Adsorption of organic stormwater pollutants onto activated carbon from sewage sludge.

PubMed

Björklund, Karin; Li, Loretta Y

2017-07-15

Adsorption filters have the potential to retain suspended pollutants physically, as well as attracting and chemically attaching dissolved compounds onto the adsorbent. This study investigated the adsorption of eight hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) frequently detected in stormwater - including four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), two phthalates and two alkylphenols - onto activated carbon produced from domestic sewage sludge. Adsorption was studied using batch tests. Kinetic studies indicated that bulk adsorption of HOCs occurred within 10 min. Sludge-based activated carbon (SBAC) was as efficient as tested commercial carbons for adsorbing HOCs; adsorption capacities ranged from 70 to 2800 μg/g (C initial  = 10-300 μg/L; 15 mg SBAC in 150 mL solution; 24 h contact time) for each HOC. In the batch tests, the adsorption capacity was generally negatively correlated to the compounds' hydrophobicity (log K ow ) and positively associated with decreasing molecule size, suggesting that molecular sieving limited adsorption. However, in repeated adsorption tests, where competition between HOCs was more likely to occur, adsorbed pollutant loads exhibited strong positive correlation with log K ow . Sewage sludge as a carbon source for activated carbon has great potential as a sustainable alternative for sludge waste management practices and production of a high-capacity adsorption material. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proceedings: Nozzle Initiative Industry Advisory Committee on Standardization of Carbon-Phenolic Test Methods and Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The proceedings of the meeting is presented in conversational form. Some areas of discussion are as follow: resin advancement at NASA Marshall new technologies studies; NMR studies; SPIP/PAN development summary; computer modeling support; composite testing; carbon assay testing; activity and aerospace computer database; alternate rayon yarn sizing; fiber morphology; and carbon microballoons specifications.

Activated carbon for the removal of pharmaceutical residues from treated wastewater.

PubMed

Ek, Mats; Baresel, Christian; Magnér, Jörgen; Bergström, Rune; Harding, Mila

2014-01-01

Pharmaceutical residues, which pass naturally through the human body into sewage, are in many cases virtually unaffected by conventional wastewater treatment. Accumulated in the environment, however, they can significantly impact aquatic life. The present study indicates that many pharmaceutical residues found in wastewater can be removed with activated carbon in a cost-efficient system that delivers higher resource utilisation and security than other carbon systems. The experiment revealed a substantial separation of the analysed compounds, notwithstanding their relatively high solubility in water and dissimilar chemical structures. This implies that beds of activated carbon may be a competitive alternative to treatment with ozone. The effluent water used for the tests, performed over 20 months, originated from Stockholm's largest sewage treatment plant. Passing through a number of different filters with activated carbon removed 90-98% of the pharmaceutical residues from the water. This paper describes pilot-scale tests performed by IVL and the implications for an actual treatment plant that has to treat up to several thousand litres of wastewater per second. In addition, the advantages, disadvantages and costs of the method are discussed. This includes, for example, the clogging of carbon filters and the associated hydraulic capacity limits of the activated carbon.

Adsorption of organic compounds onto activated carbons from recycled vegetables biomass.

PubMed

Mameli, Anna; Cincotti, Alberto; Lai, Nicola; Crisafulli, Carmelo; Sciré, Salvatore; Cao, Giacomo

2004-01-01

The removal of organic species from aqueous solution by activated carbons is investigated. The latter ones are prepared from olive husks and almond shells. A wide range of surface area values are obtained varying temperature and duration of both carbonization and activation steps. The adsorption isotherm of phenol, catechol and 2,6-dichlorophenol involving the activated carbons prepared are obtained at 25 degrees C. The corresponding behavior is quantitatively correlated using classical isotherm, whose parameters are estimated by fitting the equilibrium data. A two component isotherm (phenol/2,6-dichlorophenol) is determined in order to test activated carbon behavior during competitive adsorption.

Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption of crude oil refinery using activated carbon from palm shells as biosorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliusman; Afdhol, M. K.; Sanal, Alristo

2018-03-01

Carbon monoxide and methane gas are widely present in oil refineries. Off-potential gas is used as raw material for the petrochemical industry. In order for this off-gas to be utilized, carbon monoxide and methane must be removed from off-gas. This study aims to adsorb carbon monoxide and methane using activated carbon of palm shells and commercial activated carbon simultaneously. This research was conducted in 2 stages: 1) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon, 2) Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption test. The activation experiments using carbon dioxide at a flow rate of 150 ml/min yielded a surface area of 978.29 m2/g, Nitrogen at flow rate 150 ml/min yielded surface area 1241.48 m2/g, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen at a flow rate 200 ml/min yielded a surface area 300.37 m2/g. Adsorption of carbon monoxide and methane on activated carbon of palm shell systems yielded results in the amount of 0.5485 mg/g and 0.0649 mg/g and using commercial activated carbon yielded results in the amount of 0.5480 mg/g and 0.0650 mg/g

Adsorption of chlorine dioxide gas on activated carbons.

PubMed

Wood, Joseph P; Ryan, Shawn P; Snyder, Emily Gibb; Serre, Shannon D; Touati, Abderrahmane; Clayton, Matthew J

2010-08-01

Research and field experience with chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas to decontaminate structures contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores and other microorganisms have demonstrated the effectiveness of this sterilant technology. However, because of its hazardous properties, the unreacted ClO2, gas must be contained and captured during fumigation events. Although activated carbon has been used during some decontamination events to capture the ClO2 gas, no data are available to quantify the performance of the activated carbon in terms of adsorption capacity and other sorbent property operational features. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine and compare the ClO2 adsorption capacities of five different types of activated carbon as a function of the challenge ClO2 concentration. Tests were also conducted to investigate other sorbent properties, including screening tests to determine gaseous species desorbed from the saturated sorbent upon warming (to provide an indication of how immobile the ClO2 gas and related compounds are once captured on the sorbent). In the adsorption tests, ClO2 gas was measured continuously using a photometric-based instrument, and these measurements were verified with a noncontinuous method utilizing wet chemistry analysis. The results show that the simple activated carbons (not impregnated or containing other activated sorbent materials) were the most effective, with maximum adsorption capacities of approximately 110 mg/g. In the desorption tests, there was minimal release of ClO(2) from all sorbents tested, but desorption levels of chlorine (Cl2) gas (detected as chloride) varied, with a maximum release of nearly 15% of the mass of ClO2 adsorbed.

Technology Advancements for Active Remote Sensing of Carbon Dioxide from Space using the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obland, Michael D.; Campbell, Joel; Kooi, Susan; Fan, Tai-Fang; Carrion, William; Hicks, Jonathan; Lin, Bing; Nehrir, Amin R.; Browell, Edward V.; Meadows, Byron; Davis, Kenneth J.

2018-04-01

This work describes advances in critical lidar technologies and techniques developed as part of the NASA Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator system for measuring atmospheric column carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios. This work provides an overview of these technologies and results from recent test flights during the NASA Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Earth Venture Suborbital summer 2016 flight campaign.

EMISSION TEST REPORT- FIELD TEST OF CARBON INJECTION FOR MERCURY CONTROL, CAMDEN COUNTY MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTOR

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of parametric test to evaluate the injection powdered activated carbon to control volatile pollutants in municipal waste combustor (MWC) flue gas. he tests were conducted at a spray dryer absorber/electrostatic precipitator (SD/ESP)-equipped MWC in Camden...

Influence of various Activated Carbon based Electrode Materials in the Performance of Super Capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajay, K. M.; Dinesh, M. N.

2018-02-01

Various activated carbon based electrode materials with different surface areas was prepared on stainless steel based refillable super capacitor model using spin coating. Bio Synthesized Activated Carbon (BSAC), Activated Carbon (AC) and Graphite powder are chosen as electrode materials in this paper. Electrode materials prepared using binder solution which is 6% by wt. polyvinylidene difluoride, 94% by wt. dimethyl fluoride. 3M concentrated KOH solution is used as aqueous electrolyte with PVDF thin film as separator. It is tested for electrochemical characterizations and material characterizations. It is observed that the Specific capacitance of Graphite, Biosynthesized active carbon and Commercially available activated carbon are 16.1F g-1, 53.4F g-1 and 107.6F g-1 respectively at 5mV s-1 scan rate.

Adsorption of volatile organic compounds by pecan shell- and almond shell-based granular activated carbons.

PubMed

Bansode, R R; Losso, J N; Marshall, W E; Rao, R M; Portier, R J

2003-11-01

The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of using pecan and almond shell-based granular activated carbons (GACs) in the adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of health concern and known toxic compounds (such as bromo-dichloromethane, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloromethane, chloroform, and 1,1-dichloromethane) compared to the adsorption efficiency of commercially used carbons (such as Filtrasorb 200, Calgon GRC-20, and Waterlinks 206C AW) in simulated test medium. The pecan shell-based GACs were activated using steam, carbon dioxide or phosphoric acid. An almond shell-based GAC was activated with phosphoric acid. Our results indicated that steam- or carbon dioxide-activated pecan shell carbons were superior in total VOC adsorption to phosphoric acid-activated pecan shell or almond shell carbons, inferring that the method of activation selected for the preparation of activated carbons affected the adsorption of VOCs and hence are factors to be considered in any adsorption process. The steam-activated, pecan shell carbon adsorbed more total VOCs than the other experimental carbons and had an adsorption profile similar to the two coconut shell-based commercial carbons, but had greater adsorption than the coal-based commercial carbon. All the carbons studied adsorbed benzene more effectively than the other organics. Pecan shell, steam-activated and acid-activated GACs showed higher adsorption of 1,1,1-trichloroethane than the other carbons studied. Multivariate analysis was conducted to group experimental carbons and commercial carbons based on their physical, chemical, and adsorptive properties. The results of the analysis conclude that steam-activated and acid-activated pecan shell carbons clustered together with coal-based and coconut shell-based commercial carbons, thus inferring that these experimental carbons could potentially be used as alternative sources for VOC adsorption in an aqueous environment.

Effect of Carbon Dioxide on Testing of Susceptibilities of Respiratory Tract Pathogens to Macrolide and Azalide Antimicrobial Agents

PubMed Central

Johnson, M. M.; Hill, S. L.; Piddock, Laura J. V.

1999-01-01

The in vitro activities of erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin against 178 clinical isolates from the lower respiratory tract of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were determined by an agar dilution method. The plates were incubated in air alone or in 5% carbon dioxide. The MICs measured in air alone were lower for most isolates than those measured in 5% carbon dioxide, illustrating the “pH effect” of incubation in carbon dioxide. Testing of isolates in 5% carbon dioxide on pH-adjusted medium (pH 8.4) resulted in MICs of one or two doubling dilutions lower than those obtained on agar with a neutral pH. A bioassay of the three agents incubated in air and in 5% carbon dioxide resulted in a significant loss of activity of all three agents in the carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere. However, this loss-of-activity effect was significantly reduced when the bioassay medium was adjusted to pH 8.4 prior to incubation in 5% carbon dioxide. PMID:10428903

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chuanwen Zhao; Xiaoping Chen; Changsui Zhao

The CO{sub 2} capture characteristics of dry potassium-based sorbents were investigated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and a bubbling fluidized-bed reactor. Potassium-based sorbents were prepared by impregnation with potassium carbonate on supports such as coconut activated charcoal (AC1), coal active carbon (AC2), silica gel (SG), and activated alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}). Sorbents such as K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/AC1, K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/AC2, and K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} showed excellent carbonation capacity; The total conversion rates of those sorbents were 97.2, 95.9, and 95.2%, respectively in the TG test, and 89.2, 87.9, and 87.6%, respectively, in the fluidized-bed test. However, K{sub 2}CO{sub 3}/SGmore » showed poor carbonation capacity, the total conversion rates were only 34.5 and 18.8%, respectively, in TG and fluidized-bed tests. The differences in carbonation capacity of those sorbents were analyzed by studying the microscopic structure and crystal structure of the supports and the sorbents with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and N{sub 2} adsorption tests. 23 refs., 10 figs.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, B.C.; Musich, M.A.

A fixed-bed reactor system with continuous Hg{sup 0} analysis capabilities was used to evaluate commercial carbon sorbents for the removal of elemental mercury from simulated flue gas. The objectives of the program were to compare the sorbent effectiveness under identical test conditions and to identify the effects of various flue gas components on elemental mercury sorption. Sorbents tested included steam-activated lignite, chemically activated hardwood, chemically activated bituminous coal, iodated steam-activated coconut shell, and sulfur-impregnated steam-activated bituminous coal. The iodated carbon was the most effective sorbent, showing over 99% mercury removal according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 101A. Datamore » indicate that adding O{sub 2} at 4 vol% reduced the effectiveness of the steam-activated lignite, chemically activated hardwood, and sulfur- impregnated steam-activated bituminous coal. Adding SO{sub 2} at 500 ppm improved the mercury removal of the sulfur-impregnated carbon. Further, the presence of HCl gas (at 50 ppm) produced an order of magnitude increase in mercury removal with the chemically activated and sulfur-impregnated bituminous coal-based carbons.« less

Testing iodized activated carbon filters with non-radioactive methyl iodide. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deitz, V.R.; Romans, J.B.

1980-05-30

Iodized carbons, impregnated with KIx(KI + xI2), were evaluated for trapping methyl iodide-127. In this method the complete effluent of the carbon is sampled and analyzed continuously. In contrast, the RDT-M16 test procedure counts the carbon and the back-up beds for the accumulated 131 species and no information is obtained for the interaction of the large amount of carrier methyl iodide-127 with the iodized charcoal. The test apparatus to measure the penetration of methyl iodide-127 is described and the calibration procedures are detailed. Results are given for the penetration of methyl iodide-127 through new activated carbons, carbons in service, andmore » exhausted carbons withdrawn from service. The reduction in trapping efficiency with service is accompanied by the development of a maximum in the concentration of methyl iodide-127 during the air purge after the dose period. This behavior has escaped notice with methyl iodide-131 due to the way that test is made. The chromatographic holdup of methyl iodide-127 by carbons in service, together with the subsequent slow desorption step, could result in a dilution of the penetration iodine to acceptable levels under some conditions encountered in plant filter operations.« less

The Influence of Calcium Carbonate Composition and Activated Carbon in Pack Carburizing Low Carbon Steel Process in The Review of Hardness and Micro Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafni; Hadi, Syafrul; Edison

2017-12-01

Carburizing is a way of hardening the surface by heating the metal (steel) above the critical temperature in an environment containing carbon. Steel at a temperature of the critical temperature of affinity to carbon. Carbon is absorbed into the metal form a solid solution of carbon-iron and the outer layer has high carbon content. When the composition of the activator and the activated charcoal is right, it will perfect the carbon atoms to diffuse into the test material to low carbon steels. Thick layer of carbon Depending on the time and temperature are used. Pack carburizing process in this study, using 1 kg of solid carbon derived from coconut shell charcoal with a variation of 20%, 10% and 5% calcium carbonate activator, burner temperature of 950 0C, holding time 4 hours. The test material is low carbon steel has 9 pieces. Each composition has three specimens. Furnace used in this study is a pack carburizing furnace which has a designed burner box with a volume of 1000 x 600 x 400 (mm3) of coal-fired. Equipped with a circulation of oxygen from the blower 2 inches and has a wall of refractory bricks. From the variation of composition CaCO3, microstructure formed on the specimen with 20% CaCO3, better diffusion of carbon into the carbon steel, it is seen by the form marten site structure after quenching, and this indicates that there has been an increase of or adding carbon to in the specimen. This led to the formation of marten site specimen into hard surfaces, where the average value of hardness at one point side (side edge) 31.7 HRC

Effects of natural organic matter on PCB-activated carbon sorption kinetics: implications for sediment capping applications.

PubMed

Fairey, Julian L; Wahman, David G; Lowry, Gregory V

2010-01-01

In situ capping of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sediments with a layer of activated carbon has been proposed, but several questions remain regarding the long-term effectiveness of this remediation strategy. Here, we assess the degree to which kinetic limitations, size exclusion effects, and electrostatic repulsions impaired PCB sorption to activated carbon. Sorption of 11 PCB congeners with activated carbon was studied in fixed bed reactors with organic-free water (OFW) and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SR-NOM), made by reconstituting freeze-dried SR-NOM at a concentration of 10 mg L(-1) as carbon. In the OFW test, no PCBs were detected in the column effluent over the 390-d study, indicating that PCB-activated carbon equilibrium sorption capacities may be achieved before breakthrough even at the relatively high hydraulic loading rate (HLR) of 3.1 m h(-1). However, in the SR-NOM fixed-bed test, partial PCB breakthrough occurred over the entire 320-d test (HLRs of 3.1-, 1.5-, and 0.8 m h(-1)). Simulations from a modified pore and surface diffusion model indicated that external (film diffusion) mass transfer was the dominant rate-limiting step but that internal (pore diffusion) mass transfer limitations were also present. The external mass transfer limitation was likely caused by formation of PCB-NOM complexes that reduced PCB sorption through a combination of (i) increased film diffusion resistance; (ii) size exclusion effects; and (iii) electrostatic repulsive forces between the PCBs and the NOM-coated activated carbon. However, the seepage velocities in the SR-NOM fixed bed test were about 1000 times higher than would be expected in a sediment cap. Therefore, additional studies are needed to assess whether the mass transfer limitations described here would be likely to manifest themselves at the lower seepage velocities observed in practice.

The leaching of inorganic species from activated carbons produced from waste tyre rubber.

PubMed

San Miguel, G; Fowler, G D; Sollars, C J

2002-04-01

Waste tyre rubber can be used as a precursor for the production of high quality activated carbons. However, there is concern that inorganic impurities present in the rubber feed may restrict their use in liquid phase applications with high purity requirements. This paper presents an investigation of the presence and the leaching of inorganic species from activated carbons derived from waste tyre rubber. For the purpose of this work, a number of carbons were produced, characterised for their BET surface area and analysed for their inorganic composition. Subsequently, a number of tests were performed to evaluate the leaching of different inorganic species into solution at various pH values and carbon doses. Results showed that rubber-derived carbons contained elevated concentrations of sulphur and zinc, as well as traces of other metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium and molybdenum. Inorganic levels were significantly affected by production conditions, particularly degree of carbon activation and the nature of the gasification agent. However, leaching tests showed that the availability of these species in neutral pH conditions was very limited. Results demonstrated that, when using carbons doses comparable to those employed in water treatment works, only sulphur levels exceeded, in some occasions, health based quality standards proposed for drinking water.

Effect of Discharge Rate on Positive Active Material of Lead Carbon Battery for Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kailun; Liu, Hao; Hu, Chen; Gao, Fei; Yang, Kai; Wang, Hao

2017-10-01

Lead carbon battery has been widespread concern with its excellent performance of charge and discharge under High Rate Part State of Charge (HRPSoC) as well as its cycle performance. In this paper, the cycling performance of lead carbon battery for energy storage was tested by different discharge rate. The effects of different discharge rate on the composition and morphology of positive active materials in the cycle was studied by XRD and SEM. The effect of different discharge rate on the ohmic impedance of lead carbon battery was studied by testing Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy with different capacity retention rates. The results show that with the increase of the discharge rate, the content of PbO2 in the positive active material increases, the active substance utilization and the particle size of PbO2 crystal declines, and the ohmic impedance of the battery decreases.

EMISSION TEST REPORT, OMSS FIELD TEST ON CARBON INJECTION FOR MERCURY CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

The report discusses results of a parametric evaluation of powdered activated carbon for control of mercury (Hg) emission from a municipal waste cornbustor (MWC) equipped with a lime spray dryer absorber/fabric filter (SD/FF). The primary test objectives were to evaluate the effe...

Cooked Food Waste-An Efficient and Less Expensive Precursor for the Generation of Activated Carbon.

PubMed

Krithiga, Thangavelu; Sabina, Xavier Janet; Rajesh, Baskaran; Ilbeygi, Hamid; Shetty, Adka Nityananda; Reddy, Ramanjaneya; Karthikeyan, Jayabalan

2018-06-01

Activated carbon was synthesized from cooked food waste, especially dehydrated rice kernels, by chemical activation method using NaOH and KOH as activating agents. It was then characterized by ultimate and proximate analysis, BET surface analysis, XRD, FTIR, Raman and SEM. The XRD patterns and Raman spectra confirmed the amorphous nature of the prepared activated carbons. Ultimate analysis showed an increase in the carbon content after activation of the raw carbon samples. Upon activation with NaOH and KOH, the surface area of the carbon sample was found to have increased from 0.3424 to 539.78 and 306.83 m2g-1 respectively. The SEM images revealed the formation of heterogeneous pores on the surface of the activated samples. The samples were then tested for their adsorption activity using acetic acid and methylene blue. Based on the regression coefficients, the adsorption kinetics of methylene blue dye were fitted with pseudo-second order model for both samples. Similarly, the Freundlich isotherm was found to be a better fit than Langmuir isotherm for both samples. The activity of thus prepared activated carbons was found to be comparable with the commercial carbon.

Study the effect of active carbon modified using HNO3 for carbon electrodes in capacitive deionization system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blegur, Ernes Josias; Endarko

2017-01-01

Carbon electrodes prepared with crosslink method for desalination purpose has been synthesized and characterized. The carbon electrodes were synthesized with activated carbon (700 - 1400 m2/g) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binder using crosslink method with temperature crosslink at 120°C. Electrochemical properties of carbon electrodes were examined using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The proposed study was to measure the salt-removal percentage of 330 µS/cm NaCl using a capacitive deionization (CDI) unit cell prepared with two pairs of carbon electrodes. The applied potential of 2.0 V and a flow rate of 25 mL/min were used to desalination tests. The result showed that the greatest value of the percentage of salt-removal was achieved at 36.1% for the carbon electrodes with Active Carbon Modified (ACM) while the salt-removal percentage for the Active Carbon (AC) electrodes only at 22%. The fact indicates that the active carbon modified using HNO3 can improve the efficiency of CDI about 14%.

Investigation on Using SBS and Active Carbon Filler to Reduce the VOC Emission from Bituminous Materials.

PubMed

Cui, Peiqiang; Wu, Shaopeng; Li, Fuzhou; Xiao, Yue; Zhang, Honghua

2014-08-26

Bituminous materials are playing a vital role in pavement design and the roofing industry because of outstanding properties. Unfortunately, bituminous materials will release volatile organic compounds (VOC), making them non-environmentally friendly. Therefore, technologies that can be used to decrease the VOC emission are urgently required. In this research, the VOC emission and material behaviors were analyzed and compared to investigate the possibility of adding styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) and active carbon filler into bituminous materials to develop environmentally-friendly materials. Thermal gravimetric analysis-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy testing (UV-Vis) were employed to characterize the VOC emission process. Temperature sweep testing and frequency sweep testing were conducted to evaluate the rheological properties of bituminous materials. Research results indicated that the combined introduction of 4 wt% styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) and 4 wt% active carbon filler cannot only significantly lower the VOC emission speed and amount, but also improve the deformation resistance behavior at a higher temperature. SBS and active carbon filler can be used to reduce the VOC emission form bituminous materials.

Investigation on Using SBS and Active Carbon Filler to Reduce the VOC Emission from Bituminous Materials

PubMed Central

Cui, Peiqiang; Wu, Shaopeng; Li, Fuzhou; Xiao, Yue; Zhang, Honghua

2014-01-01

Bituminous materials are playing a vital role in pavement design and the roofing industry because of outstanding properties. Unfortunately, bituminous materials will release volatile organic compounds (VOC), making them non-environmentally friendly. Therefore, technologies that can be used to decrease the VOC emission are urgently required. In this research, the VOC emission and material behaviors were analyzed and compared to investigate the possibility of adding styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) and active carbon filler into bituminous materials to develop environmentally-friendly materials. Thermal gravimetric analysis-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy testing (UV-Vis) were employed to characterize the VOC emission process. Temperature sweep testing and frequency sweep testing were conducted to evaluate the rheological properties of bituminous materials. Research results indicated that the combined introduction of 4 wt% styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) and 4 wt% active carbon filler cannot only significantly lower the VOC emission speed and amount, but also improve the deformation resistance behavior at a higher temperature. SBS and active carbon filler can be used to reduce the VOC emission form bituminous materials. PMID:28788181

Investigating effectiveness of activated carbons of natural sources on various supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faisal, Md. Shahnewaz Sabit; Rahman, Muhammad M.; Asmatulu, Ramazan

2016-04-01

Activated carbon can be produced from natural sources, such as pistachio and acorn shells, which can be an inexpensive and sustainable sources of natural wastes for the energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors. The carbonaceous materials used in this study were carbonized at the temperatures of 700°C and 900°C after the stabilization process at 240°C for two hours. These shells showed approximately 60% carbon yield. Carbonized nutshells were chemically activated using1wt% potassium hydroxide (KOH). Activated carbon powders with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) were used to construct carbon electrodes. A 1M of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4) and propylene carbonate (PC) were used as electrolytes. Electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used for the characterization of the supercapacitors. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to inspect the surface texture of the activated carbons. Activated pistachio shells carbonized at 700°C showed more porous surface texture than those carbonized at 900°C. Effects of the carbonization temperatures were studied for their electrochemical characteristics. The shells carbonized at 700°C showed better electrochemical characteristics compared to those carbonized at 900°C. The test results provided about 27,083 μF/g specific capacitance at a scan rate of 10mV/s. This study showed promising results for using these activated carbons produced from the natural wastes for supercapacitor applications.

Enhancement of p-nitrophenol adsorption capacity through N2-thermal-based treatment of activated carbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Álvarez-Torrellas, S.; Martin-Martinez, M.; Gomes, H. T.; Ovejero, G.; García, J.

2017-08-01

In this work several activated carbons showing different textural and chemical properties were obtained by chemical and physical activation methods, using a lignocellulosic material (peach stones) as precursor. The activated carbon resulting from the chemical activation, namely as CAC, revealed the best textural properties (SBET = 1521 m2 g-1, pore volume = 0.90 cm3 g-1) and an acidic character. It was found that the activated carbon obtained at 300 °C (under air atmosphere, PAC_air), and those synthesized at 750 °C in presence of N2 flow with bubbling of water/12 M H3PO4 solution (PAC_N2(H2O)/PAC_N2(H3PO4)), respectively, revealed worse textural properties, compared to CAC. Two functionalization treatments, by using sulphuric acid at boiling temperature (PACS) and nitric acid-urea-N2 heating at 800 °C (PAC-NUT), were applied to PAC_air, in order to enhance the adsorption ability of the carbon material. Several techniques were carried out to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the obtained carbon materials. The modification treatments had influence on the carbon surface properties, since the nitric acid-urea-N2 heating treatment led to a carbon material with highly-improved properties (SBET = 679 m2 g-1, pHIEP = 5.3). Accordingly, the original and modified-carbon materials were tested as adsorbents to remove 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), assessing batch and fixed-bed column adsorption tests. PAC-NUT carbon offered the best adsorption behavior (qe = 234 mg g-1), showing a high ability for the removal of 4-NP from water.

40 CFR 60.1330 - How do I monitor the injection rate of activated carbon?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... combustion unit uses activated carbon to control dioxins/furans or mercury emissions, you must meet three... feed rate (for example, screw feeder speed). (b) During each dioxins/furans and mercury stack test...

Preparation of the Lentinus edodes-based porous biomass carbon by hydrothermal method for capacitive desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Junbin; Zhang, Hexuan; Xie, Zhengzheng; Liu, Jianyun

2017-08-01

Biomass carbon materials were prepared by hydrothermal method using Lentinus edodes, followed by activation by ZnCl2 at high carbonization temperature. SEM and contact angle test show that ZnCl2 has a significant effect on the surface morphology and properties of porous carbon materials. Using the porous carbon as electrodes of the capacitor, the specific capacitance of the porous carbon material was found to be 247.6 F/g. The desalination amount of porous carbon material in capacitor cell was 12.9 mg/g, being the 1.9 times of that of the commercial activated carbon.

Comparison of adsorption behavior of PCDD/Fs on carbon nanotubes and activated carbons in a bench-scale dioxin generating system.

PubMed

Zhou, Xujian; Li, Xiaodong; Xu, Shuaixi; Zhao, Xiyuan; Ni, Mingjiang; Cen, Kefa

2015-07-01

Porous carbon-based materials are commonly used to remove various organic and inorganic pollutants from gaseous and liquid effluents and products. In this study, the adsorption of dioxins on both activated carbons and multi-walled carbon nanotube was internally compared, via series of bench scale experiments. A laboratory-scale dioxin generator was applied to generate PCDD/Fs with constant concentration (8.3 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3)). The results confirm that high-chlorinated congeners are more easily adsorbed on both activated carbons and carbon nanotubes than low-chlorinated congeners. Carbon nanotubes also achieved higher adsorption efficiency than activated carbons even though they have smaller BET-surface. Carbon nanotubes reached the total removal efficiency over 86.8 % to be compared with removal efficiencies of only 70.0 and 54.2 % for the two other activated carbons tested. In addition, because of different adsorption mechanisms, the removal efficiencies of carbon nanotubes dropped more slowly with time than was the case for activated carbons. It could be attributed to the abundant mesopores distributed in the surface of carbon nanotubes. They enhanced the pore filled process of dioxin molecules during adsorption. In addition, strong interactions between the two benzene rings of dioxin molecules and the hexagonal arrays of carbon atoms in the surface make carbon nanotubes have bigger adsorption capacity.

Catalytic ozonation of p-chlorobenzoic acid by activated carbon and nickel supported activated carbon prepared from petroleum coke.

PubMed

Li, Xukai; Zhang, Qiuyun; Tang, Lili; Lu, Ping; Sun, Fengqiang; Li, Laisheng

2009-04-15

The aim of this research was to investigate catalytic activity of petroleum coke, activated carbon (AC) prepared from this material, Ni supported catalyst on activated carbon (Ni/AC) in the ozonation of aqueous phase p-chlorobenzoic acid (p-CBA). Activated carbon and Ni/AC catalyst were characterized by XRD and SEM. The presence of petroleum coke did not improve the degradation of p-CBA compared to ozonation alone, but it was advantageous for p-CBA mineralization (total organic carbon, TOC, reduction), indicating the generation of highly oxidant species (*OH) in the medium. The presence of either activated carbon or Ni/AC considerably improves TOC removal during p-CBA ozonation. Ni/AC catalyst shows the better catalytic activity and stability based on five repeated tests during p-CBA ozonation. During the ozonation (50 mg/h ozone flow rate) of a 10 mg/L p-CBA (pH 4.31), it can be more mineralized in the presence of Ni/AC catalyst (5.0 g/L), TOC removal rate is over 60% in 60 min, 43% using activated carbon as catalyst, only 30% with ozonation alone.

Development and characterization of self-healing carbon fabric/ionomer composite through stitched polymeric artificial muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriel, Mark Joseph

Typical cracks in composite materials are hard to detect, because they may be very small or occur inside the material. This study investigates the development and characterization of carbon fiber and an ionomer, self-healing, laminate composite, enhanced with stitched artificial muscle elements. Although the carbon fiber is used as a structural reinforcement, the carbon fiber can also act as a resistive heating element in order to activate the healing elements in a Close-Then-Heal (CTH) approach. However in this study, hot air in an oven was used to activate the, SurlynRTM 8940, self-healing matrix. Artificial muscle was prepared from commercial fishing line to stitch reinforce the carbon laminate composite in the Z plane. Holes were drilled into the final composite and the muscle was stitched into the composite for active reinforcement. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to characterize the matrix and fishing line properties. The resulting smart composite was subjected to low velocity impact tests and consequential damage before healing in an oven, followed by three point bending flexure tests. Cracks in the carbon fiber reinforcement formed more easily than expected after impact because the holes were drilled to facilitate the muscle stitching. The matrix material could heal, but the reinforcement carbon could not. Several equipment issues and failures limited the amount of samples that could be created to continue testing with new parameters.

Study of CO2 adsorption capacity of mesoporous carbon and activated carbon modified by triethylenetetramine (TETA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistianti, I.; Krisnandi, Y. K.; Moenandar, I.

2017-04-01

Mesoporous carbon was synthesized by soft template method using phloroglucinol and formaldehyde as a carbon source; and Pluronic F-127 as a mesoporous template. The synthesized mesoporous carbon and commercial activated carbon were modified with triethylenetetramine (TETA) to increase CO2 adsorption capacity. Based on FTIR characterization, the synthesized mesoporous carbon and the activated carbon without modification process has similarity pattern. After the modification, both of them showed absorption peaks in the area around 1580 to 1650 cm-1 which is known as N-H bending vibration and absorption peaks in the area around 3150 to 3380 cm-1 which is known as N-H stretching vibration. The XRD results showed two peaks at 2θ = 24.21° and 2θ = 43.85°, according to JCPDS index No. 75-1621 those peak are the typical peaks for hexagonal graphite carbon. In BET analysis, the synthesized mesoporous carbon and activated carbon modified TETA have surface area, pore volume and pore diameter lower than without modification process. In carbon dioxide adsorption testing, the synthesized mesoporous carbon showed better performance than the commercial activated carbon for CO2 adsorption both without modification and by modification. The synthesized mesoporous carbon obtained CO2 adsorption of 9.916 mmol/g and the activated carbon of 3.84 mmol/g for on 3.5 hours of adsorption. It is three times better than activated carbon for adsorption of carbon dioxide. The modified mesoporous carbon has the best performance for adsorption of gas CO2 if compared by unmodified.

Carbon bed mercury emissions control for mixed waste treatment.

PubMed

Soelberg, Nick; Enneking, Joe

2010-11-01

Mercury has various uses in nuclear fuel reprocessing and other nuclear processes, and so it is often present in radioactive and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes. Compliance with air emission regulations such as the Hazardous Waste Combustor (HWC) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards can require off-gas mercury removal efficiencies up to 99.999% for thermally treating some mixed waste streams. Test programs have demonstrated this level of off-gas mercury control using fixed beds of granular sulfur-impregnated activated carbon. Other results of these tests include (1) the depth of the mercury control mass transfer zone was less than 15-30 cm for the operating conditions of these tests; (2) MERSORB carbon can sorb mercury up to 19 wt % of the carbon mass; and (3) the spent carbon retained almost all (98.3-99.99%) of the mercury during Toxicity Characteristic Leachability Procedure (TCLP) tests, but when even a small fraction of the total mercury dissolves, the spent carbon can fail the TCLP test when the spent carbon contains high mercury concentrations.

Batch and dynamic sorption of Ni(II) ions by activated carbon based on a native lignocellulosic precursor.

PubMed

Nabarlatz, Debora; de Celis, Jorge; Bonelli, Pablo; Cukierman, Ana Lea

2012-04-30

Vinal-derived Activated Carbon (VAC) developed by phosphoric acid activation of sawdust from Prosopis ruscifolia native wood was tested for the adsorption of Ni(II) ions from dilute solutions in both batch and dynamic modes, comparing it with a Commercial Activated Carbon (CAC). Batch experiments were performed to determine adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms for both carbons. It was possible to remove near 6.55 mg Ni g(-1) VAC and 7.65 mg Ni g(-1) CAC after 5 h and 10 h contact time, respectively. A pseudo second order equation fitted well with the kinetics of the process, and Langmuir adsorption model was used to adjust the experimental results concerning the adsorption isotherm. The parameters obtained indicate a stronger interaction between sorbent and sorbate for VAC (K = 26.56 L mmol(-1)) than for CAC (K = 19.54 L mmol(-1)). Continuous experiments were performed in a fixed-bed column packed with the investigated carbons, evaluating the influence of operational parameters such as flow rate, bed height and feed concentration on the breakthrough curves obtained. The breakthrough occurred more slowly for low concentrations of the metal ion in the feed, low flow rates and high bed height. The breakthrough curves were properly represented by Hall's model for both carbon types. Regeneration of the vinal activated carbon in column was tested, obtaining the same breakthrough curve in a new cycle of use. Finally, vinal-derived activated carbon can effectively be used to treat wastewater having until 30 ppm Ni(II). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activation of Aspen Wood with Carbon Dioxide and Phosphoric Acid for Removal of Total Organic Carbon from Oil Sands Produced Water: Increasing the Yield with Bio-Oil Recycling

PubMed Central

Veksha, Andrei; Bhuiyan, Tazul I.; Hill, Josephine M.

2016-01-01

Several samples of activated carbon were prepared by physical (CO2) and chemical (H3PO4) activation of aspen wood and tested for the adsorption of organic compounds from water generated during the recovery of bitumen using steam assisted gravity drainage. Total organic carbon removal by the carbon samples increased proportionally with total pore volume as determined from N2 adsorption isotherms at −196 °C. The activated carbon produced by CO2 activation had similar removal levels for total organic carbon from the water (up to 70%) to those samples activated with H3PO4, but lower yields, due to losses during pyrolysis and activation. A method to increase the yield when using CO2 activation was proposed and consisted of recycling bio-oil produced from previous runs to the aspen wood feed, followed by either KOH addition (0.48%) or air pretreatment (220 °C for 3 h) before pyrolysis and activation. By recycling the bio-oil, the yield of CO2 activated carbon (after air pretreatment of the mixture) was increased by a factor of 1.3. Due to the higher carbon yield, the corresponding total organic carbon removal, per mass of wood feed, increased by a factor of 1.2 thus improving the overall process efficiency. PMID:28787817

Return to Flight Resource Reel 1 of 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

A video presentation detailing the tests performed on the Space Shuttle Discovery in preparation for its return to flight is shown. The tests include: 1) Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) Impact Test Article; 2) RCC Foam Impact Testing; 3) Thermal Protection System (TPS) Ice Impact Testing featuring Justin Kerr, Project Engineer; 4) Wing Leading Edge Wireless Sensors featuring Karl Kiefer, President and CEO of Invocon, and Kevin Champaigne of Invocon; 5) TPS Repair Testing KC-135 Zero-G Environment featuring Soichi Noguchi, Mission Specialist; 6) TPS Extravehicular Activity Tool Demonstration; 7) TPS Repair Testing Vacuum Glove box; 8) TPS Repair Testing Human Thermal Vacuum Chamber; 9) TPS Reentry Testing Atmospheric Reentry Materials and Structures Evaluation Facility; 10) TPS Alternative Repair Concept; 11) Lora Bailey Lead Engineer for EVA Tools; 12) Reinforced Carbon-Carbon ATK Thiokol Plug Repair Animation; 13) 3-Percent Model Build-Up; and 14) Wind Tunnel Testing RCC Aging Research Ballistic Testing.

Production of palm kernel shell-based activated carbon by direct physical activation for carbon dioxide adsorption.

PubMed

Rashidi, Nor Adilla; Yusup, Suzana

2018-05-09

The feasibility of biomass-based activated carbons has received a huge attention due to their excellent characteristics such as inexpensiveness, good adsorption behaviour and potential to reduce a strong dependency towards non-renewable precursors. Therefore, in this research work, eco-friendly activated carbon from palm kernel shell that has been produced from one-stage physical activation by using the Box-Behnken design of Response Surface Methodology is highlighted. The effect of three input parameters-temperature, dwell time and gas flow rate-towards product yield and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) uptake at room temperature and atmospheric pressure are studied. Model accuracy has been evaluated through the ANOVA analysis and lack-of-fit test. Accordingly, the optimum condition in synthesising the activated carbon with adequate CO 2 adsorption capacity of 2.13 mmol/g and product yield of 25.15 wt% is found at a temperature of 850 °C, holding time of 60 min and CO 2 flow rate of 450 cm 3 /min. The synthesised activated carbon has been characterised by diverse analytical instruments including thermogravimetric analyser, scanning electron microscope, as well as N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. The characterisation analysis indicates that the synthesised activated carbon has higher textural characteristics and porosity, together with better thermal stability and carbon content as compared to pristine palm kernel shell. Activated carbon production via one-step activation approach is economical since its carbon yield is within the industrial target, whereas CO 2 uptake is comparable to the synthesised activated carbon from conventional dual-stage activation, commercial activated carbon and other published data from literature.

[Effects of tree species fine root decomposition on soil active organic carbon].

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Wang, Si-Long; Wang, Xiao-Wei; Yu, Xiao-Jun; Yang, Yue-Jun

2007-03-01

With incubation test, this paper studied the effects of fine root decomposition of Alnus cremastogyne, Cunninghamia lanceolata and Michelia macclurei on the content of soil active organic carbon at 9 degrees C , 14 degrees C , 24 degrees C and 28 degrees C. The results showed that the decomposition rate of fine root differed significantly with test tree species, which was decreased in the order of M. macclurei > A. cremastogyne > C. lanceolata. The decomposition rate was increased with increasing temperature, but declined with prolonged incubation time. Fine root source, incubation temperature, and incubation time all affected the contents of soil microbial biomass carbon and water-soluble organic carbon. The decomposition of fine root increased soil microbial biomass carbon and water-soluble organic carbon significantly, and the effect decreased in the order of M. macclurei > A. cremastogyne > C. lanceolata. Higher contents of soil microbial biomass carbon and water-soluble organic carbon were observed at medium temperature and middle incubation stage. Fine root decomposition had less effect on the content of soil readily oxidized organic carbon.

Adsorption properties of biomass-based activated carbon prepared with spent coffee grounds and pomelo skin by phosphoric acid activation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaodong; Ouyang, Feng

2013-03-01

Activated carbon prepared from spent coffee grounds and pomelo skin by phosphoric acid activation had been employed as the adsorbent for ethylene and n-butane at room temperature. Prepared activated carbon was characterized by means of nitrogen adsorption-desorption, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope. It was confirmed that pore structure played an important role during the adsorption testes. Adsorption isotherms of ethylene and n-butane fitted well with Langmuir equation. The prepared samples owned better adsorption capacity for n-butane than commercial activated carbon. Isosteric heats of adsorptions at different coverage were calculated through Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Micropore filling effect was explained in a thermodynamic way.

Activated carbons from potato peels: The role of activation agent and carbonization temperature of biomass on their use as sorbents for bisphenol A uptake from aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arampatzidou, An; Deliyanni, Eleni A.

2015-04-01

Activated carbons prepared from potato peels, a solid waste by product, and activated with different activating chemicals, have been studied for the adsorption of an endocrine disruptor (Bisphenol-A) from aqueous solutions. The potato peels biomass was activated with phosphoric acid, KOH and ZnCl2. The different activating chemicals were tested in order the better activation agent to be found. The carbons were carbonized by pyrolysis, in one step procedure, at three different temperatures in order the role of the temperature of carbonization to be pointed out. The porous texture and the surface chemistry of the prepared activated carbons were characterized by Nitrogen adsorption (BET), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), thermal analysis (DTA) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Batch experiments were performed to investigate the effect of pH, the adsorbent dose, the initial bisphenol A concentration and temperature. Equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The thermodynamic parameters such as the change of enthalpy (ΔH0), entropy (ΔS0) and Gibb's free energy (ΔG0) of adsorption systems were also evaluated. The adsorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was found to be 450 mg g-1 at an initial pH 3 at 25 °C for the phosphoric acid activated carbon, that make the activated carbon a promising adsorbent material.

Applications for activated carbons from waste tires: Natural gas storage and air pollution control

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, T.A.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Rood, M.J.

1996-01-01

Natural gas storage for natural gas vehicles and the separation and removal of gaseous contaminants from gas streams represent two emerging applications for carbon adsorbents. A possible precursor for such adsorbents is waste tires. In this study, activated carbon has been developed from waste tires and tested for its methane storage capacity and SO2 removal from a simulated flue-gas. Tire-derived carbons exhibit methane adsorption capacities (g/g) within 10% of a relatively expensive commercial activated carbon; however, their methane storage capacities (Vm/Vs) are almost 60% lower. The unactivated tire char exhibits SO2 adsorption kinetics similar to a commercial carbon used for flue-gas clean-up. Copyright ?? 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Effect of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) in carbon-based composite electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Chunhong; Wilson, Peter; Lekakou, Constantina

Electrochemical double layer supercapacitor cells were fabricated and tested using composite electrodes of activated carbon with carbon black and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and an organic electrolyte 1 M TEABF 4/PC solution. The effect of PEDOT on the performance of the EDLC cells was explored and the cells were characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge. A generalised equivalent circuit model was developed for which numerical simulations were performed to determine the properties and parameters of its components from the EIS data. It was found that the proposed model fitted successfully the data of all tested cells. PEDOT enhanced the electrode and cell capacitance via its pseudo-capacitance effect up to a maximum value for an optimum PEDOT loading and greatly increased the energy density of the cell while the maximum power density has been still maintained at supercapacitor levels. Furthermore, PEDOT replaced PVDF as a binder and harmful solvent release was reduced during electrode processing. Activated carbon-carbon black composite electrodes with PEDOT as binder were found to have specific capacitance superior to that of activated carbon-carbon black electrodes with PVDF binder.

