Using of geographic information systems (GIS) to determine the suitable site for collecting agricultural residues.

The main aim of this study is to use the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques to determine the optimum site to collect the residues in order to reduce cost and increase the benefits. To achieve these three scenarios were studied to reach the best collection sites for recycling rice straw in Sinbilawin center. The results indicate that the first scenario: The result was forty (40) collection sites in this status the cost of transfer will be very high because the collecting starts from inside village to the 40 sites and transfer to main sites to recycle operation. The second scenario: The total lengths of roads are not much then the cost of transfer is low and save time and efforts. The third scenario: The result was five collecting sites. It was shortest length and lowest cost. Transportation costs in the first scenario were difficult to calculate because of the difficulty to access a network of documented roads from satellite maps to use it with the GIS program. The total internal transport costs were 987,308.86 and 826,966.43 L.E (Egyptian pound, $ = 19.15 L.E) for second and third scenarios, respectively. The average transport costs per ton were 17 and 14 L.E/ton for the second and third scenarios, respectively. Also, the total lengths of roads were 817.62 and 615.65 km for the second and third scenarios, respectively.

Microwave functionalization of titanium oxide nanoparticles with chitosan nanolayer for instantaneous microwave sorption of Cu(II) and Cd(II) from water.

The present study is aimed to evaluate the microwave-enforced sorption approach (MES) for instantaneous extraction and removal of trace concentration of metal ions using microwave-synthesized titanium oxide nanoparticles-bonded-chitosan nanolayer (NTiO2-NCh). The proposed and designed nanocomposite was characterized by different techniques. The coveted ions were allowed to heat in presence of NTiO2-NCh nanocomposite inside a microwave apparatus for 5-20s to execute the sorption process. The contribution of microwave warming time, nanocomposite dose, concentration of Cd(II) and Cu(II) ions, pH and interfering ions were explored and optimized. Sorption of Cd(II) was characterized as 1050 and 1150µmolg-1 and those of Cu(II) were identified as 450 and 800µmolg-1 using 5 and 20s of microwave heating time, respectively. Optimization of the nanocomposite dose factor was found to enhance the metal uptake values of Cd(II) to 1800µmolg-1 using 5.0mg. The potential utilization of MES technique for removal and extraction of Cd(II) and Cu(II) at low concentration levels (mgL-1) from water samples was also explored. The percentage extraction values of Cu(II) and Cd(II) from water and wastewater samples were ranged as 86.80-88.01% and 72.56-70.67%, respectively using 60-70s heating via MES technique.

Immobilization of chitosan nanolayers on the surface of nano-titanium oxide as a novel nanocomposite for efficient removal of La(III) from water.

A novel nanocomposite has been designed and synthesized via surface crosslinking of chitosan nanolayers (NChit) with titanium oxide nanoparticles (NTiO2) using glutaraldehyde (Glu) as the crosslinking agent. A simple and green surface chemical reaction was accomplished by the aid of microwave heating process to enforce surface encapsulation and functionalization for the production of the aimed NTiO2-Glu-NChit nanocomposite. The average particles size of nanocomposite was characterized in the range of 52-58nm using SEM and confirmed by the HR-TEM. The XRD, TGA and FTIR were also employed to assure the immobilization and crosslinking processes. NTiO2-Glu-NChit was studied to estimate the sorption efficiency towards La(III) from aqueous solution by the batch technique under different experimental controlling physicochemical parameters such as, initial pH of metal ion solution, contact time, nanocomposite dosage and initial metal ion concentration. The optimum sorption condition for La(III) as the target metal ion was identified at pH=1.0, 3.0 and 6.0. The adsorption process of La(III) was characterized to follow the postulates of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and the adsorption mechanisms were identified to obey the pseudo-second order kinetic model based on the best compatible results with the experimental data.