projects of the Provincial Government to contribute towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage. AIMS: To assess consumer choice of health facility and its determinants for public versus private sector health facilities by people enrolled in SHPI. METHODS: We used secondary data of availed health services from February 2016 to September 2017 under SHPI. A proxy outcome variable, visit to health facility, was used to determine consumer choice between public and private sector health facilities. The treatment group (health services received by beneficiaries) was used as an independent variable controlled for age groups, cost groups, and geographic location of health facilities. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Most beneficiaries chose private over public health facilities (90.25%). The adjusted odds of visiting a public sector health facility for surgical and obstetrics/gynaecological services were 0.12 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10-0.16] and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.09-0.14) respectively, when compared to medical services. CONCLUSION: SHPI beneficiaries have lesser odds of visiting a public hospital over a private one. The choice may be affected by factors such as age of the beneficiary, cost of health services, and geographic location of health facilities.

Subcritical and supercritical water oxidation for dye decomposition.

The total annual output of synthetic dyes exceeds 7 × 105 tons. About 1,000 tons of non-biodegradable synthetic dyes are released every year into the natural streams and water sources from textile wastes. The release of these colored wastewater exerts negative impact on aquatic ecology and human beings because of the poisonous and carcinogenic repercussions of dyes involved in coloration production. Therefore, with a growing interest in the environment, efficient technologies need to be developed to eliminate dyes from local and industrial wastewater. Supercritical water oxidation as a promising wastewater treatment technology has many advantages, such as a rapid reaction and pollution-free products. However, due to corrosion, salt precipitation and operational problems, supercritical water oxidation process did not gain expected industrial development. These technical difficulties can be overcome by application of non-corrosive subcritical water as a reaction medium. This work summarizes the negative impacts of dyes and role of subcritical and supercritical water and their efficiencies in dye oxidation processes.

Hand washing behavior change effect of community-based hygiene and sanitation intervention in low resource setting.

BACKGROUND: Lack of hygiene and sanitation causes significant disease, disability and death. Majority of diarrheal diseases are related to hygiene and drinking water. Hand washing with soap after toilet use and before eating reduces these risks significantly. METHODS: This report is based on a behavior change project in the rural community setting (union council Nahqi), Peshawar, Pakistan aimed to improve hygiene- and sanitation-related behavior. A pre-intervention survey was conducted at household level (n = 958), followed by a structured behavior change communication program with motivational and educational material and key health messages for three months. Lastly, an end-line survey was conducted measuring change in practice domains. RESULTS: All the domains of hygiene and sanitation showed statistically significant improvement (11-59% P < 0.001), including handwashing before meals (28.2%), before cooking (54.1%), before child feeding (21.2%), after defecation (30.6%); tooth brushing twice daily (7.3%); nail clipping at least weekly (16.3%); bathing daily (11.3%); change of clothing twice weekly (24.7%); covering the water containers (59.3%) and house orderliness (30.6%). CONCLUSION: The findings conclude that a behavior change communication program that is in accord with community needs, level of their understanding, beliefs and sociocultural norms is well received for positive behavior change.

Efficient Cr(vi) photoreduction under natural solar irradiation using a novel step-scheme ZnS/SnIn4S8 nanoheterostructured photocatalysts.

Removal of heavy metal pollutants from water is a challenge to water security and the environment. Therefore, in this work, multinary chalcogenide based nanoheterostructures such as ZnS/SnIn4S8 nanoheterostructure with different loading amounts were prepared. The prepared nanoheterostructures were utilized as photocatalysts for chromium (Cr(vi)) photoreduction. The prepared nanoheterostructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and BET measurements. The absorption spectra of the prepared nanoheterostructures revealed that they are widely absorbed in the visible range with bandgap values 2.4-3.5 eV. The photocatalytic activities of prepared nanoheterostructures were studied toward the photoreduction of heavy metal, chromium (Cr(vi)), under irradiation of natural solar light. The ZnS/SnIn4S8 (with ZnS molar ratio 20%) nanoheterostructures results showed a high photocatalytic activity (92.3%) after 120 min which could be attributed to its enhanced charge carrier separation with respect to the bare ZnS and SnIn4S8 NPs. Also, the optoelectronic, valence-band XPS and electrochemical properties of the investigated photocatalysts were studied and the results revealed that the photocatalysts behave the step-scheme mechanism. The recyclability tests revealed a beneficial role of the surface charge in efficient regeneration of the photocatalysts for repeated use.

