Simple Synthesis of Fe3O4@-Activated Carbon from Wastepaper for Dispersive Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Their UHPLC–PDA Determination in Human Plasma

In the present society, the recycling and reuse of valuable substances are of utmost im- portance for economic and environmental purposes. At the same time, there is a pressing need to develop new methods to protect the ecosystem from many human activities, including those that have contributed to an ever-increasing presence of pharmaceutical pollutants. In this study, a straightforward approach that applies a magnetic carbon composite for the effective removal of NSAIDs from biological fluids is reported. The composite was produced by recycling wasted hand- kerchiefs, to provide cellulose to the reactive system and then transformed into carbon via calcination at high temperature. The morphological and structural features of the prepared “Fe3O4@-activated carbon” samples were investigated via thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Magnetic solid-state extraction was carried out to reveal the adsorption capabilities of the magnetic carbon composite and then combined with UHPLC–PDA for the determination and quantification of five NSAIDs (furprofen, indoprofen, ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, and indomethacin). The method developed herein proved to be fast and accurate. The adsorbent could be reused for up to 10 cycles, without any decrease in performance; thus, it contributes to an intelligent and sustainable economic strategy projected toward minimal waste generation

Electrochemical Characterization of Charge Storage at Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries Based on Corncob Waste-Derived Hard Carbon and Binder

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) represent a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries in large-scale energy storage applications. To improve the sustainability of SIBs, the utilization of anode carbonaceous materials produced from biomass and the selection of a bio-based binder allowing an aqueous electrode processing are fundamental. Herein, corncobs are used as raw material for the preparation of hard carbon and it is also used as cellulose sources for the synthesis of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) binder. The corncob-derived electrodes deliver a high discharge capacity of around 264 mAhg(-1) at 1 C (300 mAg(-1)), with promising capacity retention (84 % after 100 cycles) and good rate capability. Additionally, this work expands the fundamental insight of the sodium storage behavior of Hard Carbons through an electrochemical approach, suggesting that the reaction mechanism is controlled by capacitive process in the sloping voltage region, while the diffusion-controlled intercalation is the predominant process in the low-voltage plateau

From waste to resources: transforming olive leaves to hard carbon as sustainable and versatile electrode material for Li/Na-ion batteries and supercapacitors

Over the last few years, biomass-derived hard carbon materials are drawing more and more attention because of their high abundance, cost breakdown, high performance, and fast regeneration. In this context, the synthesis of hard carbon from olive leaves, a widely available by-product of table olive and olive oil industries, is here reported and its performance, as a sustainable electrode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs), Na-ion batteries (NIBs), and supercapacitors (SCs), are evaluated. According to the in- formation acquired by structural characterization, a disordered structure is confirmed for the synthesized hard carbon. When tested as anode for LIBs and NIBs, electrodes based on Na-CMC green binder show discharge capacities of 331.0 mAh/g and 265.4 mAh/g at 1C (with minor irreversibility), respectively, with promising cycling stability. In SC application, the electrode delivers a high specific capacitance of 169.6 F/ g at 0.5 A/g and remarkable capacity retention of 96.7% after more than 20,000 cycles at 10 A/g. As a result, this work confirms the possibility to use olive leaves-derived hard carbon material for the low- cost, environmental-friendly fabrication of electrodes with high energy and power capabilities