clay and titanium-dioxide

The present study focused on investigating the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO

Topics: Biomass; Clay; Hydrogen Peroxide; Nanoparticles; Oryza; Phosphorus; Plant Development; Plant Leaves; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Titanium

As industrialization has spread all around the world, the problems of water pollution such as offshore oil spill and industrial sewage discharge have spread with it. Although many new separation materials have been successfully developed to deal with this crisis, a large number of water treatment materials only focus on the treatment of classified single water pollutant under mild conditions. It is a great challenge to treat soluble contaminants such as water-soluble dyes and insoluble contaminants, for example, emulsified oils simultaneously in a strong corrosive environment. Herein, in this work, corrosive resistance and multifunctional surface on a commercial polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane via a tunicate-inspired gallic acid-assisted accurate-deposition strategy is created. Owing to the titanium-carboxylic coordination bonding and accurate-deposition strategy, the as-prepared membrane exhibits extraordinary stability, facing various harsh environmental challenges and incredibly corrosive situations (e.g., 4 M NaOH, 4 M HCl, and saturated NaCl solution). The robust multifunctional surface also endows commercial PVDF membrane with the ability for in situ separation and adsorption of surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water (corrosive and dyed) emulsions with high adsorption efficiencies up to 99.9%, separation efficiencies above 99.6%, and permeation flux as high as 15,698 ± 211 L/(m

Topics: Adsorption; Clay; Coloring Agents; Gallic Acid; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Membranes, Artificial; Nanotubes; Polyethyleneimine; Polyvinyls; Titanium; Water Purification; Wettability

The series of breakthroughs that have occurred within the realm of nanotechnology have been the source of several new products and technological interventions. One of the most salient examples in this regard is the widespread employment of titanium dioxide (TiO

Topics: Animals; Clay; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Embryonic Development; Humic Substances; Metal Nanoparticles; Titanium; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Zebrafish

Fe

Topics: Clay; Environmental Pollutants; Hydrogen Peroxide; Oxidation-Reduction; Titanium; Water Pollutants, Chemical

Pharmaceutical compounds and their metabolites raise worrying questions because of their continuous release and lack of efficient removal by conventional wastewater treatments; therefore, they are being detected in groundwater, surface water and drinking water in increasing concentrations. Paracetamol and aspirin are two of the most commonly used drugs employed as fever reducer, analgesic and anti-inflammatory. They and their metabolites are very often found in river water, so their degradation is necessary in order to render water suitable for human consumption. The present work is focused on the comparison of the photocatalytic performance of industrial active grés porcelain tiles covered with a commercial micro-sized TiO

Topics: Acetaminophen; Aspirin; Catalysis; Clay; Drinking Water; Manufactured Materials; Particle Size; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Photolysis; Titanium; Wastewater; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification

Fate and transport of engineered nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Colloids; Drug Stability; Humic Substances; Minerals; Nanoparticles; Static Electricity; Titanium; Water

To develop clay facial mask containing turmeric extract solid dispersion (TESD) for enhancing curcumin water solubility and permeability and to determine suitable clay based facial mask.. The TESD were prepared by solvent and melting solvent method with various TE to polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) K30 mass ratios. The physicochemical properties, water solubility, and permeability were examined. The effects of clay types on physical stability of TESD, water adsorption, and curcumin adsorption capacity were evaluated.. The TESD prepared by solvent method with a TE to PVP K30 mass ratio of 1:2 showed physically stable, dry powders, when mixed with clay. When TESD was dissolved in water, the obtained TESD micelles showed spherical shape with mean size of ∼100 nm resulting in a substantial enhancement of curcumin water solubility, ∼5 mg/ml. Bentonite (Bent) and mica (M) showed the highest water adsorption capacity. The TESD's color was altered when mixed with Bent, titanium dioxide (TiO. The water solubility and permeability of curcumin in clay based facial mask could be improved using solid dispersion technique and suitable clay base composed of K, M, and Talc.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Animals; Clay; Curcuma; Curcumin; Ear, External; Masks; Particle Size; Permeability; Plant Extracts; Povidone; Solubility; Solvents; Sus scrofa; Swine; Titanium; Water; Zinc Oxide

Crop soil is inevitably contaminated by the excess of phosphate (P) fertilizers. A large amount of nanoparticle titanium dioxide (nTiO

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Clay; Diatomaceous Earth; Nanoparticles; Phosphates; Porosity; Silicon Dioxide; Titanium