The influence of activating agents on the performance of rice husk-based carbon for sodium lauryl sulfate and chrome (Cr) metal adsorptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arneli; Safitri, Z. F.; Pangestika, A. W.; Fauziah, F.; Wahyuningrum, V. N.; Astuti, Y.

2017-02-01

This research aims to study the influence of activating agents to produce rice husk based-carbon with high adsorption capacity and efficiency for either hazardous organic molecules or heavy metals which are unfriendly for the environment. Firstly, rice husk was burned by pyrolysis at different temperatures to produce rice husk-based carbon. To improve its ability as an adsorbent, carbon was treated with activating agents, namely, H3PO4 and KOH at room and high temperature (420 °C). The performance of carbon was then tested by contacting it with surfactant (SLS). Finally, the surfactant-modified active carbon was applied for chrome metal removal. The result shows that activation of carbon using phosphate acid (H3PO4) was more effective than potassium hydroxide (KOH) conducted at high temperature to adsorb sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and chrome metal with the adsorption capacity 1.50 mgg-1 and 0.375 mgg-1, respectively.

Experimental Studies of Carbon Nanotube Materials for Space Radiators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SanSoucie, MIchael P.; Rogers, Jan R.; Craven, Paul D.; Hyers, Robert W.

2012-01-01

Game ]changing propulsion systems are often enabled by novel designs using advanced materials. Radiator performance dictates power output for nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon fiber materials have the potential to offer significant improvements in thermal conductivity and mass properties. A test apparatus was developed to test advanced radiator designs. This test apparatus uses a resistance heater inside a graphite tube. Metallic tubes can be slipped over the graphite tube to simulate a heat pipe. Several sub ]scale test articles were fabricated using CNT cloth and pitch ]based carbon fibers, which were bonded to a metallic tube using an active braze material. The test articles were heated up to 600 C and an infrared (IR) camera captured the results. The test apparatus and experimental results are presented here.

Semi-coke briquettes: towards reducing emissions of primary PM2.5, particulate carbon, and carbon monoxide from household coal combustion in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qing; Li, Xinghua; Jiang, Jingkun; Duan, Lei; Ge, Su; Zhang, Qi; Deng, Jianguo; Wang, Shuxiao; Hao, Jiming

2016-01-01

Direct household use of unprocessed raw coals for cooking and heating without any air pollution control device has caused serious indoor and outdoor environment problems by emitting particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. This study examined household emission reduction by switching from unprocessed bituminous and anthracite coals to processed semi-coke briquettes. Two typical stoves were used to test emission characteristics when burning 20 raw coal samples commonly used in residential heating activities and 15 semi-coke briquette samples which were made from bituminous coals by industrial carbonization treatment. The carbonization treatment removes volatile compounds from raw coals which are the major precursors for PM formation and carbon emission. The average emission factors of primary PM2.5, elemental carbon, organic carbon, and carbon monoxide for the tested semi-coke briquettes are much lower than those of the tested raw coals. Based on the current coal consumption data in China, switching to semi-coke briquettes can reduce average emission factors of these species by about 92%, 98%, 91%, and 34%, respectively. Additionally, semi-coke briquette has relatively lower price and higher burnout ratio. The replacement of raw coals with semi-coke briquettes is a feasible path to reduce pollution emissions from household activities.

Semi-coke briquettes: towards reducing emissions of primary PM2.5, particulate carbon, and carbon monoxide from household coal combustion in China

PubMed Central

Li, Qing; Li, Xinghua; Jiang, Jingkun; Duan, Lei; Ge, Su; Zhang, Qi; Deng, Jianguo; Wang, Shuxiao; Hao, Jiming

2016-01-01

Direct household use of unprocessed raw coals for cooking and heating without any air pollution control device has caused serious indoor and outdoor environment problems by emitting particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. This study examined household emission reduction by switching from unprocessed bituminous and anthracite coals to processed semi-coke briquettes. Two typical stoves were used to test emission characteristics when burning 20 raw coal samples commonly used in residential heating activities and 15 semi-coke briquette samples which were made from bituminous coals by industrial carbonization treatment. The carbonization treatment removes volatile compounds from raw coals which are the major precursors for PM formation and carbon emission. The average emission factors of primary PM2.5, elemental carbon, organic carbon, and carbon monoxide for the tested semi-coke briquettes are much lower than those of the tested raw coals. Based on the current coal consumption data in China, switching to semi-coke briquettes can reduce average emission factors of these species by about 92%, 98%, 91%, and 34%, respectively. Additionally, semi-coke briquette has relatively lower price and higher burnout ratio. The replacement of raw coals with semi-coke briquettes is a feasible path to reduce pollution emissions from household activities. PMID:26782059

Chlorate adsorption from chlor-alkali plant brine stream.

PubMed

Lakshmanan, Shyam; Murugesan, Thanabalan

2017-07-01

Chlorates are present in the brine stream purged from chlor-alkali plants. Tests were conducted using activated carbon from coconut shell, coal or palm kernel shell to adsorb chlorate. The results show varying levels of adsorption with reduction ranging between 1.3 g/L and 1.8 g/L. This was higher than the chlorate generation rate of that plant, recorded at 1.22 g/L, indicating that chlorate can be adequately removed by adsorption using activated carbon. Coconut based activated carbon exhibited the best adsorption of chlorate of the three types of activated carbon tested. Introducing an adsorption step prior to purging of the brine will be able to reduce chlorate content in the brine stream. The best location for introducing the adsorption step was identified to be after dechlorination of the brine and before resaturation. Introduction of such an adsorption step will enable complete recovery of the brine and prevent brine purging, which in turn will result in less release of chlorides and chlorates to the environment.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yalcin, M.; Arol, A.I.

Coconut shells are the most widely used raw material for the production of activated carbon used in the gold production by cyanide leaching. There have been efforts to find alternatives to coconut shells. Shells and stones of certain fruits, have been tested. Although promising results to some extent were obtained, coconut shells remain the main source of activated carbon. Turkey has become a country of interest in terms of gold deposits of epithermal origin. Four deposits have already been discovered and, mining and milling operations are expected to start in the near future. Explorations are underway in many other areasmore » of high expectations. Turkey is also rich in fruits which can be a valuable source of raw material for activated carbon production. In this study, hazelnut shells, peach and apricot stones, abundantly available locally, have been tested to determine whether they are suitable for the gold metallurgy. Parameters of carbonization and activation have been optimized. Gold loading capacity and adsorption kinetics have been studied.« less

Granular activated carbon for removal of organic matter and turbidity from secondary wastewater.

PubMed

Hatt, J W; Germain, E; Judd, S J

2013-01-01

A range of commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) media have been assessed as pretreatment technologies for a downstream microfiltration (MF) process. Media were assessed on the basis of reduction in both organic matter and turbidity, since these are known to cause fouling in MF membranes. Isotherm adsorption analysis through jar testing with supplementary column trials revealed a wide variation between the different adsorbent materials with regard to organics removal and adsorption kinetics. Comparison with previous work using powdered activated carbon (PAC) revealed that for organic removal above 60% the use of GAC media incurs a significantly lower carbon usage rate than PAC. All GACs tested achieved a minimum of 80% turbidity removal. This combination of turbidity and organic removal suggests that GAC would be expected to provide a significant reduction in fouling of a downstream MF process with improved product water quality.

[The effect of lithium carbonate on the leukocyte count following ionizing radiation. 4. The effect of lithium carbonate on the activation of granulocytes].

PubMed

Wolf, G; Müller, G M; Kehrberg, G

1989-01-01

From numerous investigations it is known that lithium carbonate promotes granulocytopoiesis by stimulation of CSF (colony stimulating factor) in bone marrow. To prove if no immature, in their functions restricted cells are delivered from bone marrow, the activity of granulocytes was tested in vitro in patients with lithium therapy. It could be seen that granulocytes of peripheral blood show an increased in-vitro-activation after lithium influence in vivo.

Kinetics and equilibrium models for the sorption of tributyltin to nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite in artificial seawater.

PubMed

Ayanda, Olushola S; Fatoki, Olalekan S; Adekola, Folahan A; Ximba, Bhekumusa J

2013-07-15

The removal of tributyltin (TBT) from artificial seawater using nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite was systematically studied. The equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption were investigated in a batch adsorption system. Equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. Pseudo first- and second-order, Elovich, fractional power and intraparticle diffusion models were applied to test the kinetic data. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔS° and ΔH° were also calculated to understand the mechanisms of adsorption. Optimal conditions for the adsorption of TBT from artificial seawater were then applied to TBT removal from natural seawater. A higher removal efficiency of TBT (>99%) was obtained for the nZnO/activated carbon composite material and for activated carbon but not for nZnO. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Imipramine, Paroxetine, and Lithium Carbonate on Neurobehavioral Changes of Streptozotocin in Rats: Impact on Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 and Blood Glucose Level.

PubMed

Nadeem, Rania I; Ahmed, Hebatalla I; El-Denshary, Ezz-El-Din S

2015-09-01

Recent studies have demonstrated a scrutinized association of diabetes mellitus with depressive symptoms and major depression. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a protein kinase enzyme constitutively active in non-stimulated cells and in multiple signalings. Independent lines of research provide a converging evidence for an involvement of GSK-3 in the regulation of behavior and hyperglycemia. The present study revealed that streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were found to show lengthened duration of immobility in the forced-swimming test (FST) and reduced locomotor and exploratory activities in the open-field test (OFT). Imipramine (15 mg/kg), Paroxetine (10 mg/kg) and lithium carbonate (36.94 mg/kg) for 14 days reduced immobility behavior in FST. Paroxetine and lithium carbonate increased the locomotor and exploratory activities, while imipramine decreased the locomotor activity in the OFT. Imipramine and lithium carbonate reduced the blood glucose level while paroxetine didn't alter it. STZ-induced diabetes increased GSK-3 gene expression which was determined using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction test, while the three drugs decreased its expression. It can be concluded that lithium carbonate and imipramine can control both hyperglycemia and the associated symptoms of depression at the same time by inhibiting GSK-3 activity. On the other hand, paroxetine may only manage the depressive-like symptoms associated with diabetes through modulating the enzyme GSK-3, without changing blood glucose levels.

Activated carbon derived from chitosan as air cathode catalyst for high performance in microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yi; Zhao, Yong; Li, Kexun; Wang, Zhong; Tian, Pei; Liu, Di; Yang, Tingting; Wang, Junjie

2018-02-01

Chitosan with rich of nitrogen is used as carbon precursor to synthesis activated carbon through directly heating method in this study. The obtained carbon is activated by different amount of KOH at different temperatures, and then prepared as air cathodes for microbial fuel cells. Carbon sample treated with double amount of KOH at 850 °C exhibits maximum power density (1435 ± 46 mW m-2), 1.01 times improved, which ascribes to the highest total surface area, moderate micropore and mesoporous structure and the introduction of nitrogen. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and powder resistivity state that carbon treated with double amount of KOH at 850 °C possesses lower resistance. The other electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the best kinetic activity make the above treated sample to show the best oxygen reduction reaction activity. Besides, the degree of graphitization of samples increases with the activated temperature increasing, which is tested by Raman. According to elemental analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, all chitosan samples are nitrogen-doped carbon, and high content nitrogen (pyridinic-N) improves the electrochemical activity of carbon treated with KOH at 850 °C. Thus, carbon materials derived from chitosan would be an optimized catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cell.

Influence of surface properties on the mechanism of H2S removal by alkaline activated carbons.

PubMed

Yan, Rong; Chin, Terence; Ng, Yuen Ling; Duan, Huiqi; Liang, David Tee; Tay, Joo Hwa

2004-01-01

Alkaline activated carbons are widely used as adsorbents of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), one of the major odorous compounds arising from sewage treatment facilities. Although a number of studies have explored the effects of various parameters, mechanisms of H2S adsorption by alkaline carbons are not yet fully understood. The major difficulty seems to lie in the fact that little is known with certainty about the predominant reactions occurring on the carbon surface. In this study, the surface properties of alkaline activated carbons were systematically investigated to further exploit and better understand the mechanisms of H2S adsorption by alkaline activated carbons. Two commercially available alkaline activated carbons and their representative exhausted samples (8 samples collected at different height of the column after H2S breakthrough tests) were studied. The 8 portions of the exhausted carbon were used to represent the H2S/carbon reaction process. The surface properties of both the original and the exhausted carbons were characterized using the sorption of nitrogen (BET test), surface pH, Boehm titration, thermal and FTIR analysis. Porosity and surface area provide detailed information about the pore structure of the exhausted carbons with respect to the reaction extent facilitating the understanding of potential pore blockages. Results of Boehm titration and FTIR both demonstrate the significant effects of surface functional groups, and identification of oxidation products confirmed the different mechanisms involved with the two carbons. From the DTG curves of thermal analysis, two well-defined peaks representing two products of surface reactions (i.e., sulfur and sulfuric acid) were observed from the 8 exhausted portions with gradually changing patterns coinciding with the extent of the reaction. Surface pH values of the exhausted carbons show a clear trend of pH drop along the reaction extent, while pH around 2 was observed for the bottom of the bed indicating sulfuric acid as the predominant products. Although both carbons are coal-based and of KOH impregnated type, performances of different carbons differ significantly. A correlation is well established to link the reaction extent with various surface properties. In summary, not only the homogeneous alkali impregnation and physical porosity but also the carbon surface chemistry are significant factors influencing the performances of alkaline activated carbons as H2S adsorbents.

Removal of target odorous molecules on to activated carbon cloths.

PubMed

Le Leuch, L M; Subrenat, A; Le Cloirec, P

2004-01-01

Activated carbon materials are adsorbents whose physico-chemical properties are interesting for the treatment of odorous compounds like hydrogen sulfide. Indeed, their structural parameters (pore structure) and surface chemistry (presence of heteroatoms such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus) play an important role in H2S removal. The cloth texture of these adsorbents (activated carbon cloths) is particularly adapted for dealing with high flows, often found in the treatment of odor emissions. Thus, this paper first presents the influence of these parameters through adsorption isothermal curves performed on several materials. Secondly, tests in a dynamic system are described. They highlight the low critical thickness of the fabric compared to granular activated carbon.

Properties and effects of remaining carbon from waste plastics gasifying on iron scale reduction.

PubMed

Zhang, Chongmin; Chen, Shuwen; Miao, Xincheng; Yuan, Hao

2011-06-01

The carbonous activities of three kinds of carbon-bearing materials gasified from plastics were tested with coal coke as reference. The results showed that the carbonous activities of these remaining carbon-bearing materials were higher than that of coal-coke. Besides, the fractal analyses showed that the porosities of remaining carbon-bearing materials were higher than that of coal-coke. It revealed that these kinds of remaining carbon-bearing materials are conducive to improve the kinetics conditions of gas-solid phase reaction in iron scale reduction. Copyright © 2011 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced adsorption of humic acids on ordered mesoporous carbon compared with microporous activated carbon.

PubMed

Liu, Fengling; Xu, Zhaoyi; Wan, Haiqin; Wan, Yuqiu; Zheng, Shourong; Zhu, Dongqiang

2011-04-01

Humic acids are ubiquitous in surface and underground waters and may pose potential risk to human health when present in drinking water sources. In this study, ordered mesoporous carbon was synthesized by means of a hard template method and further characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption, transition electron microscopy, elemental analysis, and zeta-potential measurement. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate adsorption of two humic acids from coal and soil, respectively, on the synthesized carbon. For comparison, a commercial microporous activated carbon and nonporous graphite were included as additional adsorbents; moreover, phenol was adopted as a small probe adsorbate. Pore size distribution characterization showed that the synthesized carbon had ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the activated carbon was composed mainly of micropores with a much broader pore size distribution. Accordingly, adsorption of the two humic acids was substantially lower on the activated carbon than on the synthesized carbon, because of the size-exclusion effect. In contrast, the synthesized carbon and activated carbon showed comparable adsorption for phenol when the size-exclusion effect was not in operation. Additionally, we verified by size-exclusion chromatography studies that the synthesized carbon exhibited greater adsorption for the large humic acid fraction than the activated carbon. The pH dependence of adsorption on the three carbonaceous adsorbents was also compared between the two test humic acids. The findings highlight the potential of using ordered mesoporous carbon as a superior adsorbent for the removal of humic acids. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Elimination of textile dyes using activated carbons prepared from vegetable residues and their characterization.

PubMed

Peláez-Cid, Alejandra-Alicia; Herrera-González, Ana-María; Salazar-Villanueva, Martín; Bautista-Hernández, Alejandro

2016-10-01

In this study, three mesoporous activated carbons prepared from vegetable residues were used to remove acid, basic, and direct dyes from aqueous solutions, and reactive and vat dyes from textile wastewater. Granular carbons obtained by chemical activation at 673 K with phosphoric acid from prickly pear peels (CarTunaQ), broccoli stems (CarBrocQ), and white sapote seeds (CarZapQ) were highly efficient for the removal of dyes. Adsorption equilibrium studies were carried out in batch systems and treated with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated from the Langmuir isotherms ranged between 131.6 and 312.5 mg/g for acid dyes, and between 277.8 and 500.0 mg/g for basic dyes at 303 K. Our objective in this paper was to show that vegetable wastes can serve as precursors for activated carbons that can be used for the adsorption of dyes. Specifically CarBrocQ was the best carbon produced for the removal of textile dyes. The color removal of dyes present in textile wastewaters was compared with that of a commercial powdered carbon, and it was found that the carbons produced using waste material reached similar efficiency levels. Carbon samples were characterized by bulk density, point of zero charge, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, methylene blue adsorption isotherms at 303 K, and nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K (SBET). The results show that the activated carbons possess a large specific surface area (1025-1177 m(2)/g) and high total pore volume (1.06-2.16 cm(3)/g) with average pore size diameters between 4.1 and 8.4 nm. Desorption and regeneration tests were made to test the viability of reusing the activated carbons. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The removal of chloramphenicol from water through adsorption on activated carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lach, Joanna; Ociepa-Kubicka, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

The presented research investigated the removal of chloramphenicol from water solutions on selected activated carbon available in three grades with different porous structure and surface chemical composition. Two models of adsorption kinetics were examined, i.e. the pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order models. For all examined cases, the results of tests with higher value of coefficient R2 were described by the equation for pseudo-second order kinetics. The adsorption kinetics was also investigated on the activated carbons modified with ozone. The measurements were taken from the solutions with pH values of 2 and 7. Chloramphenicol was the most efficiently adsorbed on the activated carbon F-300 from the solutions with pH=7, and on the activated carbon ROW 08 Supra from the solutions with pH=2. The adsorption of this antibiotic was in the majority of cases higher from the solutions with pH=2 than pH=7. The modification of the activated carbons with ozone enhanced their adsorption capacities for chloramphenicol. The adsorption is influenced by the modification method of activated carbon (i.e. the duration of ozonation of the activated carbon solution and the solution temperature). The results were described with the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherm equations. Both models well described the obtained results (high R2 values).

Carbonized waste for the cut-down of environmental pollution with heavy metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gmucová, K.; Morvová, M.; Havránek, E.; Kliman, J.; Košinár, I.; Kunecová, D.; Malakhov, A. I.; Anisimov, Yu. S.; Morva, I.; Siváček, I.; Sýkorová, M.; Šatka, A.

2011-07-01

Nowadays, an increasing concern about the treatment and disposal of waters contaminated by toxic heavy metals is noticed. The toxic pollutants must be removed from the sewage water which then is fed back into the materials cycle. Any candidate technology should result in reusable by-products. With this in mind, the aim of the present study is to test a low cost procedure for utilization of the carbonized waste, a product of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles pyrolysis on sand bedding, for this purpose. Both the water present in PET bottles waste and combustion exhaust probably contribute to the conversion of carbon char to activated carbon directly within the pyrolysis oven. Preliminary results, obtained for several heavy metal ions under laboratory conditions are presented and discussed. Adsorption of heavy metals on the carbonized PET waste is tested by both the electrochemical methods and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. A simple desorption procedure for the regeneration of prepared active carbon is proposed.

High temperature hydrogen sulfide adsorption on activated carbon - I. Effects of gas composition and metal addition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cal, M.P.; Strickler, B.W.; Lizzio, A.A.

2000-01-01

Various types of activated carbon sorbents were evaluated for their ability to remove H2S from a simulated coal gas stream at a temperature of 550 ??C. The ability of activated carbon to remove H2S at elevated temperature was examined as a function of carbon surface chemistry (oxidation, thermal desorption, and metal addition), and gas composition. A sorbent prepared by steam activation, HNO3 oxidation and impregnated with Zn, and tested in a gas stream containing 0.5% H2S, 50% CO2 and 49.5% N2, had the greatest H2S adsorption capacity. Addition of H2, CO, and H2O to the inlet gas stream reduced H2S breakthrough time and H2S adsorption capacity. A Zn impregnated activated carbon, when tested using a simulated coal gas containing 0.5% H2S, 49.5% N2, 13% H2, 8.5% H2O, 21% CO, and 7.5% CO2, had a breakthrough time of 75 min, which was less than 25 percent of the length of breakthrough for screening experiments performed with a simplified gas mixture of 0.5% H2S, 50% CO2, and 49.5% N2.

Biogas pre-upgrading by adsorption of trace compounds onto granular activated carbons and an activated carbon fiber-cloth.

PubMed

Boulinguiez, B; Le Cloirec, P

2009-01-01

The study assesses the adsorption onto activated carbon materials of selected volatile organic compounds -VOCs- (dichloromethane, 2-propanol, toluene, siloxane D4) in a biogas matrix composed of methane and carbon dioxide (55:45 v/v). Three different adsorbents are tested, two of them are granular activated carbon (GAC), and the last is an activated carbon fiber-cloth (ACFC). The adsorption isotherm data are fitted by different models by nonlinear regression. The Langmuir-Freundlich model appears to be the adequate one to describe the adsorption phenomena independently of the VOC considered or the adsorbent. The adsorbents present attractive adsorption capacity of the undesirable compounds in biogas atmosphere though the maximum adsorption capacities for a VOC are quite different from each other. The adsorption kinetics are characterized through three coefficients: the initial adsorption coefficient, the external film mass transfer coefficient and the internal diffusion coefficient of Weber. The ACFC demonstrates advanced kinetic yields compared to the granular activated carbon materials whatever VOC is considered. Therefore, pre-upgrading of biogas produced from wastewater sludge or co-digestion system by adsorption onto activated carbon appears worth investigating. Especially with ACFC material that presents correct adsorption capacities toward VOCs and concrete regeneration process opportunity to realize such process.

The recovery of gold from refractory ores by the use of carbon-in-chlorine leaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greaves, John N.; Palmer, Glenn R.; White, William W.

1990-09-01

Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Mines examined the recovery of gold by chlorination of refractory carbonaceous and sulfidic ores, comparing various treatment methods in which a ground ore pulp is contacted with chlorine gas and activated carbon is added to the pulp for a carbon-in-chlorine leach (CICL). The objective of this research was to demonstrate the basic feasibility of CICL technology. Results showed that the organic carbon deactivating environment of CICL lowers, but does not eliminate, the adsorption of gold on activated carbon. In this environment, the refractory ore is altered, and gold is extracted and then recovered on activated carbon. With highly carbonaceous ores, CICL achieved a higher recovery than with primarily sulfidic refractory ores. Basic cyanide amenability testing of two carbonaceous ores achieved recoveries of only 5.5% and 46%. With CICL treatment, recoveries on carbon were 90% and 92%.

42 CFR 84.97 - Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable limits. 84.97 Section 84.97 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH... ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus § 84.97 Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable limits. (a) Open...

42 CFR 84.97 - Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable limits. 84.97 Section 84.97 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH... ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus § 84.97 Test for carbon dioxide in inspired gas; open- and closed-circuit apparatus; maximum allowable limits. (a) Open...

Comparison of EDTA and SDS as potential surface impregnation agents for lead adsorption by activated carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei-fang; Pan, Ling; Chen, Li-fang; Yu, Zhe; Wang, Qiong; Yan, Chang-cheng

2014-08-01

Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were employed to impregnate activated carbons for the purpose of lead removal. The mechanisms of surface impregnation and lead adsorption method of chemical regeneration were investigated. Results showed that the highest impregnation of EDTA and SDS on activated carbon was 0.33 and 0.96 mmol/g, respectively. Adsorption capacities for lead of EDTA and SDS impregnated activated carbons reached 0.29 and 0.24 mmol/g. Rapid small scale column tests of adsorption and regeneration were conducted. Lead adsorption was greatly enhanced by EDTA impregnation. In addition, EDTA impregnated adsorbent was able to be successful regenerated by HNO3 and thus reused.

Solar Probe thermal shield design and testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millard, Jerry M.; Miyake, Robert N.; Rainen, Richard A.

1992-01-01

This paper discusses the major thermal shield subsystem development activities in support of the Solar Probe study being conducted at JPL. The Solar Probe spacecraft will travel to within 4 solar radii of the sun's center to perform fundamental experiments in space physics. Exposure to 2900 earth suns at perihelion requires the spacecraft to be protected within the shadow envelope of a protective shield. In addition, the mass loss rate off of the shield at elevated temperature must comply with plasma instrument requirements and has become the driver of the shield design. This paper will focus on the analytical design work to size the shield and control the shield mass loss rate for the various spacecraft options under study, the application of carbon-carbon materials for shield components, development and preparation of carbon-carbon samples for materials testing, and a materials testing program for carbon-carbon and tungsten alloys to investigate thermal/optical properties, mass loss (carbon-carbon only), material integrity, and high velocity impact behavior.

Chemical analysis of water samples and geophysical logs from cored test holes drilled in the central Oklahoma Aquifer, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schlottmann, Jamie L.; Funkhouser, Ron A.

1991-01-01

Chemical analyses of water from eight test holes and geophysical logs for nine test holes drilled in the Central Oklahoma aquifer are presented. The test holes were drilled to investigate local occurrences of potentially toxic, naturally occurring trace substances in ground water. These trace substances include arsenic, chromium, selenium, residual alpha-particle activities, and uranium. Eight of the nine test holes were drilled near wells known to contain large concentrations of one or more of the naturally occurring trace substances. One test hole was drilled in an area known to have only small concentrations of any of the naturally occurring trace substances.Water samples were collected from one to eight individual sandstone layers within each test hole. A total of 28 water samples, including four duplicate samples, were collected. The temperature, pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, and dissolved-oxygen concentrations were measured at the sample site. Laboratory determinations included major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, and trace elements (aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, hexavalent chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, vanadium and zinc). Radionuclide activities and stable isotope (5 values also were determined, including: gross-alpha-particle activity, gross-beta-particle activity, radium-226, radium-228, radon-222, uranium-234, uranium-235, uranium-238, total uranium, carbon-13/carbon-12, deuterium/hydrogen-1, oxygen-18/oxygen-16, and sulfur-34/sulfur-32. Additional analyses of arsenic and selenium species are presented for selected samples as well as analyses of density and iodine for two samples, tritium for three samples, and carbon-14 for one sample.Geophysical logs for most test holes include caliper, neutron, gamma-gamma, natural-gamma logs, spontaneous potential, long- and short-normal resistivity, and single-point resistance. Logs for test-hole NOTS 7 do not include long- and short-normal resistivity, spontaneous-potential, or single-point resistivity. Logs for test-hole NOTS 7A include only caliper and natural-gamma logs.

Classroom Activity Connections: Demonstrating Various Flame Tests Using Common Household Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldwin, Bruce W.; Hasbrouck, Scott; Smith, Jordan; Kuntzleman, Thomas S.

2010-01-01

In "JCE" Activity #67, "Flame Tests: Which Ion Causes the Color?", Michael Sanger describes how to conduct flame tests with household items. We have used this activity in outreach settings, and have extended it in a variety of ways. For example, we have demonstrated large-scale strontium (red), copper (green), and carbon (blue) flames using only…

Molybdenum Carbide Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes and Carbon Xerogel: Low-Cost Cathodes for Hydrogen Production by Alkaline Water Electrolysis.

PubMed

Šljukić, Biljana; Santos, Diogo M F; Vujković, Milica; Amaral, Luís; Rocha, Raquel P; Sequeira, César A C; Figueiredo, José L

2016-05-23

Low-cost molybdenum carbide (Mo2 C) nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and on carbon xerogel (CXG) were prepared and their activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was evaluated in 8 m KOH aqueous electrolyte at 25-85 °C. Measurements of the HER by linear scan voltammetry allowed us to determine Tafel slopes of 71 and 74 mV dec(-1) at 25 °C for Mo2 C/CNT and Mo2 C/CXG, respectively. Stability tests were also performed, which showed the steady performance of the two electrocatalysts. Moreover, the HER kinetics at Mo2 C/CNT was enhanced significantly after the long-term stability tests. The specific activity of both materials was high, and a higher stability was obtained for the activated Mo2 C/CNT (40 A g(-1) at -0.40 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Task Order 7. Use of activated carbon for treatment of explosives-contaminated groundwater at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP). Final report, Apr 89-May 90

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dennis, R.M.; Wujcik, W.J.; Lowe, W.L.

1990-05-01

The primary objective of this task was to determine the feasibility of using GAC to treat ground water contaminated by explosives at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP) in Milan, Tennessee. Laboratory GAC isotherm studies were conducted and two carbons, Atochem, Inc. GAC 830 and Calgon Filtrasorb 300, were selected for further testing in continuous flow GAC columns. Three pilot scale continuous flow GAC column tests were performed at MAAP using the two carbons selected from the laboratory GAC isotherm studies. The results from the laboratory and pilot studies are presented in this report. They show that concurrent removal ofmore » explosives such as TNT, RDX, HMX, Tetryl, and nitrobenzenes from ground water using continuous flow granular activated carbon is feasible.« less

Purification of metal finishing waste waters with zeolites and activated carbons.

PubMed

Leinonen, H; Lehto, J

2001-02-01

Sixteen zeolites and 5 activated carbons were tested for the removal of nickel, zinc, cadmium, copper, chromium, and cobalt from waste simulants mimicking effluents produced in metal plating plants. The best performances were obtained from 4 zeolites: A, X, L, and ferrierite types and from 2 carbon types made from lignite and peat. The distribution coefficients for these sorbents were in the range of 10,000-440,000 ml/g. Column experiments showed that the most effective zeolites for Zn, Ni, Cu, and Cd were A and X type zeolites. The activated carbons, Hydrodarco 3000 and Norit Row Supra, exhibited good sorption properties for metals in aqueous solutions containing complexing agents.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production using wastewater as carbon source and activated sludge as microorganisms.

PubMed

Yan, S; Tyagi, R D; Surampalli, R Y

2006-01-01

Activated sludge from different full-scale wastewater treatment plants (municipal, pulp and paper industry, starch manufacturing and cheese manufacturing wastewaters) was used as a source of microorganisms to produce biodegradable plastics in shake flask experiments. Acetate, glucose and different wastewaters were used as carbon sources. Pulp and paper wastewater sludge was found to accumulate maximum concentration (43% of dry weight of suspended solids) of polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHA) with acetate as carbon source. Among the different wastewaters tested as a source of carbon, pulp and paper industry and starch industry wastewaters were found to be the best source of carbon while employing pulp and paper activated sludge for maximum accumulation of PHA. High concentration of volatile fatty acids in these wastewaters was the probable reason.

Quaternary FeCoNiMn-Based Nanocarbon Electrocatalysts for Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution: Promotional Role of Mn Doping in Stabilizing Carbon

DOE PAGES

Gupta, Shiva; Zhao, Shuai; Wang, Xiao Xia; ...

2017-10-31

The intrinsic instability of carbon largely limits its use for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as a bifunctional catalyst in reversible fuel cells or water electrolyzers. In this paper, we discovered that Mn doping has a promotional role in stabilizing nanocarbon catalysts for the ORR/OER in alkaline media. Stable nanocarbon composites are derived from an inexpensive carbon/nitrogen precursor (i.e., dicyandiamide) and quaternary FeCoNiMn alloy via a template-free carbonization process. In addition to FeCoNiMn metal alloys/oxides, the carbon composites comprise substantial carbon tube forests growing on a thick and dense graphitic substrate. The dense carbon substratemore » with high degree of graphitization results from Mn doping, while active nitrogen-doped carbon tubes stem from FeCoNi. Catalyst structures and performance are greatly dependent on the doping content of Mn. Various accelerated stress tests (AST) and life tests verify the encouraging ORR/OER stability of the nanocarbon composite catalyst with optimal Mn doping. Extensive characterization before and after ASTs elucidates the mechanism of stability enhancement resulting from Mn doping, which is attributed to (i) hybrid carbon nanostructures with enhanced resistance to oxidation and (ii) the in situ formation of the β-MnO 2 and FeCoNi-based oxides capable of preventing carbon corrosion and promoting activity. Note that the improvement in stability due to Mn doping is accompanied by a slight activity loss due to a decrease in surface area. Finally, this work provides a strategy to stabilize carbon catalysts by appropriately integrating transition metals and engineering carbon structures.« less

Quaternary FeCoNiMn-Based Nanocarbon Electrocatalysts for Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution: Promotional Role of Mn Doping in Stabilizing Carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gupta, Shiva; Zhao, Shuai; Wang, Xiao Xia

The intrinsic instability of carbon largely limits its use for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as a bifunctional catalyst in reversible fuel cells or water electrolyzers. In this paper, we discovered that Mn doping has a promotional role in stabilizing nanocarbon catalysts for the ORR/OER in alkaline media. Stable nanocarbon composites are derived from an inexpensive carbon/nitrogen precursor (i.e., dicyandiamide) and quaternary FeCoNiMn alloy via a template-free carbonization process. In addition to FeCoNiMn metal alloys/oxides, the carbon composites comprise substantial carbon tube forests growing on a thick and dense graphitic substrate. The dense carbon substratemore » with high degree of graphitization results from Mn doping, while active nitrogen-doped carbon tubes stem from FeCoNi. Catalyst structures and performance are greatly dependent on the doping content of Mn. Various accelerated stress tests (AST) and life tests verify the encouraging ORR/OER stability of the nanocarbon composite catalyst with optimal Mn doping. Extensive characterization before and after ASTs elucidates the mechanism of stability enhancement resulting from Mn doping, which is attributed to (i) hybrid carbon nanostructures with enhanced resistance to oxidation and (ii) the in situ formation of the β-MnO 2 and FeCoNi-based oxides capable of preventing carbon corrosion and promoting activity. Note that the improvement in stability due to Mn doping is accompanied by a slight activity loss due to a decrease in surface area. Finally, this work provides a strategy to stabilize carbon catalysts by appropriately integrating transition metals and engineering carbon structures.« less

Assessment of PCDD/F and PBDD/F Emissions from Coal-fired Power Plants during Injection of Brominated Activated Carbon for Mercury Control

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of the injection of brominated powdered activated carbon (Br-PAC) on the emission of brominated and chlorinated dioxins and furans in coal combustion flue gas has been evaluated. The tests were performed at two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) demonstration sites where ...

An adsorption of carbon dioxide on activated carbon controlled by temperature swing adsorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomas, Korinek; Karel, Frana

2017-09-01

This work deals with a method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) in indoor air. Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA) on solid adsorbent was chosen for CO2 capture. Commercial activated carbon (AC) in form of extruded pellets was used as a solid adsorbent. There was constructed a simple device to testing effectiveness of CO2 capture in a fixed bed with AC. The TSA cycle was also simulated using the open-source software OpenFOAM. There was a good agreement between results obtained from numerical simulations and experimental data for adsorption process.

Improved Low Temperature Performance of Supercapacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandon, Erik J.; West, William C.; Smart, Marshall C.; Gnanaraj, Joe

2013-01-01

Low temperature double-layer capacitor operation enabled by: - Base acetonitrile / TEATFB salt formulation - Addition of low melting point formates, esters and cyclic ethers center dot Key electrolyte design factors: - Volume of co-solvent - Concentration of salt center dot Capacity increased through higher capacity electrodes: - Zeolite templated carbons - Asymmetric cell designs center dot Continuing efforts - Improve asymmetric cell performance at low temperature - Cycle life testing Motivation center dot Benchmark performance of commercial cells center dot Approaches for designing low temperature systems - Symmetric cells (activated carbon electrodes) - Symmetric cells (zeolite templated carbon electrodes) - Asymmetric cells (lithium titanate/activated carbon electrodes) center dot Experimental results center dot Summary

Removing lead in drinking water with activated carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, R.M.; Kuennen, R.W.

A point-of-use (POU) granular activated carbon (GAC) fixed bed adsorber (FBA) was evaluated for reduction of soluble and insoluble lead from drinking water. Some of the factors which affect lead removal by GAC were evaluated, such as carbon type, solution pH, and a limited amount of work on competitive interactions. The design criteria for lead reduction by a POU device are also addressed. Minicolumns were used to evaluate the capacity of carbon for lead under a variety of conditions. The importance of surface chemistry of the carbon and the relationship with the pH of the water for lead reduction wasmore » demonstrated. Results indicate that a properly designed POU-GAC-FBA can reduce lead in drinking water to below the EPA action level of 15 ppb while being tested under a variety of conditions as specified under the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International Standard 53 test protocol. 37 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.« less

Source of released carbon fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, V. L.

1979-01-01

The potential for the release of carbon fibers from aircraft crashes/fires is addressed. Simulation of the conditions of aircraft crash fires in order to predict the quantities and forms of fibrous materials which might be released from civilian aircraft crashes/fires is considered. Figures are presented which describe some typical fiber release test activities together with some very preliminary results of those activities. The state of the art of carbon fiber release is summarized as well as some of the uncertainties concerning accidental fiber release.

The Effect of CO2 Activation on the Electrochemical Performance of Coke-Based Activated Carbons for Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Lee, Hye-Min; Kim, Hong-Gun; An, Kay-Hyeok; Kim, Byung-Joo

2015-11-01

The present study developed electrode materials for supercapacitors by activating coke-based activated carbons with CO2. For the activation reaction, after setting the temperature at 1,000 degrees C, four types of activated carbons were produced, over an activation time of 0-90 minutes and with an interval of 30 minutes as the unit. The electrochemical performance of the activated carbons produced was evaluated to examine the effect of CO2 activation. The surface structure of the porous carbons activated through CO2 activation was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). To determine the N2/77 K isothermal adsorption characteristics, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) equation and the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) equation were used to analyze the pore characteristics. In addition, charge and discharge tests and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to analyze the electrochemical characteristics of the changed pore structure. According to the results of the experiments, the N2 adsorption isotherm curves of the porous carbons produced belonged to Type IV in the International Union of Pore and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) classification and consisted of micropores and mesopores, and, as the activation of CO2 progressed, micropores decreased and mesopores developed. The specific surface area of the porous carbons activated by CO2 was 1,090-1,180 m2/g and thus showed little change, but those of mesopores were 0.43-0.85 cm3/g, thus increasing considerably. In addition, when the electrochemical characteristics were analyzed, the specific capacity was confirmed to have increased from 13.9 F/g to 18.3 F/g. From these results, the pore characteristics of coke-based activated carbons changed considerably because of CO2 activation, and it was therefore possible to increase the electrochemical characteristics.

Fabrication and Testing of Mo-Re Heat Pipes Embedded in Carbon/Carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.; Merrigan, Michael A.; Sena, J. Tom

1998-01-01

Refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled wing an tail leading edges are being considered for use on hypersonic vehicles to limit maximum temperatures to values below material reuse limits and to eliminate the need to actively cool the leading edges. The development of a refractory-composite/heat-pipe-cooled leading edge has evolved from the design stage to the fabrication and testing of heat pipes embedded in carbon/carbon (C/C). A three-foot-long, molybdenum-rhenium heat pipe with a lithium working fluid was fabricated and tested at an operating temperature of 2460 F to verify the individual heat-pipe design. Following the fabrication of this heat pipe, three additional heat pipes were fabricated and embedded in C/C. The C/C heat-pipe test article was successfully tested using quartz lamps in a vacuum chamber in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. Start up and steady state data are presented for the C/C heat-pipe test article. Radiography and eddy current evaluations were performed on the test article.

Central carbon metabolism in marine bacteria examined with a simplified assay for dehydrogenases.

PubMed

Wen, Weiwei; Wang, Shizhen; Zhou, Xiaofen; Fang, Baishan

2013-06-01

A simplified assay platform was developed to measure the activities of the key oxidoreductases in central carbon metabolism of various marine bacteria. Based on microplate assay, the platform was low-cost and simplified by unifying the reaction conditions of enzymes including temperature, buffers, and ionic strength. The central carbon metabolism of 16 marine bacteria, involving Pseudomonas, Exiguobacterium, Marinobacter, Citreicella, and Novosphingobium were studied. Six key oxidoreductases of central carbon metabolism, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase, 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and isocitrate dehydrogenase were investigated by testing their activities in the pathway. High activity of malate dehydrogenase was found in Citreicella marina, and the specific activity achieved 22 U/mg in cell crude extract. The results also suggested that there was a considerable variability on key enzymes' activities of central carbon metabolism in some strains which have close evolutionary relationship while they adapted to the requirements of the niche they (try to) occupy.

Adsorption of basic Red 46 using sea mango (Cerbera odollam) based activated carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, Nur Azira Iqlima; Zainudin, Nor Fauziah; Ali, Umi Fazara Md

2015-05-01

Sea mango or Cerbera Odollam is another source of carbonaceous material that can be found abundantly in Malaysia. In this research, it is used as a new agricultural source of activated carbon. Sea mango activated carbon was prepared by chemical activation using potassium hydroxide (KOH). The sea mango was soaked in KOH at impregnation ratio of 1:1 and followed by carbonization at temperature of 600°C for 1 hour. The sample was then characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for surface morphology, while Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) was used to study the surface area. The result shown that sea mango activated carbon (SMAC) developed new pores on its surface and the BET surface area measured was 451.87 m2/g. The SMAC performance was then tested for the removal of Basic Red 46 in batch process. The removal of Basic Red 46 (50 mg/L, natural pH, 0.1 g SMAC) was more than 99% in 15 minutes where it reached equilibrium in 30 minutes.

Assessment of the use of sorbent amendments for reduction of mercury methylation in wetland sediments at Acadia National Park, Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huntington, Thomas G.; Lewis, Ariel; Amirbahman, Aria; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Culbertson, Charles W.

2015-01-01

The results of field mesocosm experiments indicated that there was a decreasing trend in pore-water methylmercury concentration after application of granular activated carbon but methylation was not affected because there was no corresponding decrease in sediment methylmercury concentration. The application of granular activated carbon resulted in the sorption of methylmercury. The application of granular activated carbon resulted in an increase in the distribution coefficient for methylmercury indicating that this amendment caused a higher proportion of methylmercury to be associated with the sediment than the pore water in comparison to the reference (untreated) condition. Experiments to test whether zero-valent iron or granular activated carbon would reduce the biouptake of methylmercury in snails were inconsistent; zero-valent iron had no effect on uptake in one experiment but resulted in a significant decrease in uptake in a second experiment. Granular activated carbon did not affect biouptake in either experiment.

Biochars made from agro-industrial by-products remove chlorine from water and wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzachristas, Andreas; Manariotis, Ioannis D.; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.

2017-04-01

Chlorination is the most common disinfection process for water and wastewater. For the industrial use of water in food production, chlorine can add undesired taste and odor to the final product. For this reason, dechlorination is desired for food industries that use municipal tap water. For treated wastewater discharge or reuse, chlorine can be toxic to the receiving aqueous systems and to the irrigated plants. In both the above cases, dechlorination is also required. Traditionally activated carbon has been used as the ideal material for the removal of chlorine. The main mechanisms that describe the interaction between activated carbon and HOCl or OCl- are described by the following equations (AWWA, 1990): HOCl + C* → C*O + H+ + Cl- (1), OCl- + C* → C*O + Cl- (2) Where C* and C*O represent the activated carbon surface and a surface oxide, respectively. The present study proposes the use of agro-industrial by-products for the production of biochars that will be used for dechlorination of tap-water used for food-industry production. Different raw materials such as malt spent rootlets, coffee residue, olive and grape seeds, etc. are used for the production of biochar. Various temperatures and air-to-solid ratios are tested for optimizing biochar production. Batch tests as well as a column test are employed to study the dechlorination kinetics of the different raw and biochar materials as well as those of commercial activated carbons. The removal kinetics are faster during the first hour; then, removal continues but with a slower rate. Most of the biochars tested (with 3 mg of solid in 20 mL of chlorine solution at initial concentration Co=1.5 mg/L) demonstrated removal efficiencies with an average of 9.4 ± 0.5 mg/g. For the two commercial activated carbons, removal efficiencies were 11.4 ± 0.2 mg/g. The first-order constant k1 ranged between 0.001 and 0.014 (min-1) for the biosorbents and the biochars and it was equal to 0.017 (min-1) for the commercial activated carbons. Consequently, the half-life time ranged between 50 and 700 (min) for the biosorbents and the biochars and it was equal to 41 (min) for the commercial activated carbons. The column experiment also showed positive results; A breakthrough for concentrations higher than 10(AWWA) 1990 Water quality and treatment, a handbook of community water supplies, Fourth edition, American Water Works Association Fourth edition.

