Ion Flotation of Copper(II) and Lead(II) from Environmental Water Samples

The present study aims to develop a simple, rapid and economic procedure for copper(II) and lead(II) removal under the optimum conditions investigated. It is based on the complex formation between Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions and diphenylcarbazone (HDPC) followed by flotation with oleic acid (HOL) surfactant. The different parameters (namely: solution pH, HDPC, HOL, copper and lead concentrations, ionic strength, temperature and the presence of foreign ions) influencing the flotation process were examined. Nearly, 100% of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions were removed from aqueous solutions at pHs 6 and 7, respectively at room temperature (~25oC). The procedure was successfully applied to recover almost copper(II) and lead(II) spiked to some natural water samples. Due to the rapid, simple and economic nature of the procedure, a flotation mechanism is suggestedfor metal removal in wastewater system

Pattern of cesarean deliveries among women in an urban and rural district in Egypt

Aim: to compare patterns of delivery at an urban and a rural district in Egypt over 3 years. Methods: This retrospective study included 500 women and 50 obstetricians from each district from January, 2013 till December, 2015. Women answered a questionnaire about their deliveries. Obstetricians answered a questionnaire about their practiceof CS. Results: CS rate in the rural district was 57.2% compared to 54.8% in the urban district in 2013. In 2014 and 2015, CS rates increased to 65.3% and 69%, respectively in the rural district compared to 56% and 57.7%, respectively in the urban district. 66% of obstetricians in the rural district performed CS for more than 50% of their patients compared to 76% of obstetricians in the urban district. 52% and 4% of obstetricians in the rural and urban districts, respectively, performed CS upon maternal request. 70.3% of women in the rural district who delivered by CS preferred to deliver vaginally. 51.4% of urban women who delivered by CS preferred to deliver vaginally. Level of education was the only factor showing statistical significance. Conclusion: CS rates increased over time with higher rates in the rural area. Level of women's education was the only factor affecting delivery choice. Keywords: Cesarean sections; CS rate; urban area; rural area; Egypt; obstetricians

Novel polymeric sorbents based on imprinted Hg(II)-diphenylcarbazone complexes for mercury removal from drinking water

This study describes the preparation of ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) for the selective removal of Hg(II) ions from aqueous media. Polymeric sorbents were prepared using different synthesis approaches to understand the influence of diphenylcarbazone (DPC), used as non-polymerizable ligand, on absorption performance. In particular, bulk polymerization was first used to prepare two polymers, IIP1 and IIP2, in the absence and presence of DPC. The trapping of the ligand in IIP2, demonstrated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, promotes the formation of ternary complexes with mercury ions, and 4-vinylpyridine induces an increase in binding performance, as indicated by the Kavalues (1.7 × 103±0.4 M−1 and 12.1 × 103±0.5 M−1, respectively) of IIP1 and IIP2 high affinity binding sites. A third polymer (IIP3) was also synthesized using precipitation polymerization to evaluate the contribution of morphological characteristics on absorption performance compared with the addition of DPC. Competitive studies revealed a stronger influence of IIP3 morphology on selectivity performance. Indeed, monodisperse microbeads were obtained only in this case. Finally, the applicability of the polymers to real-world samples was demonstrated through batch experiments using drinking water spiked with 1μgml−1 of Hg(II) ions, and the best removal efficiency of nearly 80% was obtained for IIP2