There has been limited study of the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from inorganic clay minerals. Determining the amount of PAH removal is important in predicting their environmental fate. This study was carried out to the degradation and evaporation of PAHs from bentonite, which is an inorganic clay mineral. UV apparatus was designed specifically for the experiments. The impacts of temperature, UV, titanium dioxide (TiO2), and diethylamine (DEA) on PAH removal were determined. After 24 h, 75 and 44 % of ∑12 PAH in the bentonite were removed with and without UV rays, respectively. DEA was more effective as a photocatalyst than TiO2 during UV application. The ∑12 PAH removal ratio reached 88 % with the addition of DEA to the bentonite. It was concluded that PAHs were photodegraded at high ratios when the bentonite samples were exposed to UV radiation in the presence of a photocatalyst. At the end of all the PAH removal applications, higher evaporation ratios were obtained for 3-ring compounds than for heavier ones. More than 60 % of the amount of ∑12 PAH evaporated consisted of 3-ring compounds.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Clay; Photolysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Temperature; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays

Ivermectin (IVM) is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug that is regularly employed in veterinary medicine. In this work, the sorption and desorption of IVM in two Brazilian soils (N1-sand and S2-clay) as well as its leaching capacity, dissipation under aerobic conditions, and degradation in aqueous solution by photocatalysis with TiO2 in suspension were evaluated. The kinetic sorption curves of IVM were adjusted to a pseudo-second-order model. The sorption and desorption data were well fitted with the Freundlich isotherms in the log form (r > 0.96). The Freundlich sorption coefficient (K F (ads) ) and the Freundlich desorption coefficient (K F (des) ) were 77.7 and 120 μg(1-1/n) (cm(3))(1/n) g(-1) and 74.5 and 138 μg(1-1/n) (cm(3))(1/n) g(-1), for soils N1 and S2, respectively. A greater leaching capacity of IVM was observed for the sandy soil N1 than for the clay soil S2. Under aerobic conditions, the dissipation (DT50) at 19.3 °C was 15.5 days (soil N1) and 11.5 days (soil S2). Photocatalysis with UVC and TiO2 in suspension resulted in the degradation of 98 % of IVM (500 μg L(-1)) in water in 600 s. The toxicity (Daphnia similis) of the solutions submitted to the photocatalytic process was completely eliminated after 10 min.

Topics: Aerobiosis; Aluminum Silicates; Animals; Antiparasitic Agents; Biodegradation, Environmental; Brazil; Clay; Daphnia; Ivermectin; Kinetics; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays; Water Pollutants, Chemical

Halloysite nanotubes-titanium dioxide (HNTs-TiO2) as a biocompatible environmentally friendly solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coating was prepared. HNTs-TiO2 was chemically coated on the surface of a fused-silica fiber using a sol-gel process. Parathion as an organophosphorus pesticide was selected as a model compound to investigate the extraction efficiency of the fiber. The extracted analyte was detected by negative corona discharge-ion mobility spectrometer (NCD-IMS). The effective parameters on the extraction efficiency, such as salt effect, extraction temperature and extraction time were investigated and optimized. The extraction efficiency of HNTs-TiO2 fiber was compared with bare-silica (sol-gel based coating without HNTs-TiO2), HNTs, carbon nanotubes and commercial SPME fibers (PA, PDMS, and PDMS-DVB). The HNTs-TiO2 fiber showed highest extraction efficiency among the studied fibers. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were found to be 4.3 and 6.3%, respectively. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values were 0.03 and 0.1 μg L(-1), respectively. The dynamic range of the method was in the range of 0.1-25 μg L(-1). The spiking recoveries were between 85 (±9) and 97 (±6). The SPME-HNTs-TiO2 combined with NCD-IMS was successfully applied for the determination of parathion in apple, strawberry, celery and water samples.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Insecticides; Limit of Detection; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanotubes; Parathion; Solid Phase Microextraction; Titanium

Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes, Carbon; Occupational Health; Particle Size; Particulate Matter; Polyurethanes; Titanium

