Carbon and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites for oil-spill remediation-a comprehensive review.

Oil spills are a major contributor to water contamination, which sets off a significant impact on the environment, biodiversity, and economy. Efficient removal of oil spills is needed for the protection of marine species as well as the environment. Conventional approaches are not efficient enough for oil-water separation; therefore, effective strategies and efficient removal techniques (and materials) must be developed to restore the contaminated marine to its normal ecology. Several research studies have shown that nanotechnology provides efficient features to clean up these oil spills from the water using magnetic nanomaterials, particularly carbon/polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites. Surface modification of these nanomaterials via different techniques render them with salient innovative features. The present review discusses the advantages and limitations of conventional and advanced techniques for the oil spills removal from wastewater. Furthermore, the synthesis of magnetic nanocomposites, their utilization in oil-water separation, and adsorption mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the advancement and future perspectives of magnetic nanocomposites (particularly of carbon and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites) in environmental remediation are presented.

A comprehensive review on magnetic carbon nanotubes and carbon nanotube-based buckypaper for removal of heavy metals and dyes.

Industrial effluents contain several organic and inorganic contaminants. Among others, dyes and heavy metals introduce a serious threat to drinking waterbodies. These pollutants can be noxious or carcinogenic in nature, and harmful to humans and different aquatic species. Therefore, it is of high importance to remove heavy metals and dyes to reduce their environmental toxicity. This has led to an extensive research for the development of novel materials and techniques for the removal of heavy metals and dyes. One route to the removal of these pollutants is the utilization of magnetic carbon nanotubes (CNT) as adsorbents. Magnetic carbon nanotubes hold remarkable properties such as surface-volume ratio, higher surface area, convenient separation methods, etc. The suitable characteristics of magnetic carbon nanotubes have led them to an extensive search for their utilization in water purification. Along with magnetic carbon nanotubes, the buckypaper (BP) membranes are also favorable due to their unique strength, high porosity, and adsorption capability. However, BP membranes are mostly used for salt removal from the aqueous phase and limited literature shows their applications for removal of heavy metals and dyes. This study focuses on the existence of heavy metal ions and dyes in the aquatic environment, and methods for their removal. Various fabrication approaches for the development of magnetic-CNTs and CNT-based BP membranes are also discussed. With the remarkable separation performance and ultra-high-water flux, magnetic-CNTs, and CNT-based BP membranes have a great potential to be the leading technologies for water treatment in future.

Magnetic nanocomposites for sustainable water purification-a comprehensive review.

Numerous contaminants in huge amounts are discharged to the environment from various anthropogenic activities. Waterbodies are one of the major receivers of these contaminants. The contaminated water can pose serious threats to humans and animals, by distrubing the ecosystem. In treating the contaminated water, adsorption processes have attained significant maturity due to lower cost, easy operation and environmental friendliness. The adsorption process uses various adsorbent materials and some of emerging adsorbent materials include carbon- and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites. These hybrid magnetic nanocomposites have attained extensive applications in water treatment technologies due to their magnetic properties as well as combination of unique characteristics of organic and inorganic elements. Carbon- and polymer-related magnetic nanocomposites are more adapted materials for the removal of various kinds of contaminants from waterbodies. These nanocomposites can be produced via different approaches such as filling, pulse-laser irradiation, ball milling, and electro-spinning. This comprehensive review is compiled by reviewing published work of last the latest recent 3 years. The review article extensively focuses on different approaches for producing various carbon- and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites, their merits and demerits and applications for sustainable water purification. More specifically, use of carbon- and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites for removal of heavy metal ions and dyes is discussed in detail, critically analyzed and compared with other technologies. In addition, commercial viability in terms of regeneration of adsorbents is also reviewed. Furthermore, the future challenges and prospects in employing magnetic nanocomposites for contaminant removal from various water sources are presented.

Magnetic nanoparticles incorporation into different substrates for dyes and heavy metals removal-A Review.

Substantial discharge of hazardous substances, especially dyes and heavy metal ions to the environment, has become a global concern due to many industries neglecting the environmental protocols in waste management. A massive discharge of contaminantsfrom different anthropogenic activities, can pose alarming threats to living species and adverse effect to the ecosystem stability. In the process of treating the polluted water, various methods and materials are used. Hybrid nanocomposites have attained numerous interest due to the combination of remarkable features of the organic and inorganic elements in a single material. In this regards, carbon and polymer based nanocomposites have gained particular interest because of their tremendous magnetic properties and stability. These nanocomposites can be fabricated using several approaches that include filling, template, hydrothermal, pulsed-laser irradiation, electro-spinning, detonation induced reaction, pyrolysis, ball milling, melt-blending, and many more. Moreover, carbon-based and polymer-based magnetic nanocomposites have been utilized for an extensive number of applications such as removal of heavy metal and dye adsorbents, magnetic resonance imaging, and drug delivery. This review emphasized mainly on the production of magnetic carbon and polymer nanocomposites employing various approaches and their applications in water and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, the future opportunities and challenges in applying magnetic nanocomposites for heavy metal ion and dye removal from water and wastewater treatment plant.

