Nano Fe(OH)3/zeolite as a novel, green and recyclable adsorbent for efficient removal of toxic phosphate from water

Magnetic Fe(OH)3 is dispersed and stabilized over zeolite, giving rise to nano Fe(OH)3/zeolite, which is used as an efficient, recyclable absorbent for phosphate removal from water. Phosphate removal is insensitive to the ionic concentration, yet is directly proportional with the concentration of the adsorbent, and is inversely proportional with the initial phosphate concentration and pH. The coexisting nitrate and bicarbonate anions have no significant influence on phosphate adsorption, while the presence of citrate or silicate decreases such adsorption. In contrast, the presence of acetate increases the phosphate removal. Kinetic data are well fitted in the pseudo-second-order model. High phosphate uptake capability and good reusability make Fe(OH)3/Zeolite a potentially attractive adsorbent for the removal of toxic phosphate from water. Evidently this type of work is a step forward for large scale elimination of undesired contaminants from water which may benefit the world community

Nano Fe(OH)₃/zeolite as a novel, green and recyclable adsorbent for efficient removal of toxic phosphate from water

284-293Magnetic Fe(OH)3 is dispersed and stabilized over zeolite, giving rise to nano Fe(OH)3/zeolite, which is used as an efficient, recyclable absorbent for phosphate removal from water. Phosphate removal is insensitive to the ionic concentration, yet is directly proportional with the concentration of the adsorbent, and is inversely proportional with the initial phosphate concentration and pH. The coexisting nitrate and bicarbonate anions have no significant influence on phosphate adsorption, while the presence of citrate or silicate decreases such adsorption. In contrast, the presence of acetate increases the phosphate removal. Kinetic data are well fitted in the pseudo-second-order model. High phosphate uptake capability and good reusability make Fe(OH)3/Zeolite a potentially attractive adsorbent for the removal of toxic phosphate from water. Evidently this type of work is a step forward for large scale elimination of undesired contaminants from water which may benefit the world community

The effect of the short-term application of municipal sewage sludge on some of the macronutrients, heavy metals and the physiochemical characteristics of soil under lettuce cultivation

Sewage sludge (SS) is a rich source of organic matters and nutrients and can use as a fertilizer in farms. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of short-term of municipal sewage sludge on some of the physical and chemical characteristics of a soil. This research conducted in greenhouse conditions in Iran with a randomized complete block design with five treatments including control, 25, 50, 75 and 100 t/ha across four replication. According to the results, adding sewage sludge to soil increased the concentration of macronutrients, heavy metals, organic carbon content, electrical conductivity, porosity and mean weight diameter and decreased pH, bulk density, particle density, significantly. The highest amount of N, P, and K (0.1%, 213.5 and 10.85 mg/kg, respectively) and Pb and Cd (5.17 and 2.42 mg/kg, respectively) and some of the physicochemical characteristics of soil reported in the treatment of 100 t/ha

Gap Size in Hyrcanian Forest Affects the Lignin and N Concentrations of the Oriental Beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) Fine Roots but Does Not Change Their Morphological Traits in the Medium Term

Research Highlights: Fine roots play an important role in plant growth as well as in carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Gaining a wider knowledge of their dynamics under forest gap opening would improve our understanding of soil carbon input and belowground carbon stock accumulation. Single-tree selection is increasingly recognized as an alternative regime of selection cutting sustaining biodiversity and carbon stock, along with timber production, among ecosystem functions. However, the fine root response in terms of morphological and chemical composition to the resulting harvest-created gaps remains unclear. Background and Objectives: This paper investigates the effect in the medium term (i.e., 6 years after logging) of differently sized harvest-created gaps on fine root dynamics and chemical composition. Materials and Methods: A total of 15 differently sized gaps (86.05\u2013350.7 m2) and the adjacent 20 m distant closed canopies (control) were selected in a temperate Fagus orientalis forest (Hyrcanian region, Iran). Eight soil cores were collected at the cardinal points of the gap edge, including four facing the gap area\u2014the same at the adjacent intact forest. Results: For the selected edge trees, the different size of gaps, the core position, and the tree orientation did not affect the investigated morphological traits, except for the slightly higher specific root length (SRL) for the larger fine root fraction (1\u20132 mm) in the side facing the gap area. Differently, the investigated chemical traits such as N concentration and cellulose:lignin ratio significantly increased with increasing gap size, the opposite for C:N ratio and lignin. Moreover, N concentration and C:N significantly decreased and increased with the fine root diameter, respectively. Conclusions: This work highlighted that, in the medium term and within the adopted size range, artificial gap opening derived from single-tree selection practice affected the chemistry rather than the biomass and morphology of gap-facing fine roots of edge trees. The medium term of six years after gap creation might have been long enough for the recovery of the fine root standing biomass to the pre-harvest condition, particularly near the stem of edge trees. A clear size threshold did not come out; nevertheless, 300 m2 may be considered a possible cut-off determining a marked change in the responses of fine roots