In this paper, forecasting of kinetic constant and efficiency of photocatalytic process of TiO2 nano powder immobilized on light expanded clay aggregates (LECA) was investigated. Synthetic phenolic wastewater, which is toxic and not easily biodegradable, was selected as the pollutant. The efficiency of the process in various operation conditions, including initial phenol concentration, pH, TiO2 concentration, retention time, and UV lamp intensity, was then measured. The TiO2 nano powder was immobilized on LECA using slurry and sol-gel methods. Kinetics of photocatalytic reactions has been proposed to follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model in different initial phenol concentration and pH. Several steps of training and testing of the models were used to determine the appropriate architecture of the artificial neural network models (ANNs). The ANN-based models were found to provide an efficient and robust tool in predicting photocatalytic reactor efficiency and kinetic constant for treating phenolic compounds.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Equipment Design; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanoparticles; Neural Networks, Computer; Oxidation-Reduction; Photolysis; Powders; Prognosis; Surface Properties; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification

To better understand and predict the fate of engineered nanoparticles in the water column, we assessed the heteroaggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles with a smectite clay as analogues for natural colloids. Heteroaggregation was evaluated as a function of water salinity (10(-3) and 10(-1) M NaCl), pH (5 and 8), and selected nanoparticle concentration (0-4 mg/L). Time-resolved laser diffraction was used, coupled to an aggregation model, to identify the key mechanisms and variables that drive the heteroaggregation of the nanoparticles with colloids. Our data show that, at a relevant concentration, nanoparticle behavior is mainly driven by heteroaggregation with colloids, while homoaggregation remains negligible. The affinity of TiO2 nanoparticles for clay is driven by electrostatic interactions. Opposite surface charges and/or high ionic strength favored the formation of primary heteroaggregates via the attachment of nanoparticles to the clay. The initial shape and dispersion state of the clay as well as the nanoparticle/clay concentration ratio also affected the nature of the heteroaggregation mechanism. With dispersed clay platelets (10(-3) M NaCl), secondary heteroaggregation driven by bridging nanoparticles occurred at a nanoparticle/clay number ratio of greater than 0.5. In 10(-1) M NaCl, the clay was preaggregated into larger and more spherical units. This favored secondary heteroaggregation at lower nanoparticle concentration that correlated to the nanoparticle/clay surface area ratio. In this latter case, a nanoparticle to clay sticking efficiency could be determined.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Colloids; Models, Theoretical; Nanoparticles; Osmolar Concentration; Silicates; Sodium Chloride; Titanium; Water

The increasing and wide use of nanoparticles (NPs), including TiO2 and Ag NPs, have raised concerns due to their potential toxicity and environmental impacts. Kaolin is a very common mineral in aquatic systems, and there is a very high probability that nanoparticles (NPs) will interact with these clay minerals. We studied the effect of kaolin particles on the aggregation of NPs under different conditions, including the role of pH, ionic strength (IS), and humic acid (HA). We show that kaolin reduces the energy barrier and the Critical Coagulation Concentration (CCC) at pH 4. At pH 8, even though the energy barrier of the system without kaolin increases, kaolin promotes NP aggregation via heteroaggregation. When IS is equal to or greater than the CCC, on the one hand HA promotes aggregation of TiO2 NPs, but on the other hand HA decreases the rate of Ag NP aggregation because the existence of a surface coating may limit the adsorption of HA on these Ag NPs. In addition, the presence of HA increases the energy barrier and the CCC of the binary system (kaolin + NPs). Thus, the complex interactions of clay, NPs, IS, pH, and HA concentration determine the colloidal stability of the NPs. We find that kaolin is a potential coagulant for removal of NPs that behave like Ag and TiO2.

Topics: Adsorption; Algorithms; Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Humic Substances; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kaolin; Kinetics; Metal Nanoparticles; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Models, Chemical; Nanoparticles; Osmolar Concentration; Silver; Titanium; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical

This study investigated the influence of two representative suspended clay particles, bentonite and kaolinite, on the transport of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) in saturated quartz sand in both NaCl (1 and 10 mM ionic strength) and CaCl2 solutions (0.1 and 1 mM ionic strength) at pH 7. The breakthrough curves of nTiO2 with bentonite or kaolinite were higher than those without the presence of clay particles in NaCl solutions, indicating that both types of clay particles increased nTiO2 transport in NaCl solutions. Moreover, the enhancement of nTiO2 transport was more significant when bentonite was present in nTiO2 suspensions relative to kaolinite. Similar to NaCl solutions, in CaCl2 solutions, the breakthrough curves of nTiO2 with bentonite were also higher than those without clay particles, while the breakthrough curves of nTiO2 with kaolinite were lower than those without clay particles. Clearly, in CaCl2 solutions, the presence of bentonite in suspensions increased nTiO2 transport, whereas, kaolinite decreased nTiO2 transport in quartz sand. The attachment of nTiO2 onto clay particles (both bentonite and kaolinite) were observed under all experimental conditions. The increased transport of nTiO2 in most experimental conditions (except for kaolinite in CaCl2 solutions) was attributed mainly to the clay-facilitated nTiO2 transport. The straining of larger nTiO2-kaolinite clusters yet contributed to the decreased transport (enhanced retention) of nTiO2 in divalent CaCl2 solutions when kaolinite particles were copresent in suspensions.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Biological Transport; Calcium Chloride; Clay; Environment; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kaolin; Nanoparticles; Quartz; Silicon Dioxide; Sodium Chloride; Solutions; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Titanium