Removal of dye using peroxidase-immobilized Buckypaper/polyvinyl alcohol membrane in a multi-stage filtration column via RSM and ANFIS.

The feasibility and performance of Jicama peroxidase (JP) immobilized Buckypaper/polyvinyl alcohol (BP/PVA) membrane for methylene blue (MB) dye removal was investigated in a customized multi-stage filtration column under batch recycle mode. The effect of independent variables, such as influent flow rate, ratio of H2O2/MB dye concentration, and contact time on the dye removal efficiency, were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). To capture the inherent characteristics and better predict the removal efficiency, a data-driven adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is implemented. Results indicated that the optimum dye removal efficiency of 99.7% was achieved at a flow rate of 2 mL/min, 75:1 ratio of H2O2/dye concentration with contact time of 183 min. The model predictions of ANFIS are significantly good compared with RSM, thus resulting in R2 values of 0.9912 and 0.9775, respectively. The enzymatic kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax, were evaluated, which are 1.98 mg/L and 0.0219 mg/L/min, respectively. Results showed that JP-immobilized BP/PVA nanocomposite membrane can be promising and cost-effective biotechnology for the practical application in the treatment of industrial dye effluents.

Fabrication of 3D binder-free graphene NiO electrode for highly stable supercapattery.

Electrochemical stability of energy storage devices is one of their major concerns. Polymeric binders are generally used to enhance the stability of the electrode, but the electrochemical performance of the device is compromised due to the poor conductivity of the binders. Herein, 3D binder-free electrode based on nickel oxide deposited on graphene (G-NiO) was fabricated by a simple two-step method. First, graphene was deposited on nickel foam via atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition followed by electrodeposition of NiO. The structural and morphological analyses of the fabricated G-NiO electrode were conducted through Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). XRD and Raman results confirmed the successful growth of high-quality graphene on nickel foam. FESEM images revealed the sheet and urchin-like morphology of the graphene and NiO, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the fabricated electrode was evaluated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in aqueous solution at room temperature. The G-NiO binder-free electrode exhibited a specific capacity of ≈ 243 C g-1 at 3 mV s-1 in a three-electrode cell. A two-electrode configuration of G-NiO//activated charcoal was fabricated to form a hybrid device (supercapattery) that operated in a stable potential window of 1.4 V. The energy density and power density of the asymmetric device measured at a current density of 0.2 A g-1 were estimated to be 47.3 W h kg-1 and 140 W kg-1, respectively. Additionally, the fabricated supercapattery showed high cyclic stability with 98.7% retention of specific capacity after 5,000 cycles. Thus, the proposed fabrication technique is highly suitable for large scale production of highly stable and binder-free electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices.

Adsorption of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions from wastewater onto bentonite and bentonite/GO composite.

Two superior adsorbents, namely bentonite and graphene oxide (GO), were hybridised to study the removal of copper and nickel ions from synthetic and industrial wastewater. The as-synthesised GO, bentonite/GO and bentonite were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis. The factors influencing the adsorption behaviours including contact time, initial solution pH, ionic strength, initial concentration of metal ions, temperature and adsorbent dosage were systematically investigated by batch equilibrium method. The adsorption equilibrium for copper and nickel onto bentonite was attained in 90 min while equilibrium was reached in 60 min on bentonite/GO. The adsorption of copper and nickel was pH-dependent in the range from pH 2 to pH 7 and from pH 2 to pH 8. Pseudo-first-order kinetic model excellently described the adsorption of copper and nickel onto bentonite and bentonite/GO. The equilibrium adsorption data was well described by the Langmuir isotherm model and the maximum adsorption capacity was 248.9 mg/g, 558.4 mg/g, 215.8 mg/g and 402.5 mg/g for bentonite-copper, bentonite/GO-copper, bentonite-nickel and bentonite/GO-nickel adsorption systems, respectively. The bentonite/GO composite exhibited a higher adsorption capacity of both cations from synthetic wastewater than pure bentonite owning to the synergistic effect between bentonite and GO. In all adsorption studies, copper was more efficiently removed than nickel due to its higher tendency to form bond with adsorbent surfaces. The adsorption of copper and nickel on bentonite/GO was mainly due to cation exchange, intermolecular and electrostatic interactions and physisorption dominated the adsorption processes. The practical application of bentonite/GO on adsorption of copper was investigated using real wastewater and its removal efficiency was beyond 98%. The excellent adsorption performances of composites for the copper and nickel removal from wastewater demonstrated its significant potential for pollution mitigations.

Magnetic nanoadsorbents' potential route for heavy metals removal-a review.