Treatment with activated carbon and other adsorbents as an effective method for the removal of volatile compounds in agricultural distillates.

PubMed

Balcerek, Maria; Pielech-Przybylska, Katarzyna; Patelski, Piotr; Dziekońska-Kubczak, Urszula; Jusel, Tomaš

2017-05-01

This study investigates the effect of treatment with activated carbon and other adsorbents on the chemical composition and organoleptics of a barley malt-based agricultural distillate. Contact with activated carbon is one of the methods by which the quality of raw distillates and spirit beverages can be improved. Samples placed in contact with 1 g activated carbon (SpiritFerm) per 100 ml distillate with ethanol content of 50% v/v for 1 h showed the largest reductions in the concentrations of most volatile compounds (aldehydes, alcohols, esters). Increasing the dose of adsorbent to over 1 g 100 ml -1 did not improve the purity of the agricultural distillate significantly. Of the tested compounds, acetaldehyde and methanol showed the lowest adsorption on activated carbon. The lowest concentrations of these congeners (expressed in mg l -1 alcohol 100% v/v) were measured in solutions with ethanol contents of 70-80% v/v, while solutions with an alcoholic strength by volume of 40% did not show statistically significant decreases in these compounds in relation the control sample. The reductions in volatile compounds were compared with those for other adsorbents based on silica or activated carbon and silica. An interesting alternative to activated carbon was found to be an adsorbent prepared from activated carbon and silica (Spiricol). Treatment with this adsorbent produced distillate with the lowest concentrations of acetaldehyde and isovaleraldehyde, and led to the greatest improvement in its organoleptics.

Preparation of hollow mesoporous carbon spheres and their performances for electrochemical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariyanto, T.; Zhang, G. R.; Kern, A.; Etzold, B. J. M.

2018-03-01

Hollow carbon materials have received intensive attention for energy storage/conversion applications due to their attractive properties of high conductivity, high surface area, large void and short diffusion pathway. In this work, a novel hollow mesoporous material based on carbide-derived carbon (CDC) is presented. CDC is a new class of carbon material synthesized by the selective extraction of metals from metal carbides. With a two-stage extraction procedure of carbides with chlorine, firstly hybrid core-shell carbon particles were synthesized, i.e. mesoporous/graphitic carbon shells covering microporous/amorphous carbon cores. The amorphous cores were then selectively removed from particles by a careful oxidative treatment utilizing its low thermal characters while the more stable carbon shells remained, thus resulting hollow particles. The characterization methods (e.g. N2 sorption, Raman spectroscopy, temperature-programmed oxidation and SEM) proved the successful synthesis of the aspired material. In electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) testing, this novel hollow core material showed a remarkable enhancement of EDLC’s rate handling ability (75% at a high scan rate) with respect to an entirely solid-mesoporous material. Furthermore, as a fuel cell catalyst support the material showed higher Pt mass activity (a factor of 1.8) compared to a conventional carbon support for methanol oxidation without noticeably decreasing activity in a long-term testing. Therefore, this carbon nanostructure shows great promises as efficient electrode materials for energy storage and conversion systems.

Ammonia removal via microbial fuel cell (MFC) dynamic reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alabiad, I.; Ali, U. F. M.; Zakarya, I. A.; Ibrahim, N.; Radzi, R. W.; Zulkurnai, N. Z.; Azmi, N. H.

2017-06-01

Landfill leachate is generally known as high-strength wastewater that is difficult to handle and contains dissolved extracts and suspended matter. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were designed to treat landfill leachate while continuously producing power (voltage output). Three different anodes were tested in MFC reactors: carbon black, activated carbon, and zinc electrodes. Movements in the MFC reactor during treatment were also a key factor for testing. Results showed a difference in ammonia levels in the three anodes used. The study compared the efficiency of static and dynamic modes of MFC in removing ammonia. Continual leachate movement in the reactor could increase the rate of removal of the ammonia components. The setup provided a viable condition for maximum removal because the reactor movement caused the sludge to disintegrate, which allowed ammonia to separate easily from the parent leachate. Ammonia removal also resulted from the transfer of ammonium through the membrane or from ammonia loss. Constant exchange of ionic content benefited the MFC performance by increasing power production and decreasing internal electrode material resistance. This paper presents the results of the analyses of leachate treatment from the solid waste landfill located in Padang Siding Landfill, Perlis. The performance of ammonia removal was enhanced using different types of electrodes. In both modes, activated carbon performed better than black carbon and zinc. The respective percentages of ammonia removal for activated carbon of dynamic over static were 96.6%, 66.6%, and 92.8% for activated carbon, zinc, and black carbon. The results provide further information on the possibility of using MFCs in landfill leachate treatment systems.

Is carbon farming an effective climate mitigation option?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zelikova, T. J.; Funk, J.; Deich, N.; Amador, G.; Jacobson, R.

2017-12-01

"Carbon farming" refers to agricultural and land management practices that store carbon in soils and biomass. Carbon-farming techniques can include crop rotation, cover crops, no-till practices, and the application of compost to build up soil organic matter. Carbon farming also improves agricultural production and sustainability, while mitigating climate change. Despite well-documented benefits of carbon farming, these practices continue to be underutilized outside of experimental settings. One barrier to the widespread use of carbon farming is the challenge of fitting these practices into ongoing commercial operations, while managing the consequent market uncertainties across the value chain. To help address this barrier, we are working with landowners and local groups to establish demonstration "test beds" that can build experience among land managers and help resolve market uncertainties. We specifically focus on demonstrating the commercial viability of management practices that can enhance soil health, catalyzing economic and environmental synergies that come from healthy soils. Each test bed has a commercial agricultural operation at its center, and we bring together researchers, local groups, corporate partners, and key policymakers who can support wider adoption of these agricultural techniques. Early challenges have included finding commercial farms willing to shift their practices and face uncertain outcomes. A transition to new practices usually involves changes in equipment, scheduling, activities, and monitoring that have implications for the entire farm operation, its resources, and its bottom line. At the same time, practitioners have difficulty quantifying the carbon benefits they provide, due to persistent uncertainties, even with the benefit of decades of experimental research. We are building a network of farmers who are implementing carbon farming practices and addressing these challenges, step by step. We envision our test beds becoming hubs that support a community of practitioners who can show the value of this work in real-world commercial operations, supported by rigorous science. By bringing together the necessary elements of each test bed, we aim to facilitate widespread integration of carbon storage activities into the agricultural sector.

Sulfurized activated carbon for high energy density supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yunxia; Candelaria, Stephanie L.; Li, Yanwei; Li, Zhimin; Tian, Jianjun; Zhang, Lili; Cao, Guozhong

2014-04-01

Sulfurized activated carbon (SAC), made by coating the pore surface with thiophenic sulfur functional groups from the pyrolysis of sulfur flakes, were characterized and tested for supercapacitor applications. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the sulfur content in the SAC was found to be 2.7 at%. Electrochemical properties from potentiostatic and galvanostatic measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to evaluate the effect of sulfur on porous carbon electrodes. The SAC electrode exhibits better conductivity, and an obvious increase in specific capacitance that is almost 40% higher than plain activated carbons (ACs) electrode at a high current density of 1.4 A g-1. The proposed mechanism for improved conductivity and capacitive performance due to the sulfur functional groups on ACs will be discussed.

Factors Influencing NO2 Adsorption/Reduction on Microporous Activated Carbon: Porosity vs. Surface Chemistry

PubMed Central

Ghouma, Imen; Limousy, Lionel; Bennici, Simona

2018-01-01

The textural properties and surface chemistry of different activated carbons, prepared by the chemical activation of olive stones, have been investigated in order to gain insight on the NO2 adsorption mechanism. The parent chemical activated carbon was prepared by the impregnation of olive stones in phosphoric acid followed by thermal carbonization. Then, the textural properties and surface chemistry were modified by chemical treatments including nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and/or a thermal treatment at 900 °C. The main properties of the parent and modified activated carbons were analyzed by N2-adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques, in order to enlighten the modifications issued from the chemical and thermal treatments. The NO2 adsorption capacities of the different activated carbons were measured in fixed bed experiments under 500 ppmv NO2 concentrations at room temperature. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was applied after adsorption tests in order to quantify the amount of the physisorbed and chemisorbed NO2. The obtained results showed that the development of microporosity, the presence of oxygen-free sites, and the presence of basic surface groups are key factors for the efficient adsorption of NO2. PMID:29670008

Microbial Enzyme Activity and Carbon Cycling in Grassland Soil Fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, S. D.; Jastrow, J. D.

2004-12-01

Extracellular enzymes are necessary to degrade complex organic compounds present in soils. Using physical fractionation procedures, we tested whether old soil carbon is spatially isolated from degradative enzymes across a prairie restoration chronosequence in Illinois, USA. We found that carbon-degrading enzymes were abundant in all soil fractions, including macroaggregates, microaggregates, and the clay fraction, which contains carbon with a mean residence time of ~200 years. The activities of two cellulose-degrading enzymes and a chitin-degrading enzyme were 2-10 times greater in organic matter fractions than in bulk soil, consistent with the rapid turnover of these fractions. Polyphenol oxidase activity was 3 times greater in the clay fraction than in the bulk soil, despite very slow carbon turnover in this fraction. Changes in enzyme activity across the restoration chronosequence were small once adjusted for increases in soil carbon concentration, although polyphenol oxidase activity per unit carbon declined by 50% in native prairie versus cultivated soil. These results are consistent with a `two-pool' model of enzyme and carbon turnover in grassland soils. In light organic matter fractions, enzyme production and carbon turnover both occur rapidly. However, in mineral-dominated fractions, both enzymes and their carbon substrates are immobilized on mineral surfaces, leading to slow turnover. Soil carbon accumulation in the clay fraction and across the prairie restoration chronosequence probably reflects increasing physical isolation of enzymes and substrates on the molecular scale, rather than the micron to millimeter scale.

High surface area synthesis, electrochemical activity, and stability of tungsten carbide supported Pt during oxygen reduction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chhina, H.; Campbell, S.; Kesler, O.

The oxidation of carbon catalyst supports to carbon dioxide gas leads to degradation in catalyst performance over time in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The electrochemical stability of Pt supported on tungsten carbide has been evaluated on a carbon-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) at 80 °C and compared to that of HiSpec 4000™ Pt/Vulcan XC-72R in 0.5 M H 2SO 4. Due to other electrochemical processes occurring on the GDL, detailed studies were also performed on a gold mesh substrate. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity was measured both before and after accelerated oxidation cycles between +0.6 V and +1.8 V vs. RHE. Tafel plots show that the ORR activity remained high even after accelerated oxidation tests for Pt/tungsten carbide, while the ORR activity was extremely poor after accelerated oxidation tests for HiSpec 4000™. In order to make high surface area tungsten carbide, three synthesis routes were investigated. Magnetron sputtering of tungsten on carbon was found to be the most promising route, but needs further optimization.

Assessment of Anaerobic Metabolic Activity and Microbial Diversity in a Petroleum-Contaminated Aquifer Using Push-Pull Tests in Combination With Molecular Tools and Stable Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroth, M. H.; Kleikemper, J.; Pombo, S. A.; Zeyer, J.

2002-12-01

In the past, studies on microbial communities in natural environments have typically focused on either their structure or on their metabolic function. However, linking structure and function is important for understanding microbial community dynamics, in particular in contaminated environments. We will present results of a novel combination of a hydrogeological field method (push-pull tests) with molecular tools and stable isotope analysis, which was employed to quantify anaerobic activities and associated microbial diversity in a petroleum-contaminated aquifer in Studen, Switzerland. Push-pull tests consisted of the injection of test solution containing a conservative tracer and reactants (electron acceptors, 13C-labeled carbon sources) into the aquifer anoxic zone. Following an incubation period, the test solution/groundwater mixture was extracted from the same location. Metabolic activities were computed from solute concentrations measured during extraction. Simultaneously, microbial diversity in sediment and groundwater was characterized by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), as well as phospholipids fatty acid (PLFA) analysis in combination with 13C isotopic measurements. Results from DGGE analyses provided information on the general community structure before, during and after the tests, while FISH yielded information on active populations. Moreover, using 13C-labeling of microbial PLFA we were able to directly link carbon source assimilation in an aquifer to indigenous microorganisms while providing quantitative information on respective carbon source consumption.

Assessing sorbent injection mercury control effectiveness in flue gas streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carey, T.R.; Richardson, C.F.; Chang, R.; Meserole, F.B.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Chen, S.

2000-01-01

One promising approach for removing mercury from coal-fired, utility flue gas involves the direct injection of mercury sorbents. Although this method has been effective at removing mercury in municipal waste incinerators, tests conducted to date on utility coal-fired boilers show that mercury removal is much more difficult in utility flue gas. EPRI is conducting research to investigate mercury removal using sorbents in this application. Bench-scale, pilot-scale, and field tests have been conducted to determine the ability of different sorbents to remove mercury in simulated and actual flue gas streams. This paper focuses on recent bench-scale and field test results evaluating the adsorption characteristics of activated carbon and fly ash and the use of these results to develop a predictive mercury removal model. Field tests with activated carbon show that adsorption characteristics measured in the lab agree reasonably well with characteristics measured in the field. However, more laboratory and field data will be needed to identify other gas phase components which may impact performance. This will allow laboratory tests to better simulate field conditions and provide improved estimates of sorbent performance for specific sites. In addition to activated carbon results, bench-scale and modeling results using fly ash are presented which suggest that certain fly ashes are capable of adsorbing mercury.

Production of sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon for formaldehyde gas removal from potted plants exposure chamber.

PubMed

Mohamed, Elham F; El-Hashemy, Mohammed A; Abdel-Latif, Nasser M; Shetaya, Waleed H

2015-12-01

Agricultural wastes such as rice straw, sugar beet, and sugarcane bagasse have become a critical environmental issue due to growing agriculture demand. This study aimed to investigate the valorization possibility of sugarcane bagasse waste for activated carbon preparation. It also aimed to fully characterize the prepared activated carbon (BET surface area) via scanning electron microscope (SEM) and in terms of surface functional groups to give a basic understanding of its structure and to study the adsorption capacity of the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon using aqueous methylene blue (MB). The second main objective was to evaluate the performance of sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon for indoor volatile organic compounds removal using the formaldehyde gas (HCHO) as reference model in two potted plants chambers. The first chamber was labeled the polluted chamber (containing formaldehyde gas without activated carbon) and the second was taken as the treated chamber (containing formaldehyde gas with activated carbon). The results indicated that the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon has a moderate BET surface area (557 m2/g) with total mesoporous volume and microporous volume of 0.310 and 0.273 cm3/g, respectively. The prepared activated carbon had remarkable adsorption capacity for MB. Formaldehyde removal rate was then found to be more than 67% in the treated chamber with the sugarcane bagasse-based activated carbon. The plants' responses for this application as dry weight, chlorophyll contents, and protein concentration were also investigated. Preparation of activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse (SCBAC) is a promising approach to produce cheap and efficient adsorbent for gas pollutants removal. It may be also a solution for the agricultural wastes problems in big cities, particularly in Egypt. MB adsorption tests suggest that the SCBAC have high adsorption capacity. Formaldehyde gas removal in the plant chambers indicates that the SCBAC have potential to recover volatile gases. The results confirmed that the activated carbon produced from sugarcane bagasse waste raw materials can be used as an applicable adsorbent for treating a variety of gas pollutants from the indoor environment.

Influence of tool pin in friction stir welding on activated carbon reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DijuSamuel, G.; Raja Dhas, J. Edwin

2017-10-01

This paper focus on impact of tool pin in friction stir welding on activated carbon reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite. For fabrication of metal matrix composite AA6061 is used as matrix and activated carbon is used as reinforcement and it is casted using modified stir casting technique. After casting metal matrix composite has undergone various microstructure tests like SEM,EDAX and XRD. FSW is carried out in this metal matrix composite by choosing various tool pin profile like square,round,Threaded round, hexagon and taper. The quality of welded plates is measured in terms of ultimate tensile strength and hardness.

Oxidation Kinetics and Strength Degradation of Carbon Fibers in a Cracked Ceramic Matrix Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halbig, Michael C.

2003-01-01

Experimental results and oxidation modeling will be presented to discuss carbon fiber susceptibility to oxidation, the oxidation kinetics regimes and composite strength degradation and failure due to oxidation. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to study the oxidation rates of carbon fiber and of a pyro-carbon interphase. The analysis was used to separately obtain activation energies for the carbon constituents within a C/SiC composite. TGA was also conducted on C/SiC composite material to study carbon oxidation and crack closure as a function of temperature. In order to more closely match applications conditions C/SiC tensile coupons were also tested under stressed oxidation conditions. The stressed oxidation tests show that C/SiC is much more susceptible to oxidation when the material is under an applied load where the cracks are open and allow for oxygen ingress. The results help correlate carbon oxidation with composite strength reduction and failure.

Characteristic numbers of granular activated carbon for the elimination of micropollutants from effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Benstoem, F; Pinnekamp, J

2017-07-01

Adsorption on granular activated carbon (GAC) is a promising step to extend existing treatment trains in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and, thus, to reduce the concentration of micropollutants (MPs) (e.g. pharmaceuticals) in wastewater. It is common practice to use characteristic numbers when choosing GAC for a specific application. In this study, characteristic numbers were correlated for five different GACs, with measured adsorption capacities of these carbons for three pharmaceutical MPs (carbamazepine, diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole) and dissolved organic carbon of a WWTP effluent. The adsorption capacities were measured using rapid small scale column tests. Density of GAC showed the highest correlation to adsorption of MP. All other characteristic numbers (iodine number, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface and methylene blue titre) are not suitable markers for choosing an appropriate activated carbon product for the elimination of MPs from municipal wastewater.

Chemical State of Surface Oxygen on Carbon and Its Effects on the Capacity of the Carbon Anode in a Lithium-Ion Battery Investigated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, Ching-Cheh

2001-01-01

In a lithium-ion battery, the lithium-storage capacity of the carbon anode is greatly affected by a surface layer formed during the first half cycle of lithium insertion and release into and out of the carbon anode. The formation of this solid-electrolyte interface, in turn, is affected by the chemistry of the carbon surface. A study at the NASA Glenn Research Center examined the cause-and-effect relations. Information obtained from this research could contribute in designing a high-capacity lithium-ion battery and, therefore, small, powerful spacecraft. In one test, three types of surfaces were examined: (1) a surface with low oxygen content (1.5 at.%) and a high concentration of active sites, (2) a surface with 4.5 at.% -OH or -OC type oxygen, and (3) a surface with 6.5 at.% O=C type oxygen. The samples were made from the same precursor and had similar bulk properties. They were tested under a constant current of 10 mA/g in half cells that used lithium metal as the counter electrode and 0.5 M lithium iodide in 50/50 (vol%) ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate as the electrolyte. For the first cycle of the electrochemical test, the graph describes the voltage of the carbon anode versus the lithium metal as a function of the capacity (amount of lithium insertion or release). From these data, it can be observed that the surface with low oxygen and a high concentration of active sites could result in a high irreversible capacity. Such a high irreversible capacity could be prevented if the active sites were allowed to react with oxygen in air, producing -OH or -OC type oxygen. The O=C type oxygen, on the other hand, could greatly reduce the capacity of lithium intercalation and, therefore, needs to be avoided during battery fabrication.

Impacts of forest harvest on active carbon and microbial properties of a volcanic ash cap soil in northern Idaho

Treesearch

Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Matt D. Busse; Steven T. Overby; Brian D. Gardner; Joanne M. Tirocke

2015-01-01

Soil quality assessments are essential for determining impacts on belowground microbial community structure and function. We evaluated the suitability of active carbon (C), a rapid field test, as an indicator of soil biological quality in five paired forest stands (clear cut harvested 40 years prior and unharvested) growing on volcanic ash-cap soils in northern Idaho....

Preparation of a new adsorbent from activated carbon and carbon nanofiber (AC/CNF) for manufacturing organic-vacbpour respirator cartridge

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

In this study a composite of activated carbon and carbon nanofiber (AC/CNF) was prepared to improve the performance of activated carbon (AC) for adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and its utilization for respirator cartridges. Activated carbon was impregnated with a nickel nitrate catalyst precursor and carbon nanofibers (CNF) were deposited directly on the AC surface using catalytic chemical vapor deposition. Deposited CNFs on catalyst particles in AC micropores, were activated by CO2 to recover the surface area and micropores. Surface and textural characterizations of the prepared composites were investigated using Brunauer, Emmett and Teller’s (BET) technique and electron microscopy respectively. Prepared composite adsorbent was tested for benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) adsorption and then employed in an organic respirator cartridge in granular form. Adsorption studies were conducted by passing air samples through the adsorbents in a glass column at an adjustable flow rate. Finally, any adsorbed species not retained by the adsorbents in the column were trapped in a charcoal sorbent tube and analyzed by gas chromatography. CNFs with a very thin diameter of about 10-20 nm were formed uniformly on the AC/CNF. The breakthrough time for cartridges prepared with CO2 activated AC/CNF was 117 minutes which are significantly longer than for those cartridges prepared with walnut shell- based activated carbon with the same weight of adsorbents. This study showed that a granular form CO2 activated AC/CNF composite could be a very effective alternate adsorbent for respirator cartridges due to its larger adsorption capacities and lower weight. PMID:23369424

Improvement of oxygen-containing functional groups on olive stones activated carbon by ozone and nitric acid for heavy metals removal from aqueous phase.

PubMed

Bohli, Thouraya; Ouederni, Abdelmottaleb

2016-08-01

Recently, modification of surface structure of activated carbons in order to improve their adsorption performance toward especial pollutants has gained great interest. Oxygen-containing functional groups have been devoted as the main responsible for heavy metal binding on the activated carbon surface; their introduction or enhancement needs specific modification and impregnation methods. In the present work, olive stones activated carbon (COSAC) undergoes surface modifications in gaseous phase using ozone (O3) and in liquid phase using nitric acid (HNO3). The activated carbon samples were characterized using N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, SEM, pHpzc, FTIR, and Boehm titration. The activated carbon parent (COSAC) has a high surface area of 1194 m(2)/g and shows a predominantly microporous structure. Oxidation treatments with nitric acid and ozone show a decrease in both specific surface area and micropore volumes, whereas these acidic treatments have led to a fixation of high amount of surface oxygen functional groups, thus making the carbon surface more hydrophilic. Activated carbon samples were used as an adsorbent matrix for the removal of Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. Adsorption isotherms were obtained at 30 °C, and the data are well fitted to the Redlich-Peterson and Langmuir equation. Results show that oxidized COSACs, especially COSAC(HNO3), are capable to remove more Co(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II) from aqueous solution. Nitric acid-oxidized olive stones activated carbon was tested in its ability to remove metal ions from binary systems and results show an important maximum adsorbed amount as compared to single systems.

Evaluation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes toxicity in two fish species.

PubMed

Cimbaluk, Giovani Valentin; Ramsdorf, Wanessa Algarte; Perussolo, Maiara Carolina; Santos, Hayanna Karla Felipe; Da Silva De Assis, Helena Cristina; Schnitzler, Mariane Cristina; Schnitzler, Danielle Caroline; Carneiro, Pedro Gontijo; Cestari, Marta Margarete

2018-04-15

Carbon Nanotubes are among the most promising materials for the technology industry. Their unique physical and chemical proprieties may reduce the production costs and improve the efficiency of a large range of products. However, the same characteristics that have made nanomaterials interesting for industry may be responsible for inducing toxic effects on the aquatic organisms. Since the carbon nanotubes toxicity is still a controversial issue, we performed tests of acute and subchronic exposure to a commercial sample of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in two fish species, an exotic model (Danio rerio) and a native one (Astyanax altiparanae). Using the alkaline version of the comet assay on erythrocytes and the piscine micronucleous, also performed on erythrocytes, it was verified that the tested carbon nanotubes sample did not generate apparent genotoxicity by means of single/double DNA strand break or clastogenic/aneugenic effects over any of the species, independently of the exposure period. Although, our findings indicate the possibility of the occurrence of CNTs-DNA crosslinks. Apparently, the sample tested induces oxidative stress after subchronic exposure as shown by activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase. The data obtained by the activity levels of acetylcholinesterase suggests acute neurotoxicity in Astyanax altiparanae and subchronic neurotoxicity in Danio rerio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eric S. Peterson; Jessica Trudeau; Bill Cleary

An active-surface membrane technology was used to separate a die lube manufacturing wastewater stream consisting of various oils, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and silicones. The ultrafiltration membranes reduced organics from initial oil and grease contents by 20–25X, carbon oxygen demand (COD) by 1.5 to 2X, and total organic carbon (TOC) by 0.6, while the biological oxygen demand (BOD) remained constant. The active-surface membranes were not fouled as badly as non-active-surface systems and the active-surface membrane flux levels were consistently higher and more stable than those of the non-active-surface membranes tested. Field testing demonstrated that the rotary microfilter can concentrate the diemore » lube, i.e. remove the glycerin component, and produce a die lube suitable for recycling. The recycling system operated for six weeks with only seven cleaning cycles and no mechanical or electrical failures. Test data and quality records indicate that the die casting scrap was reduced from 8.4 to 7.8%. There is no doubt that this test yielded tremendous results. This separation process presents significant opportunities that can be evaluated further.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peterson, E. S.; Trudeau, J.; Cleary, B.

An active-surface membrane technology was used to separate a die lube manufacturing wastewater stream consisting of various oils, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and silicones. The ultrafiltration membranes reduced organics from initial oil and grease contents by 20-25X, carbon oxygen demand (COD) by 1.5 to 2X, and total organic carbon (TOC) by 0.6, while the biological oxygen demand (BOD) remained constant. The active-surface membranes were not fouled as badly as non-active-surface systems and the active-surface membrane flux levels were consistently higher and more stable than those of the non-active-surface membranes tested. Field testing demonstrated that the rotary microfilter can concentrate the diemore » lube, i.e. remove the glycerin component, and produce a die lube suitable for recycling. The recycling system operated for six weeks with only seven cleaning cycles and no mechanical or electrical failures. Test data and quality records indicate that the die casting scrap was reduced from 8.4 to 7.8%. There is no doubt that this test yielded tremendous results. This separation process presents significant opportunities that can be evaluated further.« less

Adsorption of basic Red 46 using sea mango (Cerbera odollam) based activated carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Azmi, Nur Azira Iqlima; Zainudin, Nor Fauziah; Ali, Umi Fazara Md

Sea mango or Cerbera Odollam is another source of carbonaceous material that can be found abundantly in Malaysia. In this research, it is used as a new agricultural source of activated carbon. Sea mango activated carbon was prepared by chemical activation using potassium hydroxide (KOH). The sea mango was soaked in KOH at impregnation ratio of 1:1 and followed by carbonization at temperature of 600°C for 1 hour. The sample was then characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) for surface morphology, while Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) was used to study the surface area. The result shown that sea mango activated carbon (SMAC)more » developed new pores on its surface and the BET surface area measured was 451.87 m{sup 2}/g. The SMAC performance was then tested for the removal of Basic Red 46 in batch process. The removal of Basic Red 46 (50 mg/L, natural pH, 0.1 g SMAC) was more than 99% in 15 minutes where it reached equilibrium in 30 minutes.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nam, Sangchul; Namkoong, Wan; Kang, Jeong-Hee

Highlights: • Equilibrium test was attempted to evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxane. • L2 had higher removal efficiency in carbon compared to noncarbon adsorbents. • Total adsorption capacity of siloxane was 300 mg/g by coal activated carbon. • Adsorption characteristics rely on size of siloxane molecule and adsorbent pore. • Conversion of siloxane was caused by adsorption of noncarbon adsorbents. - Abstract: Due to the increase in energy cost by constantly high oil prices and the obligation to reduce greenhouse effect gases, landfill gas is frequently used as an alternative energy source for producing heat and electricity. Most of landfillmore » gas utility facilities, however, are experiencing problems controlling siloxanes from landfill gas as their catalytic oxidizers are becoming fouled by silicon dioxide dust. To evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxanes, an adsorption equilibrium test was conducted and parameters in the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were analyzed. Coconut activated carbon (CA1), coal activated carbon (CA2), impregnated activated carbon (CA3), silicagel (NCA1), and activated alumina (NCA2) were used for the adsorption of the mixed siloxane which contained hexamethyldisiloxane (L2), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). L2 had higher removal efficiency in noncarbon adsorbents compared to carbon adsorbents. The application of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm demonstrated that coconut based CA1 and CA3 provided higher adsorption capacity on L2. And CA2 and NCA1 provided higher adsorption capacity on D4 and D5. Based on the experimental results, L2, D4, and D5 were converted by adsorption and desorption in noncarbon adsorbents. Adsorption affinity of siloxane is considered to be affect by the pore size distribution of the adsorbents and by the molecular size of each siloxane.« less

Synthesis and Antioxidant Activity of Hydroxytyrosol Alkyl-Carbonate Derivatives.

PubMed

Fernandez-Pastor, Ignacio; Fernandez-Hernandez, Antonia; Rivas, Francisco; Martinez, Antonio; Garcia-Granados, Andres; Parra, Andres

2016-07-22

Three procedures have been investigated for the isolation of tyrosol (1) and hydroxytyrosol (2) from a phenolic extract obtained from the solid residue of olive milling. These three methods, which facilitated the recovery of these phenols, were chemical or enzymatic acetylation, benzylation, and carbomethoxylation, and subsequent carbonylation or acetonation reactions. Several new lipophilic alkyl-carbonate derivatives of hydroxytyrosol have been synthesized, coupling the primary hydroxy group of this phenol, through a carbonate linker, using alcohols with different chain lengths. The antioxidant properties of these lipophilic derivatives have been evaluated by different methods and compared with free hydroxytyrosol (2) and also with the well-known antioxidants BHT and α-tocopherol. Three methods were used for the determination of this antioxidant activity: FRAP and ABTS assays, to test the antioxidant power in hydrophilic media, and the Rancimat test, to evaluate the antioxidant capacity in a lipophilic matrix. These new alkyl-carbonate derivatives of hydroxytyrosol enhanced the antioxidant activity of this natural phenol, with their antioxidant properties also being higher than those of the commercial antioxidants BHT and α-tocopherol. There was no clear influence of the side-chain length on the antioxidant properties of the alkyl-carbonate derivatives of 2, although the best results were achieved mainly by the compounds with a longer chain on the primary hydroxy group of this natural phenolic substance.

Preparation of thiol-functionalized activated carbon from sewage sludge with coal blending for heavy metal removal from contaminated water.

PubMed

Li, Juan; Xing, Xing; Li, Jiao; Shi, Mei; Lin, Aijun; Xu, Congbin; Zheng, Jianzhong; Li, Ronghua

2018-03-01

Sewage sludge produced from wastewater treatment is a pressing environmental issue. Mismanagement of the massive amount of sewage sludge would threat our valuble surface and shallow ground water resources. Use of activated carbon prepared from carbonization of these sludges for heavy metal removal can not only minimize and stabilize these hazardous materials but also realize resources reuse. In this study, thiol-functionalized activated carbon was synthesized from coal-blended sewage sludge, and its capacity was examined for removing Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II) from water. Pyrolysis conditions to prepare activated carbons from the sludge and coal mixture were examined, and the synthesized material was found to achieve the highest BET surface area of 1094 m 2 /g under 500 °C and 30 min. Batch equilibrium tests indicated that the thiol-functionalized activated carbon had a maximum sorption capacity of 238.1, 96.2, 87.7 and 52.4 mg/g for Pb(II), Cd(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) removal from water, respectively. Findings of this study suggest that thiol-functionalized activated carbon prepared from coal-blended sewage sludge would be a promising sorbent material for heavy metal removal from waters contaminated with Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Removal of benzocaine from water by filtration with activated carbon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howe, G.E.; Bills, T.D.; Marking, L.L.

1990-01-01

Benzocaine is a promising candidate for registration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as an anesthetic in fish culture, management, and research. A method for the removal of benzocaine from hatchery effluents could speed registration of this drug by eliminating requirements for data on its residues, tolerances, detoxification, and environmental hazards. Carbon filtration effectively removes many organic compounds from water. This study tested the effectiveness of three types of activated carbon for removing benzocaine from water by column filtration under controlled laboratory conditions. An adsorptive capacity was calculated for each type of activated carbon. Filtrasorb 400 (12 x 40 mesh; U.S. standard sieve series) showed the greatest capacity for benzocaine adsorption (76.12 mg benzocaine/g carbon); Filtrasorb 300 (8 x 30 mesh) ranked next (31.93 mg/g); and Filtrasorb 816 (8 x 16 mesh) absorbed the least (1.0 mg/g). Increased adsorptive capacity was associated with smaller carbon particle size; however, smaller particle size also impeded column flow. Carbon filtration is a practical means for removing benzocaine from treated water.

THz QCL-based active imaging dedicated to non-destructive testing of composite materials used in aeronautics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Destic, F.; Petitjean, Y.; Massenot, S.; Mollier, J.-C.; Barbieri, S.

2010-08-01

This paper presents a CW raster-scanning THz imaging setup, used to perform Non-Destructive Testing of KevlarTMand carbon fibre samples. The setup uses a 2.5 THz Quantum Cascade Laser as a source. Delamination defect in a Kevlar sample was detected showing a sensitivity to laser polarization orientation. Detection of a break in a carbon/epoxy sample was also performed.

Biological activation of carbon filters.

PubMed

Seredyńska-Sobecka, Bozena; Tomaszewska, Maria; Janus, Magdalena; Morawski, Antoni W

2006-01-01

To prepare biological activated carbon (BAC), raw surface water was circulated through granular activated carbon (GAC) beds. Biological activity of carbon filters was initiated after about 6 months of filter operation and was confirmed by two methods: measurement of the amount of biomass attached to the carbon and by the fluorescein diacetate (FDA) test. The effect of carbon pre-washing on WG-12 carbon properties was also studied. For this purpose, the nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77K and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra analyses were performed. Moreover, iodine number, decolorizing power and adsorption properties of carbon in relation to phenol were studied. Analysis of the results revealed that after WG-12 carbon pre-washing its BET surface increased a little, the pH value of the carbon water extract decreased from 11.0 to 9.4, decolorizing power remained at the same level, and the iodine number and phenol adsorption rate increased. In preliminary studies of the ozonation-biofiltration process, a model phenol solution with concentration of approximately 10mg/l was applied. During the ozonation process a dose of 1.64 mg O(3)/mg TOC (total organic carbon) was employed and the contact time was 5 min. Four empty bed contact times (EBCTs) in the range of 2.4-24.0 min were used in the biofiltration experiment. The effectiveness of purification was measured by the following parameters: chemical oxygen demand (COD(Mn)), TOC, phenol concentration and UV(254)-absorbance. The parameters were found to decrease with EBCT.

Nanofiltration and granular activated carbon treatment of perfluoroalkyl acids.

PubMed

Appleman, Timothy D; Dickenson, Eric R V; Bellona, Christopher; Higgins, Christopher P

2013-09-15

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are of concern because of their persistence in the environment and the potential toxicological effects on humans exposed to PFAAs through a variety of possible exposure routes, including contaminated drinking water. This study evaluated the efficacy of nanofiltration (NF) and granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption in removing a suite of PFAAs from water. Virgin flat-sheet NF membranes (NF270, Dow/Filmtec) were tested at permeate fluxes of 17-75 Lm(-2)h(-1) using deionized (DI) water and artificial groundwater. The effects of membrane fouling by humic acid on PFAA rejection were also tested under constant permeate flux conditions. Both virgin and fouled NF270 membranes demonstrated >93% removal for all PFAAs under all conditions tested. GAC efficacy was tested using rapid small-scale columns packed with Calgon Filtrasorb300 (F300) carbon and DI water with and without dissolved organic matter (DOM). DOM effects were also evaluated with F600 and Siemens AquaCarb1240C. The F300 GAC had <20% breakthrough of all PFAAs in DI water for up to 125,000 bed volumes (BVs). When DOM was present, >20% breakthrough of all PFAAs by 10,000 BVs was observed for all carbons. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the cognitive abilities of Wistar rats

PubMed Central

Sayapina, Nina V.; Sergievich, Alexander A.; Kuznetsov, Vladimir L.; Chaika, Vladimir V.; Lisitskaya, Irina G.; Khoroshikh, Pavel P.; Batalova, Tatyana A.; Tsarouhas, Kostas; Spandidos, Demetrios; Tsatsakis, Aristidis M.; Fenga, Concettina; Golokhvast, Kirill S.

2016-01-01

Studies of the neurobehavioral effects of carbon nanomaterials, particularly those of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), have concentrated on cognitive effects, but data are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of MWCNTs on a number of higher nervous system functions of Wistar rats. For a period of 10 days, two experimental groups were fed with MWCNTs of different diameters (MWCNT-1 group, 8–10 nm; MWCNT-2 group, 18–20 nm) once a day at a dosage of 500 mg/kg. In the open-field test, reductions of integral indications of researching activity were observed for the two MWCNT-treated groups, with a parallel significant (P<0.01) increase in stress levels for these groups compared with the untreated control group. In the elevated plus-maze test, integral indices of researching activity in the MWCNT-1 and MWCNT-2 groups reduced by day 10 by 51 and 62%, respectively, while rat stress levels remained relatively unchanged. In the universal problem solving box test, reductions in motivation and energy indices of researching activity were observed in the two experimental groups. Searching activity in the MWCNT-1 group by day 3 was reduced by 50% (P<0.01) and in the MWCNT-2 group the relevant reduction reached 11.2%. By day 10, the reduction compared with controls, was 64% (P<0.01) and 58% (P<0.01) for the MWCNT-1 and MWCNT-2 groups, respectively. In conclusion, a series of specific tests demonstrated that MWCNT-treated rats experienced a significant reduction of some of their cognitive abilities, a disturbing and worrying finding, taking into consideration the continuing and accelerating use of carbon nanotubes in medicine and science. PMID:27588053

Activated Carbon-Based System for the Disposal of Psychoactive Medications

PubMed Central

Song, Yang; Manian, Mahima; Fowler, William; Korey, Andrew; Kumar Banga, Ajay

2016-01-01

The misuse and improper disposal of psychoactive medications is a major safety and environmental concern. Hence, the proper disposal of these medications is critically important. A drug deactivation system which contains activated carbon offers a unique disposal method. In the present study, deactivation efficiency of this system was tested by using three model psychoactive drugs. HPLC validation was performed for each drug to ensure that the analytical method employed was suitable for its intended use. The method was found to be specific, accurate and precise for analyzing the drugs. The extent and rate of deactivation of the drugs was determined at several time points. After 28 days in the presence of activated carbon, the extent of leaching out of the drugs was evaluated. Deactivation started immediately after addition of the medications into the disposal pouches. Within 8 h, around 47%, 70% and 97% of diazepam, lorazepam and buprenorphine were adsorbed by the activated carbon, respectively. By the end of 28 days, over 99% of all drugs were deactivated. The desorption/leaching study showed that less than 1% of the active ingredients leached out from the activated carbon. Thus, this deactivation system can be successfully used for the disposal of psychoactive medications. PMID:27827989

In vitro platelet activation, aggregation and platelet-granulocyte complex formation induced by surface modified single-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Fent, János; Bihari, Péter; Vippola, Minnamari; Sarlin, Essi; Lakatos, Susan

2015-08-01

Surface modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) such as carboxylation, amidation, hydroxylation and pegylation is used to reduce the nanotube toxicity and render them more suitable for biomedical applications than their pristine counterparts. Toxicity can be manifested in platelet activation as it has been shown for SWCNTs. However, the effect of various surface modifications on the platelet activating potential of SWCNTs has not been tested yet. In vitro platelet activation (CD62P) as well as the platelet-granulocyte complex formation (CD15/CD41 double positivity) in human whole blood were measured by flow cytometry in the presence of 0.1mg/ml of pristine or various surface modified SWCNTs. The effect of various SWCNTs was tested by whole blood impedance aggregometry, too. All tested SWCNTs but the hydroxylated ones activate platelets and promote platelet-granulocyte complex formation in vitro. Carboxylated, pegylated and pristine SWCNTs induce whole blood aggregation as well. Although pegylation is preferred from biomedical point of view, among the samples tested by us pegylated SWCNTs induced far the most prominent activation and a well detectable aggregation of platelets in whole blood. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Producing carbon stripper foils containing boron

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoner, J. O. Jr.

2012-12-19

Parameters being actively tested by the accelerator community for the purpose of extending carbon stripper foil lifetimes in fast ion beams include methods of deposition, parting agents, mounting techniques, support (fork) materials, and inclusion of alloying elements, particularly boron. Specialized production apparatus is required for either sequential deposition or co-deposition of boron in carbon foils. A dual-use vacuum evaporator for arc evaporation of carbon and electron-beam evaporation of boron and other materials has been built for such development. Production of both carbon and boron foils has begun and improvements are in progress.

Evaluating the Adsoptive Capacities of Chemsorb 1000 and Chemsorb 1425

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monje, Oscar Alberto; Surma, Jan M.; Johnsey, Marissa N.; Melendez, Orlando

2014-01-01

The Air Revitalization Lab at KSC tested Chemsorb 1000 and 1425, two candidate sorbents for use in future air revitalization technologies being evaluated by the ARREM project. Chemsorb 1000 and 1425 are granular coconut-shell activated carbon sorbents produced by Molecular Products, Inc. that may be used in the TCCS. Chemsorb 1000 is a high grade activated carbon for organic vapor adsorption. In contrast, Chemsorb 1425 is a high-grade impregnated activated carbon for adsorption of airborne ammonia and amines. Chemsorb 1000 was challenged with simulated spacecraft gas streams in order to determine its adsorptive capacities for mixtures of volatile organics compounds. Chemsorb 1425 was challenged with various NH3 concentrations to determine its adsorptive capacity.

Evaluating the Adsorptive Capacities of Chemsorb 1000 and Chemsorb 1425

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monje, Oscar Alberto Monje; Surma, Jan M.; Johnsey, Marissa N.; Melendez, Orlando

2014-01-01

The Air Revitalization Lab at KSC tested Chemsorb 1000 and 1425, two candidate sorbents for use in future air revitalization technologies being evaluated by the ARREM project. Chemsorb 1000 and 1425 are granular coconut-shell activated carbon sorbents produced by Molecular Products, Inc. that may be used in the TCCS. Chemsorb 1000 is a high grade activated carbon for organic vapor adsorption. In contrast, Chemsorb 1425 is a high-grade impregnated activated carbon for adsorption of airborne ammonia and amines. Chemsorb 1000 was challenged with simulated spacecraft gas streams in order to determine its adsorptive capacities for mixtures of volatile organics compounds. Chemsorb 1425 was challenged with various NH3 concentrations to determine its adsorptive capacity.

Effect of lower and higher alcohol fuel synergies in biofuel blends and exhaust treatment system on emissions from CI engine.

PubMed

Subramanian, Thiyagarajan; Varuvel, Edwin Geo; Martin, Leenus Jesu; Beddhannan, Nagalingam

2017-11-01

The present study deals with performance, emission and combustion studies in a single cylinder CI engine with lower and higher alcohol fuel synergies with biofuel blends and exhaust treatment system. Karanja oil methyl ester (KOME), widely available biofuel in India, and orange oil (ORG), a low carbon biofuel, were taken for this study, and equal volume blend was prepared for testing. Methanol (M) and n-pentanol (P) was taken as lower and higher alcohol and blended 20% by volume with KOME-ORG blend. Activated carbon-based exhaust treatment indigenous system was designed and tested with KOME-ORG + M20 and KOME-ORG + P20 blend. The tests were carried out at various load conditions at a constant speed of 1500 rpm. The study revealed that considering performance, emission and combustion studies, KOME-ORG + M20 + activated carbon are found optimum in reducing NO, smoke and CO 2 emission. Compared to KOME, for KOME-ORG + M20 + activated carbon, NO emission is reduced from 10.25 to 7.85 g/kWh, the smoke emission is reduced from 49.4 to 28.9%, and CO 2 emission is reduced from 1098.84 to 580.68 g/kWh. However, with exhaust treatment system, an increase in HC and CO emissions and reduced thermal efficiency is observed due to backpressure effects.