Transport behaviors of nano-CeO2, nano-TiO2 and nano-Al2O3 materials in various soils were investigated by column leaching experiment. The relationship between transportability of nanomaterials and soil properties was analyzed and potential transport distances of nanomaterials in soils were estimated by applying the colloid migration dynamic model. The result shows that both nano-CeO2 and nano-TiO2 have strong mobility in most of tested soils. While nano-Al2O3 is almost completely retained in most of tested soils except acidic soil, in which nano-Al2O3 shows relatively strong transportability. The transport mechanisms of nanomaterials in soils are very complicated. Among electrostatic interaction, soil surface charge heterogeneities, aggregation, straining and ripening, each of them plays an important role in the transport of nanomaterials. The transportability of nano-CeO2 is negatively correlated with soil Zeta potential, while that of nano-TiO2 is negatively correlated with soil clay content, and positively correlated with soil permeability coefficients. The transportability of nano-Al2O3 is negatively correlated with soil pH, and positively correlated with soil permeability coefficients. The estimated maximum transport distances of nano-CeO2, nano-TiO2 and nano-Al2O3 materials in soils were 526,9043 cm, 31-332 cm and <10-5,722 cm, respectively. The estimated potential transport distances of nanomaterials in some soils are far more than the surface soil depth of 30 cm, indicating severe risks to deeper soil layers would potentially occur in these soils.

Topics: Aluminum Oxide; Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Colloids; Metal Nanoparticles; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Titanium

We investigated the adsorption capacity and photocatalytic removal efficiency of formaldehyde using a hectorite-TiO(2) composite in a bench flow reactor. The same experimental conditions were applied to pure TiO(2) (Degussa P25) as a reference. The catalysts were irradiated with either a UVA lamp (365 nm) or with one of two UVC lamps of 254 nm and 254+185 nm, respectively. Formaldehyde was introduced upstream at concentrations of 100-500 ppb, with relative humidity (RH) in the range 0-66% and residence times between 50 and 500 ms. Under dry air and without illumination, saturation of catalyst surfaces was achieved after ≈ 200 min for P25 and ≈ 1000 min for hectorite-TiO(2). The formaldehyde uptake capacity by hectorite-TiO(2) was 4.1 times higher than that of P25, almost twice the BET surface area ratio. In the presence of humidity, the difference in uptake efficiency between both materials disappeared, and saturation was achieved faster (after ≈ 200 min at 10% RH and ≈ 60 min at 65% RH). Under irradiation with each of the three UV sources, removal efficiencies were proportional to the Ti content and increased with contact time. The removal efficiency decreased at high RH. A more complete elimination of formaldehyde was observed with the 254+185 nm UV source.

Topics: Adsorption; Air Pollutants; Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Formaldehyde; Oxidation-Reduction; Photolysis; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays

A one-step solvothermal method was used to prepare TiO(2)/halloysite composites. TiO(2) nanoparticles were deposited on the platform of the halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, and TEM were applied to investigate the structures and morphologies of the resultant samples. The as-prepared TiO(2)/HNTs photocatalyst exhibits pH sensibility on the degradation of methanol and a higher photocatalytic activity on the degradation of acetic acid. The combination of the photocatalytic property of TiO(2) and the unique structure of halloysite endowed this material with a bright perspective in degradation of organic pollutant.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Environmental Pollutants; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Nanotubes; Photochemistry; Photolysis; Titanium

A novel micro-mesopores composite material has successfully been synthesized at basic hydrothermal conditions using natural mineral montmorillonite (MMT) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Two surfactants, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), have been employed in order to shape the pores in the composite. The resultant silica-clay has large surface area (472m(2)/g) and high hydrothermal stability, which makes it a potentially host-material for catalyst. The molecular size of different surfactant leads to the multi-peak distribution of pore size, and the surfactant of larger size (PEG) corresponds to the formation of larger pores. Moreover, the photocatalytic results show that, comparing with pure TiO(2) particles, the loaded TiO(2) on such silica-clay shows higher photodegradation rate of methyl orange (MO) in aqueous. And another porous aluminosilicate host, zeolite, was also discussed for comparison.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Azo Compounds; Catalysis; Clay; Coloring Agents; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Kinetics; Photolysis; Porosity; Titanium