Due to the rapid growth in the heavy metal-based industries, their effluent and local dumping have created significant environmental issues. In the past, typically, removal of heavy metals was handled by reverse osmosis and ion exchange techniques, but these methods have many disadvantages. Therefore, extensive work into the development of improved techniques has increased, especially for heavy metal removal. Many countries are currently researching new materials and techniques based on nanotechnology for various applications that involve extracting heavy metals from different water sources such as wastewater, groundwater, drinking water and surface water. Nanotechnology provides the possibility of enhancing existing techniques to tackle problems more efficiently. The development in nanotechnology has led to the discovery of many new materials such as magnetic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles demonstrate excellent properties such as surface-volume ratio, higher surface area, low toxicity and easy separation. Besides, magnetic nanoparticles can be easily and efficiently recovered after adsorption compared with other typical adsorbents. This review mainly emphasises on the efficiency of heavy metal removal using magnetic nanoadsorbent from aqueous solution. In addition, an in-depth analysis of the synthesis, characterisation and modification approaches of magnetic nanoparticles is systematically presented. Furthermore, future opportunities and challenges of using magnetic particles as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals are also discussed.

Adsorption of heavy metal from industrial wastewater onto low-cost Malaysian kaolin clay-based adsorbent.

Adsorption capacity and percentage removal efficiency of Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions were studied and compared between raw kaolinite and acid-activated kaolinite. Acid-activated kaolin was prepared by refluxing raw kaolinite with concentrated sulphuric acid followed by calcination to enhance its surface properties and adsorption ability. Both raw and acid-activated kaolinite samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, scanning electron micrograph and zeta potential analysis. Upon acid treatment, acid-activated kaolinite was discovered to have altered chemical composition and larger BET surface area as compared with raw kaolinite. The batch adsorption studies on aqueous solution were performed under different factors such as contact time, pH condition, adsorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentration and temperature. The optimum condition was selected for each factor including a contact time of 60 min, pH of 7.0, adsorbent dosage of 0.1 g, initial metal ion concentration of 100 mg/L and temperature of 25 °C. Then, the adsorption studies on wastewater samples were carried out at the selected optimum conditions. Acid-activated kaolinite always had better adsorption capacity and percentage removal efficiency than raw kaolinite due to the increasing amount of negative charges on the adsorbent surface and the number of metal ion binding sites upon acid treatment. The adsorption kinetic obtained was well described by the pseudo-second-order model, whereas the adsorption isotherms obtained were well described by either the Freundlich or the Langmuir adsorption model. The results showed that acid-activated kaolinite adsorbent is a better option as a favourable and feasible commercial low-cost adsorbent for wastewater treatment.

Magnetic palm kernel biochar potential route for phenol removal from wastewater.

The pollution of water resources due to the disposal of industrial wastes that have organic material like phenol is causing worldwide concern because of their toxicity towards aquatic life, human beings and the environment. Phenol causes nervous system damage, renal kidney disease, mental retardation, cancer and anaemia. In this study, magnetic palm kernel biochar is used for removal of phenol from wastewater. The effect of parameters such as pH, agitation speed, contact time and magnetic biochar dosage are validated using design of experiments. The statistical analysis reveals that the optimum conditions for the highest removal (93.39%) of phenol are obtained at pH of 8, magnetic biochar dosage of 0.6 g, agitation speed at 180 rpm and time of 60 min with the initial concentration of 10 mg/L. The maximum adsorption capacities of phenol were found to be 10.84 mg/g and Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models match the experimental data very well and adsorption kinetic obeys a pseudo-second order. Hence, magnetic palm kernel can be a potential candidate for phenol removal from wastewater.

Rapid adsorption of toxic Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution using multiwall carbon nanotubes synthesized by microwave chemical vapor deposition technique.

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized using a tubular microwave chemical vapor deposition technique, using acetylene and hydrogen as the precursor gases and ferrocene as catalyst. The novel MWCNT samples were tested for their performance in terms of Pb(II) binding. The synthesized MWCNT samples were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) analysis, and the adsorption of Pb(II) was studied as a function of pH, initial Pb(II) concentration, MWCNT dosage, agitation speed, and adsorption time, and process parameters were optimized. The adsorption data followed both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. On the basis of the Langmuir model, Qmax was calculated to be 104.2mg/g for the microwave-synthesized MWCNTs. In order to investigate the dynamic behavior of MWCNTs as an adsorbent, the kinetic data were modeled using pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order equations. Different thermodynamic parameters, viz., ∆H(0), ∆S(0) and ∆G(0) were evaluated and it was found that the adsorption was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The statistical analysis revealed that the optimum conditions for the highest removal (99.9%) of Pb(II) are at pH5, MWCNT dosage 0.1g, agitation speed 160r/min and time of 22.5min with the initial concentration of 10mg/L. Our results proved that microwave-synthesized MWCNTs can be used as an effective Pb(II) adsorbent due to their high adsorption capacity as well as the short adsorption time needed to achieve equilibrium.