Recovery strategies for tackling the impact of phenolic compounds in a UASB reactor treating coal gasification wastewater.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Han, Hongjun

2012-01-01

The impact of phenolic compounds (around 3.2 g/L) resulted in a completely failed performance in a mesophilic UASB reactor treating coal gasification wastewater. The recovery strategies, including extension of HRT, dilution, oxygen-limited aeration, and addition of powdered activated carbon were evaluated in batch tests, in order to obtain the most appropriate way for the quick recovery of the failed reactor performance. Results indicated that addition of powdered activated carbon and oxygen-limited aeration were the best recovery strategies in the batch tests. In the UASB reactor, addition of powdered activated carbon of 1 g/L shortened the recovery time from 25 to 9 days and oxygen-limited aeration of 0-0.5 mgO2/L reduced the recovery time to 17 days. Reduction of bioavailable concentration of phenolic compounds and recovery of sludge activity were the decisive factors for the recovery strategies to tackle the impact of phenolic compounds in anaerobic treatment of coal gasification wastewater. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-cost carbon-silicon nanocomposite anodes for lithium ion batteries.

PubMed

Badi, Nacer; Erra, Abhinay Reddy; Hernandez, Francisco C Robles; Okonkwo, Anderson O; Hobosyan, Mkhitar; Martirosyan, Karen S

2014-01-01

The specific energy of the existing lithium ion battery cells is limited because intercalation electrodes made of activated carbon (AC) materials have limited lithium ion storage capacities. Carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon nanofibers are the most sought alternatives to replace AC materials but their synthesis cost makes them highly prohibitive. Silicon has recently emerged as a strong candidate to replace existing graphite anodes due to its inherently large specific capacity and low working potential. However, pure silicon electrodes have shown poor mechanical integrity due to the dramatic expansion of the material during battery operation. This results in high irreversible capacity and short cycle life. We report on the synthesis and use of carbon and hybrid carbon-silicon nanostructures made by a simplified thermo-mechanical milling process to produce low-cost high-energy lithium ion battery anodes. Our work is based on an abundant, cost-effective, and easy-to-launch source of carbon soot having amorphous nature in combination with scrap silicon with crystalline nature. The carbon soot is transformed in situ into graphene and graphitic carbon during mechanical milling leading to superior elastic properties. Micro-Raman mapping shows a well-dispersed microstructure for both carbon and silicon. The fabricated composites are used for battery anodes, and the results are compared with commercial anodes from MTI Corporation. The anodes are integrated in batteries and tested; the results are compared to those seen in commercial batteries. For quick laboratory assessment, all electrochemical cells were fabricated under available environment conditions and they were tested at room temperature. Initial electrochemical analysis results on specific capacity, efficiency, and cyclability in comparison to currently available AC counterpart are promising to advance cost-effective commercial lithium ion battery technology. The electrochemical performance observed for carbon soot material is very interesting given the fact that its production cost is away cheaper than activated carbon. The cost of activated carbon is about $15/kg whereas the cost to manufacture carbon soot as a by-product from large-scale milling of abundant graphite is about $1/kg. Additionally, here, we propose a method that is environmentally friendly with strong potential for industrialization.

Low-cost carbon-silicon nanocomposite anodes for lithium ion batteries

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The specific energy of the existing lithium ion battery cells is limited because intercalation electrodes made of activated carbon (AC) materials have limited lithium ion storage capacities. Carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon nanofibers are the most sought alternatives to replace AC materials but their synthesis cost makes them highly prohibitive. Silicon has recently emerged as a strong candidate to replace existing graphite anodes due to its inherently large specific capacity and low working potential. However, pure silicon electrodes have shown poor mechanical integrity due to the dramatic expansion of the material during battery operation. This results in high irreversible capacity and short cycle life. We report on the synthesis and use of carbon and hybrid carbon-silicon nanostructures made by a simplified thermo-mechanical milling process to produce low-cost high-energy lithium ion battery anodes. Our work is based on an abundant, cost-effective, and easy-to-launch source of carbon soot having amorphous nature in combination with scrap silicon with crystalline nature. The carbon soot is transformed in situ into graphene and graphitic carbon during mechanical milling leading to superior elastic properties. Micro-Raman mapping shows a well-dispersed microstructure for both carbon and silicon. The fabricated composites are used for battery anodes, and the results are compared with commercial anodes from MTI Corporation. The anodes are integrated in batteries and tested; the results are compared to those seen in commercial batteries. For quick laboratory assessment, all electrochemical cells were fabricated under available environment conditions and they were tested at room temperature. Initial electrochemical analysis results on specific capacity, efficiency, and cyclability in comparison to currently available AC counterpart are promising to advance cost-effective commercial lithium ion battery technology. The electrochemical performance observed for carbon soot material is very interesting given the fact that its production cost is away cheaper than activated carbon. The cost of activated carbon is about $15/kg whereas the cost to manufacture carbon soot as a by-product from large-scale milling of abundant graphite is about $1/kg. Additionally, here, we propose a method that is environmentally friendly with strong potential for industrialization. PMID:25114651

The Eighth Industrial Fluids Properties Simulation Challenge

PubMed Central

Schultz, Nathan E.; Ahmad, Riaz; Brennan, John K.; Frankel, Kevin A.; Moore, Jonathan D.; Moore, Joshua D.; Mountain, Raymond D.; Ross, Richard B.; Thommes, Matthias; Shen, Vincent K.; Siderius, Daniel W.; Smith, Kenneth D.

2016-01-01

The goal of the eighth industrial fluid properties simulation challenge was to test the ability of molecular simulation methods to predict the adsorption of organic adsorbates in activated carbon materials. In particular, the eighth challenge focused on the adsorption of perfluorohexane in the activated carbon BAM-109. Entrants were challenged to predict the adsorption in the carbon at 273 K and relative pressures of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.6. The predictions were judged by comparison to a benchmark set of experimentally determined values. Overall good agreement and consistency were found between the predictions of most entrants. PMID:27840542

[Improvement of the determination method of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene(BTEX) in water using activated carbon fiber solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)].

PubMed

Jia, Jin-ping; Feng, Xue; Fang, Neng-hu; Huang, Jia-liang

2002-01-01

The methods of direct injection, carbon disulfide extraction and activated carbon fiber solid-phase microextraction/GC-MS, usually used in the determination of BTEX in water matrix, are compared and discussed. Experimental data of linearity, precision and limit of detection illustrate that the last one is better than the two other methods. This method was tested by the practical sample experiments and expected to be a simple and sensitive new method for the analysis of BTEX in water.

TREATMENT OF CERCLA (COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT) LEACHATES BY CARBON-ASSISTED ANAEROBIC FLUIDIZED BEDS (Journal)

EPA Science Inventory

Two anaerobic granular activated carbon (GAC) expanded-bed bioreactors were tested as pretreatment units for the decontamination of hazardous leachates containing volatile and semivolatile synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs). The different characteristics of the two leachate feed...

Removal of steroid estrogens from wastewater using granular activated carbon: comparison between virgin and reactivated carbon.

PubMed

Rowsell, Victoria Francesca; Pang, Dawn Sok Cheng; Tsafou, Foteini; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

2009-04-01

This research was set up in response to new European legislation to identify cost-effective treatment for removal of steroid estrogens from effluent. This study aimed to compare estrogen removal of two types of granular activated carbon: virgin (F400) and reactivated (C401) carbon. Rapid, small-scale column tests were conducted with a total bed volume of 24.9 cm3 over three columns, and analysis was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results demonstrated that C401 performed more efficiently with greater than or equal to 81% estrogen removal in wastewater compared to F400 which produced greater than or equal to 65% estrogen removal. Estrogen removal can be affected by competitive adsorption from natural organic matter present in wastewater. In addition, the physical properties of each carbon had the potential to influence adsorption differently, thus resulting in the observed varied adsorption capability of the two carbons.

USGS Arctic Ocean Carbon Cruise 2012: Field Activity L-01-12-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August-September 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, Lisa L.; Wynn, Jonathan; Knorr, Paul O.; Onac, Bogdan; Lisle, John T.; McMullen, Katherine Y.; Yates, Kimberly K.; Byrne, Robert H.; Liu, Xuewu

2014-01-01

During the cruise, underway continuous and discrete water samples were collected, and discrete water samples were collected at stations to document the carbonate chemistry of the Arctic waters and quantify the saturation state of seawater with respect to calcium carbonate. These data are critical for providing baseline information in areas where no data have existed prior and will also be used to test existing models and predict future trends.

Development of a Cl-impregnated activated carbon for entrained-flow capture of elemental mercury.

PubMed

Ghorishi, S Behrooz; Keeney, Robert M; Serre, Shannon D; Gullett, Brian K; Jozewicz, Wojciech S

2002-10-15

Efforts to discern the role of an activated carbon's surface functional groups on the adsorption of elemental mercury (Hg0) and mercuric chloride demonstrated that chlorine (Cl) impregnation of a virgin activated carbon using dilute solutions of hydrogen chloride leads to increases (by a factor of 2-3) in fixed-bed capture of these mercury species. A commercially available activated carbon (DARCO FGD, NORITAmericas Inc. [FGD])was Cl-impregnated (Cl-FGD) [5 lb (2.3 kg) per batch] and tested for entrained-flow, short-time-scale capture of Hg0. In an entrained flow reactor, the Cl-FGD was introduced in Hg0-laden flue gases (86 ppb of Hg0) of varied compositions with gas/solid contact times of about 3-4 s, resulting in significant Hg0 removal (80-90%), compared to virgin FGD (10-15%). These levels of Hg0 removal were observed across a wide range of very low carbon-to-mercury weight ratios (1000-5000). Variation of the natural gas combustion flue gas composition, by doping with nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, and the flow reactor temperature (100-200 degrees C) had minimal effects on Hg0 removal bythe Cl-FGD in these carbon-to-mercury weight ratios. These results demonstrate significant enhancement of activated carbon reactivity with minimal treatment and are applicable to combustion facilities equipped with downstream particulate matter removal such as an electrostatic precipitator.

Removal of carbonyl sulfide using activated carbon adsorption.

PubMed

Sattler, Melanie L; Rosenberk, Ranjith Samuel

2006-02-01

Wastewater treatment plant odors are caused by compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptans, and carbonyl sulfide (COS). One of the most efficient odor control processes is activated carbon adsorption; however, very few studies have been conducted on COS adsorption. COS is not only an odor causing compound but is also listed in the Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant. Objectives of this study were to determine the following: (1) the adsorption capacity of 3 different carbons for COS removal; (2) the impact of relative humidity (RH) on COS adsorption; (3) the extent of competitive adsorption of COS in the presence of H2S; and (4) whether ammonia injection would increase COS adsorption capacity. Vapor phase react (VPR; reactivated), BPL (bituminous coal-based), and Centaur (physically modified to enhance H2S adsorption) carbons manufactured by Calgon Carbon Corp. were tested in three laboratory-scale columns, 6 in. in depth and 1 in. in diameter. Inlet COS concentrations varied from 35 to 49 ppmv (86-120 mg/m3). RHs of 17%, 30%, 50%, and 90% were tested. For competitive adsorption studies, H2S was tested at 60 ppmv, with COS at 30 ppmv. COS, RH, H2S, and ammonia concentrations were measured using an International Sensor Technology Model IQ-350 solid state sensor, Cole-Parmer humidity stick, Interscan Corp. 1000 series portable analyzer, and Drager Accuro ammonia sensor, respectively. It was found that the adsorption capacity of Centaur carbon for COS was higher than the other two carbons, regardless of RH. As humidity increased, the percentage of decrease in adsorption capacity of Centaur carbon, however, was greater than the other two carbons. The carbon adsorption capacity for COS decreased in proportion to the percentage of H2S in the gas stream. More adsorption sites appear to be available to H2S, a smaller molecule. Ammonia, which has been found to increase H2S adsorption capacity, did not increase the capacity for COS.

Composite Manganese Oxide Percolating Networks As a Suspension Electrode for an Asymmetric Flow Capacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hatzell, Kelsey B.; Fan, Lei; Beidaghi, Majid

2014-05-05

In this study, we examine the use of a percolating network of metal oxide (MnO2) as the active material in a suspension electrode as a way to increase the capacitance and energy density of an electrochemical flow capacitor. Amorphous manganese oxide was synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal approach and combined with carbon black to form composite flowable electrodes of different compositions. All suspension electrodes were tested in static configurations and consisted of an active solid material (MnO2 or activated carbon) immersed in aqueous neutral electrolyte (1 M Na2SO4). Increasing concentrations of carbon black led to better rate performance but atmore » the cost of capacitance and viscosity. Furthermore, it was shown that an expanded voltage window of 1.6 V could be achieved when combining a composite MnO2-carbon black (cathode) and an activated carbon suspension (anode) in a charge balanced asymmetric device. The expansion of the voltage window led to a significant increase in the energy density to ~11 Wh kg–1 at a power density of ~50 W kg–1. These values are ~3.5 times and ~2 times better than a symmetric suspension electrode based on activated carbon.« less

Intramolecular proton shuttle supports not only catalytic but also noncatalytic function of carbonic anhydrase II

PubMed Central

Becker, Holger M.; Klier, Michael; Schüler, Christina; McKenna, Robert; Deitmer, Joachim W.

2011-01-01

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) catalyze the reversible hydration of CO2 to HCO3− and H+. The rate-limiting step in this reaction is the shuttle of protons between the catalytic center of the enzyme and the bulk solution. In carbonic anhydrase II (CAII), the fastest and most wide-spread isoform, this H+ shuttle is facilitated by the side chain of His64, whereas CA isoforms such as carbonic anhydrase III (CAIII), which lack such a shuttle, have only low catalytic activity in vitro. By using heterologous protein expression in Xenopus oocytes, we tested the role of this intramolecular H+ shuttle on CA activity in an intact cell. The data revealed that CAIII, shown in vitro to have ∼1,000-fold reduced activity as compared with CAII, displays significant catalytic activity in the intact cell. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that the H+ shuttle in CAII itself can facilitate transport activity of the monocarboxylate transporters 1 and 4 (MCT1/4) independent of catalytic activity. Our results show that His64 is essential for the enhancement of lactate transport via MCT1/4, because a mutation of this residue to alanine (CAII-H64A) abolishes the CAII-induced increase in MCT1/4 activity. However, injection of 4-methylimidazole, which acts as an exogenous H+ donor/acceptor, can restore the ability of CAII-H64A to enhance transport activity of MCT1/4. These findings support the hypothesis that the H+ shuttle in CAII not only facilitates CAII catalytic activity but also can enhance activity of acid-/base-transporting proteins such as MCT1/4 in a direct, noncatalytic manner, possibly by acting as an “H+-collecting antenna.” PMID:21282642

Research on the influencing factors of reverse logistics carbon footprint under sustainable development.

PubMed

Sun, Qiang

2017-10-01

With the concerns of ecological and circular economy along with sustainable development, reverse logistics has attracted the attention of enterprise. How to achieve sustainable development of reverse logistics has important practical significance of enhancing low carbon competitiveness. In this paper, the system boundary of reverse logistics carbon footprint is presented. Following the measurement of reverse logistics carbon footprint and reverse logistics carbon capacity is provided. The influencing factors of reverse logistics carbon footprint are classified into five parts such as intensity of reverse logistics, energy structure, energy efficiency, reverse logistics output, and product remanufacturing rate. The quantitative research methodology using ADF test, Johansen co-integration test, and impulse response is utilized to interpret the relationship between reverse logistics carbon footprint and the influencing factors more accurately. This research finds that energy efficiency, energy structure, and product remanufacturing rate are more capable of inhibiting reverse logistics carbon footprint. The statistical approaches will help practitioners in this field to structure their reverse logistics activities and also help academics in developing better decision models to reduce reverse logistics carbon footprint.

Activity Tests of Macro-Meso Porous Catalysts over Metal Foam Plate for Steam Reforming of Bio-Ethanol.

PubMed

Park, No-Kuk; Jeong, Yong Han; Kang, Misook; Lee, Tae Jin

2018-09-01

The catalytic activity of a macro-mesoporous catalyst coated on a metal foam plate in the reforming of bio-ethanol to synthesis gas was investigated. The catalysts were prepared by coating a support with a noble metal and transition metal. The catalytic activity for the production of synthetic gas by the reforming of bio-ethanol was compared according to the support material, reaction temperature, and steam/carbon ratio. The catalysts coated on the metal foams were prepared using a template method, in which macro-pores and meso-pores were formed by mixing polymer beads. In particular, the thermodynamic equilibrium composition of bio-ethanol reforming with the reaction temperature and steam/carbon ratio to produce synthetic gas was examined using the HSC (Enthalpy-Entropy-Heat capacity) chemistry program in this study. The composition of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the reformate gas produced by steam reforming over the Rh/Ni-Ce-Zr/Al2O3-based pellet type catalysts and metal foam catalysts that had been coated with the Rh/Al-Ce-Zr-based catalysts was investigated by experimental activity tests. The activity of the metal foam catalyst was higher than that of the pellet type catalyst.

Molten-salt treatment of waste biomass for preparation of carbon with enhanced capacitive properties and electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction.

PubMed

Lu, Beihu; Zhou, Jing; Song, Yuqiao; Wang, Hailong; Xiao, Wei; Wang, Dihua

2016-08-15

Carbon powders are building blocks for electrochemical energy storage/conversion devices. Green, cost-affordable and facile preparation of carbon with applicable electrochemical properties is therefore essential for effective utilization of fluctuating renewable energy. Herein, the preparation of carbon nanoflakes via impregnation of waste biomass i.e. boiled coffee beans in molten Na2CO3-K2CO3 (with equal mass) at 800 °C and molten CaCl2 at 850 °C is reported. The microstructure and surface chemistry of the obtained carbons are specified. The correlations between synthetic conditions and microstructure/surface chemistry of the obtained carbons are rationalized. The derived carbon nanosheets are tested and compared as active materials for supercapacitors in a configuration of symmetric full cells in 1 M MeEt3NBF4 in acetonitrile and electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in O2-saturated 0.1 M aqueous KOH. Despite the lower surface area, the carbon nanosheets derived in molten Na2CO3-K2CO3 exhibit enhanced capacitive properties and electrocatalytic ORR activity. The present study highlights the importance of thermal media on the microstructure, surface chemistry and electrochemistry of carbon from biomass.

Phosphorylated mesoporous carbon as effective catalyst for the selective fructose dehydration to HMF

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Villa, Alberto; Schiavoni, Marco; Fulvio, Pasquale F

Phosphorylated mesoporous carbons (PMCs) have been synthesized using an already reported one pot methodology. These materials have been applied as acidic catalysts in the dehydration of fructose to hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). PMCs showed better selectivity to HMF compared to sulfonated carbon catalyst (SC) despite lower activity. The concentration of P-O groups correlates to the activity/selectivity of the catalysts; the higher the P-O concentration the higher the activity. However, the higher the P-O content the lower the selectivity to HMF. Indeed a lower concentration of the P-O groups (and even the acidic groups) minimized the degradation of HMF to levulinic acid andmore » the formation of by-products, such as humines. Stability tests showed that these systems deactivate due to the formation of humines, water insoluble by-products derived from the dehydration of fructose, blocking the active site of the catalyst. Increasing the amount of P-O groups, higher amount of humines are formed; therefore carbons containing lower amount of phosphorylated groups, such as P/N-0.25, are less prone to deactivation. Keywords: Phosphorylated mesoporous carbons; fructose dehydration; HMF« less

Vapour breakthrough behaviour of carbon tetrachloride - A simulant for chemical warfare agent on ASZMT carbon: A comparative study with whetlerite carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Avanish Kumar; Shah, Dilip K.; Mahato, T. H.; Roy, A.; Yadav, S. S.; Srivas, S. K.; Singh, Beer

2013-06-01

ASZMT and whetlerite carbon was prepared by impregnation of active carbon with ammonical salts of Cu (II), Ag (I), Zn (II), Mo (VI), TEDA and Cu (II), Ag (I), Cr (VI), NaOH, C5H5N respectively using incipient wetness technique. Thereafter, impregnated carbon systems were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, atomic absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and surface characterization techniques. Impregnated carbon systems were evaluated under dynamic conditions against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) vapour that was used as a simulant for the persistent chemical warfare agents for testing breakthrough times of filter cartridges and canisters of gas masks in the national approval test of respirators. The protective potential of ASZMT carbon was compared with the whetlerite carbon which is presently used in NBC filtration system. The effect of CCl4 concentration, test flow rate, temperature and relative humidity on the breakthrough behaviour of the impregnated carbon systems has also been studied. The study clearly indicated that the whetlerite carbon possessed breakthrough time greater than ASZMT carbon. However, ASZMT carbon provided adequate protection against CCl4 vapours and can be used as an alternative to whetlerite carbon that contain Cr(VI), which is reported to be carcinogenic and having lesser shelf life. The study indicated the breakthrough time of impregnated carbon systems were found to decrease with the increase of the CCl4 concentration and flow rate. The variation in temperature and relative humidity did not significantly affect the breakthrough behaviour of impregnated carbon systems at high vapour concentration of CCl4 whereasbreak through time of impregnated carbon systems reduced by an increase of relative humidity at low CCl4 vapour concentration.

Characteristic of betel nuts activated carbon and its application to Jumputan wastewater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cundari, L.; Sari, K. F.; Anggraini, L.

2018-04-01

Wastewater from Jumputan production contains synthetic dye which is harmful to the environment. The contaminant can be reduced by adsorption process using activated carbon. The activated carbon was prepared from betel nuts with carbonization temperature of 500°C and 0.5 M HCl as an activator. Batch mode experiments were conducted to study the effect of various factors, such as the size particle of adsorbent, the dosage of adsorbent, and the contact time on Jumputan’s dye adsorption. The volume of treated solution was 200 mL. This solution agitated using a Jar Test at 150 rpm. The objectives of this work were to analyze the characteristic of the betel nuts, to analyze the characteristic of the activated carbon and to determine adsorbent’s ability to dye adsorption. Betel nuts compositions were analyzed with proximate analysis method. The adsorbents were carried out by SEM-EDS analysis. The dye adsorptions were analyzed with a portable spectrophotometer. The result shows betel nuts contains 60.86% carbohydrate, 32.56% water, 2.17% fat, 3.35% protein, and 1.06% ash. The major component of the activated carbon is carbon (C) of 86.27%, and the rest is Oxygen (9.18%) and Aurum (4.55%). The best condition is the adsorbent that has a particle size of 250 pm (60 mesh), the dosage of 20 grams, and the contact time of 15 minutes with dye removal of 76.4%.

Production of carbon molecular sieves from illinois coals. An assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lizzio, Anthony A.; Rostam-Abadi, Massoud

1991-01-01

Chars were produced from an Illinois No. 2 bituminous coal under various pyrolysis and activation conditions and tested for their molecular sieve properties. The amount of N2 compared to the amount of CO2 adsorbed by each char was used as a preliminary indicator of its molecular sieve properties. This relatively simple, but apparently useful test was confirmed by successfully characterizing the well-known molecular sieve properties of a commercial zeolite and molecular sieve carbon. In addition, coal chars having relatively high surface areas (800-1800 m2/g) were produced and tested for their molecular sieving capabilities. These carbon materials, which have high adsorption capacities and relatively narrow pore size distributions, should be ideal candidates for the commercial production of CMS.

Active Oxidation of a UHTC-Based CMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.; Splinter, Scott C.

2012-01-01

The active oxidation of ceramic matrix composites (CMC) is a severe problem that must be avoided for multi-use hypersonic vehicles. Much work has been performed studying the active oxidation of silicon-based CMCs such as C/SiC and SiC-coated carbon/carbon (C/C). Ultra high temperature ceramics (UTHC) have been proposed as a possible material solution for high-temperature applications on hypersonic vehicles. However, little work has been performed studying the active oxidation of UHTCs. The intent of this paper is to present test data indicating an active oxidation process for a UHTC-based CMC similar to the active oxidation observed with Si-based CMCs. A UHTC-based CMC was tested in the HyMETS arc-jet facility (or plasma wind tunnel, PWT) at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. The coupon was tested at a nominal surface temperature of 3000 F (1650 C), with a stagnation pressure of 0.026 atm. A sudden and large increase in surface temperature was noticed with negligible increase in the heat flux, indicative of the onset of active oxidation. It is shown that the surface conditions, both temperature and pressure, fall within the region for a passive to active transition (PAT) of the oxidation.

40 CFR 60.1900 - What must I include in the semiannual out-of-compliance reports?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for dioxins/furans, cadmium, lead, mercury, particulate matter, opacity, hydrogen chloride, and... actions. (c) For municipal waste combustion units that apply activated carbon to control dioxins/furans or... carbon feed rate established during the most recent mercury and dioxins/furans stack test (as specified...

Silver Nanoparticle Impregnated Bio-Based Activated Carbon with Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvakumar, R.; Suriyaraj, S. P.; Jayavignesh, V.; Swaminathan, K.

2013-08-01

The present study involves the production of silver nanoparticles using a novel yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae BU-MBT CY-1 isolated from coconut cell sap. The biological reduction of silver nitrate by the isolate was deducted at various time intervals. The yeast cells after biological silver reduction were harvested and subjected to carbonization at 400°C for 1 h and its properties were analyzed using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope attached with energy dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The average size of the silver nanoparticles present on the surface of the carbonized silver containing yeast cells (CSY) was 19 ± 9 nm. The carbonized control yeast cells (CCY) did not contain any particles on its surface. The carbonized silver nanoparticles containing yeast cells (CSY) were made into bioactive emulsion and tested for its efficacy against various pathogenic Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The antimicrobial activity studies indicated that CSY bioactive nanoemulsion was effective against Gram negative organisms than Gram positive organism.

Adsorption and biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol by mixed culture using activated carbon as a supporting medium-reactor performance and model verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yen-Hui

2017-11-01

A non-steady-state mathematical model system for the kinetics of adsorption and biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) by attached and suspended biomass on activated carbon process was derived. The mechanisms in the model system included 2-CP adsorption by activated carbon, 2-CP mass transport diffusion in biofilm, and biodegradation by attached and suspended biomass. Batch kinetic tests were performed to determine surface diffusivity of 2-CP, adsorption parameters for 2-CP, and biokinetic parameters of biomass. Experiments were conducted using a biological activated carbon (BAC) reactor system with high recycled rate to approximate a completely mixed flow reactor for model verification. Concentration profiles of 2-CP by model predictions indicated that biofilm bioregenerated the activated carbon by lowering the 2-CP concentration at the biofilm-activated carbon interface as the biofilm grew thicker. The removal efficiency of 2-CP by biomass was approximately 98.5% when 2-CP concentration in the influent was around 190.5 mg L-1 at a steady-state condition. The concentration of suspended biomass reached up to about 25.3 mg L-1 while the thickness of attached biomass was estimated to be 636 μm at a steady-state condition by model prediction. The experimental results agree closely with the results of the model predictions.

Analysis of up-flow aerated biological activated carbon filter technology in drinking water treatment.

PubMed

Lu, Shaoming; Liu, Jincui; Li, Shaowen; Biney, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Problems have been found in the traditional post-positioned down-flow biological activated carbon filter (DBACF), such as microorganism leakage and low biodegradability. A pilot test was carried out to place a BACF between the sediment tank and the sand filter; a new technology of dual media up-flow aerated biological activated carbon filter (UBACF) was developed. Results showed that in terms of the new process, the up-flow mode was better than the down-flow. Compared with the DBACF, the problem of microorganism leakage could be well resolved with the UBACF process by adding disinfectant before the sand filtration, and a similar adsorption effect could be obtained. For the tested raw water, the COD(Mn) and NH3-N removal rate was 54.6% and 85.0%, respectively, similar to the waterworks with the DBACF process. The UBACF greatly enhanced oxygen supply capability and mass transfer rate via aeration, and the NH3-N removal ability was significantly improved from 1.5 mg/L to more than 3 mg/L. Influent to the UBACF with higher turbidity could be coped with through the primary filtration of the ceramisite layer combined with fluid-bed technology, which gave the carbon bed a low-turbidity environment of less than 1.0 NTU. The backwashing parameters and carbon abrasion rate of the two processes were almost the same.

Carbon-cycle effects of differences in soil moisture and soil extracellular enzyme activity at sites representing different land-use histories in high-elevation Ecuadorian páramo landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKnight, J.; Harden, C. P.; Schaeffer, S. M.

2016-12-01

Ecuadorian páramo grasslands are important regional soil carbon sinks. In the páramo of the Mazar Wildlife Reserve, differences in soil carbon content among different types of land use may reflect changes in soil carbon-acquisition related microbial enzyme activity after land cover and soil moisture are altered; however, this hypothesis has not been tested explicitly for Ecuadorian páramos. This study used a fluorescence enzyme assay to assess the activities of four different extracellular enzymes representing carbon acquisition: α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, β-D-cellulobiohydrolase, and β-xylosidase in Andean páramo soils. Acquisition activities were also measured for nitrogen (N-acetyl-β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase) and phosphorus (phosphatase) to assess stoichiometric differences between land-uses, which can affect soil microbial activity related to carbon acquisition. Soils were analyzed from four land uses: native forest, grass páramo, recently burned grass páramo, and non-native pine plantation. Carbon acquisition activity was highest at the pine site (678 nmol h-1 g-1) and lowest at the recently burned páramo site (252 nmol h-1 g-1), indicating the lowest and highest available soil carbon, respectively. Carbon-acquisition EE activity was significantly higher at the grass páramo site (595 nmol h-1 g-1) than at the recently burned páramo and native forest sites. At the grass páramo site, a history of burning as a management strategy and high carbon-acquisition EE activity could indicate the presence of pyrogenic soil organic matter, which is more resistant to microbial decomposition. Soils at the native forest and both grassland sites were phosphorus limited, and soil at the pine site had higher nitrogen-acquisition activity, indicative of a shift to nitrogen-limited soil stoichiometric conditions. To our knowledge these are the first data reported for soil extracellular enzyme activities for Ecuadorian páramos.

Carbon-enriched coal fly ash as a precursor of activated carbons for SO2 removal.

PubMed

Izquierdo, M T; Rubio, B

2008-06-30

Carbon-enriched coal fly ash was evaluated in this work as a low-cost adsorbent for SO2 removal from stack gases. The unburned carbon in coal fly ash was concentrated by mechanical sieving and vegetal oil agglomeration. The carbon concentrates were activated with steam at 900 degrees C in order to develop porosity onto the samples. The performance of these samples in the SO2 abatement was tested in the following conditions: 100 degrees C, 1000 ppmv SO2, 5% O2, 6% water vapor. A good SO2 removal capacity was shown by some of the studied samples that can be related to their textural properties. Cycles of SO2 adsorption/regeneration were carried out in order to evaluate the possibility of thermal regeneration and re-use of these carbons. Regeneration of the exhausted carbons was carried out at 400 degrees C of temperature and a flow of 25 ml/min of Ar. After each cycle, the SO2 removal capacity of the sample decreases.

Effects of carbon fiber surface characteristics on interfacial bonding of epoxy resin composite subjected to hygrothermal treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Min; Liu, Hongxin; Gu, Yizhuo; Li, Yanxia; Zhang, Zuoguang

2014-01-01

The changes of interfacial bonding of three types of carbon fibers/epoxy resin composite as well as their corresponding desized carbon fiber composites subjecting to hygrothermal conditions were investigated by means of single fiber fragmentation test. The interfacial fracture energy was obtained to evaluate the interfacial bonding before and after boiling water aging. The surface characteristics of the studied carbon fiber were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of activated carbon atoms and silicon element at carbon fiber surface on the interfacial hygrothermal resistance were further discussed. The results show that the three carbon fiber composites with the same resin matrix possess different hygrothermal resistances of interface and the interfacial fracture energy after water aging can not recovery to the level of raw dry sample (irreversible changes) for the carbon fiber composites containing silicon. Furthermore, the activated carbon atoms have little impact on the interfacial hygrothermal resistance. The irreversible variations of interfacial bonding and the differences among different carbon fiber composites are attributed to the silicon element on the carbon fiber bodies, which might result in hydrolyzation in boiling water treatment and degrade interfacial hygrothermal resistance.

Quantitative structure activity relationship studies of sulfamide derivatives as carbonic anhydrase inhibitor: as antiglaucoma agents.

PubMed

Kumar, Surendra; Singh, Vineet; Tiwari, Meena

2007-07-01

Selective inhibition of ciliary process enzyme i.e. Carbonic Anhydrase-II is an excellent approach in reducing elevated intraocular pressure, thus treating glaucoma. Due to characteristic physicochemical properties of sulphonamide (Inhibition of Carbonic Anhydrase), they are clinically effective against glaucoma. But the non-specificity of sulphonamide derivatives to isozyme, leads to a range of side effects. Presently, the absence of comparative studies related to the binding of the sulphonamides as inhibitors to CA isozymes limits their use. In this paper we have represented "Three Dimensional Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship" study to characterize structural features of Sulfamide derivative [RR'NSO(2)NH(2)] as inhibitors, that are required for selective binding of carbonic anhydrase isozymes (CAI and CAII). In the analysis, stepwise multiple linear regression was performed using physiochemical parameters as independent variable and CA-I and CA-II inhibitory activity as dependent variable, respectively. The best multiparametric QSAR model obtained for CA-I inhibitory activity shows good statistical significance (r= 0.9714) and predictability (Q(2)=0.8921), involving the Electronic descriptors viz. Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital, Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital and Steric descriptors viz. Principal moment of Inertia at X axis. Similarly, CA-II inhibitory activity also shows good statistical significance (r=0.9644) and predictability (Q(2)=0.8699) involving aforementioned descriptors. The predictive power of the model was successfully tested externally using a set of six compounds as test set for CA-I inhibitory activity and a set of seven compounds in case of CA-II inhibitory activity with good predictive squared correlation coefficient, r(2)(pred)=0.6016 and 0.7662, respectively. Overview of analysis favours substituents with high electronegativity and less bulk at R and R' positions of the parent nucleus, provides a basis to design new Sulfamide derivatives possessing potent and selective carbonic anhydrase-II inhibitory activity.

Carbon nanocages: a new support material for Pt catalyst with remarkably high durability.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao Xia; Tan, Zhe Hua; Zeng, Min; Wang, Jian Nong

2014-03-24

Low durability is the major challenge hindering the large-scale implementation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology, and corrosion of carbon support materials of current catalysts is the main cause. Here, we describe the finding of remarkably high durability with the use of a novel support material. This material is based on hollow carbon nanocages developed with a high degree of graphitization and concurrent nitrogen doping for oxidation resistance enhancement, uniform deposition of fine Pt particles, and strong Pt-support interaction. Accelerated degradation testing shows that such designed catalyst possesses a superior electrochemical activity and long-term stability for both hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction relative to industry benchmarks of current catalysts. Further testing under conditions of practical fuel cell operation reveals almost no degradation over long-term cycling. Such a catalyst of high activity, particularly, high durability, opens the door for the next-generation PEMFC for "real world" application.

Fabrication of Highly Stable and Efficient PtCu Alloy Nanoparticles on Highly Porous Carbon for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Khan, Inayat Ali; Qian, Yuhong; Badshah, Amin; Zhao, Dan; Nadeem, Muhammad Arif

2016-08-17

Boosting the durability of Pt nanoparticles by controlling the composition and morphology is extremely important for fuel cells commercialization. We deposit the Pt-Cu alloy nanoparticles over high surface area carbon in different metallic molar ratios and optimize the conditions to achieve desired material. The novel bimetallic electro-catalyst {Pt-Cu/PC-950 (15:15%)} offers exceptional electrocatalytic activity when tested for both oxygen reduction reaction and methanol oxidation reactions. A high mass activity of 0.043 mA/μgPt (based on Pt mass) is recorded for ORR. An outstanding longevity of this electro-catalyst is noticed when compared to 20 wt % Pt loaded either on PC-950 or commercial carbon. The high surface area carbon support offers enhanced activity and prevents the nanoparticles from agglomeration, migration, and dissolution as evident by TEM analysis.

Development of easy made low cost bindless monolithic electrodes from biomass with controlled properties to be used as electrochemical capacitors.

PubMed

Nabais, J M Valente; Teixeira, Jorge Ginja; Almeida, I

2011-02-01

The aim of the work now reported is the development of low cost electrodes in the monolithic shape without the need for a pos-production step with potential to be used in supercapacitors. The tested materials were activated carbon fibres prepared and activated carbons made from coffee endocarp. The main functional groups identified were quinone, lactone, Si-H, phenol, hydroxyl, carbonyl and ether for activated carbon samples and amine, amide, pyrone, lactone, carbonyl and hydroxyl for activated carbon fibres samples. The nanostructure of the materials is predominantly microporous but with a significant variety of porosity development with BET surface area and pore volume given by α(s) method range from 89 to 1050 m(2) g(-1) and 0.04 to 0.50 cm(3) g(-1), respectively. The electrochemical properties of the materials were investigated using classic cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The higher specific capacitance achieved was 176 F g(-1). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical regeneration of phenol-saturated activated carbon - proposal of a reactor.

PubMed

Zanella, Odivan; Bilibio, Denise; Priamo, Wagner Luiz; Tessaro, Isabel Cristina; Féris, Liliana Amaral

2017-03-01

An electrochemical process was used to investigate the activated carbon regeneration efficiency (RE) saturated with aromatics. For this purpose, an electrochemical reactor was developed and the operational conditions of this equipment were investigated, which is applied in activated carbon regeneration process. The influence of regeneration parameters such as processing time, the current used, the polarity and the processing fluid (electrolyte) were studied. The performance of electrochemical regeneration was evaluated by adsorption tests, using phenol as adsorbate. The increase in current applied and the process time was found to enhance the RE. Another aspect that indicated a better reactor performance was the type of electrolyte used, showing best results for NaCl. The polarity showed the highest influence on the process, when the cathodic regeneration was more efficient. The electrochemical regeneration process developed in this study presented regeneration capacities greater than 100% when the best process conditions were used, showing that this form of regeneration for activated carbon saturated with aromatics is very promising.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes increase anxiety levels in rats and reduce exploratory activity in the open field test.

PubMed

Sayapina, N V; Batalova, T A; Chaika, V V; Kuznetsov, V L; Sergievich, A A; Kolosov, V P; Perel'man, Yu M; Golokhvast, K S

2015-01-01

The results of the first study on the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the exploratory activity and the emotional state in laboratory rats assessed by the open field test are reported. During three or ten days, rats received 8-10 nm MWNTs added to their food at a dose of 500 mg/kg. It was demonstrated that, in the group of rats which were fed with MWNTs, the integrated anxiety level index began to increase as early as the third day of the experiment; on the tenth day, it appeared to be twice increased. It was also demonstrated that MWNTs decreased the integrated exploratory activity index nearly twofold on the third day and nearly fourfold on the tenth day.

Adsorption characteristics of siloxanes in landfill gas by the adsorption equilibrium test.

PubMed

Nam, Sangchul; Namkoong, Wan; Kang, Jeong-Hee; Park, Jin-Kyu; Lee, Namhoon

2013-10-01

Due to the increase in energy cost by constantly high oil prices and the obligation to reduce greenhouse effect gases, landfill gas is frequently used as an alternative energy source for producing heat and electricity. Most of landfill gas utility facilities, however, are experiencing problems controlling siloxanes from landfill gas as their catalytic oxidizers are becoming fouled by silicon dioxide dust. To evaluate adsorption characteristics of siloxanes, an adsorption equilibrium test was conducted and parameters in the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were analyzed. Coconut activated carbon (CA1), coal activated carbon (CA2), impregnated activated carbon (CA3), silicagel (NCA1), and activated alumina (NCA2) were used for the adsorption of the mixed siloxane which contained hexamethyldisiloxane (L2), octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). L2 had higher removal efficiency in noncarbon adsorbents compared to carbon adsorbents. The application of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm demonstrated that coconut based CA1 and CA3 provided higher adsorption capacity on L2. And CA2 and NCA1 provided higher adsorption capacity on D4 and D5. Based on the experimental results, L2, D4, and D5 were converted by adsorption and desorption in noncarbon adsorbents. Adsorption affinity of siloxane is considered to be affect by the pore size distribution of the adsorbents and by the molecular size of each siloxane. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity and biocompatibility of carbon nanoparticles.

PubMed

Fiorito, S; Serafino, A; Andreola, F; Togna, A; Togna, G

2006-03-01

A review is presented of the literature data concerning the effects induced by carbon nanoparticles on the biological environment and the importance of these effects in human and animal health. The discovery in 1985 of fullerenes, a novel carbon allotrope with a polygonal structure made up solely by 60 carbon atoms, and in 1991 of carbon nanotubes, thin carbon filaments (1-3 microm in length and 1-3 nm in diameter) with extraordinary mechanical properties, opened a wide field of activity in carbon research. During the last few years, practical applications of fullerenes as biological as well as pharmacological agents have been investigated. Various fullerene-based compounds were tested for biological activity, including antiviral, antioxidant, and chemiotactic activities. Nanotubes consist of carbon atoms arranged spirally to form concentric cylinders, that are perfect crystals and thinner than graphite whiskers. They are stronger than steel but very flexible and lightweight and transfer heat better than any other known material. These characteristics make them suitable for various potential applications such as super strong cables and tips for scanning probe microscopes, as well as biomedical devices for drug delivery, medical diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. The effects induced by these nanostructures on rat lung tissues, as well as on human skin and human macrophage and keratinocyte cells are presented.

Novel synthesis of highly durable and active Pt catalyst encapsulated in nitrogen containing carbon for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyunjoon; Sung, Yung-Eun; Choi, Insoo; Lim, Taeho; Kwon, Oh Joong

2017-09-01

Novel synthesis of a Pt catalyst encapsulated in a N-containing carbon layer for use in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is described in this study. A Pt-aniline complex, formed by mixing Pt precursor and aniline monomer, was used as the source of Pt, C, and N. Heat treatment of the Pt-aniline complex with carbon black yielded 5 nm Pt nanoparticles encapsulated by a N-containing carbon layer originating from aniline carbonization. The synthesized Pt catalyst exhibited higher mass specific activity to oxygen reduction reaction than that shown by conventional Pt/C catalyst because pyridinic N with graphitic carbon in the carbon layer provided active sites for oxygen reduction reaction in addition to those provided by Pt. In single cell testing, initial performance of the synthesized catalyst was limited because the thick catalyst layer increased resistance related to mass transfer. However, it was observed that the carbon layer successfully prevented Pt nanoparticles from growing via agglomeration and Ostwald ripening under fuel cell operation, thereby improving durability. Furthermore, a mass specific performance of the synthesized catalyst higher than that of a conventional Pt/C catalyst was achieved by modifying the synthesized catalyst's layer thickness.

Effects of Surface Oxygen on the Performance of Carbon as an Anode in Lithium-Ion Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, Ching-Cheh; Clark, Gregory W.

2001-01-01

Carbon materials with similar bulk structure but different surface oxygen were compared for their performance as anodes in lithium-ion battery. The bulk structure was such that the graphene planes were perpendicular to the surface. Three types of surfaces were examined: surface containing C=O type oxygen. surface containing -O-C type oxygen, and surface containing high concentration of active sites. The test involved cycles of lithium insertion into and release from the carbon materials, which was in the half cells of carbon/saturated LiI-50/50 (vol %) EC and DMC/lithium. During the first cycle of lithium insertion, the presence of adsorbed oxygen, -O-C type oxygen, active carbon sites, and C=O type oxygen resulted in the formation of solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) when the carbon's voltage relative to lithium metal was >1.35, 1 to 1.35, 0.5 to 1, and 0.67 to 0.7 V, respectively. An optimum -O-C type oxygen and a minimum C=O type oxygen was found to increase the reversible and decrease the irreversible capacity of carbon. Active sites on the carbon surface result in a large irreversible capacity and a second lithium insertion-release mechanism. However, this new mechanism has a short cycle life.

Contaminant removal from enclosed atmospheres by regenerable adsorbents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, R. L.; Mcnulty, K. J.; Freedland, G. M.; Turk, A.; Nwankwo, J.

1974-01-01

A system for removing contaminants from spacecraft atmospheres was studied, which utilizes catalyst-impregnated activated carbon followed by in-situ regeneration by low-temperature catalytic oxidation of the adsorbed contaminants. Platinum was deposited on activated carbon by liquid phase impregnation with chloroplatinic acid, followed by drying and high-temperature reduction. Results were obtained for the seven selected spacecraft contaminants by means of three experimental test systems. The results indicate that the contaminants could be removed by oxidation with very little loss in adsorptive capacity. The advantages of a catalyst-impregnated carbon for oxidative regeneration are found to be significant enough to warrent its use.

The relationship between microbial metabolic activity and biocorrosion of carbon steel.