The stability of TiO(2) nanoparticles in soil suspensions and their transport behavior through saturated homogeneous soil columns were studied. The results showed that TiO(2) could remain suspended in soil suspensions even after settling for 10 days. The suspended TiO(2) contents in soil suspensions after 24h were positively correlated with the dissolved organic carbon and clay content of the soils, but were negatively correlated with ionic strength, pH and zeta potential. In soils containing soil particles of relatively large diameters and lower solution ionic strengths, a significant portion of the TiO(2) (18.8-83.0%) readily passed through the soils columns, while TiO(2) was significantly retained by soils with higher clay contents and salinity. TiO(2) aggregate sizes in the column outflow significantly increased after passing through the soil columns. The estimated transport distances of TiO(2) in some soils ranged from 41.3 to 370 cm, indicating potential environmental risk of TiO(2) nanoparticles to deep soil layers.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Clay; Ecotoxicology; Humic Substances; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Nanoparticles; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Suspensions; Time Factors; Titanium

A laboratory investigation was conducted to determine whether colloidal suspensions of inorganic nanoparticulate materials of natural or industrial origin in the external water supplied to the primary root of maize seedlings (Zea mays L.) could interfere with water transport and induce associated leaf responses. Water flow through excised roots was reduced, together with root hydraulic conductivity, within minutes of exposure to colloidal suspensions of naturally derived bentonite clay or industrially produced TiO2 nanoparticles. Similar nanoparticle additions to the hydroponic solution surrounding the primary root of intact seedlings rapidly inhibited leaf growth and transpiration. The reduced water availability caused by external nanoparticles and the associated leaf responses appeared to involve a rapid physical inhibition of apoplastic flow through nanosized root cell wall pores rather than toxic effects. Thus: (1) bentonite and TiO2 treatments also reduced the hydraulic conductivity of cell wall ghosts of killed roots left after hot alcohol disruption of the cell membranes; and (2) the average particle exclusion diameter of root cell wall pores was reduced from 6.6 to 3.0 nm by prior nanoparticle treatments. Irrigation of soil-grown plants with nanoparticle suspensions had mostly insignificant inhibitory effects on long-term shoot production, and a possible developmental adaptation is suggested.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Cell Wall; Clay; Nanoparticles; Plant Leaves; Plant Roots; Plant Transpiration; Seedlings; Titanium; Water; Zea mays

Airborne styrene is a suspected human carcinogen, and traditional ways of mitigation include the use of adsorption technologies (activated carbon or zeolites) or thermal destruction. These methods presenttheir own shortcomings, i.e., adsorbents need to be regenerated or replaced regularly, and relatively large energy inputs are required in thermal treatment. Photocatalysis offers a potentially sustainable and clean means of controlling such fugitive emissions of styrene in air. The present study demonstrates a new type of well-characterized, highly thermostable titania-pillared clay photocatalysts for airborne styrene decomposition in a custom-designed fluidized-bed photoreactor. This photocatalytic system is found to be capable of destroying up to 87% of 300 ppmV airborne styrene in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The effects of relative humidity (RH: 0 or 20%) are also studied, together with the arising physical structures (in terms of porosity and surface characteristics) of the catalysts when subjected to relatively high calcination temperatures of 1000-1200 degrees C. Such a temperature range may be encountered, e.g., in flue gas emissions (1). It is found that relative humidity levels of 20% retard the degradation efficiencies of airborne styrene when using highly porous catalysts.