Treatment of leachate through constructed wetlands using Typha angustifolia in combination with catalytic ozonation on Fe-zeolite A.

Leachate control and management is a major challenge faced during solid waste management as it may pollute surface and groundwaters. In the current research, constructed wetlands (CWs) vegetated with Typha angustifolia plant in combination with catalytic ozonation by ferrous (Fe)-coated zeolite A was studied for the treatment of leachate. The CWs treatment with 9 days detention reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) up to 75.81% and 69.84%, respectively. Moreover, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) removal of 91.16%, 33.33%, and 25.22% were achieved, respectively. The Fe-coated zeolite A catalytic ozonation further reduced the COD up to 90.7%. Comparison of the processes showed the effective performance of the combined process (CW/O3/Fe-zeolite) with 97.76% COD reduction of leachate. It is, therefore, concluded that the studied combined process (CW/O3/Fe-zeolite A) was more efficient as compared with single ozonation and CW alone, hence it can be implied for the leachate treatment in real conditions.

UV-Accelerated Photocatalytic Degradation of Pesticide over Magnetite and Cobalt Ferrite Decorated Graphene Oxide Composite.

Pesticides are one of the main organic pollutants as they are highly toxic and extensively used worldwide. The reclamation of wastewater containing pesticides is of utmost importance. For this purpose, GO-doped metal ferrites (GO-Fe3O4 and GO-CoFe2O4) were prepared and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques. Photocatalytic potentials of catalysts were investigated against acetamiprid's degradation. A detailed review of the parametric study revealed that efficiency of overall Fenton's process relies on the combined effects of contributing factors, i.e., pH, initial oxidant concentration, catalyst dose, contact time, and acetamiprid load. ~97 and ~90% degradation of the acetamiprid was achieved by GO-CoFe2O4 and GO-Fe3O4, respectively during the first hour under UV radiations at optimized reaction conditions. At optimized conditions (i.e., pH:3, [H2O2]: 14.5 mM (for Fe3O4, GO-Fe3O4, and GO-CoFe2O4) and 21.75 mM (for CoFe2O4), catalysts: 100 mgL-1, time: 60min) the catalysts exhibited excellent performance, with high degradation rate, magnetic power, easy recovery at the end, and efficient reusability (up to 5 cycles without any considerable loss in catalytic activity). A high magnetic character offers its easy separation from aqueous systems using an external magnet. Moreover, the combined effects of experimental variables were assessed simultaneously and justified using response surface methodology (RSM).

Enhanced High-Temperature (600 °C) NO2 Response of ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticle-Based Exhaust Gas Sensors.

Fabrication of gas sensors to monitor toxic exhaust gases at high working temperatures is a challenging task due to the low sensitivity and narrow long-term stability of the devices under harsh conditions. Herein, the fabrication of a chemiresistor-type gas sensor is reported for the detection of NO2 gas at 600 °C. The sensing element consists of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles prepared via a high-energy ball milling and annealed at different temperatures (600-1000 °C). The effects of annealing temperature on the crystal structure, morphology, and gas sensing properties of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles are studied. A mixed spinel structure of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles with a lattice parameter of 8.445 Å is revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystallite size and X-ray density of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles increase with the annealing temperature, whereas the lattice parameter and volume are considerably reduced indicating lattice distortion and defects such as oxygen vacancies. ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles annealed at 1000 °C exhibit the highest sensitivity (0.13% ppm-1), sharp response (τres = 195 s), recovery (τrec = 17 s), and linear response to 100-400 ppm NO2 gas. The annealing temperature and oxygen vacancies play a major role in determining the sensitivity of devices. The plausible sensing mechanism is discussed. ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles show great potential for high-temperature exhaust gas sensing applications.

Assessment of birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women attending the Obs/Gynae wards in two teaching hospitals in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of pregnant women receiving antenatal care at the study sites about birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) and their knowledge about warning signs during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to April 2019 in two teaching hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. Pregnant women aged 15-49 years were recruited after consent. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS: Among 170 enrollees, 72.4% had not heard about BPCR. Transportation arrangements were done by 4.7%, blood donor arrangements by 10%, saving for emergency by 22.4%, and 42.4% identified a skilled provider. Prior selection of a health facility for delivery were done by 65.9%, and 71.8% received four or more antenatal visits. Vaginal bleeding (68%), placenta not delivered within 30 minutes of delivery (62.9%), and vaginal bleeding ( 51.8%) were reported as warning signs during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum, respectively. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of BPCR and warning signs during all three phases of pregnancy was low. The increased antenatal visits are an opportunity to educate the mothers about BPCR and warning signs.