PubMed

Dzierzewicz, Z; Cwalina, B; Chodurek, E; Wilczok, T

1997-12-01

The effect of metabolic activity (expressed by generation time, rate of H2S production and the activity of hydrogenase and adenosine phosphosulphate (APS)-reductase enzymes) of the 8 wild strains of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and of their resistance to metal ions (Hg2+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Cr3+) on the rate of corrosion of carbon steel was studied. The medium containing lactate as the carbon source and sulphate as the electron acceptor was used for bacterial metabolic activity examination and in corrosive assays. Bacterial growth inhibition by metal ions was investigated in the sulphate-free medium. The rate of H2S production was approximately directly proportional to the specific activities of the investigated enzymes. These activities were inversely proportional to the generation time. The rate of microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) of carbon steel was directly proportional to bacterial resistance to metal ions (correlation coefficient r = 0.95). The correlation between the MIC rate and the activity of enzymes tested, although weaker, was also observed (r = 0.41 for APS-reductase; r = 0.69 for hydrogenase; critical value rc = 0.30, p = 0.05, n = 40).

Carbon nanotubes/carbon fiber hybrid material: a super support material for sludge biofilms.

PubMed

Liu, Qijie; Dai, Guangze; Bao, Yanling

2017-07-16

Carbon fiber (CF) is widely used as a sludge biofilm support material for wastewater treatment. Carbon nanotubes/carbon fiber (CNTs/CF) hybrid material was prepared by ultrasonically assisted electrophoretic deposition (EPD). CF supports (CF without handling, CF oxidized by nitric acid, CNTs/CF hybrid material) were evaluated by sludge immobilization tests, bacterial cell adsorption tests and Derjaguin -Landau -Verwey -Overbeek (DLVO) theory. We found that the CNTs/CF hybrid material has a high capacity for adsorbing activated sludge, nitrifying bacterial sludge and pure strains (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). CNTs deposited on CF surface easily wound around the curved surface of bacterial cell which resulted in capturing more bacterial cells. DLVO theory indicated the lowest total interaction energy of CNTs/CF hybrid material, which resulted in the highest bacteria cell adsorption velocity. Experiments and DLVO theory results proved that CNTs/CF hybrid material is a super support material for sludge biofilms.

Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Fiber Paper by Active Screen Plasma Nitriding and Its Microwave Heating Properties.

PubMed

Zhu, Naishu; Ma, Shining; Sun, Xiaofeng

2016-12-28

In this paper, active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) treatment was performed on polyacrylonitrile carbon fiber papers. Electric resistivity and microwave loss factor of carbon fiber were described to establish the relationship between processing parameters and fiber's ability to absorb microwaves. The surface processing effect of carbon fiber could be characterized by dynamic thermal mechanical analyzer testing on composites made of carbon fiber. When the process temperature was at 175 °C, it was conducive to obtaining good performance of dynamical mechanical properties. The treatment provided a way to change microwave heating properties of carbon fiber paper by performing different treatment conditions, such as temperature and time parameters. Atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that, during the course of ASPN treatment on carbon fiber paper, nitrogen group was introduced and silicon group was removed. The treatment of nitrogen-doped carbon fiber paper represented an alternative promising candidate for microwave curing materials used in repairing and heating technology, furthermore, an efficient dielectric layer material for radar-absorbing structure composite in metamaterial technology.

40 CFR 60.1410 - What must I include in my annual report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... units, for eight pollutants, as recorded under § 60.1360(a): (1) Dioxins/furans. (2) Cadmium. (3) Lead...) For municipal waste combustion units that use activated carbon for controlling dioxins/furans or... dioxins/furans and mercury stack tests. (2) The lowest 8-hour block average carbon feed rate recorded...

40 CFR 60.1400 - What must I include in my initial report?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... parameters (use appropriate units as specified in table 2 of this subpart): (1) Dioxins/furans. (2) Cadmium... stack test for dioxins/furans emissions and include supporting calculations. (f) If your municipal waste combustion unit uses activated carbon to control dioxins/furans or mercury emissions, the average carbon feed...

Development of activated carbon derived from banana peel for CO2 removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borhan, Azry; Thangamuthu, Subhashini; Taha, Mohd Faisal; Ramdan, Amira Nurain

2015-08-01

This research work highlights on the constraints involved in the preparation of the banana peel bio-sorbent, such as impregnation ratio, activation temperature and period of activation for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Micromeritics ASAP 2020 and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) were used in identifying the best sample preparation method with the largest surface area which directly contributes to the effectiveness of adsorbent in removing CO2. Sample A10 was identified to yield activated carbon with the largest surface area (260.3841 m2/g), total pore volume (0.01638 cm3/g) and pore diameter (0.2508 nm). Through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm analysis, the existence of sub-micropores was proven when a combination of Type-I and Type-II isotherms were exhibited by the activated carbon produced. The results from the final adsorption test found that the material synthesized from the above mentioned parameter is capable of removing up to 1.65% wt of CO2 through adsorption at 25°C, suggesting that it can be effectively used as an adsorption material.

Removal of gadolinium-based contrast agents: adsorption on activated carbon.

PubMed

Elizalde-González, María P; García-Díaz, Esmeralda; González-Perea, Mario; Mattusch, Jürgen

2017-03-01

Three carbon samples were employed in this work, including commercial (1690 m 2  g -1 ), activated carbon prepared from guava seeds (637 m 2  g -1 ), and activated carbon prepared from avocado kernel (1068 m 2  g -1 ), to study the adsorption of the following gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs): gadoterate meglumine Dotarem®, gadopentetate dimeglumine Magnevist®, and gadoxetate disodium Primovist®. The activation conditions with H 3 PO 4 were optimized using a Taguchi methodology to obtain mesoporous materials. The best removal efficiency by square meter in a batch system in aqueous solution and model urine was achieved by avocado kernel carbon, in which mesoporosity prevails over microporosity. The kinetic adsorption curves were described by a pseudo-second-order equation, and the adsorption isotherms in the concentration range 0.5-6 mM fit the Freundlich equation. The chemical characterization of the surfaces shows that materials with a greater amount of phenolic functional groups adsorb the GBCA better. Adsorption strongly depends on the pH due to the combination of the following factors: contrast agent protonated forms and carbon surface charge. The tested carbon samples were able to adsorb 70-90% of GBCA in aqueous solution and less in model urine. This research proposes a method for the elimination of GBCA from patient urine before its discharge into wastewater.

Impedance spectroscopy study of a catechol-modified activated carbon electrode as active material in electrochemical capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cougnon, C.; Lebègue, E.; Pognon, G.

2015-01-01

Modified activated carbon (Norit S-50) electrodes with electrochemical double layer (EDL) capacitance and redox capacitance contributions to the electric charge storage were tested in 1 M H2SO4 to quantify the benefit and the limitation of the surface redox reactions on the electrochemical performances of the resulting pseudo-capacitive materials. The electrochemical performances of an electrochemically anodized carbon electrode and a catechol-modified carbon electrode, which make use both EDL capacitance of the porous structure of the carbon and redox capacitance, were compared to the performances obtained for the pristine carbon. Nitrogen gas adsorption measurements have been used for studying the impact of the grafting on the BET surface area, pore size distribution, pore volume and average pore diameter. The electrochemical behavior of carbon materials was studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS data were discussed by using a complex capacitance model that allows defining the characteristic time constant, the global capacitance and the frequency at which the maximum charge stored is reached. The EIS measurements were achieved at different dc potential values where a redox activity occurs and the evolution of the capacitance and the capacitive relaxation time with the electrode potential are presented. Realistic galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements performed at different current rates corroborate the results obtained by impedance.

Creation and testing of an artificial neural network based carbonate detector for Mars rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bornstein, Benjamin; Castano, Rebecca; Gilmore, Martha S.; Merrill, Matthew; Greenwood, James P.

2005-01-01

We have developed an artificial neural network (ANN) based carbonate detector capable of running on current and future rover hardware. The detector can identify calcite in visible/NIR (350-2500 nm) spectra of both laboratory specimens covered by ferric dust and rocks in Mars analogue field environments. The ANN was trained using the Backpropagation algorithm with sigmoid activation neurons. For the training dataset, we chose nine carbonate and eight non-carbonate representative mineral spectra from the USGS spectral library. Using these spectra as seeds, we generated 10,000 variants with up to 2% Gaussian noise in each reflectance measurement. We cross-validated several ANN architectures, training on 9,900 spectra and testing on the remaining 100. The best performing ANN correctly detected, with perfect accuracy, the presence (or absence) of carbonate in spectral data taken on field samples from the Mojave desert and clean, pure marbles from CT. Sensitivity experiments with JSC Mars-1 simulant dust suggest the carbonate detector would perform well in aeolian Martian environments.

An in situ carbonization-replication method to synthesize mesostructured WO3/C composite as nonprecious-metal anode catalyst in PEMFC.

PubMed

Cui, Xiangzhi; Hua, Zile; Wei, Chenyang; Shu, Zhu; Zhang, Liangxia; Chen, Hangrong; Shi, Jianlin

2013-02-01

A meostructured WO(3)/C composite with crystalline framework and high electric conductivity has been synthesized by a new in situ carbonization-replication route using the block copolymer (poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)) present in situ in the pore channels of mesoporous silica template as carbon source. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry differential thermal analysis, and N(2) adsorption techniques were adopted for the structural characterization. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and single-cell test for hydrogen electrochemical oxidation were adopted to characterize the electrochemical activities of the mesoporous WO(3)/C composite. The carbon content and consequent electric conductivity of these high-surface-area (108-130 m(2) g(-1)) mesostructured WO(3)/C composite materials can be tuned by variation of the duration of heat treatment, and the composites exhibited high and stable electrochemical catalytic activity. The single-cell test results indicated that the mesostructured WO(3)/C composites showed clear electrochemical catalytic activity toward hydrogen oxidation at 25 °C, which makes them potential non-precious-metal anode catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Functional Carbon Nanofibers with Semi-Embedded Titanium Oxide Particles via Electrospinning.

PubMed

Chang, Guoqing; Ullah, Wajid; Hu, Yunfeng; Lin, Liwei; Wang, Xu; Li, Chang-Zhi

2018-05-22

The formulation of optoelectronic components into 1D nanostructures allows the promotion of new materials with multifunctionalities. In this work, it is demonstrated that new synthesis of photocatalytic carbon nanofiber decorated with semi-embedded titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), namely, TiO 2 @carbon fiber, is conveniently accessed through the electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile polymer and TiO 2 particle comixture, and then followed by photon-activated self-erosion to expose the embedded TiO 2 and carbonization. The hybrid nanofibers are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of the resultant fibers are tested with photodegradation of Rhodamine B in aqueous solution, which reveals that the carbon nanofiber with semi-embedded TiO 2 drastically improved catalytic efficiency and recyclability, comparing to those fibers without or with embedded TiO 2 . © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Remediation of anionic dye from aqueous system using bio-adsorbent prepared by microwave activation.

PubMed

Sharma, Arush; Sharma, Gaurav; Naushad, Mu; Ghfar, Ayman A; Pathania, Deepak

2018-04-01

The present study was attempted to ascertain the possible application of activated carbon as a cost-effective and eco-friendly adsorbent prepared via microwave-assisted chemical activation. The activated carbon was characterized using different techniques. The various adsorption parameters have been optimized to examine the viability of activated carbon as a plausible sorbent for the remediation of Congo red (CR) dye from the aquatic system. The equilibrium data adequately fitted to the Langmuir isotherm with better R 2 (0.994). The maximum adsorption capacity (q m ) of activated carbon was recorded to be 68.96 mg/g. Additionally, sorptional kinetic data were examined by reaction-based and diffusion-based models such as pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations, and Elovich, intra-particle diffusion, and Dumwald-Wagner models, respectively. The computed values of thermodynamic parameters such as free energy change (ΔG 0 ), enthalpy change (ΔH 0 ) and entropy change (ΔS 0 ) were recorded as -3.63, 42.47 and 152.07 J/mol K, respectively, at 30°C, which accounted for a favorable, spontaneous and endothermic process. The regeneration study emphasized that the percentage uptake declined from 90.35% to 83.45% after six cycles of testing. So, our findings implied that activated carbon produced from biomass must be cost-effectively used as an adsorbent for detoxifying the CR dye from industrial effluents.

Adsorption of naphthenic acids on high surface area activated carbons.

PubMed

Iranmanesh, Sobhan; Harding, Thomas; Abedi, Jalal; Seyedeyn-Azad, Fakhry; Layzell, David B

2014-01-01

In oil sands mining extraction, water is an essential component; however, the processed water becomes contaminated through contact with the bitumen at high temperature, and a portion of it cannot be recycled and ends up in tailing ponds. The removal of naphthenic acids (NAs) from tailing pond water is crucial, as they are corrosive and toxic and provide a substrate for microbial activity that can give rise to methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. In this study, the conversion of sawdust into an activated carbon (AC) that could be used to remove NAs from tailings water was studied. After producing biochar from sawdust by a slow-pyrolysis process, the biochar was physically activated using carbon dioxide (CO2) over a range of temperatures or prior to producing biochar, and the sawdust was chemically activated using phosphoric acid (H3PO4). The physically activated carbon had a lower surface area per gram than the chemically activated carbon. The physically produced ACs had a lower surface area per gram than chemically produced AC. In the adsorption tests with NAs, up to 35 mg of NAs was removed from the water per gram of AC. The chemically treated ACs showed better uptake, which can be attributed to its higher surface area and increased mesopore size when compared with the physically treated AC. Both the chemically produced and physically produced AC provided better uptake than the commercially AC.

Frictional and hydraulic behaviour of carbonate fault gouge during fault reactivation - An experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delle Piane, Claudio; Giwelli, Ausama; Clennell, M. Ben; Esteban, Lionel; Nogueira Kiewiet, Melissa Cristina D.; Kiewiet, Leigh; Kager, Shane; Raimon, John

2016-10-01

We present a novel experimental approach devised to test the hydro-mechanical behaviour of different structural elements of carbonate fault rocks during experimental re-activation. Experimentally faulted core plugs were subject to triaxial tests under water saturated conditions simulating depletion processes in reservoirs. Different fault zone structural elements were created by shearing initially intact travertine blocks (nominal size: 240 × 110 × 150 mm) to a maximum displacement of 20 and 120 mm under different normal stresses. Meso-and microstructural features of these sample and the thickness to displacement ratio characteristics of their deformation zones allowed to classify them as experimentally created damage zones (displacement of 20 mm) and fault cores (displacement of 120 mm). Following direct shear testing, cylindrical plugs with diameter of 38 mm were drilled across the slip surface to be re-activated in a conventional triaxial configuration monitoring the permeability and frictional behaviour of the samples as a function of applied stress. All re-activation experiments on faulted plugs showed consistent frictional response consisting of an initial fast hardening followed by apparent yield up to a friction coefficient of approximately 0.6 attained at around 2 mm of displacement. Permeability in the re-activation experiments shows exponential decay with increasing mean effective stress. The rate of permeability decline with mean effective stress is higher in the fault core plugs than in the simulated damage zone ones. It can be concluded that the presence of gouge in un-cemented carbonate faults results in their sealing character and that leakage cannot be achieved by renewed movement on the fault plane alone, at least not within the range of slip measureable with our apparatus (i.e. approximately 7 mm of cumulative displacement). Additionally, it is shown that under sub seismic slip rates re-activated carbonate faults remain strong and no frictional weakening was observed during re-activation.

In vivo effects of radioactive properties of Tl-201 on human carbonic anhydrase activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahin, Ali; Senturk, Murat

2017-04-01

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a family of metalloenzymes that requires Zn as a cofactor and catalyze the quick conversion of CO2 to HCO3- and H+. Inhibitors of the carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have medical usage of significant diseases such as glaucoma, epilepsy, gastroduodenal ulcers, acid-base disequilibria and neurological disorders. The most useful radioisotope, Tl-201, decays by electron capture, emitting Hg X-rays ( 70-80 keV), and photons of 135 and 167 keV in 10% total abundance. Therefore, it has good imaging characteristics without excessive patient radiation dose. It is the most popular isotope used for thallium 201 nuclear cardiac stress tests. In the present study, In vivo inhibitory effect of Tl-201 (Thallium-201) on human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity were investigated.

In Situ Monitoring of Ni-based Catalysts during the Synthesis of Propylene Carbonate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramin, Michael; Reimann, Sven; Grunwaldt, Jan-Dierk

2007-02-02

Three different nickel complexes were catalytically tested in the synthesis of propylene carbonate by carbon dioxide insertion. XAS measurements of the as prepared catalysts confirmed the differences in the structure which led to the varying catalytic activity. The structure of one of the active nickel-based catalysts was followed in situ by X-ray absorption spectroscopy using a specially designed batch reactor cell. The novel batch reactor allows in situ studies in dense carbon dioxide at elevated temperature and high pressure (up to 200 bar) even at the low energy of the nickel K-edge. Hence, important information on the fate of themore » ligands and structural changes under reaction conditions could be gained providing new insight into the reaction mechanism.« less

Quality assurance and quality control for thermal/optical analysis of aerosol samples for organic and elemental carbon.

PubMed

Chow, Judith C; Watson, John G; Robles, Jerome; Wang, Xiaoliang; Chen, L-W Antony; Trimble, Dana L; Kohl, Steven D; Tropp, Richard J; Fung, Kochy K

2011-12-01

Accurate, precise, and valid organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC, respectively) measurements require more effort than the routine analysis of ambient aerosol and source samples. This paper documents the quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) procedures that should be implemented to ensure consistency of OC and EC measurements. Prior to field sampling, the appropriate filter substrate must be selected and tested for sampling effectiveness. Unexposed filters are pre-fired to remove contaminants and acceptance tested. After sampling, filters must be stored in the laboratory in clean, labeled containers under refrigeration (<4 °C) to minimize loss of semi-volatile OC. QA activities include participation in laboratory accreditation programs, external system audits, and interlaboratory comparisons. For thermal/optical carbon analyses, periodic QC tests include calibration of the flame ionization detector with different types of carbon standards, thermogram inspection, replicate analyses, quantification of trace oxygen concentrations (<100 ppmv) in the helium atmosphere, and calibration of the sample temperature sensor. These established QA/QC procedures are applicable to aerosol sampling and analysis for carbon and other chemical components.

JV Task 124 - Understanding Multi-Interactions of SO3, Mercury, Selenium, and Arsenic in Illinois Coal Flue Gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye Zhuang; Christopher Martin; John Pavlish

2009-03-31

This project consisted of pilot-scale combustion testing with a representative Illinois basin coal to explore the multi-interactions of SO{sub 3}, mercury, selenium and arsenic. The parameters investigated for SO{sub 3} and mercury interactions included different flue gas conditions, i.e., temperature, moisture content, and particulate alkali content, both with and without activated carbon injection for mercury control. Measurements were also made to track the transformation of selenium and arsenic partitioning as a function of flue gas temperature through the system. The results from the mercury-SO{sub 3} testing support the concept that SO{sub 3} vapor is the predominant factor that impedes efficientmore » mercury removal with activated carbon in an Illinois coal flue gas, while H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} aerosol has less impact on activated carbon injection performance. Injection of a suitably mobile and reactive additives such as sodium- or calcium-based sorbents was the most effective strategy tested to mitigate the effect of SO{sub 3}. Transformation measurements indicate a significant fraction of selenium was associated with the vapor phase at the electrostatic precipitator inlet temperature. Arsenic was primarily particulate-bound and should be captured effectively with existing particulate control technology.« less

Low-Temperature Synthesis of Hierarchical Amorphous Basic Nickel Carbonate Particles for Water Oxidation Catalysis.

PubMed

Yang, Yisu; Liang, Fengli; Li, Mengran; Rufford, Thomas E; Zhou, Wei; Zhu, Zhonghua

2015-07-08

Amorphous nickel carbonate particles are catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which plays a critical role in the electrochemical splitting of water. The amorphous nickel carbonate particles can be prepared at a temperature as low as 60 °C by an evaporation-induced precipitation (EIP) method. The products feature hierarchical pore structures. The mass-normalized activity of the catalysts, measured at an overpotential of 0.35 V, was 55.1 A g(-1) , with a Tafel slope of only 60 mV dec(-1) . This catalytic activity is superior to the performance of crystalline NiOx particles and β-Ni(OH)2 particles, and compares favorably to state-of-the-art RuO2 catalysts. The activity of the amorphous nickel carbonate is remarkably stable during a 10 000 s chronoamperometry test. Further optimization of synthesis parameters reveals that the amorphous structure can be tuned by adjusting the H2 O/Ni ratio in the precursor mixture. These results suggest the potential application of easily prepared hierarchical basic nickel carbonate particles as cheap and robust OER catalysts with high activity. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Flow-injection determination of total organic fluorine with off-line defluorination reaction on a solid sorbent bed.

PubMed

Musijowski, Jacek; Trojanowicz, Marek; Szostek, Bogdan; da Costa Lima, José Luis Fontes; Lapa, Rui; Yamashita, Hiroki; Takayanagi, Toshio; Motomizu, Shoji

2007-09-26

Considering recent reports on widespread occurrence and concerns about perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental and biological systems, analysis of these compounds have gained much attention in recent years. Majority of analyte-specific methods are based on a LC/MS/MS or a GC/MS detection, however many environmental or biological studies would benefit from a total organic fluorine (TOF) determination. Presented work was aimed at developing a method for TOF determination. TOF is determined as an amount of inorganic fluoride obtained after defluorination reaction conducted off-line using sodium biphenyl reagent directly on the sorbent without elution of retained analytes. Recovered fluoride was analyzed using flow-injection system with either fluorimetric or potentiometric detection. The TOF method was tested using perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as model compounds. Considering low concentrations of PFAS in natural samples, solid-phase extraction as a preconcentration procedure was evaluated. Several carbon-based sorbents were tested, namely multi-wall carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres and activated carbon. Good sorption of all analytes was achieved and defluorination reaction was possible to carry out directly on a sorbent bed. Recoveries obtained for PFCAs, adsorbed on an activated carbon sorbent, and measured as TOF, were 99.5+/-1.7, 110+/-9.4, 95+/-26, 120+/-32, 110+/-12 for C4, C6, C8, C10 and C12-PFCA, respectively. Two flow systems that would enable the defluorination reaction and fluoride determination in a single system were designed and tested.

Adsorption of cadmium and lead onto oxidized nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes in aqueous solution: equilibrium and kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Aguilar, Nancy Veronica; Muñoz-Sandoval, Emilio; Diaz-Flores, Paola Elizabeth; Rangel-Mendez, Jose Rene

2010-02-01

Nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNx) were chemically oxidized and tested to adsorb cadmium and lead from aqueous solution. Physicochemical characterization of carbon nanotubes included morphological analysis, textural properties, and chemical composition. In addition, the cadmium adsorption capacity of oxidized-CNx was compared with commercially available activated carbon and single wall carbon nanotubes. Carboxylic and nitro groups on the surface of oxidized CNx shifted the point of zero charge from 6.6 to 3.1, enhancing their adsorption capacity for cadmium and lead to 0.083 and 0.139 mmol/g, respectively, at pH 5 and 25 °C. Moreover, oxidized-CNx had higher selectivity for lead when both metal ions were in solution. Kinetic experiments for adsorption of cadmium showed that the equilibrium was reached at about 4 min. Finally, the small size, geometry, and surface chemical composition of oxidized-CNx are the key factors for their higher adsorption capacity than activated carbon.

Liquefaction of oak tree bark with different biomass/phenol mass ratios and utilizing bio-based polyols for carbon foam production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbay, N.; Yargic, A. S.

2017-02-01

Carbon foam is sponge like carbonaceous material with low density, high conductivity and high strength; which is used in various applications such as catalyst supports, membrane separations, high thermally conductive heat sinks, energy absorption materials, high temperature thermal insulation. Coal or fossil oils are conventionally used to fabricate pitch, phenolic resin and polyurethane as carbon foam precursor. Biomass liquefaction is a developing technique to convert biomass resources into the industrial chemicals. In this study, oak tree bark was liquefied under mild conditions with different mass ratio of biomass/phenol; and the liquefaction product was used as polyol to produce porous resin foams. Obtained resin foams were carbonized at 400 °C, and then activated at 800 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. Structure evaluation of resin foams, carbonized foams and activated carbon foams from liquefied oak tree bark was investigated by using elemental analysis, x-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, bulk density and compressive strength tests.

Effect of anthropogenic activities on atmospheric 14C content and radiocarbon chronologies of the future.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hajdas, Irka

2017-04-01

Radiocarbon (14C) is a naturally produced radioactive isotope of carbon (T1/2=5700 yrs), which is continuously produced in the atmosphere. This occur in a reaction of thermal neutrons, which are secondary particles, products of cosmic rays reactions with the atmosphere, with nitrogen that is commonly present in the atmosphere. Until the mid 19th century the natural concentration showed temporal variability around the mean value (14C / 12C ratio =1.8 x 10-12). However anthropogenic activity created 2 types effects that are changing the 14C concentration of the atmosphere. Industrial revolution triggered adding 14C free (old) carbon that originates from the burning of fossil fuels (Suess effect). This in the late 19th century and early 20th century atmosphere was becoming older. The nuclear tests in the 1950ties caused additional production of radiocarbon atoms (artificial). The effect has been almost double of the natural production and created an excess 14C activity in the atmosphere and in terrestrial carbon bearing materials. The bomb produced 14C has been identified soon after the tests started but the peak (ca. 100% above the normal levels) reached its maximum in 1963 in the northern Hemisphere where most of the tests took place. In the southern Hemisphere the bomb peak reached lower values (ca. 80 % of normal level) and was delayed by ca. 2 years. After the ban on nuclear tests the atmospheric 14C content began to decrease mainly due to the uptake by the ocean but also due to the above mentioned addition old carbon. Continuous monitoring of the atmospheric 14C ratio during the years that followed the nuclear tests, provide basis for environmental studies. Applications range from studies of ocean circulation, CO2 uptake, carbon storage in soils and peat, root turn over time to the medical, forensic and detection of forgeries. However, the so called ' 14C bomb peak' nearly disappeared due to the combined effect of ocean uptake of CO2 and an input to the atmosphere of the '14C-free' carbon dioxide. This paper will discuss effects that the ongoing change in atmospheric 14C has on geochronologies of the most recent deposits and future anthropogenic records.

What Do Battery Testers Test?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chagnon, Paul

1996-01-01

Presents activities to determine whether it is better to test dry cells with an ammeter than with a voltmeter and how best to test alkaline batteries. Discusses classification of disposable testers as instruments. Concludes that a laboratory voltmeter gives a good indication of the condition of an alkaline cell while carbon batteries are best…

Carbon ions beam therapy monitoring with the INSIDE in-beam PET.

PubMed

Pennazio, Francesco; Battistoni, Giuseppe; Bisogni, Maria Giuseppina; Camarlinghi, Niccolò; Ferrari, Alfredo; Ferrero, Veronica; Fiorina, Elisa; Morrocchi, Matteo; Sala, Paola R; Sportelli, Giancarlo; Wheadon, Richard; Cerello, Piergiorgio

2018-06-06

In-vivo range monitoring techniques are necessary in order to fully take advantage of the high dose gradients deliverable in hadrontherapy treatments. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners can be used to monitor beam-induced activation in tissues and hence measure the range. The INSIDE (Innovative Solutions for In-beam DosimEtry in Hadrontherapy) in-beam PET scanner, installed at the Italian National Center of Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO, Pavia, Italy) synchrotron facility, has already been successfully tested in-vivo during a proton therapy treatment. We discuss here the system performance evaluation with carbon ion beams, in view of future in-vivo tests. The work is focused on the analysis of activity images obtained with therapeutic treatments delivered to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantoms, as well as on the test of an innovative and robust Monte Carlo simulation technique for the production of reliable prior activity maps. Images are reconstructed using different integration intervals, so as to monitor the activity evolution during and after the treatment. Three procedures to compare activity images are presented, namely Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Beam's Eye View and Overall View. Images of repeated irradiations of the same treatments are compared to assess the integration time necessary to provide reproducible images. The range agreement between simulated and experimental images is also evaluated, so as to validate the simulation capability to provide sound prior information. The results indicate that at treatment end, or at most 20 s afterwards, the range measurement is reliable within 1-2 mm, when comparing both different experimental sessions and data with simulations. In conclusion, this work shows that the INSIDE in-beam PET scanner performance is promising towards its in-vivo test with carbon ions. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Electricity generation from wetlands with activated carbon bioanode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudirjo, E.; Buisman, C. J. N.; Strik, D. P. B. T. B.

2018-03-01

Paddy fields are potential non-tidal wetlands to apply Plant Microbial Fuel Cell (PMFC) technology. World widely they cover about 160 million ha of which 13.3 million ha is located in Indonesia. With the PMFC, in-situ electricity is generated by a bioanode with electrochemically active bacteria which use primary the organic matter supplied by the plant (e.g. as rhizodeposits and plant residues). One of limitations when installing a PMFC in a non-tidal wetland is the usage of “expensive” large amounts of electrodes to overcome the poor conductivity of wet soils. However, in a cultivated wetland such as rice paddy field, it is possible to alter soil composition. Adding a conductive carbon material such as activated carbon is believed to improve soil conductivity with minimum impact on plant vitality. The objective of this research was to study the effect of activated carbon as an alternative bioanode material on the electricity output and plants vitality. Lab result shows that activated carbon can be a potential alternative for bioanode material. It can continuously deliver current on average 1.54 A/m3 anode (0.26 A/m2 PGA or 66 mW/m2 PGA) for 98 days. Based on this result the next step is to do a test of this technology in the real paddy fields.

Carbon materials as new nanovehicles in hot-melt drug deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielicka, Agnieszka; Wiśniewski, Marek; Terzyk, Artur P.; Gauden, Piotr A.; Furmaniak, Sylwester; Roszek, Katarzyna; Kowalczyk, Piotr; Bieniek, A.

2013-09-01

The application of commercially available carbon materials (nanotubes and porous carbons) for the preparation of drug delivery systems is studied. We used two types of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and two activated carbons as potential materials in so-called hot-melt drug deposition (HMDD). The materials were first studied using Raman spectroscopy. Paracetamol was chosen as a model drug. The performed thermal analysis, kinetics, and adsorption-desorption studies revealed that nanoaggregates are formed between carbon nanotubes. In contrast, in pores of activated carbon we do not observe this process and the drug adsorption phenomenon mechanism is simply the filling of small pores. The formation of nanoaggregates was confirmed by the results of GCMC (grand canonical Monte Carlo) simulations and the study of the surface area on nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The application of carbon nanotubes in HMDD offers the possibility of controlling the rate of drug delivery. Performed MTT tests of nanotubes and drug-loaded nanotubes show that the observed decrease in cell viability number is caused by the influence of the cytostatic properties of nanotubes—they inhibit the proliferation of cells. The carbon nanotubes studied in this paper are essentially nontoxic.

Testing of DLR C/C-SiC and C/C for HIFiRE 8 Scramjet Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.; Capriotti, Diego P.; Reimer, Thomas; Kutemeyer, Marius; Smart, Michael K.

2014-01-01

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have been proposed for use as lightweight hot structures in scramjet combustors. Previous studies have calculated significant weight savings by utilizing CMCs (active and passive) versus actively cooled metallic scramjet structures. Both a carbon/carbon (C/C) and a carbon/carbon-silicon carbide (C/C-SiC) material fabricated by DLR (Stuttgart, Germany) are being considered for use in a passively cooled combustor design for Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) 8, a joint Australia / Air Force Research Laboratory hypersonic flight program, expected to fly at Mach 7 for approximately 30 sec, at a dynamic pressure of 55 kilopascals. Flat panels of the DLR C/C and C/C-SiC materials were installed downstream of a hydrogen-fueled, dual-mode scramjet combustor and tested for several minutes at conditions simulating flight at Mach 5 and Mach 6. Gaseous hydrogen fuel was used to fuel the scramjet combustor. The test panels were instrumented with embedded Type K and Type S thermocouples. Zirconia felt insulation was used during some of the tests to reduce heat loss from the back surface and thus increase the heated surface temperature of the C/C-SiC panel approximately 177 C (350 F). The final C/C-SiC panel was tested for three cycles totaling over 135 sec at Mach 6 enthalpy. Slightly more erosion was observed on the C/C panel than the C/C-SiC panels, but both material systems demonstrated acceptable recession performance for the HIFiRE 8 flight.

Studies on activated carbon derived from neem (azadirachta indica) bio-waste, and its application as supercapacitor electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Sultan; Parvaz, M.; Johari, Rahul; Rafat, M.

2018-04-01

The present study reports the preparation of quasi solid-state supercapacitor employing activated carbon (AC) electrodes and gel polymer electrolyte (GPE). AC was derived from Neem leaves by means of chemical activation using zinc chloride as activating agent. GPE was prepared using solution-cast technique and comprises of LiClO 4 salt, dispersed in EC:PC (1:1 vol.) and entrapped in PVdF-HFP solution. Extensive physical and electrochemical characterization of synthesized AC and GPE was done. AC was characterized using the techniques of SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TGA and BET tests while GPE was characterized by electrochemical stability window (ESW) and conductivity test. The fabricated supercapacitor cell was tested using standard electrochemical characterization techniques. It was found that the fabricated cell offers high values of specific capacitance (74.41 F g‑1), specific energy (10.33 Wh kg‑1) and specific power (4.66 kW kg‑1). These results demonstrate the suitability of prepared AC as promising electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Changes in deep-sea carbonate-hosted microbial communities associated with high and low methane flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Case, D. H.; Steele, J. A.; Chadwick, G.; Mendoza, G. F.; Levin, L. A.; Orphan, V. J.

2012-12-01

Methane seeps on continental shelves are rich in authigenic carbonates built of methane-derived carbon. These authigenic carbonates are home to micro- and macroscopic communities whose compositions are thus far poorly constrained but are known to broadly depend on local methane flux. The formation of authigenic carbonates is itself a result of microbial metabolic activity, as associations of anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) in the sediment subsurface increase both dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and alkalinity in pore waters. This 1:1 increase in DIC and alkalinity promotes the precipitation of authigenic carbonates. In this study, we performed in situ manipulations to test the response of micro- and macrofaunal communities to a change in methane flux. Methane-derived authigenic carbonates from two locations at Hydrate Ridge, OR, USA (depth range 595-604 mbsl), were transplanted from "active" cold seep sites (high methane flux) to "inactive" background sites (low methane flux), and vise versa, for one year. Community diversity surveys using T-RFLP and 16S rRNA clone libraries revealed how both bacterial and archaeal assemblages respond to this change in local environment, specifically demonstrating reproducible shifts in different ANME groups (ANME-1 vs. ANME-2). Animal assemblage composition also shifted during transplantation; gastropod representation increased (relative to control rocks) when substrates were moved from inactive to active sites and polychaete, crustacean and echinoderm representation increased when substrates were moved from active to inactive sites. Combined with organic and inorganic carbon δ13C measurements and mineralogy, this unique in situ experiment demonstrates that authigenic carbonates are viable habitats, hosting microbial and macrofaunal communities capable of responding to changes in external environment over relatively short time periods.

THE EFFECT OF WATER (VAPOR-PHASE) AND CARBON ON ELEMENTAL MERCURY REMOVAL IN A FLOW REACTOR

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of studying the effect of vapor-phase moisture on elemental mercury (Hgo) removal by activated carbon (AC) in a flow reactor. tests involved injecting AC into both a dry and a 4% moisture nitrogen (N2) /Hgo gas stream. A bituminous-coal-based AC (Calgon WP...

Rejuvenation of the Innocent Bystander: Testing Spin-Up in a Dwarf Carbon Star Sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Paul

2014-09-01

Carbon stars (C>O) were long assumed to all be giants, because only AGB stars dredge up significant carbon into their atmospheres. We now know that dwarf carbon (dC) stars are actually far more common than C giants. These dC stars are hypothesized to have accreted C-rich envelope material from an AGB companion, in systems that have likely undergone a planetary nebula phase, eventually yielding a white dwarf and a dC star that has gained both significant mass and angular momentum. To test whether the X-ray emission strength and spectral properties are consistent with a rejuvenated dynamo, we propose a Chandra pilot study of dCs selected from the SDSS; some have hot white dwarf companions (indicating more recent mass transfer), and all show Balmer emission lines (a sign of activity).

Rejuvenation of the Innocent Bystander: Testing Spin-Up in Dwarf Carbon Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Paul

2013-09-01

Carbon stars (C>O) were long assumed to all be giants, because only AGB stars dredge up significant carbon into their atmospheres. We now know that dwarf carbon (dC) stars are actually far more common than C giants. These dCs are hypothesized to have accreted C-rich envelope material from an AGB companion, in systems that have likely undergone a planetary nebula phase, eventually yielding a white dwarf and a dC that has gained both significant mass and angular momentum. To test whether the X-ray emission strength and spectral properties are consistent with a rejuvenated dynamo, we propose a Chandra pilot study of dCs selected from the SDSS; some have hot white dwarf companions (indicating more recent mass transfer), and all show Balmer emission lines (a sign of activity).

Sugar Blowing-Induced Porous Cobalt Phosphide/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanostructures with Enhanced Electrochemical Oxidation Performance toward Water and Other Small Molecules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Chengzhou; Fu, Shaofang; Xu, Bo Z.

Finely controlled synthesis of high active and robust nonprecious metal catalysts with excellent catalytic efficiency in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is extremely vital for making the water splitting process more energy-efficient and economical. Among these noble metal-free catalysts, transition-metal-based nanomaterials are considered as one of the most promising OER catalysts due to their relatively low-cost intrinsic activities, high abundance and diversity in terms of structure and morphology. In this work, we reported a facile sugar-blowing technique and low-temperature phosphorization to generate 3D self-supported metal involved carbon nanostructures, which termed as Co2P@Co/nitrogen-doped carbon (Co2P@Co/N-C). By capitalizing on the 3D porous nanostructuresmore » with high surface area, generously dispersed active sites, the intimate interaction between active sites and 3D N-doped carbon, the resultant Co2P@Co/N-C exhibited satisfying OER performance superior to CoO@Co/N-C, delivering 10 mA cm-2 at overpotential of 0.32 V. It is noting that in contrast to the substantial current density loss of RuO2, Co2P@Co/N-C showed much enhanced catalytic activity during the stability test and the 1.8-fold increase in current density was observed after stability test. Furthermore, the obtained Co2P@Co/N-C can also be served as an excellent nonprecious metal catalyst for methanol and glucose electrooxidation in alkaline media, further extending their potential applications.« less

Influence of support material on the electrocatalytic activity of nickel oxide nanoparticles for urea electro-oxidation reaction.

PubMed

Abdel Hameed, R M; Medany, Shymaa S

2018-03-01

Nickel oxide nanoparticles were deposited on different carbon supports including activated Vulcan XC-72R carbon black (NiO/AC), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NiO/MWCNTs), graphene (NiO/Gr) and graphite (NiO/Gt) through precipitation step followed by calcination at 400 °C. To determine the crystalline structure and morphology of prepared electrocatalysts, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed. The electrocatalytic activity of NiO/carbon support electrocatalysts was investigated towards urea electro-oxidation reaction in NaOH solution using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Urea oxidation peak current density was increased in the following order: NiO/AC < NiO/MWCNTs < NiO/Gr < NiO/Gt. Chronoamperometry test also showed an increased steady state oxidation current density for NiO/Gt in comparison to other electrocatalysts. The increased activity and stability of NiO/Gt electrocatalyst encourage the application of graphite as an efficient and cost-saving support to carry metal nanoparticles for urea electro-oxidation reaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of Pb(II) using silica gel composite from rice husk ash modified 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-activated carbon from coconut shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusmaniar, Purwanto, Agung; Putri, Elfriyana Awalita; Rosyidah, Dzakiyyatur

2017-03-01

Silica gel modified by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was synthesized from rice husk ash combined with activated carbon from coconut shell yielded the composite adsorbent. The composite was characterized by Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy (FT-IR), Electron Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), Surface Area Analyzer (SAA) and adsorption test by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). This composite adsorbent has been used moderately for the removal of lead ions from metal solutions and compared with silica gel modified APTES and activated carbon. The adsorption experiments of Pb -ions by adsorbents were performed at different pH and contact time with the same metal solutions concentration, volume solution, and adsorbent dosage. The optimum pH for the adsorption was found to be 5.0 and the equilibrium was achieved for Pb with 20 min of contact time. Pb ions adsorption by composite silica gel modified APTES-activated carbon followed by Langmuir isotherm model with qmax value of 46.9483 mg/g that proved an adsorbent mechanism consistent to the mechanism of monolayer formation.

Using microwave heating to improve the desorption efficiency of high molecular weight VOC from beaded activated carbon.

PubMed

Fayaz, Mohammadreza; Shariaty, Pooya; Atkinson, John D; Hashisho, Zaher; Phillips, John H; Anderson, James E; Nichols, Mark

2015-04-07

Incomplete regeneration of activated carbon loaded with organic compounds results in heel build-up that reduces the useful life of the adsorbent. In this study, microwave heating was tested as a regeneration method for beaded activated carbon (BAC) loaded with n-dodecane, a high molecular weight volatile organic compound. Energy consumption and desorption efficiency for microwave-heating regeneration were compared with conductive-heating regeneration. The minimum energy needed to completely regenerate the adsorbent (100% desorption efficiency) using microwave regeneration was 6% of that needed with conductive heating regeneration, owing to more rapid heating rates and lower heat loss. Analyses of adsorbent pore size distribution and surface chemistry confirmed that neither heating method altered the physical/chemical properties of the BAC. Additionally, gas chromatography (with flame ionization detector) confirmed that neither regeneration method detectably altered the adsorbate composition during desorption. By demonstrating improvements in energy consumption and desorption efficiency and showing stable adsorbate and adsorbent properties, this paper suggests that microwave heating is an attractive method for activated carbon regeneration particularly when high-affinity VOC adsorbates are present.

Use of Activated Carbon for Treatment of Explosives- Contaminated Groundwater at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP). Task Order 7

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

Officer •" COSATI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (Conrrnue on ,....e._ r# ,.cesury •trd .O.nrrfy 0, OJoclr number/ . I FIELD GROUP SUB- GROUP TN’I...hazardous waste. Cost-effectiveness of carbon adsorption is reduced both by the cost of such disposal and by the continuing replacement cost of virgin ...preferential adsorption of component groups . Based on these criteria, two carbon types were selected for continuous flow pilot testing. Groundwater

Adsorption of bentazon on CAT and CARBOPAL activated carbon: Experimental and computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaltro, Agustín; Simonetti, Sandra; Torrellas, Silvia Alvarez; Rodriguez, Juan Garcia; Ruiz, Danila; Juan, Alfredo; Allegretti, Patricia

2018-03-01

Removal of the bentazon by adsorption on two different types of activated carbon was investigated under various experimental conditions.Kinetics of adsorption is followed and the adsorption isotherms of the pesticide are determined. The effects of the changes in pH, ionic strength and temperature are analyzed. Computational simulation was employed to analyze the geometry and the energy of pesticide absorption on activated carbon. Concentration of bentazon decreases while increase all the variables, from the same initial concentration. Experimental data for equilibrium was analyzed by three models: Langmuir, Freundlich and Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer isotherms. Pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order kinetics are tested with the experimental data, and pseudo-second-order kinetics was the best for the adsorption of bentazon by CAT and CARBOPAL with coefficients of correlation R2 = 0.9996 and R2 = 0.9993, respectively. The results indicated that both CAT and CARBOPAL are very effective for the adsorption of bentazon from aqueous solutions, but CAT carbon has the greater capacity.

Catalytic Graphitization for Preparation of Porous Carbon Material Derived from Bamboo Precursor and Performance as Electrode of Electrical Double-Layer Capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsubota, Toshiki; Maguchi, Yuta; Kamimura, Sunao; Ohno, Teruhisa; Yasuoka, Takehiro; Nishida, Haruo

2015-12-01

The combination of addition of Fe (as a catalyst for graphitization) and CO2 activation (a kind of gaseous activation) was applied to prepare a porous carbon material from bamboo powder (a waste product of superheated steam treatment). Regardless of the heat treatment temperature, many macropores were successfully formed after the heating process by removal of Fe compounds. A turbostratic carbon structure was generated in the Fe-added sample heated at 850°C. It was confirmed that the added Fe acted as a template for pore formation. Moreover, it was confirmed that the added Fe acted as a catalyst for graphitization. The resulting electrochemical performance as the electrode of an electrical double-layer capacitor, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and charge-discharge testing, could be explained based on the graphitization and activation effects. Addition of Fe could affect the electrical properties of carbon material derived from bamboo.

