Removal of silver nanoparticles coated with different stabilizers from aqueous medium by electrocoagulation.

This study evaluated the removal of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), coated with different stabilizers, from aqueous media using the electrocoagulation technique. The AgNPs dispersions were synthesized by chemical reduction with silver nitrate as precursor, sodium borohydride as reducing agent and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as stabilizers with initial concentrations of 1 and 3% (w/v). The dispersions were named AgNPs-CMC1, AgNPs-CMC3, AgNPs-PVA1, AgNPs-PVA3, AgNPs-PVP1, and AgNPs-PVP3. Electrocoagulation treatments of AgNPs-PVA1, AgNPs-PVP1 and AgNPs-PVP3 dispersions resulted in total silver removals above 99.90% in 10 min. For the AgNPs-PVP3 dispersion 99.98% of removal was obtained in 20 min. After 15 min of electrolysis, The AgNPs-CMC1 and AgNPs-CMC3 dispersions showed a reduction in total silver concentration of 71.72 and 52.15%, respectively. Therefore, these results showed that the removal of AgNPs from the aqueous medium by electrocoagulation is possible, but their efficiency and viability depends on the nature, the molecular structure and the concentration of stabilizers. Furthermore, the toxicity analysis using the Vibrio fischeri bacteria demonstrated that only the dispersions stabilized with PVP became suitable for disposal after the electrocoagulation treatment.

A study on the removal of prednisone from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto a vegetal activated carbon.

This study evaluated the prednisone removal from aqueous solutions using adsorption by an activated carbon of vegetal origin (VAC). A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and the response surface methodology (RSM) were used to verify the influence of the parameters: pH, adsorbent dose and prednisone concentration in a batch adsorption process. Among the analyzed parameters, only the adsorbent dose and the prednisone concentration were statistically significant (α = 0.05) and the critical values obtained were adsorbent dose: 1.87 g/L, pH 7.56 and prednisone concentration: 3.66 mg/L with 77.51% of prednisone removal by VAC. The kinetic study of the adsorption of prednisone reached the equilibrium in 4 h. The pseudo-first-order model described adequately the kinetics data behavior. The equilibrium experimental data obtained at different temperatures showed that the VAC has a maximum adsorption capacity of 18.04 mg/g at a temperature of 30 °C. The prednisone removal decreased by the increasing temperature and the Langmuir isotherm well described the experimental data (R² > 0.98). Thermodynamic results shown that the prednisone removal of aqueous solutions by VAC is spontaneous and favorable process.