2 research outputs found
Lack of Influence of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) Level on Hydroxyl Radical Mediated Disinfection of <i>Escherichia coli</i>
Photolysis of nitrate, a prevalent constituent in agriculturally impacted waters, may influence pathogen attenuation in such systems through production of hydroxyl radical (<sup>•</sup>OH). This study focuses on the efficacy of <sup>•</sup>OH generated during nitrate photolysis in promoting <i>E. coli</i> die-off as a function of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) coverage. EPS levels of four <i>E. coli</i> isolates were systematically altered through a sonication extraction method and photochemical batch experiments with a solar simulator examined isolate viability loss as a function of time in nitrate solutions. <i>E. coli</i> viability loss over time exhibited two regimes: an initial induction time, <i>t</i><sub>s</sub>, with little decay was followed by rapid exponential decay characterized by a first-order disinfection rate constant, <i>k</i>. Increasing steady-state <sup>•</sup>OH concentrations enhanced <i>E. coli</i> viability loss, increasing values of <i>k</i> and decreasing <i>t</i><sub>s</sub> values, both of which were quantified with a multitarget bacterial disinfection model. Notably, at a given steady-state <sup>•</sup>OH concentration, values of <i>t</i><sub>s</sub> and <i>k</i> were independent of EPS levels, nor did they vary among the different <i>E. coli</i> strains considered. Results herein show that while <sup>•</sup>OH generated via nitrate photolysis enhances rates of disinfection in surface water, the mechanism by which <sup>•</sup>OH kills <i>E. coli</i> is relatively insensitive to common bacterial variables
Mesoporous, Three-Dimensional Wood Membrane Decorated with Nanoparticles for Highly Efficient Water Treatment
Wood, an earth-abundant
material, is widely used in our everyday
life. With its mesoporous structure, natural wood is comprised of
numerous long, partially aligned channels (lumens) as well as nanochannels
that stretch along its growth direction. This wood mesostructure is
suitable for a range of emerging applications, especially as a membrane/separation
material. Here, we report a mesoporous, three-dimensional (3D) wood
membrane decorated with palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs/wood membrane)
for efficient wastewater treatment. The 3D Pd NPs/wood membrane possesses
the following advantages: (1) the uniformly distributed lignin within
the wood mesostructure can effectively reduce PdÂ(II) ions to Pd NPs;
(2) cellulose, with its abundant hydroxyl groups, can immobilize Pd
NPs; (3) the partially aligned mesoporous wood channels as well as
their inner ingenious microstructures increase the likelihood of wastewater
contacting Pd NPs decorating the wood surface; (4) the long, Pd NP-decorated
channels facilitate bulk treatment as water flows through the entire
mesoporous wood membrane. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the
use and efficiency of a Pd NPs/wood membrane to remove methylene blue
(MB, C<sub>16</sub>H<sub>18</sub>N<sub>3</sub>ClS) from a flowing
aqueous solution. The turnover frequency of the Pd NPs/wood membrane,
∼2.02 mol<sub>MB</sub>·mol<sub>Pd</sub><sup>–1</sup>·min<sup>–1</sup>, is much higher than the values reported
in the literature. The water treatment rate of the 3D Pd NPs/wood
membrane can reach 1 × 10<sup>5</sup> L·m<sup>–2</sup>·h<sup>–1</sup> with a high MB removal efficiency (>99.8%).
The 3D mesoporous wood membrane with partially aligned channels exhibits
promising results for wastewater treatment and is applicable for an
even wider range of separation applications