Dengue Outbreak Response and Control in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: A Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Since 2008, dengue fever outbreaks had occurred repeatedly in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan. Most importantly the outbreak of 2017 caused 70 deaths, about 121,083 suspected and 24,938 confirmed cases in 23 districts of KP. In 2018, an abrupt decline in suspected and confirmed dengue cases was observed and 2018 was declared as dengue outbreak free. This study characterizes and explores the control and response measure activities of the outbreak. In addition, we explored the challenges faced and lessons learned for control of future dengue outbreaks from the perspectives of health authorities and dengue response staff in the KP province of Pakistan. METHODS: This was a mixed methods study with quantitative data on dengue outbreaks obtained from health department in KP followed by qualitative study to explore activities and responses that enabled the Dengue Response Unit (DRU) for a successful dengue outbreak control in 2018. In-depth interviews were conducted with the key informants from the department of health and the dengue response unit. RESULTS: The quantitative data analysis revealed a huge decline of suspected and confirmed dengue cases in comparison with the previous year in most of the KP districts. A similar decline in dengue reported cases was also observed from previously high dengue burden 14 union counsels of Peshawar district. Among the 70 verified deaths in 2017, 44 (63%) were males and 26 (37%) were females. The cases were about 20% each from age groups of 21-30, 41-50, and 51-60 years. The qualitative study findings showed four prominent major themes for successful control: (1) control and response strategy; (2) organizing specific dengue control and response intervention activities; (3) addressing dengue control and response challenges; and (4) generating lesson for future dengue control and response.

Catalytic Oxidation Process for the Degradation of Synthetic Dyes: An Overview.

Dyes are used in various industries as coloring agents. The discharge of dyes, specifically synthetic dyes, in wastewater represents a serious environmental problem and causes public health concerns. The implementation of regulations for wastewater discharge has forced research towards either the development of new processes or the improvement of available techniques to attain efficient degradation of dyes. Catalytic oxidation is one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), based on the active radicals produced during the reaction in the presence of a catalyst. This paper reviews the problems of dyes and hydroxyl radical-based oxidation processes, including Fenton's process, non-iron metal catalysts, and the application of thin metal catalyst-coated tubular reactors in detail. In addition, the sulfate radical-based catalytic oxidation technique has also been described. This study also includes the effects of various operating parameters such as pH, temperature, the concentration of the oxidant, the initial concentration of dyes, and reaction time on the catalytic decomposition of dyes. Moreover, this paper analyzes the recent studies on catalytic oxidation processes. From the present study, it can be concluded that catalytic oxidation processes are very active and environmentally friendly methods for dye removal.

Informed consent practice for obstetric and gynaecologic procedures: A patients' perspective from a developing country.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the surgical informed consent (SIC) practices for obstetric and gynaecological (OB-GYN) procedures at different hospitals in Pakistan. METHODS: Study was conducted in five hospitals (three public and two private) of Peshawar, Pakistan. A pretested structured tablet-based questionnaire was administered from October 2016 through January 2017 among post-op OB-GYN patients. RESULTS: About 27% of the patients (significantly more in private hospitals, P = 0.001) did not remember a formal consent administration. Most patients (80%) felt they had no choice about signing the consent. About 65% (mostly in public as compared with private hospitals) mentioned that they would have signed it regardless of the specifics in it (P < 0.001). Patients had increased odds to recall consent if they felt empowered, odds ratio (OR) = 4.5; had an opportunity to ask questions, OR = 7.2; wanted more explanation, OR = 2.8; and had consent administered in their mother tongue, OR = 6.9. DISCUSSION: Patients' recall of key elements of consent was low. The time spent with the patient for consenting was much shorter than recommended. The printed consent forms were mostly not available in patients' mother tongue. CONCLUSIONS: Consent practice for OB-GYN procedures was suboptimal in studied hospitals. Patients' attitude toward informed consent practices largely reflected providers' focus on obtaining a legally valid signed consent as opposed to administering a consent that empowers patients to make an informed decision in the absence of any external pressure.