Topics: Adsorption; Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nitrogen; Particulate Matter; Photochemical Processes; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Styrene; Surface Properties; Temperature; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays; X-Ray Diffraction

The synthesis and properties of metal oxide pillared cationic clays (PILCs) has been subject to numerous studies in the last decades. In order to obtain TiO(2)-pillared type materials, sodium montmorillonite from Romania-areal of Valea Chioarului, having the following composition (% wt): SiO(2)-72.87; Al(2)O(3)-14.5; MgO-2.15; Fe(2)O(3)-1.13; Na(2)O-0.60; K(2)O-0.60; CaO-0.90; PC-5.70 and cation exchange capacity, determined by ammonium acetate method, of 82 meq/100g, as matrix, was used. Sodium form of the clay was modified, primarily, by intercalation of cetyl-trimethylammonium cations between negatively charged layers which will lead to the expansion of the interlayer space. For the preparation of the TiO(2)-pillared clay, the alkoxide molecules, as titania precursor, were adsorbed onto/into clay samples (1 mmol Ti/g clay), in hydrochloric acid environment, the resulted species being converted into TiO(2) pillars by calcination. The as-prepared materials have been used as catalysts for Congo Red dye photodegradation, under UV. The photocatalytic activity of the pillared clays is a function of TiO(2) pillars size, their increase leading to the enhancement of the contact areas between dye solution and photoactive species present in the interlayer space. The structural characteristics and properties of the obtained materials were investigated by X-ray Diffraction, Thermogravimetry Analysis, UV-vis Diffuse Reflectance, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Clay; Coloring Agents; Congo Red; Ion Exchange; Photolysis; Titanium; Ultraviolet Rays

Clay-supported TiO2 photocatalysts can potentially improve the performance of air treatment technologies via enhanced adsorption and reactivity of target volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, a benchtop photocatalytic flow reactor was used to evaluate the efficiency of hectorite-TiO2 and kaolinite-TiO2, two novel composite materials synthesized in our laboratory. Toluene, a model hydrophobic VOC and a common indoor air pollutant, was introduced in the air stream at realistic concentrations, and reacted under UVA (lamda(max) = 365 nm) or UVC (lamda(max) = 254 nm) irradiation. The UVC lamp generated secondary emission at 185 nm, leading to the formation of ozone and other short-lived reactive species. Performance of clay-Ti02 composites was compared with that of pure TiO2 (Degussa P25), and with UV irradiation in the absence of photocatalyst under identical conditions. Films of clay-TiO2 composites and of P25 were prepared by a dip-coating method on the surface of Raschig rings, which were placed inside the flow reactor. An upstream toluene concentration of approximately 170 ppbv was generated by diluting a constant flow of toluene vapor from a diffusion source with dry air, or with humid air at 10, 33, and 66% relative humidity (RH). Toluene concentrations were determined by collecting Tenax-TA sorbent tubes downstream of the reactor, with subsequent thermal desorption--GC/MS analysis. The fraction of toluene removed, %R, and the reaction rate, Tr, were calculated for each experimental condition from the concentrations measured with and without UV irradiation. Use of UVC light (UV/TiO2/O3) led to overall higher reactivity, which can be partially attributed to the contribution of gas phase reactions by short-lived radical species. When the reaction rate was normalized to the light irradiance, Tr/Ilamda,the UV/TiO2 reaction under UVA irradiation was more efficient for samples with a higher content of TiO2 (P25 and Hecto-TiO2), but notfor Kao-TiO2. In all cases, reaction rates peaked at 10% RH, with Tr values between 10 and 50% higherthan those measured under dry air. However, a net inhibition was observed as RH increased to 33% and 66%, indicating that water molecules competed effectively with toluene for reactive surface sites and limited the overall photocatalytic conversion. Compared to P25, inhibition by coadsorbed water was less significant for Kao-TiO2 samples, but was more dramatic for Hecto-TiO2 due to the high water uptake capacity of he

Topics: Air Pollutants; Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Humidity; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Nanocomposites; Photochemical Processes; Titanium; Toluene; Ultraviolet Rays; Volatilization

Antimicrobial activity of three kinds of commercially available montmorillonite nano-clays including a naturally occurring one (Cloisite Na+) and two organically modified ones (Cloisite 20A and Cloisite 30B) against four representative pathogenic bacteria (two Gram-positive ones such as Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, and two Gram-negative ones such as Salmonella typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7) was investigated. Antimicrobial activity was found to be dependent on the type of nano-clay and microorganisms tested. Among the nano-clays tested, Cloisite 30B showed the highest antibacterial activity followed by Cloisite 20A, however, the unmodified montmorillonite (Cloisite Na+) did not show any antibacterial activity. Especially, Cloisite 30B inactivated Gram-positive bacteria completely within an hour of incubation and inactivated Gram-negative bacteria by more than 2-3 log cycles after 8 hours incubation. SEM and TEM images of cell structure indicated that the organically modified nano-clay caused rupture of cell membrane and inactivation of the bacteria. This finding of antimicrobial activity of the organo-clay would open a new opportunity to develop polymer nanocomposites with additional functionality, i.e., antimicrobial function.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Cell Survival; Clay; Crystallization; Macromolecular Substances; Materials Testing; Molecular Conformation; Nanomedicine; Nanostructures; Particle Size; Surface Properties; Titanium