Removal of toxic chemicals from water with activated carbon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dawson, V.K.; Marking, L.L.; Bills, T.D.

1976-01-01

Activated carbon was effective in removing fish toxicants and anesthetics from water solutions. Its capacity to adsorb 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), antimycin, NoxfishA? (5% rotenone), Dibrorms, juglone, MSa??222, and benzocaine ranged from 0.1 to 64 mg per gram of carbon. The adsorptive capacity (end point considered as a significant discharge) of activated carbon for removal of TFM was determined at column depths of 15, 30, and 60 cm; temperatures of 7, 12, 17, and 22 C; pH's of 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, and 9.5; and flow rates of 50, 78, 100, 200, and 940 ml/min. Adsorptive capacity increased when the contact time was increased by reducing the flow rate or increasing the column depth. The adsorptive capacity was not significantly influenced by temperature but was substantially higher at pH 6.5 than at the other pH's tested. A practical and efficient filter for purifying chemically treated water was developed.

Testing of selected metallic reinforcing bars for extending the service life of concrete bridges : testing in solutions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

Stainless steel-clad rebar provides an opportunity to significantly increase the Cl- threshold concentration associated with active corrosion initiation compared to plain carbon steel. However, threshold Cl- concentrations for 316L stainless steel-cl...

Electricity generation from real industrial wastewater using a single-chamber air cathode microbial fuel cell with an activated carbon anode.

PubMed

Mohamed, Hend Omar; Obaid, M; Sayed, Enas Taha; Liu, Yang; Lee, Jinpyo; Park, Mira; Barakat, Nasser A M; Kim, Hak Yong

2017-08-01

This study introduces activated carbon (AC) as an effective anode for microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using real industrial wastewater without treatment or addition of external microorganism mediators. Inexpensive activated carbon is introduced as a proper electrode alternative to carbon cloth and carbon paper materials, which are considered too expensive for the large-scale application of MFCs. AC has a porous interconnected structure with a high bio-available surface area. The large surface area, in addition to the high macro porosity, facilitates the high performance by reducing electron transfer resistance. Extensive characterization, including surface morphology, material chemistry, surface area, mechanical strength and biofilm adhesion, was conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the AC material as an anode in MFCs. The electrochemical performance of AC was also compared to other anodes, i.e., Teflon-treated carbon cloth (CCT), Teflon-treated carbon paper (CPT), untreated carbon cloth (CC) and untreated carbon paper (CP). Initial tests of a single air-cathode MFC display a current density of 1792 mAm -2 , which is approximately four times greater than the maximum value of the other anode materials. COD analyses and Coulombic efficiency (CE) measurements for AC-MFC show the greatest removal of organic compounds and the highest CE efficiency (60 and 71%, respectively). Overall, this study shows a new economical technique for power generation from real industrial wastewater with no treatment and using inexpensive electrode materials.

Carbon nanocages: A new support material for Pt catalyst with remarkably high durability

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiao Xia; Tan, Zhe Hua; Zeng, Min; Wang, Jian Nong

2014-01-01

Low durability is the major challenge hindering the large-scale implementation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology, and corrosion of carbon support materials of current catalysts is the main cause. Here, we describe the finding of remarkably high durability with the use of a novel support material. This material is based on hollow carbon nanocages developed with a high degree of graphitization and concurrent nitrogen doping for oxidation resistance enhancement, uniform deposition of fine Pt particles, and strong Pt-support interaction. Accelerated degradation testing shows that such designed catalyst possesses a superior electrochemical activity and long-term stability for both hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction relative to industry benchmarks of current catalysts. Further testing under conditions of practical fuel cell operation reveals almost no degradation over long-term cycling. Such a catalyst of high activity, particularly, high durability, opens the door for the next-generation PEMFC for “real world” application. PMID:24658614

Preparation and evaluation of coal-derived activated carbons for removal of mercury vapor from simulated coal combustion flue fases

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsi, H.-C.; Chen, S.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Rood, M.J.; Richardson, C.F.; Carey, T.R.; Chang, R.

1998-01-01

Coal-derived activated carbons (CDACs) were tested for their suitability in removing trace amounts of vapor-phase mercury from simulated flue gases generated by coal combustion. CDACs were prepared in bench-scale and pilot-scale fluidized-bed reactors with a three-step process, including coal preoxidation, carbonization, and then steam activation. CDACs from high-organicsulfur Illinois coals had a greater equilibrium Hg0 adsorption capacity than activated carbons prepared from a low-organic-sulfur Illinois coal. When a low-organic-sulfur CDAC was impregnated with elemental sulfur at 600 ??C, its equilibrium Hg0 adsorption capacity was comparable to the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon prepared from the high-organicsulfur coal. X-ray diffraction and sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure examinations showed that the sulfur in the CDACs was mainly in organic forms. These results suggested that a portion of the inherent organic sulfur in the starting coal, which remained in the CDACs, played an important role in adsorption of Hg0. Besides organic sulfur, the BET surface area and micropore area of the CDACs also influenced Hg0 adsorption capacity. The HgCl2 adsorption capacity was not as dependent on the surface area and concentration of sulfur in the CDACs as was adsorption of Hg0. The properties and mercury adsorption capacities of the CDACs were compared with those obtained for commercial Darco FGD carbon.

Development of activated carbon derived from banana peel for CO{sub 2} removal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borhan, Azry; Thangamuthu, Subhashini; Ramdan, Amira Nurain

This research work highlights on the constraints involved in the preparation of the banana peel bio-sorbent, such as impregnation ratio, activation temperature and period of activation for reducing carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in the atmosphere. Micromeritics ASAP 2020 and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) were used in identifying the best sample preparation method with the largest surface area which directly contributes to the effectiveness of adsorbent in removing CO{sub 2}. Sample A10 was identified to yield activated carbon with the largest surface area (260.3841 m{sup 2}/g), total pore volume (0.01638 cm{sup 3}/g) and pore diameter (0.2508 nm). Through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isothermmore » analysis, the existence of sub-micropores was proven when a combination of Type-I and Type-II isotherms were exhibited by the activated carbon produced. The results from the final adsorption test found that the material synthesized from the above mentioned parameter is capable of removing up to 1.65% wt of CO{sub 2} through adsorption at 25°C, suggesting that it can be effectively used as an adsorption material.« less

Porous carbon supported Fe-N-C composite as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline and acidic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Baichen; Huang, Binbin; Lin, Cheng; Ye, Jianshan; Ouyang, Liuzhang

2017-07-01

In recent years, non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have attracted tremendous attention due to their high catalytic activity, long-term stability and excellent methanol tolerance. Herein, the porous carbon supported Fe-N-C catalysts for ORR were synthesized by direct pyrolysis of ferric chloride, 6-Chloropyridazin-3-amine and carbon black. Variation of pyrolysis temperature during the synthesis process leads to the difference in ORR catalytic activity. High pyrolysis temperature is beneficial to the formation of the "N-Fe" active sites and high electrical conductivity, but the excessive temperature will cause the decomposition of nitrogen-containing active sites, which are revealed by Raman, TGA and XPS. A series of synthesis and characterization experiments with/without nitrogen or iron in carbon black indicate that the coordination of iron and nitrogen plays a crucial role in achieving excellent ORR performances. Electrochemical test results show that the catalyst pyrolyzed at 800 °C (Fe-N-C-800) exhibits excellent ORR catalytic activity, better methanol tolerance and higher stability compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst in both alkaline and acidic conditions.

Highly transparent carbon counter electrode prepared via an in situ carbonization method for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Bu, Chenghao; Liu, Yumin; Yu, Zhenhua; You, Sujian; Huang, Niu; Liang, Liangliang; Zhao, Xing-Zhong

2013-08-14

A facile in situ carbonization method was demonstrated to prepare the highly transparent carbon counter electrode (CE) with good mechanical stability for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The optical and electrochemical properties of carbon CEs were dramatically affected by the composition and concentration of the precursor. The well-optimized carbon CE exhibited high transparency and sufficient catalytic activity for I3(-) reduction. The bifacial DSC with obtained carbon CE achieved a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.04% under rear-side illumination, which approaches 85% that of front-side illumination (6.07%). Moreover, the device shows excellent stability as confirmed by the aging test. These promising results reveal the enormous potential of this transparent carbon CE in scaling up and commercialization of low cost and effective bifacial DSCs.

Effect of nano-scale characteristics of graphene on electrochemical performance of activated carbon supercapacitor electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasni, M. R. M.; Deraman, M.; Suleman, M.; Hamdan, E.; Sazali, N. E. S.; Nor, N. S. M.; Shamsudin, S. A.

2016-02-01

Graphene with its typical nano-scale characteristic properties has been widely used as an additive in activated carbon electrodes in order to enhance the performance of the electrodes for their use in high performance supercapacitors. Activated carbon monoliths (ACMs) electrodes have been prepared by carbonization and activation of green monoliths (GMs) of pre-carbonized fibers of oil palm empty fruit bunches or self-adhesive carbon grains (SACGs) and SACGs added with 6 wt% of KOH-treated multi-layer graphene. ACMs electrodes have been assembled in symmetrical supercapacitor cells that employed aqueous KOH electrolyte (6 M). The cells have been tested with cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge discharge methods to investigate the effect of graphene addition on the specific capacitance (Csp), specific energy (E), specific power (P), equivalent series resistance (ESR) and response time (τo) of the supercapacitor cells. The results show that the addition of graphene in the GMs change the values of Csp, Emax, Pmax, ESR and τo from (61-96) F/g, 2 Wh/kg, 104 W/kg, 2.6 Ω and 38 s, to the respective values of (110-124) F/g, 3 Wh/kg, 156 W/kg, 3.4 Ω and 63 s. This study demonstrates that the graphene addition in the GMs has a significant effect on the electrochemical behavior of the electrodes.

[Relationships of soil organic carbon with its active and non-active components under different land use types in the middle reaches of Heihe River, China].

PubMed

Zhang, Jun-Hua; Li, Guo-Dong; Wang, Yan-Song; Nan, Zhong-Ren; Zhao, Li-Ping

2012-12-01

Taking the seven typical land use types (paddy field, dry land, medium coverage grassland, saline-alkali field, bare land, desert, and sandlot) in the middle reaches of Heihe River as test objects, this paper studied the relationships of soil organic carbon content with its components. In the 0-100 cm soil profile, the contents of soil total organic carbon (TOC) , active organic carbon (AOC), and non-active organic carbon (NOC) decreased with increasing depth. The soil TOC, AOC, and NOC contents differed with land use type. Land use change induced the increase or decrease of soil organic carbon content. The tillage in paddy field was an available way to increase the contents of soil TOC, AOC, and NOC. After land use change, soil NOC rather than AOC contributed more to soil TOC content. For the same land use types, soil AOC and NOC contents increased together with increasing soil TOC content, and the NOC content increased faster than the AOC content. The soil TOC content corresponding to the crossing point of the variation trend lines of soil AOC and NOC contents could be considered as the boundary point of TOC accumulation or loss, and the saturation capacities of soil AOC and NOC could be obtained by the variation trend lines of the AOC and NOC.

Physical and chemical analysis of lithium-ion battery cell-to-cell failure events inside custom fire chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinner, Neil S.; Field, Christopher R.; Hammond, Mark H.; Williams, Bradley A.; Myers, Kristina M.; Lubrano, Adam L.; Rose-Pehrsson, Susan L.; Tuttle, Steven G.

2015-04-01

A 5-cubic meter decompression chamber was re-purposed as a fire test chamber to conduct failure and abuse experiments on lithium-ion batteries. Various modifications were performed to enable remote control and monitoring of chamber functions, along with collection of data from instrumentation during tests including high speed and infrared cameras, a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, real-time gas analyzers, and compact reconfigurable input and output devices. Single- and multi-cell packages of LiCoO2 chemistry 18650 lithium-ion batteries were constructed and data was obtained and analyzed for abuse and failure tests. Surrogate 18650 cells were designed and fabricated for multi-cell packages that mimicked the thermal behavior of real cells without using any active components, enabling internal temperature monitoring of cells adjacent to the active cell undergoing failure. Heat propagation and video recordings before, during, and after energetic failure events revealed a high degree of heterogeneity; some batteries exhibited short burst of sparks while others experienced a longer, sustained flame during failure. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, dimethyl carbonate, and ethylene carbonate were detected via gas analysis, and the presence of these species was consistent throughout all failure events. These results highlight the inherent danger in large format lithium-ion battery packs with regards to cell-to-cell failure, and illustrate the need for effective safety features.

LONG-TERM DEMONSTRATION OF SORBENT ENHANCEMENT ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR MERCURY CONTROL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jason D. Laumb; Dennis L. Laudal; Grant E. Dunham

2011-05-27

Long-term demonstration tests of advanced sorbent enhancement additive (SEA) technologies have been completed at five coal-fired power plants. The targeted removal rate was 90% from baseline conditions at all five stations. The plants included Hawthorn Unit 5, Mill Creek Unit 4, San Miguel Unit 1, Centralia Unit 2, and Hoot Lake Unit 2. The materials tested included powdered activated carbon, treated carbon, scrubber additives, and SEAs. In only one case (San Miguel) was >90% removal not attainable. The reemission of mercury from the scrubber at this facility prevented >90% capture.

Copper Decoration of Carbon Nanotubes and High Resolution Electron Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Probst, Camille

A new process of decorating carbon nanotubes with copper was developed for the fabrication of nanocomposite aluminum-nanotubes. The process consists of three stages: oxidation, activation and electroless copper plating on the nanotubes. The oxidation step was required to create chemical function on the nanotubes, essential for the activation step. Then, catalytic nanoparticles of tin-palladium were deposited on the tubes. Finally, during the electroless copper plating, copper particles with a size between 20 and 60 nm were uniformly deposited on the nanotubes surface. The reproducibility of the process was shown by using another type of carbon nanotube. The fabrication of nanocomposites aluminum-nanotubes was tested by aluminum vacuum infiltration. Although the infiltration of carbon nanotubes did not produce the expected results, an interesting electron microscopy sample was discovered during the process development: the activated carbon nanotubes. Secondly, scanning transmitted electron microscopy (STEM) imaging in SEM was analysed. The images were obtained with a new detector on the field emission scanning electron microscope (Hitachi S-4700). Various parameters were analysed with the use of two different samples: the activated carbon nanotubes (previously obtained) and gold-palladium nanodeposits. Influences of working distance, accelerating voltage or sample used on the spatial resolution of images obtained with SMART (Scanning Microscope Assessment and Resolution Testing) were analysed. An optimum working distance for the best spatial resolution related to the sample analysed was found for the imaging in STEM mode. Finally, relation between probe size and spatial resolution of backscattered electrons (BSE) images was studied. An image synthesis method was developed to generate the BSE images from backscattered electrons coefficients obtained with CASINO software. Spatial resolution of images was determined using SMART. The analysis shown that using a probe size smaller than the size of the observed object (sample features) does not improve the spatial resolution. In addition, the effects of the accelerating voltage, the current intensity and the sample geometry and composition were analysed.

Geological Characteristics of Active Methane Expulsion In Accretionary Prism Kaoping Slope Off SW Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, C.; Chien, C.; Yang, T. F.; Lin, S.

2005-12-01

The Kaoping Slope off SW Taiwan represents the syn-collision accretionary prism characterized by active NW-trending folding - thrusting structures and high sedimentation rate favoring the formation of gas hydrate. For an assessment of gas hydrate potential in the Kaoping Slope off SW Taiwan, sedimentology, paleontology and geochemistry in box cores and piston cores were studied. BSRs are commonly found in seismic profiles in 400-600 m below seafloor of water depth 2500-1000 m. Active expulsions of methane were found along active thrust faults where sulfate/methane interface could be as shallow as 30 cm and the methane concentration of dissolved gases in bottom water and in pore-space of drilled core samples could be three-four order higher than the normal marine environments. Occurrences of authigenic carbonate and elongated pyrite tubes are correlated with shallow SMI depth and high methane content in bottom water and pore-space of sediment cores. Authigenic carbonates were found in seafloor surface and in 20-25 meters below seafloor. The authigenic carbonate nodules are characterized by irregular shape, whitish color, no visible microfossil, containing native sulfur, pyrites, gypsum, small open spaces, and very depleted carbon isotope (-54 ~ -43 per mil PDB). Tiny native sulfur and gypsum crystals were commonly found either on surface of foraminiferal tests and elongated pyrite tubes or in the authigenic carbonate nodules. Morphological measurements of elongated pyrite tubes show that they could represent pseudomorphs after three types of Pogonophora tube worm. Foraminifers are commonly filled by rhomboidal pyrites or cemented by pyrite crystals. Normal marine benthic foraminifers predominated by calcareous tests of slope fauna are associated with authigenic carbonate nodules in the study area, suggesting no major geochemistry effect on distribution of benthic foraminifers. Integrating sedimentology, paleontology and geochemistry characters, there could be high potential to have gas hydrate in the accretionary prism off SW Taiwan.

The effects of dissolved natural organic matter on the adsorption of synthetic organic chemicals by activated carbons and carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Zhang, Shujuan; Shao, Ting; Karanfil, Tanju

2011-01-01

Understanding the influence of natural organic matter (NOM) on synthetic organic contaminant (SOC) adsorption by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is important for assessing the environmental implications of accidental CNT release and spill to natural waters, and their potential use as adsorbents in engineered systems. In this study, adsorption of two SOCs by three single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), one multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT), a microporous activated carbon fiber (ACF) [i.e., ACF10] and a bimodal porous granular activated carbon (GAC) [i.e., HD4000] was compared in the presence and absence of NOM. The NOM effect was found to depend strongly on the pore size distribution of carbons. Minimal NOM effect occurred on the macroporous MWNT, whereas severe NOM effects were observed on the microporous HD4000 and ACF10. Although the single-solute adsorption capacities of the SWNTs were much lower than those of HD4000, in the presence of NOM the SWNTs exhibited adsorption capacities similar to those of HD4000. Therefore, if released into natural waters, SWNTs can behave like an activated carbon, and will be able to adsorb, carry, and transfer SOCs to other systems. However, from an engineering application perspective, CNTs did not exhibit a major advantage, in terms of adsorption capacities, over the GAC and ACF. The NOM effect was also found to depend on molecular properties of SOCs. NOM competition was more severe on the adsorption of 2-phenylphenol, a nonplanar and hydrophilic SOC, than phenanthrene, a planar and hydrophobic SOC, tested in this study. In terms of surface chemistry, both adsorption affinity to SOCs and NOM effect on SOC adsorption were enhanced with increasing hydrophobicity of the SWNTs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supercritical fluid regeneration of adsorbents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Defilippi, R. P.; Robey, R. J.

1983-05-01

The results of a program to perform studies supercritical (fluid) carbon dioxide (SCF CO2) regeneration of adsorbents, using samples of industrial wastewaters from manufacturing pesticides and synthetic solution, and to estimate the economics of the specific wastewater treatment regenerations, based on test data are given. Processing costs for regenerating granular activated carbon GAC) for treating industrial wastewaters depend on stream properties and regeneration throughput.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S. H. D.; Kumar, R.; Krumpelt, M.

Methanol is considered to be a potential on-board fuel for fuel cell-powered vehicles. In current distribution systems for liquid fuels used in the transportation sector, commodity methanol can occasionally become contaminated with the sulfur in diesel fuel or gasoline. This sulfur would poison the catalytic materials used in fuel reformers for fuel cells. We tested the removal of this sulfur by means of ten activated carbons (AC) that are commercially available. Tests were conducted with methanol doped with 1 vol.% grade D-2 diesel fuel containing 0.29% sulfur, which was present essentially as 33-35 wt.% benzothiophenes (BTs) and 65-67 wt.% dibenzothiophenesmore » (DBT). In general, coconut shell-based carbons activated by high-temperature steam were more effective at sulfur removal than coal-based carbons. Equilibrium sorption data showed linear increase in sulfur capture with the increase of sulfur concentration in methanol. Both types of carbons had similar breakthrough characteristics, with the dynamic sorption capacity of each being about one-third of its equilibrium sorption capacity. Results of this study suggest that a fixed-bed sorber of granular AC can be used, such as in refueling stations, for the removal of sulfur in diesel fuel-contaminated methanol.« less

Graphitic Carbon Nitride Supported Catalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Graphitic carbon nitrides are investigated for developing highly durable Pt electrocatalyst supports for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Three different graphitic carbon nitride materials were synthesized with the aim to address the effect of crystallinity, porosity, and composition on the catalyst support properties: polymeric carbon nitride (gCNM), poly(triazine) imide carbon nitride (PTI/Li+Cl–), and boron-doped graphitic carbon nitride (B-gCNM). Following accelerated corrosion testing, all graphitic carbon nitride materials are found to be more electrochemically stable compared to conventional carbon black (Vulcan XC-72R) with B-gCNM support showing the best stability. For the supported catalysts, Pt/PTI-Li+Cl– catalyst exhibits better durability with only 19% electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss versus 36% for Pt/Vulcan after 2000 scans. Superior methanol oxidation activity is observed for all graphitic carbon nitride supported Pt catalysts on the basis of the catalyst ECSA. PMID:24748912

Biosynthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol by lipase in dimethyl carbonate as the solvent.

PubMed

Lee, Kyung Hwa; Park, Chang-Ho; Lee, Eun Yeol

2010-11-01

Glycerol carbonate was synthesized from renewable glycerol and dimethyl carbonate using lipase in solvent-free reaction system in which excess dimethyl carbonate played as the reaction medium. A variety of lipases have been tested for their abilities to catalyze transesterification reaction, and Candida antartica lipase B and Novozyme 435 exhibited higher catalytic activities. The silica-coated glycerol with a 1:1 ratio was supplied to prevent two-phase formation between hydrophobic dimethyl carbonate and hydrophilic glycerol. Glycerol carbonate was successfully synthesized with more than 90% conversion from dimethyl carbonate and glycerol with a molar ratio of 10 using Novozyme 435-catalyzed transesterification at 70 °C. The Novozyme 435 [5% (w/w) and 20% (w/w)] and silica gel were more than four times recycled with good stability in a repeated batch operation for the solvent-free synthesis of glycerol carbonate.

New Method to Synthesize Highly Active and Durable Chemically Ordered fct-PtCo Cathode Catalyst for PEMFCs.

PubMed

Jung, Won Suk; Popov, Branko N

2017-07-19

In the bottom-up synthesis strategy performed in this study, the Co-catalyzed pyrolysis of chelate-complex and activated carbon black at high temperatures triggers the graphitization reaction which introduces Co particles in the N-doped graphitic carbon matrix and immobilizes N-modified active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the carbon surface. In this study, the Co particles encapsulated within the N-doped graphitic carbon shell diffuse up to the Pt surface under the polymer protective layer and forms a chemically ordered face-centered tetragonal (fct) Pt-Co catalyst PtCo/CCCS catalyst as evidenced by structural and compositional studies. The fct-structured PtCo/CCCS at low-Pt loading (0.1 mg Pt cm -2 ) shows 6% higher power density than that of the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst. After the MEA durability test of 30 000 potential cycles, the performance loss of the catalyst is negligible. The electrochemical surface area loss is less than 40%, while that of commercial Pt/C is nearly 80%. After the accelerated stress test, the uniform catalyst distribution is retained and the mean particle size increases approximate 1 nm. The results obtained in this study indicated that highly stable compositional and structural properties of chemically ordered PtCo/CCCS catalyst contribute to its exceptional catalyst durability.

Effects on the efficiency of activated carbon on exposure to welding fumes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, D.

1995-02-01

It is the intention of this paper to document that certain types of welding fumes have little or no effect on the effectiveness of the carbon filter air filtration efficiency when directly exposed to a controlled amount of welding fumes for a short-term period. The welding processes studied were restricted to shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW) processes. Contrary to the SMAW and FCAW processes, the GTAW (or TIG) and the GMAW (or MIG) welding processes do not require the use of flux as partmore » of the overall process. Credit was taken for these processes occurring in inert gas environments and producing minimal amount of smoke. It was concluded that a study involving the SMAW process would also envelop the effects of the TIG and MIG welding processes. The quantity of welding fumes generated during the arc welding process is a function of the particular process, the size and type of electrode, welding machine amperage, and operator proficiency. For this study, the amount of welding for specific testing was equated to the amount of welding normally conducted during plant unit outages. Different welding electrodes were also evaluated, and the subsequent testing was limited to an E7018 electrode which was judged to be representative of all carbon and stainless steel electrodes commonly used at the site. The effect of welding fumes on activated charcoal was tested using a filtration unit complete with prefilters, upstream and downstream high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, and a carbon adsorber section. The complete system was field tested in accordance with ANSI N510 standards prior to exposing the filters and the adsorber bed to welding fumes. The carbon samples were tested at an established laboratory using ASTM D3803-1989 standards.« less

Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmitz, Darrel; Brown, Lewis; Lynch, F. Leo

2010-12-31

The objective of this project was to couple microbial permeability profile modification (MPPM), with carbon dioxide flooding to improve oil recovery from the Upper Cretaceous Little Creek Oil Field situated in Lincoln and Pike counties, MS. This study determined that MPPM technology, which improves production by utilizing environmentally friendly nutrient solutions to simulate the growth of the indigenous microflora in the most permeable zones of the reservoir thus diverting production to less permeable, previously unswept zones, increased oil production without interfering with the carbon dioxide flooding operation. Laboratory tests determined that no microorganisms were produced in formation waters, but weremore » present in cores. Perhaps the single most significant contribution of this study is the demonstration that microorganisms are active at a formation temperature of 115°C (239°F) by using a specially designed culturing device. Laboratory tests were employed to simulate the MPPM process by demonstrating that microorganisms could be activated with the resulting production of oil in coreflood tests performed in the presence of carbon dioxide at 66°C (the highest temperature that could be employed in the coreflood facility). Geological assessment determined significant heterogeneity in the Eutaw Formation, and documented relatively thin, variably-lithified, well-laminated sandstone interbedded with heavily-bioturbated, clay-rich sandstone and shale. Live core samples of the Upper Cretaceous Eutaw Formation from the Heidelberg Field, MS were quantitatively assessed using SEM, and showed that during MPPM permeability modification occurs ubiquitously within pore and throat spaces of 10-20 μm diameter. Testing of the MPPM procedure in the Little Creek Field showed a significant increase in production occurred in two of the five production test wells; furthermore, the decline curve in each of the production wells became noticeably less steep. This project greatly extends the number of oil fields in which MPPM can be implemented.« less

In-situ Electrodeposition of Highly Active Silver Catalyst on Carbon Fiber Papers as Binder Free Cathodes for Aluminum-air Battery.

PubMed

Hong, Qingshui; Lu, Huimin

2017-06-13

Carbon fiber papers supported Ag catalysts (Ag/CFP) with different coverage of electro-active site are prepared by electrochemical deposition and used as binder free cathodes in primary aluminum-air (Al-air) battery. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Diffraction studies are carried out to characterize the as-prepared Ag/CFP air cathodes. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities on these air cathodes in alkaline solutions are systematic studied. A newly designed aluminum-air cell is used to further determine the cathodes performance under real operation condition and during the test, the Ag/CFP electrodes show outstanding catalytic activity for ORR in concentrated alkaline electrolyte, and no obvious activity degradation is observed after long-time discharge. The electrochemical test results display the dependence of coverage of the electro-active Ag on the catalytic performance of the air cathodes. The resulting primary Al-air battery made from the best-performing cathode shows an impressive discharge peak power density, outperforming that of using commercial nano-manganese catalyst air electrodes.

Nozzle Initiative Industry Advisory Committee on Standardization of Carbon-Phenolic Test Methods and Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bull, William B. (Compiler); Pinoli, Pat C. (Compiler); Upton, Cindy G. (Compiler); Day, Tony (Compiler); Hill, Keith (Compiler); Stone, Frank (Compiler); Hall, William B.

1994-01-01

This report is a compendium of the presentations of the 12th biannual meeting of the Industry Advisory Committee under the Solid Propulsion Integrity Program. A complete transcript of the welcoming talks is provided. Presentation outlines and overheads are included for the other sessions: SPIP Overview, Past, Current and Future Activity; Test Methods Manual and Video Tape Library; Air Force Developed Computer Aided Cure Program and SPC/TQM Experience; Magneto-Optical mapper (MOM), Joint Army/NASA program to assess composite integrity; Permeability Testing; Moisture Effusion Testing by Karl Fischer Analysis; Statistical Analysis of Acceptance Test Data; NMR Phenolic Resin Advancement; Constituent Testing Highlights on the LDC Optimization Program; Carbon Sulfur Study, Performance Related Testing; Current Rayon Specifications and Future Availability; RSRM/SPC Implementation; SRM Test Methods, Delta/Titan/FBM/RSRM; and Open Forum on Performance Based Acceptance Testing -- Industry Experience.

Dye adsorption onto activated carbons from tyre rubber waste using surface coverage analysis.

PubMed

Mui, Edward L K; Cheung, W H; Valix, Marjorie; McKay, Gordon

2010-07-15

Two types of activated carbons from tyre char (with or without sulphuric acid treatment) were produced via carbon dioxide activation with BET surface areas in the range 59-1118 m(2)/g. Other characterisation tests include micropore and mesopore surface areas and volumes, pH, and elemental compositions, particularly heteroatoms such as nitrogen and sulphur. They were correlated to the adsorption capacity which were in the range of 0.45-0.71 mmol/g (untreated) and 0.62-0.84 mmol/g (acid-treated) for Acid Blue 25. In the case of larger-sized molecules like Acid Yellow 117, capacities were in the range of 0.23-0.42 mmol/g (untreated) and 0.29-0.40 mmol/g (acid-treated). Some tyre carbons exhibit a more superior performance than a microporous, commercial activated carbon (Calgon F400). By modelling the dye adsorption equilibrium data, the Redlich-Peterson isotherm is adopted as it has the lowest SSE. Based on the surface coverage analysis, a novel molecular orientation modelling of adsorbed dyes has been proposed and correlated with surface area and surface charge. For the acid dyes used in this study, molecules were likely to be adsorbed by the mesopore areas. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Palladium and palladium-tin supported on multi wall carbon nanotubes or carbon for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleão; Furtunato da Silva, Dionisio; Martins da Silva, Júlio César; Antonio de Sá, Osvaldo; Spinacé, Estevam Vitório; Neto, Almir Oliveira; Coelho dos Santos, Mauro

2015-02-01

Pd and PdSn (Pd:Sn atomic ratios of 90:10), supported on Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) or Carbon (C), are prepared by an electron beam irradiation reduction method. The obtained materials are characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Transmission electron Microscopy (TEM) and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV). The activity for ethanol electro-oxidation is tested in alkaline medium, at room temperature, using Cyclic Voltammetry and Chronoamperometry (CA) and in a single alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC), in the temperature range of 60-90 °C. CV analysis finds that Pd/MWCNT and PdSn/MWCNT presents onset potentials changing to negative values and high current values, compared to Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts. ATR-FTIR analysis, performed during the CV, identifies acetate and acetaldehyde as principal products formed during the ethanol electro-oxidation, with low conversion to CO2. In single fuel cell tests, at 85 °C, using 2.0 mol L-1 ethanol in 2.0 mol L-1 KOH solutions, the electrocatalysts supported on MWCNT, also, show higher power densities, compared to the materials supported on carbon: PdSn/MWCNT, presents the best result (36 mW cm-2). The results show that the use of MWCNT, instead of carbon, as support, plus the addition of small amounts of Sn to Pd, improves the electrocatalytic activity for Ethanol Oxidation Reaction (EOR).

Activated carbon and biochar from agricultural by-products in the adorption of Cd, Pb and Zn under laboratory conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coscione, Aline; Zini, Barbara

2015-04-01

The immobilization of inorganic contaminants by using biochar in soils has played an increasingly important role and it is seen as an attractive alternative for the remediation of heavy metals. Although, the production of activated carbon (CA) from agricultural by-products has received special attention, the activation of the the organic source has been studied in order to increase its porposity, surface area and chemical polarity, resulting in higher adsorption of metals. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of BC and CA samples, obtained from a eucalyptus husks and cane sugar bagasse after activation with 20% phosphoric acid and pyrolyzed at 450oC in the retention of Zn, Cd and Pb using contaminated individual solutions. The experiment was performed using samples of activated carbon of eucalyptus husk (CCA), eucalyptus husk biochar (BC), activated carbon of sugar cane bagasse (CBA) and sugar cane bagasse biochar (BB), treated with Zn, Cd (range of tested solution from 0.1 up to 12 mmol L-1) and Pb (from 0.1 up 50 mmol L-1) and the adjustemento of Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Samples obtained from bagasse presented higher adsoprtion of the metals tested then eucalyptus. Also the activation process had not the expected effect on either eucalyptus and bagasse samples The maxmum adsorption capacyty of samples were as follws, in mmol g-1: for Cd - 0.36 for BC; 0.32 for CCA; 0.40 for BB; 0.31 for CBA. For Zn- 0.14 for BC; no adsorbed by CCA; 0.35 5 for BB; 0.06 for CBA. For Pb - 1.24 for BC; 0.40 for CCA; 0,45 for BB; 0,03 for CBA. However, it was also observed that due to the activation with phosphoric acid, the pH of the activated carbon (CCA and CBA) were 2.4 and 2.5 in comparison with the biochars not activated (BC and BB) 9.7 and 7.0 respectively. Thus, it is yet not possible to state if the calculate capacity is due exclusively to the complexation of chemical groups in the surface of samples or to which extent there is a contribution of precipitation caused by the basic pH (non-activated) biochar samples, as shown for Zn and Pb.

Evaluation of dispersion methods for enumeration of microorganisms from peat and activated carbon biofilters treating volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Khammar, Nadia; Malhautier, Luc; Degrange, Valérie; Lensi, Robert; Fanlo, Jean-Louis

2004-01-01

To enumerate microorganisms having colonized biofilters treating volatile organic compounds, it is necessary firstly to evaluate dispersion methods. Crushing, shaking and sonication were then tested for the removal of microflora from biofilters packing materials (peat and activated carbon). Continuous or discontinuous procedures, and addition of glass beads had no effect on the number of microorganisms removed from peat particles. The duration of treatment also had no effect for shaking and crushing, but the number of microorganisms after 60 min of treatment with ultrasound was significantly higher than that obtained after 0.5 min. The comparison between these methods showed that crushing was the most efficient for the removal of microorganisms from both peat and activated carbon. The comparison between three chemical dispersion agents showed that 1% Na-pyrophosphate was less efficient, compared with 200 mM phosphate buffer or 1% Na-hexametaphosphate. To optimize the cultivation of microorganisms, three different agar media were compared. Tryptic soy agar tenfold diluted (TSA 1/10) was the most suitable medium for the culture of microflora from a peat biofilter. For the activated carbon biofilter, there was no significant difference between Luria Bertoni, TSA 1/10, and plate count agar. The optimized extraction and enumeration protocols were used to perform a quantitative characterization of microbial populations in an operating laboratory activated carbon biofilter and in two parallel peat biofilters.

Comprehensive Utilization of Biomass Process Residues Rich in Cellulose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Mei; Li, Qiang; Yu, Jian; Dong, Li; Wang, Yin; Xu, Guangwen

2010-11-01

This article investigated the method preparing porous material (PM) with VL and SL. Applications of the prepared material was tested in removal aqueous phenol and COD in tarry water and as the catalyst support for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO in flue gas. The results showed that the optimal activation condition in CO2 for the carbonized VL at 800° C was at 875° C for 1 h, which provided large BET surface area and micropore volume. This material exhibited the highest adsorption to aqueous phenol among all the tested materials including a commercial activated carbon made from coconut shell, showing the potential application of the VL-base porous material in wastewater treatment. The study demonstrated also that the vanadium-base selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst supported on the VL-base porous material (V2O5/VL-PM) provided fairly good activity as well SO2 resistance at temperatures round 200° C for SCR of NO. The activation of the carbonized SL material in H2O was better than that in CO2 for developing the pore structure of the porous material. Steam can improve the formation of mesopore than CO2. This was confirmed by the conclusion that higher COD removal rate was occurred on the PM-1 from SL when H2O was used as an activator.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: guaiacol and catechol derivatives effectively inhibit certain human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes (hCA I, II, IX and XII).

PubMed

Scozzafava, Andrea; Passaponti, Maurizio; Supuran, Claudiu T; Gülçin, İlhami

2015-01-01

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are widespread metalloenzymes in higher vertebrates including humans. A series of phenolic compounds, including guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-propylguaiacol, eugenol, isoeugenol, vanillin, syringaldehyde, catechol, 3-methyl catechol, 4-methyl catechol and 3-methoxy catechol were investigated for their inhibition of all the catalytically active mammalian isozymes of the Zn(2+)-containing CA (EC 4.2.1.1). All the phenolic compounds effectively inhibited human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes (hCA I, II, IX and XII), with Kis in the range of 2.20-515.98 μM. The various isozymes showed diverse inhibition profiles. Among the tested phenolic derivatives, compounds 4-methyl catechol and 3-methoxy catechol showed potent activity as inhibitors of the tumour-associated transmembrane isoforms (hCA IX and XII) in the submicromolar range, with high selectivity. The results obtained from this research may lead to the design of more effective carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme inhibitors (CAIs) based on such phenolic compound scaffolds.

Dibutyl Phosphoric Acid Solubility in High-Acid, Uranium-Bearing Solutions at SRS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pierce, R.A.

1998-10-02

The Savannah River Site has enriched uranium (EU) solution which has been stored for almost 10 years since being purified in the second uranium cycle of the H area solvent extraction process. The concentrations in solution are approximately 6 g/L U and about 0.1 M nitric acid. Residual tributylphosphate in the solutions has slowly hydrolyzed to form dibutyl phosphoric acid (HDBP) at concentrations averaging 50 mg/L. Uranium is known to form compounds with the dibutylphosphate ion (DBP) which have limited solubility. The potential to form uranium-DBP solids raises a nuclear criticality safety issue. Prior SRTC tests (WSRC-TR-98-00188) showed that U-DBPmore » solids precipitate at concentrations potentially attainable during the storage of enriched uranium solutions. Furthermore, evaporation of the existing EUS solution without additional acidification could result in the precipitation of U-DBP solids if the DBP concentration in the resulting solution exceeds 110 mg/L at ambient temperature. The same potential exists for evaporation of unwashed 1CU solutions. As a follow-up to the earlier studies, SRTC studied the solubility limits for solutions containing acid concentrations above 0.5M HNO3. The data obtained in these tests reveals a shift to higher levels of DBP solubility above 0.5M HNO3 for both 6 g/L and 12 g/L uranium solutions. Analysis of U-DBP solids from the tests identified a mixture of different molecular structures for the solids created. The analysis distinguished UO2(DBP)2 as the dominant compound present at low acid concentrations. As the acid concentration increases, the crystalline UO2(DBP)2 shows molecular substitutions and an increase in amorphous content. Further analysis by methods not available at SRS will be needed to better identify the specific compounds present. This data indicates that acidification prior to evaporation can be used to increase the margin of safety for the storage of the EUS solutions. Subsequent experimentation evaluated options for absorbing HDBP from solution using either activated carbon or anion exchange resin. The activated carbon outperformed the anion exchange resin. Activated carbon absorbs DBP rapidly and has demonstrated the capability of absorbing 15 mg of DBP per gram of activated carbon. Analytical results also show that activated carbon absorbs uranium up to 17 mg per gram of carbon. It is speculated that the uranium absorbed is part of a soluble U-DBP complex that has been absorbed. Additional testing must still be performed to 1) establish absorption limits for uranium for anion exchange resin, 2) evaluate desorption characteristics of uranium and DBP, and 3) study the possibility of re-using the absorbent.« less

42 CFR 84.126 - Canister bench tests; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Gas Masks... canisters designated as providing respiratory protection against gases, ammonia, organic vapors, carbon...

42 CFR 84.126 - Canister bench tests; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Gas Masks... canisters designated as providing respiratory protection against gases, ammonia, organic vapors, carbon...

42 CFR 84.126 - Canister bench tests; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Gas Masks... canisters designated as providing respiratory protection against gases, ammonia, organic vapors, carbon...

42 CFR 84.126 - Canister bench tests; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Gas Masks... canisters designated as providing respiratory protection against gases, ammonia, organic vapors, carbon...

42 CFR 84.126 - Canister bench tests; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Gas Masks... canisters designated as providing respiratory protection against gases, ammonia, organic vapors, carbon...

Performance of the fixed-bed of granular activated carbon for the removal of pesticides from water supply.

PubMed

Alves, Alcione Aparecida de Almeida; Ruiz, Giselle Louise de Oliveira; Nonato, Thyara Campos Martins; Müller, Laura Cecilia; Sens, Maurício Luiz

2018-02-26

The application of a fixed bed adsorption column of granular activated carbon (FBAC-GAC), in the removal of carbaryl, methomyl and carbofuran at a concentration of 25 μg L -1 for each carbamate, from the public water supply was investigated. For the determination of the presence of pesticides in the water supply, the analytical technique of high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization was used. Under conditions of constant diffusivity, the FBAC-GAC was saturated after 196 h of operation on a pilot scale. The exhaust rate of the granular activated carbon (GAC) in the FBAC-GAC until the point of saturation was 0.02 kg GAC m -3 of treated water. By comparing a rapid small-scale column test and FBAC-GAC, it was confirmed that the predominant intraparticle diffusivity in the adsorption column was constant diffusivity. Based on the results obtained on a pilot scale, it was possible to estimate the values to be applied in the FBAC-GAC (full scale) to remove the pesticides, which are particle size with an average diameter of 1.5 mm GAC; relationship between the internal diameter of the column and the average diameter of GAC ≥50 in order to avoid preferential flow near the adsorption column wall; surface application rate 240 m 3  m -2  d -1 and an empty bed contact time of 3 min. BV: bed volume; CD: constant diffusivity; EBCT: empty bed contact time; FBAC-GAC: fixed bed adsorption column of granular activated carbon; GAC: granular activated carbon; MPV: maximum permitted values; NOM: natural organic matter; PD: proportional diffusivity; pH PCZ : pH of the zero charge point; SAR: surface application rate; RSSCT: rapid small-scale column test; WTCS: water treated conventional system.

The role of mesopores in MTBE removal with granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Redding, Adam M; Cannon, Fred S

2014-06-01

This activated carbon research appraised how pore size and empty-bed contact time influenced the removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) at part-per-billion (ppb) concentrations when MTBE was the sole organic impurity. The study compared six granular activated carbons (GACs) from three parent sources; these GACs contained a range of pore volume distributions and had uniform slurry pHs of 9.7-10.4 (i.e. the carbons' bulk surface chemistries were basic). Several of these activated carbons had been specifically tailored for enhanced sorption of trace organic compounds. In these tests, MTBE was spiked into deionized-distilled water (∼pH 7); MTBE loading was measured by isotherms and by rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) that simulated full-scale empty-bed contact times of 7, 14, and 28 min. The results showed that both ultra-fine micropores and small-diameter mesopores were important for MTBE adsorption. Specifically, full MTBE loading during RSSCTs bore a strong correlation (R(2) = 0.94) to the product (mL/g × mL/g) of pore volume ≤4.06 Å wide and pore volume between ∼22 Å and ∼59 Å wide. This correlation was greater than for the product of any other pore volume combinations. Also, this product exhibited a stronger correlation than for just one or the other of these two pore ranges. This multiplicative relationship implied that both of these pore sizes were important for the optimum GAC performance of these six carbons (i.e. favorable mass transfer coupled with favorable sorption). The authors also compared MTBE mass loading during RSSCTs (μg MTBE/g GAC) to isotherm capacity (μg MTBE/g GAC). This RSSCT loading "efficiency" ranged from 28% to 96% for the six GACs; this efficiency correlated most strongly to pores that were 14-200 Å wide (R(2) = 0.94). This correlation indicated that only those carbons with a sufficient volume of 14-200 Å pores could adsorb MTBE to the extent that would be predicted from isotherm data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of granular activated carbon treated coal gasification water as determined by the Microtox test and Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Makino, Y; Adams, J C; McTernan, W F

1986-01-01

The Microtox assay and various parameters (growth, ATP concentration and electrochemical detection) of Escherichia coli were used to assess the toxicity of various levels of granular activated carbon treated coal gasification process water. The generation time of E. coli was statistically significantly slower at the level of 50 percent treatment than any other level of treatment. No differences were seen for ATP concentration per cell or in the electrochemical detection methods for any level treatment. There was a very high correlation between total organic carbon removal by GAC treatment and reduction in toxicity as measured by the Microtox system. However, even the treated water which had 91 percent of the TOC removed was still highly toxic.

Effect of biochar activation by different methods on toxicity of soil contaminated by industrial activity.

