A radiotracer study of the adsorption behavior of aqueous Ba2+ ions on nanoparticles of zero-valent iron

Recently, iron nanoparticles are increasingly being tested as adsorbents for various types of organic and inorganic pollutants. In this study, nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (NZVI) synthesized under atmospheric conditions were employed for the removal of Ba2+ ions in a concentration range 10-3 to 10-6 M. Throughout the study, 133Ba was used as a tracer to study the effects of time, concentration, and temperature. The obtained data was analyzed using various kinetic models and adsorption isotherms. Pseudo-second-order kinetics and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model provided the best correlation with the obtained data. Observed thermodynamic parameters showed that the process is exothermic and hence enthalpy-driven. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Synthesis of solid solutions of Cd1-xZnxS nanocrystals in the channels of mesostructured silica films

In this contribution, we introduce the use of metal ion (Cd(ii) and Zn(ii)) modified mesostructured silica as a reaction medium, to produce a solid solution of Cd1-xZnxS nanocrystals as a thin film. With this approach, a true liquid crystalline templating (TLCT) and liquid crystalline mesophase of transition metal salt oligo(ethylene oxide) non-ionic surfactant (((1 - x)[Cd(H2O)4](NO3)2 + x[Zn(H2O)6](NO3)2) CH 3(CH2)11(OCH2CH2) 10OH, (MLC)), systems were collectively used to synthesise mesostructured silica films. The film samples were reacted at room temperature (RT) in an H2S atmosphere to produce zinc blend Cd 1-xZnxS nanocrystals in the channels of mesostructured silica. The initial Zn(ii) and Cd(ii) ion concentrations in the reaction media determine the final composition and band gap of the Cd1-xZn xS nanocrystals. The growth process of the Cd1-xZn xS nanocrystals in the pores is influenced by the silica walls. If the walls are rigid (well polymerized, obtained by aging the samples before H2S treatment), then the Cd1-xZnxS nanoparticles are smaller in size and more uniform in size distribution. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2006

Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity

Comparative studies of mortality in the wild are necessary to understand the evolution of aging; yet, ectothermic tetrapods are underrepresented in this comparative landscape, despite their suitability for testing evolutionary hypotheses. We present a study of aging rates and longevity across wild tetrapod ectotherms, using data from 107 populations (77 species) of nonavian reptiles and amphibians. We test hypotheses of how thermoregulatory mode, environmental temperature, protective phenotypes, and pace of life history contribute to demographic aging. Controlling for phylogeny and body size, ectotherms display a higher diversity of aging rates compared with endotherms and include phylogenetically widespread evidence of negligible aging. Protective phenotypes and life-history strategies further explain macroevolutionary patterns of aging. Analyzing ectothermic tetrapods in a comparative context enhances our understanding of the evolution of aging.Animal science

Synthesis and characterization of bentonite/iron nanoparticles and their application as adsorbent of cobalt ions

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of iron nanoparticles in the presence of K10 bentonite. Introducing K10 during synthesis of iron nanoparticles resulted in a partial decrease in the aggregation of the nanoparticles. The dispersed nanoparticles showed a typical core–shell structure and were predominantly within the 10–60 nm size range. The composite adsorbent was tested for the removal of Co2+ ions in aqueous solution at various contact times, concentrations, pH, and repetitive loadings. The rate of adsorption was evaluated using first and second order rate equations. The adsorption was described by the Freundlich model. The adsorbent showed effective removal after re-use and the adsorption increased with increasing initial p

Growth behaviour and mechanical properties of PLL/HA multilayer films studied by AFM

Scanning- and colloidal-probe atomic force microscopy were used to study the mechanical properties of poly(L-lysine)/hyaluronan (PLL/HA)n films as a function of indentation velocity and the number of polymer deposition steps n. The film thickness was determined by two independent AFM-based methods: scratch-and-scan and newly developed full-indentation. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are highlighted, and error minimization techniques in elasticity measurements are addressed. It was found that the film thickness increases linearly with the bilayer number n, ranging between 400 and 7500 nm for n = 12 and 96, respectively. The apparent Young’s modulus E ranges between 15 and 40 kPa and does not depend on the indenter size or the film bilayer number n. Stress relaxation measurements show that PLL/HA films have a viscoelastic behaviour, regardless of their thickness. If indentation is performed several times at the same lateral position on the film, a viscous/plastic deformation takes place

Batch removal of aqueous Cu2+ ions using nanoparticles of zero-valent iron: A study of the capacity and mechanism of uptake

In this study, nZVI prepared by borohydride reduction was applied for the removal of Cu2+ ions under a variety of experimental conditions. The uptake experiments investigated the effects of initial concentration, contact time, pH, and repetitive loading on the extent of retardation of Cu2+ ions. Within the applied conditions, the sorbent demonstrated fast uptake kinetics and outstanding fixation abilities up to an initial Cu2+ concentration of 200.0 mg/L. Partitioning of Cu2+ ions between liquid and solid phases demonstrated an isotherm of L-type. Within the studied conditions, the capacity of uptake was found to be 250 mg of Cu2+ per g of nZVI. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, Cu2+ ions were sorbed primarily via a redox mechanism that resulted in the formation of Cu2O and Cu0. The contact of iron nanoparticles with aqueous media caused extensive formation of iron oxide. However, the material did not completely lose its removal capacity and was repeatedly applied at low concentrations for further uptake trials