Titanium hydrate sols were prepared using different acid hydrolysis catalysts, i.e., acetic acid and hydrochloric acid. The platinum-doped TiO(2) sol-gels were also synthesized by adding K(2)PtCl(6) into the titanium hydrate sols. The hydrophobic montmorillonite clay, treated with organic cationic surfactant, i.e., hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, was used as a template to prepare TiO(2) pillared photocatalyst with the above sols. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were employed to characterize the resulting photocatalysts. The adsorption performance and photoactivity of prepared pillared clays were studied by using methyl orange as a model organic pollutant. The preliminary results indicated that the hydrophobic TiO(2) pillared clay prepared with acetic acid as the acid hydrolysis catalysts possessed higher photocatalytic activity than that with hydrochloric acid. Due to the excellent sedimentation property of the clay, the resulting pillared photocatalyst is easily recovered and reused in the postrun treatment. Also the doping of platinum into the hydrophobic photocatalyst can increase the photocatalytic activity significantly.

Topics: Acetic Acid; Aluminum Silicates; Azo Compounds; Catalysis; Cetrimonium; Cetrimonium Compounds; Clay; Hydrochloric Acid; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Photochemistry; Platinum; Titanium; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Purification; X-Ray Diffraction

Montmorillonite clay treated with neopentyl (diallyl)oxy tri(dioctyl) pyrophosphato titanate was used as a reinforcement for toughened bacterial bioplastic, Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in order to develop novel biodegradable nanocomposites. The modified clay, PHB, toughening partner and specific compatibilizer were processed by extrusion followed by injection molding. Different microscopy and goniometry techniques, rheology analysis, X-ray diffraction and thermo-mechanical testing were used to characterize the nanocomposites. Results showed that the nanocomposites with 5 wt% titanate-modified clay loading exhibited about 400% improvement in impact properties and 40% reduction in modulus in comparison with virgin PHB. The novel aspect of the titanate-based modification was that the nanocomposites still maintained nearly the same impact strength value as that of toughened PHB. The diffraction patterns suggest exfoliation of the organically modified clays and this was further supported by transmission electron microscopy and melt rheological analysis. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were correlated with a modified Halpin-Tsai theoretical model and the predictions matched significantly with the experimental results. Toughened and compatibilized PHB showed significantly lower biodegradation rate than virgin PHB and most significantly the addition of the titanate-modified clay in the same formulation enhanced the biodegradation several fold.

Topics: Absorbable Implants; Aluminum Silicates; Bentonite; Biocompatible Materials; Clay; Crystallization; Elasticity; Hardness; Hydroxybutyrates; Macromolecular Substances; Materials Testing; Molecular Conformation; Nanostructures; Nanotechnology; Particle Size; Polyesters; Stress, Mechanical; Surface Properties; Titanium

The combination of adsorption and heterogeneous photocatalysis has been investigated as a promising technology for the removal of organic water pollutants. A laboratory study of the removal and decomposition of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) as a toxic organic pollutant was carried out under various conditions with an organophilized clay mineral (hexadecylpyridinium chloride-modified montmorillonite; HDPM) as adsorbent and Degussa P25 TiO2 as photocatalyst. Three different oxidation processes leading to the degradation of 2-CP were compared: direct photolysis, heterogeneous photocatalysis in a TiO2 suspension, and the decomposition of substrate adsorbed on HDPM in the presence of TiO2. Both the degradation of 2-CP and the formation of intermediates were analyzed by HPLC, the total organic carbon content and the total organic and inorganic chloride contents were measured to monitor the mineralization process, and X-ray diffraction and thermoanalytical measurements were made to characterize the hydrophobic clay adsorbent. The heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of dissolved (2-CP/UV/TiO2) and desorbed 2-CP (2-CP/HDPM/UV/TiO2) appeared to be equally efficient, whereas direct photolysis of 2-CP was far less efficient in the oxidative destruction. HDPM proved to be a suitable adsorbent, capable of adsorbing toxic organics from water. It was demonstrated that the adsorbent (at relatively high concentration) did not decrease the rate of mineralization of 2-CP. The results confirmed that the adsorbent retains its structure and composition during the mineralization process, and thus it can be reused without regeneration. The combination of adsorption and heterogeneous photocatalysis studied may be an efficient and economical means of accumulating, removing, and oxidizing organic water contaminants, and its application is in accordance with the growing environmental demands.