PubMed

Kołtowski, Michał; Charmas, Barbara; Skubiszewska-Zięba, Jadwiga; Oleszczuk, Patryk

2017-02-01

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of various methods of biochar activation on the ecotoxicity of soils with various properties and with various content and origin of contaminants. The biochar produced from willow (at 700°C) was activated by 1) microwaves (in a microwave reactor under an atmosphere of water vapour), 2) carbon dioxide (in the quartz fluidized bed reactor) and 3) superheated steam (in the quartz fluidized bed reactor). Three different soils were collected from industrial areas. The soils were mixed with biochar and activated biochars at the dose of 5% and ecotoxicological parameters of mixture was evaluated using two solid phase test - Phytotoxkit F (Lepidium sativum) and Collembolan test (Folsomia candida) and one liquid phase test - Microtox® (Vibrio fischeri). Biochar activation had both positive and negative impacts, depending on the activation method, kind of bioassay and kind of soil. Generally, biochar activated by microwaves increased the effectiveness of ecotoxicity reduction relative to non-activated biochars. Whereas, biochar activated with CO 2 most often cause a negative effect manifested by deterioration or as a lack of improvement in relation to non-activated biochar or to non-amended soil. It was also demonstrated that the increase of biochar specific surface area caused a significant reduction of toxicity of water leachates from the studied soils. Effectiveness of the reduction of leachate toxicity was weakened in the presence of dissolved organic carbon in the soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 60.59b - Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... monitor mercury or dioxin/furan instead of conducting performance testing using EPA manual test methods, all integrated 24-hour mercury concentrations or all integrated 2-week dioxin/furan concentrations as... actions taken. (4) For affected facilities that apply activated carbon for mercury or dioxin/furan control...

Electrocatalytic activity of spots of electrodeposited noble-metal catalysts on carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon.

PubMed

Chen, Xingxing; Eckhard, Kathrin; Zhou, Min; Bron, Michael; Schuhmann, Wolfgang

2009-09-15

A strategy for the screening of the electrocatalytic activity of electrocatalysts for possible application in fuel cells and other devices is presented. In this approach, metal nanoclusters (Pt, Au, Ru, and Rh and their codeposits) were prepared using a capillary-based droplet-cell by pulsed electrodeposition in a diffusion-restricted viscous solution. A glassy carbon surface was modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by electrophoretic accumulation and was used as substrate for metal nanoparticle deposition. The formed catalyst spots on the CNT-modified glassy carbon surface were investigated toward their catalytic activity for oxygen reduction as a test reaction employing the redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (RC-SECM). Qualitative information on the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts was obtained by varying the potential applied to the substrate; semiquantitative evaluation was based on the determination of the electrochemically deposited catalyst loading by means of the charge transferred during the metal nanoparticle deposition. Qualitatively, Au showed the highest electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in phosphate buffer among all investigated single metal catalysts which was attributed to the much higher loading of Au achieved during electrodeposition. Coelectrodeposited Au-Pt catalysts showed a more positive onset potential (-150 mV in RC-SECM experiments) of the ORR in phosphate buffer at pH 6.7. After normalizing the SECM image by the charge during the metal nanocluster deposition which represents the mass loading of the catalyst, Ru showed a higher electrocatalytic activity toward the ORR than Au.

Effects of organic carbon sequestration strategies on soil enzymatic activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, E.; Suciu, N.; Botteri, L.; Ferrari, T.; Coppolecchia, D.; Trevisan, M.; Piccolo, A.

2009-04-01

Greenhouse gases emissions can be counterbalanced with proper agronomical strategies aimed at sequestering carbon in soils. These strategies must be tested not only for their ability in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, but also for their impact on soil quality: enzymatic activities are related to main soil ecological quality, and can be used as early and sensitive indicators of alteration events. Three different strategies for soil carbon sequestration were studied: minimum tillage, protection of biodegradable organic fraction by compost amendment and oxidative polimerization of soil organic matter catalyzed by biometic porfirins. All strategies were compared with a traditional agricultural management based on tillage and mineral fertilization. Experiments were carried out in three Italian soils from different pedo-climatic regions located respectively in Piacenza, Turin and Naples and cultivated with maize or wheat. Soil samples were taken for three consecutive years after harvest and analyzed for their content in phosphates, ß-glucosidase, urease and invertase. An alteration index based on these enzymatic activities levels was applied as well. The biomimetic porfirin application didn't cause changes in enzymatic activities compared to the control at any treatment or location. Enzymatic activities were generally higher in the minimum tillage and compost treatment, while differences between location and date of samplings were limited. Application of the soil alteration index based on enzymatic activities showed that soils treated with compost or subjected to minimum tillage generally have a higher biological quality. The work confirms the environmental sustainability of the carbon sequestering agronomical practices studied.

Single-walled carbon nanotube, multi-walled carbon nanotube and Fe2O3 nanoparticles induced mitochondria mediated apoptosis in melanoma cells.

PubMed

Naserzadeh, Parvaneh; Ansari Esfeh, Fatemeh; Kaviani, Mahboubeh; Ashtari, Khadijeh; Kheirbakhsh, Raheleh; Salimi, Ahmad; Pourahmad, Jalal

2018-06-01

Nanomaterials (NM) exhibit novel anticancer properties. The toxicity of three nanoparticles that are currently being produced in high tonnage including single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, were compared with normal and melanoma cells. All tested nanoparticles induced selective toxicity and caspase 3 activation through mitochondria pathway in melanoma cells and mitochondria cause the generating of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential decline (MMP collapse), mitochondria swelling, and cytochrome c release. The pretreatment of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a cell-permeable antioxidant and cyclosporine A (Cs. A), a mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), pore sealing agent decreased cytotoxicity, caspase 3 activation, ROS generation, and mitochondrial damages induced by SWCNT, MWCNT, and IONPs. Our promising results provide a potential approach for the future therapeutic use of SWCNT, MWCNT, and IONPs in melanoma through mitochondrial targeting.

Plasma-grafting polymerization on carbon fibers and its effect on their composite properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huanxia; Li, Wei

2015-11-01

Interfacial adhesion between matrix and fibers plays a crucial role in controlling the performance of composites. Carbon fibers have the major constraint of chemical interness and hence have limited adhesion with the matrix. Surface treatment of fibers is the best solution to this problem. In this work, carbon fibers were activated by plasma and grafting polymerization. The grafting ratio of polymerization was obtained by acid-base titration. The chemical and physical changes induced by the treatments on carbon fiber surface was examined using contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) technique. The interfacial adhesion of CF/EP (carbon fiber/epoxy) composites were analyzed by a single fiber composite (SFC) for filament fragmentation test. Experimental results show that the grafting rate was not only the function of the plasma-treat time but also the concentration of the grafting polymerization. The oxygen-containing groups (such as Csbnd O, Cdbnd O, and Osbnd Cdbnd O) and the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the plasma-grafting carbon fiber increased more significantly than the carbon fiber without plasma treatment grafted with MAH. This demonstrates that the surfaces of the carbon fiber samples are more active, hydrophilic, and rough after plasma-grafting treatments using a DBD operating in ambient argon mixture with oxygen. With DBD (dielectric barrier discharges) operating in ambient argon mixture with oxygen, the more active, hydrophilic, and rough surface was obtained by the plasma-grafting treatments.

Application of sodium carbonate prevents sulphur poisoning of catalysts in automated total mercury analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLagan, David S.; Huang, Haiyong; Lei, Ying D.; Wania, Frank; Mitchell, Carl P. J.

2017-07-01

Analysis of high sulphur-containing samples for total mercury content using automated thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectroscopy instruments (USEPA Method 7473) leads to rapid and costly SO2 poisoning of catalysts. In an effort to overcome this issue, we tested whether the addition of powdered sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to the catalyst and/or directly on top of sample material increases throughput of sulphur-impregnated (8-15 wt%) activated carbon samples per catalyst tube. Adding 5 g of Na2CO3 to the catalyst alone only marginally increases the functional lifetime of the catalyst (31 ± 4 g of activated carbon analyzed per catalyst tube) in relation to unaltered catalyst of the AMA254 total mercury analyzer (17 ± 4 g of activated carbon). Adding ≈ 0.2 g of Na2CO3 to samples substantially increases (81 ± 17 g of activated carbon) catalyst life over the unaltered catalyst. The greatest improvement is achieved by adding Na2CO3 to both catalyst and samples (200 ± 70 g of activated carbon), which significantly increases catalyst performance over all other treatments and enables an order of magnitude greater sample throughput than the unaltered samples and catalyst. It is likely that Na2CO3 efficiently sequesters SO2, even at high furnace temperatures to produce Na2SO4 and CO2, largely negating the poisonous impact of SO2 on the catalyst material. Increased corrosion of nickel sampling boats resulting from this methodological variation is easily resolved by substituting quartz boats. Overall, this variation enables an efficient and significantly more affordable means of employing automated atomic absorption spectrometry instruments for total mercury analysis of high-sulphur matrices.

Coupled ultrasonication-milling synthesis of hierarchically porous carbon for high-performance supercapacitor.

PubMed

Yang, Dewei; Jing, Huijuan; Wang, Zhaowu; Li, Jiaheng; Hu, Mingxiang; Lv, Ruitao; Zhang, Rui; Chen, Deliang

2018-05-19

Activated carbon (AC) based supercapacitors exhibit intrinsic advantages in energy storage. Traditional two-step synthesis (carbonization and activation) of AC faces difficulties in precisely regulating its pore-size distribution and thoroughly removing residual impurities like silicon oxide. This paper reports a novel coupled ultrasonication-milling (CUM) process for the preparation of hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) using corn cobs as the carbon resource. The as-obtained HPC is of a large surface area (2288 m 2  g -1 ) with a high mesopore ratio of ∼44.6%. When tested in a three-electrode system, the HPC exhibits a high specific capacitance of 465 F g -1 at 0.5 Ag -1 , 2.7 times higher than that (170 F g -1 ) of the commercial AC (YP-50F). In the two-electrode test system, the HPC device exhibits a specific capacitance of 135 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 , twice higher than that (68 F g -1 ) of YP-50F. The above excellent energy-storage properties are resulted from the CUM process which efficiently removes the impurities and modulates the mesopore/micropore structures of the AC samples derived from the agricultural resides of corn cobs. The CUM process is an efficient method to prepare high-performance biomass-derived AC materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of fly ash for use in concrete

DOEpatents

Boxley, Chett [Park City, UT; Akash, Akash [Salt lake City, UT; Zhao, Qiang [Natick, MA

2012-05-08

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with an activator solution sufficient to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and for a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 35% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash, and in some cases less than 10% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. The activator solution may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Treatment of fly ash for use in concrete

DOEpatents

Boxley, Chett; Akash, Akash; Zhao, Qiang

2013-01-08

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with an activator solution sufficient to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and for a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 35% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash, and in some cases less than 10% of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. The activator solution may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Cobalt- and iron-based nanoparticles hosted in SBA-15 mesoporous silica and activated carbon from biomass: Effect of modification procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoncheva, Tanya; Genova, Izabela; Paneva, Daniela; Dimitrov, Momtchil; Tsyntsarski, Boyko; Velinov, Nicolay; Ivanova, Radostina; Issa, Gloria; Kovacheva, Daniela; Budinova, Temenujka; Mitov, Ivan; Petrov, Narzislav

2015-10-01

Ordered mesoporous silica of SBA-15 type and activated carbon, prepared from waste biomass (peach stones), are used as host matrix of nanosized iron and cobalt particles. The effect of preparation procedure on the state of loaded nanoparticles is in the focus of investigation. The obtained materials are characterized by Boehm method, low temperature physisorption of nitrogen, XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, Mossbauer spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction with hydrogen. The catalytic behaviour of the samples is tested in methanol decomposition. The dispersion, oxidative state and catalytic behaviour of loaded cobalt and iron nanoparticles are successfully tuned both by the nature of porous support and the metal precursor used during the samples preparation. Facile effect of active phase deposition from aqueous solution of nitrate precursors is assumed for activated carbon support. For the silica based materials the catalytic activity could be significantly improved when cobalt acetylacetonate is used during the modification. The complex effect of pore topology and surface functionality of different supports on the active phase formation is discussed.

Development of a prototype regenerable carbon dioxide absorber for portable life support systems. [for astronaut EVA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Onischak, M.; Baker, B.

1977-01-01

The design and development of a prototype carbon dioxide absorber using potassium carbonate (K2CO3) is described. Absorbers are constructed of thin, porous sheets of supported K2CO3 that are spirally wound to form a cylindrical reactor. Axial gas passages are formed between the porous sheets by corrugated screen material. Carbon dioxide and water in an enclosed life support system atmosphere react with potassium carbonate to form potassium bicarbonate. The potassium carbonate is regenerated by heating the potassium bicarbonate to 150 C at ambient pressure. The extravehicular mission design conditions are for one man for 8 h. Results are shown for a subunit test module investigating the effects of heat release, length-to-diameter ratio, and active cooling upon performance. The most important effect upon carbon dioxide removal is the temperature of the potassium carbonate.

Potential of powdered activated mustard cake for decolorising raw sugar.

PubMed

Singh, Kaman; Bharose, Ram; Verma, Sudhir Kumar; Singh, Vimalesh Kumar

2013-01-15

Carbon decolorisation has become customary in the food processing industries; however, it is not economical. Extensive research has therefore been directed towards investigating potential substitutes for commercial activated carbons which might have the advantage of offering an effective, lower-cost replacement for existing bone char or coal-based granular activated carbon (GAC). The physical (bulk density and hardness), chemical (pH and mineral content) and adsorption characteristics (iodine test, molasses test and raw sugar decolorisation efficiency) of powdered activated mustard cake (PAMC) made from de-oiled mustard cake were determined and compared to commercial adsorbents. Although the colour removal efficiency of the PAMC is lower than that of commercial materials, it is cost effective and eco-friendly compared to the existing decolorisation/refining processes. To reduce the load on GAC/activated carbon/charcoal, PAMC could be used on an industrial scale. A decolorisation mechanism has been postulated on the basis of oxygen surface functionalities and surface charge of the PAMC and, accordingly, charge transfer interaction seems to be responsible for the decolorisation mechanism. In addition, a complex interplay of electrostatics and dispersive interaction seem to be involved during the decolorisation process. A low-cost agricultural waste product in the form of de-oiled mustard cake was converted to an efficient adsorbent, PAMC, for use in decolorising raw as well as coloured sugar solutions. The physical, chemical, adsorption characteristics and raw sugar decolorisation efficiency of PAMC were determined and compared to those of commercial adsorbents. The colour removal efficiency of the PAMC is lower than that of commercial materials but it is cost effective and eco-friendly as compared to existing decolorisation/refining processes. The availability of the raw material for the production of PAMC further demands its use on an industrial scale. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influences of internal resistance and specific surface area of electrode materials on characteristics of electric double layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suda, Yoshiyuki; Mizutani, Akitaka; Harigai, Toru; Takikawa, Hirofumi; Ue, Hitoshi; Umeda, Yoshito

2017-01-01

We fabricated electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) using particulate and fibrous types of carbon nanomaterials with a wide range of specific surface areas and resistivity as an active material. The carbon nanomaterials used in this study are carbon nanoballoons (CNBs), onion-like carbon (OLC), and carbon nanocoils (CNCs). A commercially used activated carbon (AC) combined with a conductive agent was used as a comparison. We compared the EDLC performance using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). OLC showed a poor EDLC performance, although it has the lowest resistivity among the carbon nanomaterials. CNB, which has a 1/16 lower specific surface area than AC but higher specific surface area than CNC and OLC, had a higher specific capacitance than CNC and OLC. Moreover, at current densities of 1.5 Ag-1 and larger, the specific capacitance of the EDLC using CNB was almost the same as that using AC. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the EDLCs revealed that the CNB and CNC electrodes had a much lower internal resistance than the AC electrode, which correlated with a low capacitance maintenance factor as the current density increased.

Pd-loaded carbon felt as the cathode for selective dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in aqueous solution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsyganok, A.I.; Yamanaka, Ichiro; Otsuka, Kiyoshi

1998-11-01

Electrocatalytic reductive dehalogenation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to phenoxyacetic acid in aqueous solution containing MeOH, trifluoroacetic acid, and tetraalkylammonium salt was studied. A Teflon-made two-compartment flow-through cell with a permeable carbon felt cathode and a platinum foil anode was employed. Several noble metals were tested as electrocatalysts. Palladium-loaded carbon felt was found to be the most suitable significantly enhanced its electrocatalytic activity toward 2,4-D dechlorination. The reaction was hypothesized to proceed at carbon-palladium interface areas through 4-chlorine cleavage to form 2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid as the main reaction intermediate.

Carbon fiber plume sampling for large scale fire tests at Dugway Proving Ground. [fiber release during aircraft fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chovit, A. R.; Lieberman, P.; Freeman, D. E.; Beggs, W. C.; Millavec, W. A.

1980-01-01

Carbon fiber sampling instruments were developed: passive collectors made of sticky bridal veil mesh, and active instruments using a light emitting diode (LED) source. These instruments measured the number or number rate of carbon fibers released from carbon/graphite composite material when the material was burned in a 10.7 m (35 ft) dia JP-4 pool fire for approximately 20 minutes. The instruments were placed in an array suspended from a 305 m by 305 m (1000 ft by 1000 ft) Jacob's Ladder net held vertically aloft by balloons and oriented crosswind approximately 140 meters downwind of the pool fire. Three tests were conducted during which released carbon fiber data were acquired. These data were reduced and analyzed to obtain the characteristics of the released fibers including their spatial and size distributions and estimates of the number and total mass of fibers released. The results of the data analyses showed that 2.5 to 3.5 x 10 to the 8th power single carbon fibers were released during the 20 minute burn of 30 to 50 kg mass of initial, unburned carbon fiber material. The mass released as single carbon fibers was estimated to be between 0.1 and 0.2% of the initial, unburned fiber mass.

Recovery of carboxylic acids produced during dark fermentation of food waste by adsorption on Amberlite IRA-67 and activated carbon.

PubMed

Yousuf, Ahasa; Bonk, Fabian; Bastidas-Oyanedel, Juan-Rodrigo; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2016-10-01

Amberlite IRA-67 and activated carbon were tested as promising candidates for carboxylic acid recovery by adsorption. Dark fermentation was performed without pH control and without addition of external inoculum at 37°C in batch mode. Lactic, acetic and butyric acids, were obtained, after 7days of fermentation. The maximum acid removal, 74%, from the Amberlite IRA-67 and 63% from activated carbon was obtained from clarified fermentation broth using 200gadsorbent/Lbroth at pH 3.3. The pH has significant effect and pH below the carboxylic acids pKa showed to be beneficial for both the adsorbents. The un-controlled pH fermentation creates acidic environment, aiding in adsorption by eliminating use of chemicals for efficient removal. This study proposes simple and easy valorization of waste to valuable chemicals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrocarbon Liquid Production from Biomass via Hot-Vapor-Filtered Fast Pyrolysis and Catalytic Hydroprocessing of the Bio-oil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elliott, Douglas C.; Wang, Huamin; French, Richard

2014-08-14

Hot-vapor filtered bio-oils were produced from two different biomass feedstocks, oak and switchgrass, and the oils were evaluated in hydroprocessing tests for production of liquid hydrocarbon products. Hot-vapor filtering reduced bio-oil yields and increased gas yields. The yields of fuel carbon as bio-oil were reduced by ten percentage points by hot-vapor filtering for both feedstocks. The unfiltered bio-oils were evaluated alongside the filtered bio-oils using a fixed bed catalytic hydrotreating test. These tests showed good processing results using a two-stage catalytic hydroprocessing strategy. Equal-sized catalyst beds, a sulfided Ru on carbon catalyst bed operated at 220°C and a sulfided CoMomore » on alumina catalyst bed operated at 400°C were used with the entire reactor at 100 atm operating pressure. The products from the four tests were similar. The light oil phase product was fully hydrotreated so that nitrogen and sulfur were below the level of detection, while the residual oxygen ranged from 0.3 to 2.0%. The density of the products varied from 0.80 g/ml up to 0.86 g/ml over the period of the test with a correlated change of the hydrogen to carbon atomic ratio from 1.79 down to 1.57, suggesting some loss of catalyst activity through the test. These tests provided the data needed to assess the suite of liquid fuel products from the process and the activity of the catalyst in relationship to the existing catalyst lifetime barrier for the technology.« less

Production of activated char from Illinois coal for flue gas cleanup

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lizzio, A.A.; DeBarr, J.A.; Kruse, C.W.

1997-01-01

Activated chars were produced from Illinois coal and tested in several flue gas cleanup applications. High-activity chars that showed excellent potential for both SO2 and NOx removal were prepared from an Illinois No. 2 bituminous coal. The SO2 (120 ??C) and NOx (25 ??C) removal performance of one char compared favorably with that of a commercial activated carbon (Calgon Centaur). The NOx removal performance of the same char at 120 ??C exceeded that of the Centaur carbon by more than 1 order of magnitude. Novel char preparation methods were developed including oxidation/thermal desorption and hydrogen treatments, which increased and preserved, respectively, the active sites for SO2 and NOx adsorption. The results of combined SO2/NOx removal tests, however, suggest that SO2 and NOx compete for similar adsorption sites and SO2 seems to be more strongly adsorbed than NO. A low-activity, low-cost char was also developed for cleanup of incinerator flue gas. A three-step method involving coal preoxidation, pyrolysis, and CO2 activation was used to produce the char from Illinois coal. Five hundred pounds of the char was tested on a slipstream of flue gas from a commercial incinerator in Germany. The char was effective in removing >97% of the dioxins and furans present in the flue gas; mercury levels were below detectable limits.

Enhanced antibacterial activity of amino acids-functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes by a simple method.

PubMed

Zardini, Hadi Zare; Amiri, Ahmad; Shanbedi, Mehdi; Maghrebi, Morteza; Baniadam, Majid

2012-04-01

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were first functionalized by arginine and lysine under microwave radiation. Surface functionalization was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After the MWCNTs were functionalized by arginine and lysine, the antibacterial activity of all treated samples was increased significantly against all bacteria that were tested. Based on the observed minimum inhibitory concentration and radial diffusion assay, the sequence of antibacterial activity was MWCNTs-arginine>MWCNTs-lysine>pristine MWCNTs. The functionalized MWCNTs were especially effective against gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium). Interestingly, the MWCNT samples were effective against the resistant strain Staphylococcos aureus. The enhanced antibacterial activity was attributed to electrostatic adsorption of bacteria membrane due to positive charges of the functional groups on MWCNTs surface. Since MWCNTs have lower cytotoxicity than single-walled carbon nanotubes, their functionalization with cationic amino acids could be a beneficial approach in the disinfection industry. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KOH catalysed preparation of activated carbon aerogels for dye adsorption.

PubMed

Ling, Sie King; Tian, H Y; Wang, Shaobin; Rufford, Thomas; Zhu, Z H; Buckley, C E

2011-05-01

Organic carbon aerogels (CAs) were prepared by a sol-gel method from polymerisation of resorcinol, furfural, and hexamethylenetetramine catalysed by KOH at around pH 9 using ambient pressure drying. The effect of KOH in the sol-gel on CA synthesis was studied. It was found that addition of KOH prior to the sol-gel polymerisation process improved thermal stability of the gel, prevented the crystallinity of the gel to graphite, increased the microporosity of CA and promoted activation of CA. The CAs prepared using the KOH catalyst exhibited higher porosity than uncatalysed prepared samples. Activation in CO(2) at higher temperature also enhanced the porosity of CAs. Adsorption tests indicated that the CAs were effective for both basic and acid dye adsorption and the adsorption increased with increasing surface area and pore volume. The kinetic adsorption of dyes was diffusion control and could be described by the second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium adsorption of dyes was higher than activated carbon. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydrocarbon Deposition Attenuates Osteoblast Activity on Titanium

PubMed Central

Hayashi, R.; Ueno, T.; Migita, S.; Tsutsumi, Y.; Doi, H.; Ogawa, T.; Hanawa, T.; Wakabayashi, N.

2014-01-01

Although the reported percentage of bone-implant contact is far lower than 100%, the cause of such low levels of bone formation has rarely been investigated. This study tested the negative biological effect of hydrocarbon deposition onto titanium surfaces, which has been reported to be inevitable. Osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on titanium disks on which the carbon concentration was experimentally regulated to achieve carbon/titanium (C/Ti) ratios of 0.3, 0.7, and 1.0. Initial cellular activities such as cell attachment and cell spreading were concentration-dependently suppressed by the amount of carbon on the titanium surface. The osteoblastic functions of alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium mineralization were also reduced by more than 40% on the C/Ti (1.0) surface. These results indicate that osteoblast activity is influenced by the degree of hydrocarbon contamination on titanium implants and suggest that hydrocarbon decomposition before implant placement may increase the biocompatibility of titanium. PMID:24868012

Antimicrobial Activity and Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay of the Leaves Extract of Dillenia indica Linn.

PubMed

Apu, As; Muhit, Ma; Tareq, Sm; Pathan, Ah; Jamaluddin, Atm; Ahmed, M

2010-01-01

The crude methanolic extract of Dillenia indica Linn. (Dilleniaceae) leaves has been investigated for the evaluation of antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Organic solvent (n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform) fractions of methanolic extract and methanolic fraction (aqueous) were screened for their antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method. Besides, the fractions were screened for cytotoxic activity using brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay. Among the four fractions tested, n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform fractions showed moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity compared to standard antibiotic, kanamycin. The average zone of inhibition was ranged from 6 to 8 mm at a concentration of 400 µg/disc. But the aqueous fraction was found to be insensitive to microbial growth. Compared to vincristine sulfate (with LC(50) of 0.52 µg/ ml), n-hexane and chloroform fractions demonstrated a significant cytotoxic activity (having LC(50) of 1.94 µg/ml and 2.13 µg/ml, respectively). The LC(50) values of the carbon tetrachloride and aqueous fraction were 4.46 µg/ml and 5.13 µg/ ml, respectively. The study confirms the moderate antimicrobial and potent cytotoxic activities of Dillenia indica leaves extract and therefore demands the isolation of active principles and thorough bioassay.

Activated carbon electrode from banana-peel waste for supercapacitor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taer, E.; Taslim, R.; Aini, Z.; Hartati, S. D.; Mustika, W. S.

2017-01-01

Seven types of activated carbon electrode (ACM) have been produced from the banana peel waste for supercapacitor application. The difference type of the electrode was synthesized by the various conditions of carbonization and activation. The production of the ACM was begun by the milling process and molded by a solution casting technique. The next step was followed by drying, carbonization and activation process. Physical properties of the ACM were studied by the N2 gas absorption-desorption method to characterize the specific surface area of the sample. On the other side, the electrochemical properties such as specific capacitance (Csp), specific energy (E) and specific power (P) were resulted by calculating the current (I) and voltage (V) data from the cyclic voltammetry testing. Based on the data obtained the surface area of the ACM has a significant relationship with the electrochemical properties. The specific surface area (SBET), Csp, E and P were found the maximum value as high as 581m2 / g, 68 F/g, 0.75 Wh/kg and 31 W/kg, respectively. Further more, this paper were also analyzed the relationship between electrochemical properties of supercapacitor with the degree of crystallization of the ACM.

Reverse osmosis followed by activated carbon filtration for efficient removal of organic micropollutants from river bank filtrate.

PubMed

Kegel, F Schoonenberg; Rietman, B M; Verliefde, A R D

2010-01-01

Drinking water utilities in Europe are faced with a growing presence of organic micropollutants in their water sources. The aim of this research was to assess the robustness of a drinking water treatment plant equipped with reverse osmosis and subsequent activated carbon filtration for the removal of these pollutants. The total removal efficiency of 47 organic micropollutants was investigated. Results indicated that removal of most organic micropollutants was high for all membranes tested. Some selected micropollutants were less efficiently removed (e.g. the small and polar NDMA and glyphosate, and the more hydrophobic ethylbenzene and napthalene). Very high removal efficiencies for almost all organic micropollutants by the subsequent activated carbon, fed with the permeate stream of the RO element were observed except for the very small and polar NDMA and 1,4-dioxane. RO and subsequent activated carbon filtration are complementary and their combined application results in the removal of a large part of these emerging organic micropollutants. Based on these experiments it can be concluded that the robustness of a proposed treatment scheme for the drinking water treatment plant Engelse Werk is sufficiently guaranteed.

A pilot study of mercury liberation and capture from coal-fired power plant fly ash.

PubMed

Li, Jin; Gao, Xiaobing; Goeckner, Bryna; Kollakowsky, Dave; Ramme, Bruce

2005-03-01

The coal-fired electric utility generation industry has been identified as the largest anthropogenic source of mercury (Hg) emissions in the United States. One of the promising techniques for Hg removal from flue gas is activated carbon injection (ACI). The aim of this project was to liberate Hg bound to fly ash and activated carbon after ACI and provide high-quality coal combustion products for use in construction materials. Both bench- and pilot-scale tests were conducted to liberate Hg using a thermal desorption process. The results indicated that up to 90% of the Hg could be liberated from the fly ash or fly-ash-and-activated-carbon mixture using a pilot-scale apparatus (air slide) at 538 degrees C with a very short retention time (less than 1 min). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) evaluation indicated no significant change in fly ash carbon particle morphology following the thermal treatment. Fly ash particles collected in the baghouse of the pilot-scale apparatus were smaller in size than those collected at the exit of the air slide. A similar trend was observed in carbon particles separated from the fly ash using froth flotation. The results of this study suggest a means for power plants to reduce the level of Hg in coal-combustion products and potentially recycle activated carbon while maintaining the resale value of fly ash. This technology is in the process of being patented.

Interactive effects of environmental change and management strategies on regional forest carbon emissions.

PubMed

Hudiburg, Tara W; Luyssaert, Sebastiaan; Thornton, Peter E; Law, Beverly E

2013-11-19

Climate mitigation activities in forests need to be quantified in terms of the long-term effects on forest carbon stocks, accumulation, and emissions. The impacts of future environmental change and bioenergy harvests on regional forest carbon storage have not been quantified. We conducted a comprehensive modeling study and life-cycle assessment of the impacts of projected changes in climate, CO2 concentration, and N deposition, and region-wide forest management policies on regional forest carbon fluxes. By 2100, if current management strategies continue, then the warming and CO2 fertilization effect in the given projections result in a 32-68% increase in net carbon uptake, overshadowing increased carbon emissions from projected increases in fire activity and other forest disturbance factors. To test the response to new harvesting strategies, repeated thinnings were applied in areas susceptible to fire to reduce mortality, and two clear-cut rotations were applied in productive forests to provide biomass for wood products and bioenergy. The management strategies examined here lead to long-term increased carbon emissions over current harvesting practices, although semiarid regions contribute little to the increase. The harvest rates were unsustainable. This comprehensive approach could serve as a foundation for regional place-based assessments of management effects on future carbon sequestration by forests in other locations.

Electrocatalytic interface based on novel carbon nanomaterials for advanced electrochemical sensors

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Ming; Guo, Shaojun

2015-07-17

The rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology provides new opportunities for the sustainable progress of nanoscale catalysts (i.e., nanocatalysts). The introduction of nanocatalysts into electronic devices implants their novel functions into electronic sensing systems, resulting in the testing of many advanced electrochemical sensors and the fabrication of some highly sensitive, selective, and stable sensing platforms. In this Review, we will summarize recent significant progress on exploring advanced carbon nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, highly ordered mesoporous carbons, and electron cyclotron resonance sputtered nanocarbon film) as nanoscale electrocatalysts (i.e., nanoelectrocatalysts) for constructing the catalytic nanointerfaces of electronic devices to achievemore » high-sensitivity and high-selectivity electrochemical sensors. Furthermore, different mechanisms for the extraordinary and unique electrocatalytic activities of these carbon nanomaterials will be also highlighted, compared and discussed. An outlook on the future trends and developments in this area will be provided at the end. Notably, to elaborate the nature of carbon nanomaterial, we will mainly focus on the electrocatalysis of single kind of carbon materials rather than their hybrid composite materials. As a result, we expect that advanced carbon nanomaterials with unique electrocatalytic activities will continue to attract increasing research interest and lead to new opportunities in various fields of research.« less

Electrocatalytic interface based on novel carbon nanomaterials for advanced electrochemical sensors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Ming; Guo, Shaojun

The rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology provides new opportunities for the sustainable progress of nanoscale catalysts (i.e., nanocatalysts). The introduction of nanocatalysts into electronic devices implants their novel functions into electronic sensing systems, resulting in the testing of many advanced electrochemical sensors and the fabrication of some highly sensitive, selective, and stable sensing platforms. In this Review, we will summarize recent significant progress on exploring advanced carbon nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, highly ordered mesoporous carbons, and electron cyclotron resonance sputtered nanocarbon film) as nanoscale electrocatalysts (i.e., nanoelectrocatalysts) for constructing the catalytic nanointerfaces of electronic devices to achievemore » high-sensitivity and high-selectivity electrochemical sensors. Furthermore, different mechanisms for the extraordinary and unique electrocatalytic activities of these carbon nanomaterials will be also highlighted, compared and discussed. An outlook on the future trends and developments in this area will be provided at the end. Notably, to elaborate the nature of carbon nanomaterial, we will mainly focus on the electrocatalysis of single kind of carbon materials rather than their hybrid composite materials. As a result, we expect that advanced carbon nanomaterials with unique electrocatalytic activities will continue to attract increasing research interest and lead to new opportunities in various fields of research.« less

α-Amylase inhibitor activity of endophytic bacteria isolated from Annona muricata L

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pujiyanto, Sri; Resdiani, Merysa; Raharja, Budi; Siti Ferniah, Rejeki

2018-05-01

α-amylase (α-1,4-glucan-4-glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of starch into its monomers. Most people use medicinal plants for keeping normal level of blood glucose, for example, the Annona muricata. The objectives of this study are to obtain endophytic bacteria from the plant, knowing the activity of the α-amylase inhibitor of selected isolates. Endophytic bacteria are isolated from the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant have been sterilized surface and grown in NA medium. A total of 11 isolates were found to produce α-amylase inhibitor compounds. The isolates obtained were tested for their α-amylase inhibitor activity, and isolates with the highest activity tested further. Isolate DS21 show the best activity with 72,22% inhibition. The experimental design used in this research is Completely Randomized Design (RAL). The best isolates treated by a variety of carbon sources, and the best carbon source treated with various pH. The data obtained were analyzed usingAnalysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results of statistical tests show the treatment of starch and lactose has a significant effect on the production of α-amylase inhibitors (P <0.05) and the pH 5 and 6,0 significantly affected the production of α-amylase inhibitors (P <0.05).

Biogas upgrading: optimal activated carbon properties for siloxane removal.

PubMed

Cabrera-Codony, Alba; Montes-Morán, Miguel A; Sánchez-Polo, Manuel; Martín, Maria J; Gonzalez-Olmos, Rafael

2014-06-17

A total of 12 commercial activated carbons (ACs) have been tested for the removal of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) in dynamic adsorption experiments using different carrier gases and D4 concentrations. Characterization of the ACs included several physical and chemical techniques. The D4 adsorption capacities were strongly related with the textural development of the ACs. Results showed that the optimum adsorbent for D4 is a wood-based chemically activated carbon, which rendered an adsorption capacity of 1732 ± 93 mg g(-1) using 1000 ppm (v/v) of D4 with dry N2 as the carrier gas. When the concentration of D4 was lowered to typical values found in biogas, the adsorption capacity was halved. The presence of major biogas compounds (i.e., CH4 and CO2) and humidity further reduced the D4 adsorption capacity. The polymerization of D4 over the surface of all ACs was found to be relevant after prolonged contact times. The extent of this phenomenon, which may negatively affect the thermal regeneration of the AC, correlated reasonably well with the presence of phenolic and carboxylic groups on the carbon surfaces.

Chromium removal from water by activated carbon developed from waste rubber tires.

PubMed

Gupta, Vinod Kumar; Ali, Imran; Saleh, Tawfik A; Siddiqui, M N; Agarwal, Shilpi

2013-03-01

Because of the continuous production of large amount of waste tires, the disposal of waste tires represents a major environmental issue throughout the world. This paper reports the utilization of waste tires (hard-to-dispose waste) as a precursor in the production of activated carbons (pollution-cleaning adsorbent). In the preparation of activated carbon (AC), waste rubber tire (WRT) was thermally treated and activated. The tire-derived activated carbon was characterized by means of scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, FTIR spectrophotometer, and X-ray diffraction. In the IR spectrum, a number of bands centred at about 3409, 2350, 1710, 1650, and 1300-1000 cm(-1) prove the present of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the surface of AC in addition to C═C double bonds. The developed AC was tested and evaluated as potential adsorbent removal of chromium (III). Experimental parameters, such as contact time, initial concentration, adsorbent dosage and pH were optimized. A rapid uptake of chromium ions was observed and the equilibrium is achieved in 1 h. It was also found that the adsorption process is pH dependent. This work adds to the global discussion of the cost-effective utilization of waste rubber tires for waste water treatment.

Pheromones affecting ovary activation and ovariole loss in the Asian honey bee Apis cerana.

PubMed

Tan, Ken; Liu, Xiwen; Dong, Sihao; Wang, Chao; Oldroyd, Benjamin P

2015-03-01

The Asian hive bee Apis cerana has similar queen mandibular pheromones (QMP) to the Western honey bee Apismellifera. However the effects of individual QMP components have never been tested to determine their effects on the reproductive physiology of A. cerana workers. We fed one queen equivalent of each of the major components of A. cerana QMP to groups of c.a. 500 day-old, caged, workers twice a day until the workers were 10 days old. Half of the cages were also provided with 10% royal jelly in the food. Workers were sampled each day and dissected to determine the number of ovarioles and the degree of ovary activation (egg development). In cages treated with 9-carbon fatty acids ovary activation was minimal, whereas the 10-carbon acids suppressed ovary activation very little. Royal jelly enhanced ovary activation, especially in cages treated with 10-carbon acids. The number of ovarioles declined with bee age, but the rate of decline was slowed by the 9-carbon acids in particular. The results show conservation of the composition and function of QMP between A. cerana and A. mellifera and support the hypothesis that QMP is an honest signal of queen fecundity rather than a chemical castrator of workers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One-pot synthesis and antiproliferative activity of novel double-modified derivatives of the polyether ionophore monensin A.

PubMed

Klejborowska, Greta; Maj, Ewa; Wietrzyk, Joanna; Stefańska, Joanna; Huczyński, Adam

2018-05-02

Monensin A (MON) is a polyether ionophore antibiotic, which shows a wide spectrum of biological activity. New MON derivatives such as double-modified ester-carbonates and double-modified amide-carbonates were obtained by a new and efficient one-pot synthesis with triphosgene as the activating reagent and the respective alcohol or amine. All new derivatives were tested for their antiproliferative activity against two drug-sensitive (MES-SA, LoVo) and two drug-resistant (MES-SA/DX5, LoVo/DX) cancer cell lines, and were also studied for their antimicrobial activity against different Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis bacterial strains. For the first time, the activity of MON and its derivatives against MES-SA and MES-SA/DX5 were evaluated. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Safety assessment of a natural tomato oleoresin containing high amounts of Z-isomers of lycopene prepared with supercritical carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Honda, Masaki; Higashiura, Takuma; Fukaya, Tetsuya

2017-02-01

Z-isomers of lycopene, which are abundantly present in processed tomato products, are more bioavailable than (all-E)-lycopene found predominantly in raw tomatoes. Despite extensive studies on the bioavailability and biological activities of Z-isomers of lycopene, detailed studies on their safety and toxicology are limited. The geno-, acute and subacute toxicities of tomato oleoresin that contained high amounts of lycopene Z-isomers (10.9% lycopene with 66.3% Z-isomer content) and had been prepared with supercritical carbon dioxide were investigated. The oleoresin was non-mutagenic in the Ames test with and without metabolic activation (S9 mix). The medial lethal dose (LD 50 ) of the oleoresin in rats, as determined by a single-dose oral test, was more than 5000 mg kg body weight -1 (bw) [361 mg (Z)-lycopene kg bw -1 ]. In the 4-week repeated-dose oral toxicity test, rats were administered oleoresin at 4500 mg kg -1 day -1 [325 mg (Z)-lycopene kg bw -1 day -1 ]. There were no clinically significant changes with respect to vital signs, physical examination outcomes and laboratory test values during the test period. Based on our findings and as supported by its long history of consumption, tomato oleoresin that contains high amounts of Z-isomers of lycopene prepared with supercritical carbon dioxide can be considered as safe for human consumption. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Testing a Regenerative Carbon Dioxide and Moisture Removal Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.; Button, Amy; Sweterlitsch, Jeffrey J.; Curley, Suzanne

2010-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration supported the development of a new vacuum-desorbed regenerative carbon dioxide and humidity control technology for use in short duration human spacecraft. The technology was baselined for use in the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle s Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). Termed the Carbon Dioxide And Moisture Removal Amine Swing-bed (CAMRAS), the unit was developed by Hamilton Sundstrand and has undergone extensive testing at Johnson Space Center. The tests were performed to evaluate performance characteristics under range of operating conditions and human loads expected in future spacecraft applications, as part of maturation to increase its readiness for flight. Early tests, conducted at nominal atmospheric pressure, used human metabolic simulators to generate loads, with later tests making us of human test subjects. During these tests many different test cases were performed, involving from 1 to 6 test subjects, with different activity profiles (sleep, nominal and exercise). These tests were conducted within the airlock portion of a human rated test chamber sized to simulate the Orion cabin free air volume. More recently, a test was completed that integrated the CAMRAS with a simulated suit loop using prototype umbilicals and was conducted at reduced atmospheric pressure and elevated oxygen levels. This paper will describe the facilities and procedures used to conduct these and future tests, and provide a summary of findings.

Enhanced Recyclable Magnetized Palm Shell Waste-Based Powdered Activated Carbon for the Removal of Ibuprofen: Insights for Kinetics and Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Wong, Kien Tiek; Yoon, Yeomin; Jang, Min

2015-01-01

A novel preparation method of magnetized palm shell waste-based powdered activated carbon (MPPAC, avg. size 112 μm) was developed. The prepared MPPAC was assessed by several physicochemical analyses, and batch tests were performed for ibuprofen (IBP) removal. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and N2 gas isotherms revealed that magnetite and maghemite were homogeneous and deposited mostly on the surface of PPAC without a significant clogging effect on the micropores. Isotherm results showed that 3.8% Fe (w/w) impregnated PPAC [MPPAC-Fe(3.8%)] had about 2.2-fold higher maximum sorption capacity (157.3 mg g-1) and a 2.5-fold higher sorption density (0.23 mg m-2) than pristine PPAC. Both Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotherm data indicated that the high sorption capacity and density of IBP by MPPAC was primarily attributable to donor-acceptor complexes with the C = O group and dispersive π-π interactions with the carbon surface. Based on kinetic and repeated adsorption tests, pore diffusion was the rate-limiting step, and MPPAC-Fe(3.8%) had about 1.9~2.8- and 9.1~15.8-fold higher rate constants than MPPAC-Fe(8.6%) and palm shell-waste granular activated carbon (PGAC, avg. size 621 μm), respectively. MPPAC showed almost eight fold greater re-adsorption capacity than PPAC due to a thermal catalytic effect of magnetite/maghemite. PMID:26496196

Enhanced Recyclable Magnetized Palm Shell Waste-Based Powdered Activated Carbon for the Removal of Ibuprofen: Insights for Kinetics and Mechanisms.

PubMed

Wong, Kien Tiek; Yoon, Yeomin; Jang, Min

2015-01-01

A novel preparation method of magnetized palm shell waste-based powdered activated carbon (MPPAC, avg. size 112 μm) was developed. The prepared MPPAC was assessed by several physicochemical analyses, and batch tests were performed for ibuprofen (IBP) removal. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and N2 gas isotherms revealed that magnetite and maghemite were homogeneous and deposited mostly on the surface of PPAC without a significant clogging effect on the micropores. Isotherm results showed that 3.8% Fe (w/w) impregnated PPAC [MPPAC-Fe(3.8%)] had about 2.2-fold higher maximum sorption capacity (157.3 mg g-1) and a 2.5-fold higher sorption density (0.23 mg m-2) than pristine PPAC. Both Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotherm data indicated that the high sorption capacity and density of IBP by MPPAC was primarily attributable to donor-acceptor complexes with the C = O group and dispersive π-π interactions with the carbon surface. Based on kinetic and repeated adsorption tests, pore diffusion was the rate-limiting step, and MPPAC-Fe(3.8%) had about 1.9~2.8- and 9.1~15.8-fold higher rate constants than MPPAC-Fe(8.6%) and palm shell-waste granular activated carbon (PGAC, avg. size 621 μm), respectively. MPPAC showed almost eight fold greater re-adsorption capacity than PPAC due to a thermal catalytic effect of magnetite/maghemite.