Topics: Adsorption; Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Chlorophenols; Clay; Coloring Agents; Photochemistry; Solubility; Titanium; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Purification

Air oxidation of hydrazine was studied by using a group of kaolinites, halloysites, and substituent oxides as models for the tetrahedral and octahedral sheets. The rate was found to be linear with oxygen. The stoichiometry showed that oxygen was the primary oxidant and that dinitrogen was the only important nitrogen-containing product. The rates on kaolinites were strongly inhibited by water. Those on three-dimensional silica and gibbsite appeared not to be. That on a supposedly layered silica formed from a natural kaolinite by acid leaching showed transitional behavior--slowed relative to that expected from a second-order reaction relative to that on the gibbsite and silica but faster than those on the kaolinites. The most striking result of the reaction was the marked increase in the rate of reaction of a constant amount of hydrazine as the amount of clay was increased. The increase was apparent (in spite of the water inhibition at high conversions) over a 2 order of magnitude variation of the clay weight. The weight dependence was taken to indicate that the role of the clay is very important, that the number of reactive centers is very small, or that they may be deactivated over the course of the reaction. In contrast to the strong dependence on overall amount of clay, the variation of amounts of putative oxidizing centers, such as structural Fe(III), admixed TiO2 or Fe2O3, or O- centers, did not result in alteration of the rate commensurate with the degree of variation of the entity in question. Surface iron does play some role, however, as samples that were pretreated with a reducing agent were less active as catalysts than the parent material. These results were taken to indicate either that the various centers interact to such a degree that they cannot be considered independently or that the reaction might proceed by way of surface complexation, rather than single electron transfers.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Catalysis; Clay; Geological Phenomena; Geology; Hydrazines; Iron; Kaolin; Kinetics; Models, Chemical; Nitrogen; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen; Silicon Dioxide; Titanium

Luminescence, induced by dehydration and by wetting with hydrazine and unsymmetrically substituted hydrazine, and related ESR spectra have been observed from several kaolinites, synthetically hydrated kaolinites, and metahalloysites. The amine-wetting luminescence results suggest that intercalation, not a chemiluminescence reaction, is the luminescence trigger. Correlation between hydration-induced luminescence and g = 2 ESR signals associated with O(-)-centres in several natural halloysites, and concurrent diminution of the intensity of both these signal types as a function of aging in two 8.4 angstroms synthetically hydrated, kaolinites, confirm a previously-reported relationship between the luminescence induced by dehydration and in the presence of O(-)-centres (holes, i.e., electron vacancies) in the tetrahedral sheet. Furthermore, the ESR spectra of the 8.4 angstroms hydrate showed a concurrent change in the line shape of the g = 4 signal from a shape usually associated with structural Fe in an ordered kaolinite, to a simpler one typically observed in more disordered kaolinite, halloysite, and montmorillonite. Either structural Fe centres and the O(-)-centres interact, or both are subject to factors previously associated with degree of order. The results question the long-term stability of the 8.4 angstroms hydrate, although XRD does not indicate interlayer collapse over this period. Complex inter-relationships are shown between intercalation, stored energy, structural Fe, and the degree of hydration which may be reflected in catalytic as well as spectroscopic properties of the clays.

Topics: Aluminum Silicates; Amines; Clay; Dimethylhydrazines; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Evolution, Chemical; Hydrazines; Iron; Kaolin; Luminescent Measurements; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Titanium; X-Ray Diffraction

Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) was used to assess the in vitro production of reactive oxygen species by human neutrophils and monocytes on exposure to six standard respirable mineral dusts. Every dust caused CL production in both phagocytic cell types, although, for each dust, the two cells showed a different pattern of response. Light output was markedly affected by the presence of serum in the system. While the results illustrated the complexity of the interaction between mineral dusts and monocytes and neutrophils, they did not support the hypothesis that pathogenic dusts would induce the production of more reactive oxygen species than non-pathogenic dusts.

Topics: Adult; Aluminum Silicates; Asbestos; Asbestos, Crocidolite; Asbestos, Serpentine; Clay; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Dust; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Luminescent Measurements; Luminol; Male; Minerals; Monocytes; Neutrophils; Opsonin Proteins; Oxygen Consumption; Phagocytosis; Quartz; Time Factors; Titanium