Near-Zero Emissions Oxy-Combustion Flue Gas Purification Task 3: SOx/NOx/Hg Removal for Low Sulfur Coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zanfir, Monica; Solunke, Rahul; Shah, Minish

2012-06-01

The goal of this project was to develop a near-zero emissions flue gas purification technology for existing PC (pulverized coal) power plants that are retrofitted with oxycombustion technology. The objective of Task 3 of this project was to evaluate an alternative method of SOx, NOx and Hg removal from flue gas produced by burning low sulfur coal in oxy-combustion power plants. The goal of the program was to conduct an experimental investigation and to develop a novel process for simultaneously removal of SOx and NOx from power plants that would operate on low sulfur coal without the need for wet-FGDmore » & SCRs. A novel purification process operating at high pressures and ambient temperatures was developed. Activated carbon's catalytic and adsorbent capabilities are used to oxidize the sulfur and nitrous oxides to SO{sub 3} and NO{sub 2} species, which are adsorbed on the activated carbon and removed from the gas phase. Activated carbon is regenerated by water wash followed by drying. The development effort commenced with the screening of commercially available activated carbon materials for their capability to remove SO{sub 2}. A bench-unit operating in batch mode was constructed to conduct an experimental investigation of simultaneous SOx and NOx removal from a simulated oxyfuel flue gas mixture. Optimal operating conditions and the capacity of the activated carbon to remove the contaminants were identified. The process was able to achieve simultaneous SOx and NOx removal in a single step. The removal efficiencies were >99.9% for SOx and >98% for NOx. In the longevity tests performed on a batch unit, the retention capacity could be maintained at high level over 20 cycles. This process was able to effectively remove up to 4000 ppm SOx from the simulated feeds corresponding to oxyfuel flue gas from high sulfur coal plants. A dual bed continuous unit with five times the capacity of the batch unit was constructed to test continuous operation and longevity. Full-automation was implemented to enable continuous operation (24/7) with minimum operator supervision. Continuous run was carried out for 40 days. Very high SOx (>99.9%) and NOx (98%) removal efficiencies were also achieved in a continuous unit. However, the retention capacity of carbon beds for SOx and NOx was decreased from ~20 hours to ~10 hours over a 40 day period of operation, which was in contrast to the results obtained in a batch unit. These contradictory results indicate the need for optimization of adsorption-regeneration cycle to maintain long term activity of activated carbon material at a higher level and thus minimize the capital cost of the system. In summary, the activated carbon process exceeded performance targets for SOx and NOx removal efficiencies and it was found to be suitable for power plants burning both low and high sulfur coals. More efforts are needed to optimize the system performance.« less

Measuring Polanyi Potentials for Chemsorb 1000 and Chemsorb 3800

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monje, Oscar; Surma, Jan M.; Kayatin, Matthew J.; Perry, Jay L.

2016-01-01

Polanyi adsorption potential plots are used to predict the adsorptive capacities of volatile organic compounds onto activated carbons. The design and construction of a test rig for measuring equilibrium adsorption capacities suitable for constructing Polanyi adsorption potential plots for candidate sorbents suitable for use in ECLS systems is presented. The adsorptive capacities of Chemsorb(TradeMark) 1000 and Chemsorb(TradeMark) 800 for ethanol and acetone were measured. The capacities and Polanyi adsorption potential plots for these commercially-available sorbents were compared to that of Barnebey Sutcliffe Type 3032, an acid-impregnated activated carbon utilized aboard the International Space Station.

Testing the ``Wildfire Hypothesis:'' Terrestrial Organic Carbon Burning as the Cause of the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary Carbon Isotope Excursion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, E. A.; Kurtz, A. C.

2005-12-01

The 3‰ negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary has generally been attributed to dissociation of seafloor methane hydrates. We are testing the alternative hypothesis that the carbon cycle perturbation resulted from wildfires affecting the extensive peatlands and coal swamps formed in the Paleocene. Accounting for the CIE with terrestrial organic carbon rather than methane requires a significantly larger net release of fossil carbon to the ocean-atmosphere, which may be more consistent with the extreme global warming and ocean acidification characteristic of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). While other researchers have noted evidence of fires at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in individual locations, the research presented here is designed to test the "wildfire hypothesis" for the Paleocene-Eocene boundary by examining marine sediments for evidence of a global increase in wildfire activity. Such fires would produce massive amounts of soot, widely distributed by wind and well preserved in marine sediments as refractory black carbon. We expect that global wildfires occurring at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary would produce a peak in black carbon abundance at the PETM horizon. We are using the method of Gelinas et al. (2001) to produce high-resolution concentration profiles of black carbon across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary using seafloor sediments from ODP cores, beginning with the Bass River core from ODP leg 174AX and site 1209 from ODP leg 198. This method involves the chemical and thermal extraction of non-refractory carbon followed by combustion of the residual black carbon and measurement as CO2. Measurement of the δ 13C of the black carbon will put additional constraints on the source of the organic material combusted, and will allow us to determine if this organic material was formed prior to or during the CIE.

A trimodal porous carbon as an effective catalyst for hydrogen production by methane decomposition.

PubMed

Shen, Yi; Lua, Aik Chong

2016-01-15

A new type of porous carbon with an interconnected trimodal pore system is synthesized by a nanocasting method using nanoparticulated bimodal micro-mesoporous silica particles as the template. The synthesized template and carbon material are characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission electron scanning microscopy (FESEM) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption test. The synthesized carbon material has an extremely high surface area, a large pore volume and an interconnected pore structure, which could provide abundant active sites and space for chemical reactions and minimize the diffusion resistance of the reactants. The resulting carbon is used as the catalyst for hydrogen production by the thermal decomposition of methane. The catalytic results show that the as-synthesized carbon in this study produces much higher methane conversion and hydrogen yield than the commercial carbon materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Bioelectrochemical Characteristics of Activated Sludge Using Cyclic Voltammetry.

PubMed

Khater, Dena Z; El-Khatib, K M; Hassan, Rabeay Y A

2018-01-01

Due to the potential interest, bioelectrochemical responses of activated sludge using the three-electrode system are tested. From the cyclic voltammograms, the oxidation current output is increasing due to incubation time increase, whereas 5, 25 and 39.33 μA are obtained after 3, 72 and 96 h, respectively. Changing the working electrode from glassy carbon to carbon paste led to the increase in the electrochemical signal from 0.3 to be 3.72 μA. On the other hand, the use of the lipophilic redox mediator (2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP)) amplified the oxidation current to reach 19.9 μA instead of 2.1 μA. Based on these findings, the mixed microbial community of the activated sludge is exploited as a catalyst for the bio-oxidation of the degradable organic substrates, while DCIP is used as a mobile electron carrier from the intracellular matrix of the metabolically active cells to the carbon paste electrode which served as the final electron acceptor. Therefore, the extracellular electron transfer from the formed active biofilm at the electrode surface is assisted by the existence of DCIP.

Synthesis of high-performance Li4Ti5O12 and its application to the asymmetric hybrid capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byunggwan; Yoon, Jung Rag

2013-11-01

In this work, granule Li4Ti5O12 was successfully synthesized by spray drying a precursor slurry, followed by the solid-state reaction method. The precursor slurry was prepared from a solution of lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) in deionized water. A hybrid capacitor was fabricated which comprised a granule Li4Ti5O12 anode and activated carbon cathode. For comparison, an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) cell was fabricated by using activated carbon electrodes in the same way. The electrochemical performance of the hybrid capacitor and the EDLC was characterized by constant current charge/discharge curves and cycle performance testing. The electrochemical testing results showed that the capacitance of the hybrid capacitor is approximately 2.5 times higher than that of the EDLC. Furthermore, the capacitance of the EDLC and the hybrid capacitor barely decreased after 1,000 cycles. The results of this study demonstrate that the hybrid capacitor has the advantages of the high rate capability of a supercapacitor (EDLC) and high battery capacity.

Temporal succession in carbon incorporation from macromolecules by particle-attached bacteria in marine microcosms: Particle-attached bacteria incorporating organic carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayali, Xavier; Stewart, Benjamin; Mabery, Shalini

Here, we investigated bacterial carbon assimilation from stable isotope-labelled macromolecular substrates (proteins; lipids; and two types of polysaccharides, starch and cellobiose) while attached to killed diatom detrital particles during laboratory microcosms incubated for 17 days. Using Chip-SIP (secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis of RNA microarrays), we identified generalist operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the Gammaproteobacteria, belonging to the genera Colwellia, Glaciecola, Pseudoalteromonas and Rheinheimera, and from the Bacteroidetes, genera Owenweeksia and Maribacter, that incorporated the four tested substrates throughout the incubation period. Many of these OTUs exhibited the highest isotope incorporation relative to the others, indicating that they were likelymore » the most active. Additional OTUs from the Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Alphaproteobacteria exhibited generally (but not always) lower activity and did not incorporate all tested substrates at all times, showing species succession in organic carbon incorporation. We also found evidence to suggest that both generalist and specialist OTUs changed their relative substrate incorporation over time, presumably in response to changing substrate availability as the particles aged. This pattern was demonstrated by temporal succession from relatively higher starch incorporation early in the incubations, eventually switching to higher cellobiose incorporation after 2 weeks.« less

Cathode catalysts for primary phosphoric acid fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Alkylation or carbon Vulcan XC-72, the support carbon, was shown to provide the most stable bond type for linking cobalt dehydrodibenzo tetraazannulene (CoTAA) to the surface of the carbon; this result is based on data obtained by cyclic voltammetry, pulse voltammetry and by release of 14C from bonded CoTAA. Half-cell tests at 100 C in 85% phosphoric acid showed that CoTAA bonded to the surface of carbon (Vulcan XC-72) via an alkylation procedure is a more active catalyst than is platinum based on a factor of two improvement in Tafel slope; dimeric CoTAA had catalytic activity equal to platinum. Half-cell tests also showed that bonded CoTAA catalysts do not suffer a loss in potential when air is used as a fuel rather than oxygen. Commercially available polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) was shown to be unstable in the fuel cell environment with degradation occurring in 2000 hours or less. The PTFE was stressed at 200 C in concentrated phosphoric acid as well as electrochemically stressed in 150 C concentrated phosphoric acid; the surface chemistry of PTFE was observed to change significantly. Radiolabeled PTFE was prepared and used to verify that such chemical changes also occur in the primary fuel cell environment.

Effect of Microwave Non thermal Plasma Irradiation on the Adsorptive Properties of Active Carbon Preliminarily Impregnated with Poly(vinyl alcohol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueshima, Masato; Toda, Eriko; Nakajima, Yuki; Sugiyama, Kazuo

2010-08-01

Microwave non thermal plasma irradiation was conducted on active carbon (AC) preliminarily impregnated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in order to modify the adsorption properties of active carbon, particularly to increase hydrophobicity. The plasma was produced by applying microwave power on the PVA-impregnated active carbon (PVA/AC) placed in a low vacuum chamber (<10 Torr). The surface of the plasma-treated PVA/AC was imaged using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (SEM and AFM, respectively), and analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Hydrophobicity of the plasma-treated PVA/AC was compared to that of untreated PVA/AC and AC by a sinking test in water/methanol mixed solutions. The hydrophobicity drastically increased for PVA/AC treatment with 1-min plasma irradiation. The AFM results indicated that the surface roughness of the PVA/AC was dependent upon the hydrophobicity, rather than reduction of free energy due to reduction of polarized functional groups. NaOH and HCl adsorption onto the plasma-treated PVA/AC was also measured. Adsorption capacity of plasma-treated PVA/AC increased for NaOH, whereas it decreased for HCl. The plasma treatment not only increased the hydrophobicity of PVA/AC, but also changed its acid-base adsorption properties. We have developed a new material based on active carbon, which is light, hydrophobic and electrically conductive by using a combination of PVA sintering and plasma irradiation.

Synthesis and biological activity of alkynoic acids derivatives against mycobacteria

PubMed Central

Vilchèze, Catherine; Leung, Lawrence W.; Bittman, Robert; Jacobs, William R.

2015-01-01

2-alkynoic acids have bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis but their activity fall sharply as the length of the carbon chain increased. In this study, derivatives of 2- alkynoic acids were synthesized and tested against fast- and slow-growing mycobacteria. Their activity was first evaluated in M. smegmatis against their parental 2-alkynoic acids, as well as isoniazid, a first-line antituberculosis drug. The introduction of additional unsaturation or heteroatoms into the carbon chain enhanced the antimycobacterial activity of longer chain alkynoic acids (more than 19 carbons long). In contrast, although the modification of the carboxylic group did not improve the antimycobacterial activity, it significantly reduced the toxicity of the compounds against eukaryotic cells. Importantly, 4-(alkylthio)but-2-ynoic acids, had better bactericidal activity than the parental 2-alkynoic acids and on a par with isoniazid against the slow-grower Mycobacterium bovis BCG. These compounds had also low toxicity against eukaryotic cells, suggesting that they could be potential therapeutic agents against other types of topical mycobacterial infections causing skin diseases including Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium ulcerans, and Mycobacterium leprae. Moreover, they provide a possible scaffold for future drug development. PMID:26256431

Characterization and observation of water-based nanofluids quench medium with carbon particle content variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahya, S. S.; Harjanto, S.; Putra, W. N.; Ramahdita, G.; Kresnodrianto, Mahiswara, E. P.

2018-05-01

Recently, nanofluids have been widely used in heat treatment industries as quench medium with better quenching performance. The thermal conductivity of nanofluids is higher compared to conventional quench medium such as polymer, water, brine, and petroleum-based oil. This characteristic can be achieved by mixing high thermal conductivity particles in nanometer scale with a fluid as base. In this research, carbon powder and distilled water were used as nanoparticles and base respectively. The carbon source used in this research was laboratory grade carbon powder, and activated carbon as a cheaper alternative source. By adjusting the percentage of dispersed carbon particles, thermal conductivity of nanofluids could be controlled as needed. To obtain nanoscale carbon particles, planetary ball mill was used to grind laboratory-grade carbon and active carbon powder to further decrease its particle size. This milling method will provide nanoparticles with lower production cost. Milling speed and duration were set at 500 rpm and 15 hours. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) were carried out respectively to determine the particle size, material identification, particle morphology. The carbon nanoparticle content in nanofluids quench mediums for this research were varied at 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 % vol. Furthermore, these mediums were used to quench AISI 1045 carbon steel samples which had been annealed at 1000 °C. Hardness testing and metallography observation were then conducted to check the effect of different quench medium in steel samples. Preliminary characterizations showed that the carbon particle dimension after milling was hundreds of nanometers, or still in sub-micron range. Therefore, the milling process parameters are need to be optimized further. EDX observation in laboratory-grade carbon powder showed that the powder was pure carbon as expected for, but in activated carbon has some impurities. The nanofluid itself, however, was stable, despite the hydrophobic characteristic of carbon. The effect of different carbon percentages in nanofluid could give an illustration for optimal ratio of nanofluid to achieve the desired material properties.

Increase of porosity by combining semi-carbonization and KOH activation of formaldehyde resins to prepare high surface area carbons for supercapacitor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heimböckel, Ruben; Kraas, Sebastian; Hoffmann, Frank; Fröba, Michael

2018-01-01

A series of porous carbon samples were prepared by combining a semi-carbonization process of acidic polymerized phenol-formaldehyde resins and a following chemical activation with KOH used in different ratios to increase specific surface area, micropore content and pore sizes of the carbons which is favourable for supercapacitor applications. Samples were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the amount of KOH, combined with the semi-carbonization step had a remarkable effect on the specific surface area (up to SBET: 3595 m2 g-1 and SDFT: 2551 m2 g-1), pore volume (0.60-2.62 cm3 g-1) and pore sizes (up to 3.5 nm). The carbons were tested as electrode materials for electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLC) in a two electrode setup with tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile as electrolyte. The prepared carbon material with the largest surface area, pore volume and pore sizes exhibits a high specific capacitance of 145.1 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. With a high specific energy of 31 W h kg-1 at a power density of 33028 W kg-1 and a short time relaxation constant of 0.29 s, the carbon showed high power capability as an EDLC electrode material.

Small-scale and large-scale testing of photo-electrochemically activated leaching technology in Aprelkovo and Delmachik Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekisov, AG; Lavrov, AYu; Rubtsov, YuI

2017-02-01

The paper gives a description of tests and trials of the technology of heap gold leaching from rebellious ore in Aprelkovo and Delmachik Mines. Efficiency of leaching flowsheets with the stage-wise use of activated solutions of different reagents, including active forms of oxygen, is evaluated. Carbonate-peroxide solutions are used at the first stage of leaching to oxidize sulfide and sulfide-arsenide ore minerals to recover iron and copper from them. The second stage leaching uses active cyanide solutions to leach encapsulated and disperse gold and silver.

Effect of preparation methods on the activity of titanium dioxide-carbon nitride composites for photocatalytic degradation of salicylic acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliati, L.; Salleh, A. M.; Hatta, M. H. M.; Lintang, H. O.

2018-04-01

In this study, titanium dioxide-carbon nitride (TiO2-CN) composites were prepared by three methods, which were one pot oxidation, impregnation, and physical mixing. Each series of the photocatalysts was prepared with different ratios of titanium to carbon (Ti/C), i.e., 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 mol%. All samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DR UV-Vis) spectroscopies. The characterization results confirmed the successful preparation of TiO2, CN, and the TiO2-CN composites. Photocatalytic activity tests were carried out for degradation of salicylic acid at room temperature for 6 h under UV and visible light irradiations. It was confirmed that all the prepared TiO2-CN composites showed better photocatalytic activities than the bare TiO2 and the bare CN. Under UV light irradiation, 90.6% of salicylic acid degradation was achieved on the best composite prepared by one pot oxidation with 5 mol% of titanium to carbon (Ti/C) ratio. On the other hand, the highest degradation under visible light irradiation was 94.3%, observed on the composite that was prepared also by one pot oxidation method with the Ti/C ratio of 10 mol%. Therefore, among the investigated methods, the best method to prepare the titanium dioxide-carbon nitride composites with high photocatalytic activity was one pot oxidation method.

Effects of tillage on the Fe oxides activation in soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Guangyu; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi; Wang, Jun; Zheng, Taihui

2009-07-01

Since mid-1950s, the wetland ecosystems in Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China have been experiencing greater changes in land use, which had negative effects on the soil environments. This study assessed the effects of soil tillage on the activation of soil Fe in the region. The test ecosystems included natural wetland, paddy field and upland field converted from wetland. Soil samples at the depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm, 30-40 cm, 40-60 cm, 60-90 cm and 90-120 cm were collected from each of the ecosystems for the analysis of vertical distribution of soil pH, organic carbon, chelate Fe oxides and Fe(II). The results showed that the conversion of wetland into paddy field and upland field induced a decrease of organic carbon content in 0-10 cm soil layer by 61.8% (P <0.05) and 70.0% (P < 0.05), respectively. The correlations among iron forms and soil organic carbon showed that chelate Fe oxides and Fe(II) was correlated positively with soil organic carbon and chelate ratio had a more positive relationship with organic carbon than chelate Fe oxides and Fe(II). The results of chelate Fe oxides, Fe(II) and chelate ratio of Fe suggested that reclamation could prevent the Fe activation and organic matter is credited for having an important influence on the process of Fe activation.

Heat shield characterization: Outer planet atmospheric entry probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mezines, S. A.; Rusert, E. L.; Disser, E. F.

1976-01-01

A full scale carbon phenolic heat shield was fabricated for the Outer Planet Probe in order to demonstrate the feasibility of molding large carbon phenolic parts with a new fabrication processing method (multistep). The sphere-cone heat shield was molded as an integral unit with the nose cap plies configured into a double inverse chevron shape to achieve the desired ply orientation. The fabrication activity was successful and the feasibility of the multistep processing technology was established. Delaminations or unbonded plies were visible on the heat shield and resulted from excessive loss of resin and lack of sufficient pressure applied on the part during the curing cycle. A comprehensive heat shield characterization test program was conducted, including: nondestructive tests with the full scale heat shield and thermal and mechanical property tests with small test specimen.

;Green; carbon with hierarchical three dimensional porous structure derived from - Pongamia pinnata seed oil extract cake and NiCo2O4-Ni(OH)2/Multiwall carbon nanotubes nanocomposite as electrode materials for high performance asymmetric supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaitra, K.; Narendra, Reddy; Venkatesh, Krishna; Nagaraju, N.; Kathyayini, Nagaraju

2017-07-01

Herein, we report for the first time synthesis and electrochemical supercapacitance performance of 3-D hierarchical porous "Green" carbon derived from Pongamia pinnata seed oil extract cake and its activation using different amounts of KOH. Also, nanocomposites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with various weight percentages of Ni and Co were prepared by hydrothermal method. Physico-chemical properties of "Green" carbon and nanocomposites were analyzed by Powder X-ray Diffraction, Brunner Emmett Teller surface area, Scanning Electron Microscopy-Elemental Dispersive Spectrum, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Raman techniques. KOH activated carbon was found associated with combination of micropores & mesopores while the nanocomposite with mixture of spinel NiCo2O4 and Ni(OH)2. Porous carbon activated with 2:1::KOH:C (KC2) and the nanocomposite with 1:1 Ni & Co (NC1) exhibited excellent electrochemical performance in three electrode system. Further, fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor (AS) device Ni-Co-MWCNT (NC1)//KC2 exhibited specific capacitance (Cs) of 177 F/g as determined by cyclic voltammetry at 10 mV/s and retained 90% even at 3000th cycle in life cycle test conducted at high current density of 50 A/g. In order to evaluate its practical performance, the AS device was charged to 1.8 V at 5 A/g and used successfully to power a calculator for more than 1 h.

Ligninolytic enzyme production in selected sub-tropical white rot fungi under different culture conditions.

PubMed

Tekere, M; Zvauya, R; Read, J S

2001-01-01

Lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and laccase activities in selected sub-tropical white rot fungal species from Zimbabwe were determined. The enzyme activities were assayed at varying concentrations of C, N and Mn2+. Manganese peroxidase and laccase activities were the only expressed activities in the fungi under the culture conditions tested. Trametes species, T. cingulata, T. elegans and T. pocas produced the highest manganese peroxidase activities in a medium containing high carbon and low nitrogen conditions. High nitrogen conditions favoured high manganese peroxidase activity in DSPM95, L. velutinus and Irpex spp. High manganese peroxidase activity was notable for T. versicolor when both carbon and nitrogen in the medium were present at high levels. Laccase production by the isolates was highest under conditions of high nitrogen and those conditions with both nitrogen and carbon at high concentration. Mn2+ concentrations between 11-25 ppm gave the highest manganese peroxidase activity compared to a concentration of 40 ppm or when there was no Mn2+ added. Laccase activity was less influenced by Mn2+ levels. While some laccase activity was produced in the absence of Mn2+, the enzyme levels were higher when Mn2+ was added to the culture medium.

Distribution of volatile organic compounds in soil vapor in the vicinity of a defense fuel supply point, Hanahan, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, J.F.; Aelion, C.M.; Vroblesky, D.A.

1993-01-01

Two passive soil-vapor sampling techniques were used in the vicinity of a defense fuel supply point in Hanahan, South Carolina, to identify areas of potential contamination of the shallow water table aquifer by volatile organic compounds (VOC's). Both techniques involved the burial of samplers in the vadose zone and the saturated bottom sediments of nearby streams. One method, the empty-tube technique, allowed vapors to pass through a permeable membrane and accumulate inside an inverted empty test tube. A sample was extracted and analyzed on site by using a portable gas chromatograph. As a comparison to this method, an activated-carbon technique, also was used in certain areas. This method uses a vapor collector consisting of a test tube containing activated carbon as a sorbent for VOC's.

Combining Space Geodesy, Seismology, and Geochemistry for Monitoring Verification and Accounting of CO 2 in Sequestration Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swart, Peter K.; Dixon, Tim

2014-09-30

A series of surface geophysical and geochemical techniques are tested in order to demonstrate and validate low cost approaches for Monitoring, Verification and Accounting (MVA) of the integrity of deep reservoirs for CO 2 storage. These techniques are (i) surface deformation by GPS; ii) surface deformation by InSAR; iii) passive source seismology via broad band seismometers; and iv) soil gas monitoring with a cavity ring down spectrometer for measurement of CO 2 concentration and carbon isotope ratio. The techniques were tested at an active EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) site in Texas. Each approach has demonstrated utility. Assuming Carbon Capture, Utilizationmore » and Storage (CCUS) activities become operational in the future, these techniques can be used to augment more expensive down-hole techniques.« less

Effect of Partial Pressure of Oxygen and Activity of Carbon on the Corrosion of High Temperature Alloys in s-CO2 Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahaffey, Jacob Thomas

Over the course of the past couple decades, increased concern has grown on the topics of climate change and energy consumption, focusing primarily on carbon emissions. With modernization of countries like India and China, there are no signs of slowing of global carbon emissions and energy usage. To combat this, new more efficient power conversion cycles must be utilized. The Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (s-CO2) Brayton cycle promises increased efficiency and smaller component sizes. These cycles will push the limits of current high temperature materials, and must be studied before implementation is made possible. A large collection of high temperature CO2 corrosion research has been reported over the last thirty years. While many of the studies in the past have focused on corrosion in research grade (RG) (99.999%) and industrial grade (IG) (99.5%) CO2, very few have focused on studying the specific effects that impurities can have on the corrosion rates and mechanisms. The work described in this document will lay the foundation for advancement of s-CO2 corrosion studies. A testing facility has been constructed and was designed as an open flow s-CO2 loop with a fluid residence time of 2 hours. This facility is capable of heating up to 750°C at pressures up to 20 MPa. Instrumentation for monitoring oxygen and carbon monoxide concentration were added to make measurements both before and after sample exposure, for the duration of testing. Testing of both model and commercial alloys was conducted for temperatures ranging from 450-750°C at 20MPa for 1,000 hours. The effect of the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) was studied by adding 100ppm of O2 to RG CO2 during testing. The activity of carbon (aC) was studied by adding 1%CO to RG CO2. Each environment greatly altered the mechanisms and rates of oxidation and carburization on each material exposed to the environment.

Development of parthenium based activated carbon and its utilization for adsorptive removal of p-cresol from aqueous solution.

PubMed

Singh, Ravi Kant; Kumar, Shashi; Kumar, Surendra; Kumar, Arinjay

2008-07-15

The activated carbon was prepared from carbonaceous agriculture waste Parthenium hysterophorous by chemical activation using concentrated H2SO4 at 130+/-5 degrees C. The prepared activated carbon was characterized and was found as an effective adsorbent material. In order to test the efficacy of parthenium based activated carbon (PAC), batch experiments were performed to carryout the adsorption studies on PAC for the removal of highly toxic pollutant p-cresol from aqueous solution. The p-cresol adsorption studies were also carried out on commercial grade activated carbon (AC) to facilitate comparison between the adsorption capabilities of PAC and AC. For PAC and AC, the predictive capabilities of two types of kinetic models and six types of adsorption equilibrium isotherm models were examined. The effect of pH of solution, adsorbent dose and initial p-cresol concentration on adsorption behaviour was investigated, as well. The adsorption on PAC and on AC was found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics with rate constant 0.0016 min(-1) and 0.0050 min(-1), respectively. The highest adsorptive capacity of PAC and AC for p-cresol solution was attained at pH 6.0. Further, as an adsorbent PAC was found to be as good as AC for removal of p-cresol upto a concentration of 500 mg/l in aqueous solution. Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Fritz-Schlunder models were found to be appropriate isotherm models for PAC while Toth, Radke-Prausnitz and Fritz-Schlunder were suitable models for AC to remove p-cresol from aqueous solution.

Consolidation of degraded ornamental porous limestone stone by calcium carbonate precipitation induced by the microbiota inhabiting the stone.

PubMed

Jimenez-Lopez, C; Rodriguez-Navarro, C; Piñar, G; Carrillo-Rosúa, F J; Rodriguez-Gallego, M; Gonzalez-Muñoz, M T

2007-08-01

Although it has already been shown that calcareous stone can be consolidated by using a bacterially inoculated culture medium, a more user-friendly method is the in situ application of a sterile culture medium that is able to activate, among the microbial community of the stone, those bacteria with a potential for calcium carbonate precipitation. In order to test this new method for stone consolidation, non-sterilized decayed porous limestone was immersed in sterile nutritional media. Results were compared to those of the runs in which stone sterilized prior to the treatment was used. The effects of the microbial community on stone consolidation were determined by recording the evolution of the culture media chemistry. The treated stone was tested for mechanical resistance and porosity. Results demonstrate that the tested media were able to activate bacteria from the microbial community of the stone. As a consequence of the growth of these bacteria, an alkalinization occurred that resulted in calcium carbonate precipitation. The new precipitate was compatible with the substrate and consolidated the stone without pore plugging. Therefore, a good candidate to in situ consolidate decayed porous limestone is the application of a sterile culture medium with the characteristics specified in the present study.

A palladium-doped ceria@carbon core-sheath nanowire network: a promising catalyst support for alcohol electrooxidation reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Qiang; Du, Chunyu; Sun, Yongrong; Du, Lei; Yin, Geping; Gao, Yunzhi

2015-08-01

A novel palladium-doped ceria and carbon core-sheath nanowire network (Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN) is synthesized by a template-free and surfactant-free solvothermal process, followed by high temperature carbonization. This hierarchical network serves as a new class of catalyst support to enhance the activity and durability of noble metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation reactions. Its supported Pd nanoparticles, Pd/(Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN), exhibit >9 fold increase in activity toward the ethanol oxidation over the state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, which is the highest among the reported Pd systems. Moreover, stability tests show a virtually unchanged activity after 1000 cycles. The high activity is mainly attributed to the superior oxygen-species releasing capability of Pd-doped CeO2 nanowires by accelerating the removal of the poisoning intermediate. The unique interconnected one-dimensional core-sheath structure is revealed to facilitate immobilization of the metal catalysts, leading to the improved durability. This core-sheath nanowire network opens up a new strategy for catalyst performance optimization for next-generation fuel cells.A novel palladium-doped ceria and carbon core-sheath nanowire network (Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN) is synthesized by a template-free and surfactant-free solvothermal process, followed by high temperature carbonization. This hierarchical network serves as a new class of catalyst support to enhance the activity and durability of noble metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation reactions. Its supported Pd nanoparticles, Pd/(Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN), exhibit >9 fold increase in activity toward the ethanol oxidation over the state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, which is the highest among the reported Pd systems. Moreover, stability tests show a virtually unchanged activity after 1000 cycles. The high activity is mainly attributed to the superior oxygen-species releasing capability of Pd-doped CeO2 nanowires by accelerating the removal of the poisoning intermediate. The unique interconnected one-dimensional core-sheath structure is revealed to facilitate immobilization of the metal catalysts, leading to the improved durability. This core-sheath nanowire network opens up a new strategy for catalyst performance optimization for next-generation fuel cells. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03023d

Development of a prototype regeneration carbon dioxide absorber. [for use in EVA conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, P. S.; Baker, B. S.

1977-01-01

A prototype regenerable carbon dioxide absorber was developed to maintain the environmental quality of the portable life support system. The absorber works on the alkali metal carbonate-bicarbonate solid-gas reaction to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The prototype sorber module was designed, fabricated, and tested at simulated extravehicular activity conditions to arrive at optimum design. The unit maintains sorber outlet concentration below 5 mm Hg. An optimization study was made with respect to heat transfer, temperature control, sorbent utilization, sorber life and regenerability, and final size of the module. Important parameters influencing the capacity of the final absorber unit were identified and recommendations for improvement were made.

Developing and Validating a Rapid Small-Scale Column Test Procedure for GAC Selection using Reconstituted Lyophilized NOM

EPA Science Inventory

Cost effective design and operation of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) facilities requires the selection of GAC that is optimal for a specific site. Rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) are widely used for GAC assessment due to several advantages, including the ability to simu...

Developing and Validating a Rapid Small-Scale Column Test Procedure for GAC Selection using Reconstituted Lyophilized NOM - Portland, OR

EPA Science Inventory

Cost effective design and operation of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) facilities requires the selection of GAC that is optimal for a specific site. Rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) are widely used for GAC assessment due to several advantages, including the ability to simu...

Insertion of linear 8.4 μm diameter 16 channel carbon fiber electrode arrays for single unit recordings

PubMed Central

Patel, Paras R.; Na, Kyounghwan; Zhang, Huanan; Kozai, Takashi D. Y.; Kotov, Nicholas A.; Yoon, Euisik; Chestek, Cynthia A.

2016-01-01

Objective Single carbon fiber electrodes (d=8.4 μm) insulated with parylene-c and functionalized with PEDOT:pTS have been shown to record single unit activity but manual implantation of these devices with forceps can be difficult. Without an improvement in the insertion method any increase in the channel count by fabricating carbon fiber arrays would be impractical. In this study, we utilize a water soluble coating and structural backbones that allow us to create, implant, and record from fully functionalized arrays of carbon fibers with ~150 μm pitch. Approach Two approaches were tested for the insertion of carbon fiber arrays. The first method used a PEG coating that temporarily stiffened the fibers while leaving a small portion at the tip exposed. The small exposed portion (500 μm – 1 mm) readily penetrated the brain allowing for an insertion that did not require the handling of each fiber by forceps. The second method involved the fabrication of silicon support structures with individual shanks spaced 150 μm apart. Each shank consisted of a small groove that held an individual carbon fiber. Main results Our results showed that the PEG coating allowed for the chronic implantation of carbon fiber arrays in 5 rats with unit activity detected at 31 days post-implant. The silicon support structures recorded single unit activity in 3 acute rat surgeries. In one of those surgeries a stacked device with 3 layers of silicon support structures and carbon fibers was built and shown to readily insert into the brain with unit activity on select sites. Significance From these studies we have found that carbon fibers spaced at ~150 μm readily insert into the brain. This greatly increases the recording density of chronic neural probes and paves the way for even higher density devices that have a minimal scarring response. PMID:26035638

Metabolite profiling and integrative modeling reveal metabolic constraints for carbon partitioning under nitrogen starvation in the green algae Haematococcus pluvialis.

PubMed

Recht, Lee; Töpfer, Nadine; Batushansky, Albert; Sikron, Noga; Gibon, Yves; Fait, Aaron; Nikoloski, Zoran; Boussiba, Sammy; Zarka, Aliza

2014-10-31

The green alga Hematococcus pluvialis accumulates large amounts of the antioxidant astaxanthin under inductive stress conditions, such as nitrogen starvation. The response to nitrogen starvation and high light leads to the accumulation of carbohydrates and fatty acids as well as increased activity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Although the behavior of individual pathways has been well investigated, little is known about the systemic effects of the stress response mechanism. Here we present time-resolved metabolite, enzyme activity, and physiological data that capture the metabolic response of H. pluvialis under nitrogen starvation and high light. The data were integrated into a putative genome-scale model of the green alga to in silico test hypotheses of underlying carbon partitioning. The model-based hypothesis testing reinforces the involvement of starch degradation to support fatty acid synthesis in the later stages of the stress response. In addition, our findings support a possible mechanism for the involvement of the increased activity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in carbon repartitioning. Finally, the in vitro experiments and the in silico modeling presented here emphasize the predictive power of large scale integrative approaches to pinpoint metabolic adjustment to changing environments. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Enhanced performance of starter lighting ignition type lead-acid batteries with carbon nanotubes as an additive to the active mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marom, Rotem; Ziv, Baruch; Banerjee, Anjan; Cahana, Beni; Luski, Shalom; Aurbach, Doron

2015-11-01

Addition of various carbon materials into lead-acid battery electrodes was studied and examined in order to enhance the power density, improve cycle life and stability of both negative and positive electrodes in lead acid batteries. High electrical-conductivity, high-aspect ratio, good mechanical properties and chemical stability of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT, unmodified and mofified with carboxylic groups) position them as viable additives to enhance the electrodes' electrical conductivity, to mitigate the well-known sulfation failure mechanism and improve the physical integration of the electrodes. In this study, we investigated the incorporation-effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT) to the positive and the negative active materials in lead-acid battery prototypes in a configuration of flooded cells, as well as gelled cells. The cells were tested at 25% and 30% depth-of-discharge (DOD). The positive effect of the carbon nanotubes (CNT) utilization as additives to both positive and negative electrodes of lead-acid batteries was clearly demonstrated and is explained herein based on microscopic studies.

Re-evaluation of solid-phase adsorption and desorption techniques for isolation of trace organic pollutants from chlorinated water.

PubMed

Onodera, S; Nagatsuka, A; Rokuhara, T; Asakura, T; Hirayama, N; Suzuki, S

1993-07-16

Amberlite XAD resin and activated carbon columns were tested for their abilities to concentrate trace organic pollutants in chlorinated water. Both XAD-2 and XAD-7 resin columns (20 ml) were capable of adsorbing about 30% of total organic halogen (TOX) present in 20 l of drinking water (pH 7) containing about 100 micrograms/l of TOX, whereas the carbon column (10 ml) adsorbed over 90% of TOX. The adsorption capacity of XAD-7 resin was found to be strongly dependent on the solution pH, as compared with those of XAD-2 and carbon adsorbents. Soxhlet and sonication extractions were also evaluated for their abilities to recover the adsorbed organics from the adsorbents, by measurements of TOX, chromatographable compounds and mutagenicity in the eluates. Soxhlet extraction gave higher recoveries than sonication, as measured with the above indices, but these differences were generally small (ca. 20%), with exception of the carbon extracts. The XAD-2 and XAD-7 extracts of drinking water also showed about 3-4 times higher mutagenic activity than the carbon extracts.

Active Metal Brazing and Adhesive Bonding of Titanium to C/C Composites for Heat Rejection System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, M.; Shpargel, Tarah; Cerny, Jennifer

2006-01-01

Robust assembly and integration technologies are critically needed for the manufacturing of heat rejection system (HRS) components for current and future space exploration missions. Active metal brazing and adhesive bonding technologies are being assessed for the bonding of titanium to high conductivity Carbon-Carbon composite sub components in various shapes and sizes. Currently a number of different silver and copper based active metal brazes and adhesive compositions are being evaluated. The joint microstructures were examined using optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Several mechanical tests have been employed to ascertain the effectiveness of different brazing and adhesive approaches in tension and in shear that are both simple and representative of the actual system and relatively straightforward in analysis. The results of these mechanical tests along with the fractographic analysis will be discussed. In addition, advantages, technical issues and concerns in using different bonding approaches will also be presented.

Magnetic graphene oxide-polystyrene and magnetic activated carbon-polystyrene nanocomposites as sorbents for bisphenol A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekos, Kyriazis; Kampouraki, Zoi Christina; Samanidou, Victoria; Deliyanni, Eleni

2016-04-01

Magnetic graphene oxide-polystyrene and magnetic activated carbon-polystyrene nanocomposites as sorbents for bisphenol A. Kyriazis Rekos1, Zoi Christina Kampouraki1, Victoria Samanidou2, Eleni Deliyanni1 1 Laboratory of General and Inorganic Chemical Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece 2 Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece The aim of this work was to prepare and characterize novel composites of magnetic activated carbon or magnetic graphene oxide with polystyrene (GO/PSm), through one step simple and effective route. Μagnetite nanoparticles, prepared in the laboratory, were dispersed in the presence of activated carbon (C) or graphene oxide (GO) in a polystyrene (PS) solution in dimethylformamide, at elevated temperature, for the fabrication of the magnetite-Carbon-PS (C-PSm) and magnetite- Graphene Oxide-PS (GO-PSm) hybrid-nanoparticles. For comparison, C-PS and GO-PS composites were also prepared in the same route. The nanocomposites were tested for their sorption ability for an endocrine disruptor, bisphenol A. The effect of solution pH, initial concentration, contact time and temperature were examined. The magnetic graphite oxide-polystyrene presented higher adsorption capacity (100 mg/g) than the non magnetic composites (70 mg/g), as well as than initial graphite oxide (20 mg/g). FTIR, XRD, BET, TGA, VSM and SEM were performed in order to investigate the role of the PS on the better adsorption performance of the mGO-PS nanocomposites. The characterization with these techniques revealed the possible interactions of the surface functional groups of activated carbon and/or graphite oxide with polystyrene that resulted in the better performance of the magnetic nanocomposites for bisphenol A adsorption.

76 FR 30912 - Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

... Jiayu Activated Carbon Factory Cherishmet Incorporated China National Building Materials and Equipment... Activated Carbon Datong Huibao Active Carbon Co., Ltd Datong Huibao Activated Carbon Co., Ltd... Carbon Co., Ltd. Fujian Yuanli Active Carbon Co., Ltd Fuzhou Taking Chemical Fuzhou Yihuan Carbon Great...

Degradation-by-design: Surface modification with functional substrates that enhance the enzymatic degradation of carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Sureshbabu, Adukamparai Rajukrishnan; Kurapati, Rajendra; Russier, Julie; Ménard-Moyon, Cécilia; Bartolini, Isacco; Meneghetti, Moreno; Kostarelos, Kostas; Bianco, Alberto

2015-12-01

Biodegradation of carbon-based nanomaterials has been pursued intensively in the last few years, as one of the most crucial issues for the design of safe, clinically relevant conjugates for biomedical applications. In this paper it is demonstrated that specific functional molecules can enhance the catalytic activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and xanthine oxidase (XO) for the degradation of carbon nanotubes. Two different azido coumarins and one cathecol derivative are linked to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These molecules are good reducing substrates and strong redox mediators to enhance the catalytic activity of HRP. XO, known to metabolize various molecules mainly in the mammalian liver, including human, was instead used to test the biodegradability of MWCNTs modified with an azido purine. The products of the biodegradation process are characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that coumarin and catechol moieties have enhanced the biodegradation of MWCNTs compared to oxidized nanotubes, likely due to the capacity of these substrates to better interact with and activate HRP. Although azido purine-MWCNTs are degraded less effectively by XO than oxidized nanotubes, the data uncover the importance of XO in the biodegradation of carbon-nanomaterials leading to their better surface engineering for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of activated carbon from oil fly ash for removal of H2S from gas stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslam, Zaheer; Shawabkeh, Reyad A.; Hussein, Ibnelwaleed A.; Al-Baghli, Nadhir; Eic, Mladen

2015-02-01

Activated carbon (AC) is made from waste oil fly ash (OFA) which is produced in large quantities from power generation plants through combustion of heavy fuel oil. OFA contains ∼80% carbon that makes it suitable for producing AC by physicochemical treatments using a mixture of HNO3, H2SO4, and H3PO4 acids to remove non-carbonaceous impurities. The acid treated OFA is then activated by CO2 at 990 °C. The physico-chemical treatments of OFA have increased the surface area from 4 to 375 m2/g. Surface morphology and pore volume of AC are characterized by combined SEM and EDX techniques. Elemental analysis shows that sulfur content is reduced from 7.1 wt% in untreated OFA to 0.51 wt% for the treated OFA. The AC is further treated with HNO3 and NH4OH solutions in order to attach the carboxylic and amine groups on the surface, respectively. FTIR characterization is used to confirm the presence of the functional groups on the surface of AC at different stages of its development. The performance of functionalized AC samples is tested for the removal of H2S from a synthetic natural gas by carrying out breakthrough experiments. The results from these tests have shown maximum adsorption capacity of 0.3001 mg/g for NH4OH functionalized activated carbon with 86.43% regeneration efficiency. The ammonium hydroxide treated AC is found to be more effective for H2S removal than acid treated AC as confirmed by breakthrough experiments. The results indicate that the presence of more acidic functionalities on the surface reduces the H2S adsorption efficiency from the gas mixture.

Ordered Pt 3Co Intermetallic Nanoparticles Derived from Metal–Organic Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Xiao Xia; Hwang, Sooyeon; Pan, Yung-Tin

Highly ordered Pt alloy structures are proved effective to improve their catalytic activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Here, we report a new approach to preparing ordered Pt 3Co intermetallic nanoparticles through a facile thermal treatment of Pt nanoparticles supported on Co-doped metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived carbon. In particular, the atomically dispersed Co sites, which are originally embedded into MOF-derived carbon, diffuse into Pt nanocrystals and form ordered Pt 3Co structures. It is very crucial for the formation of the ordered Pt 3Co to carefully control the doping content of Co intomore » the MOFs and the heating temperatures for Co diffusion. The optimal Pt 3Co nanoparticle catalyst has achieved significantly enhanced activity and stability, exhibiting a half-wave potential up to 0.92 V vs. RHE and only losing 12 mV after 30,000 potential cycling between 0.6 and 1.0 V. The highly ordered intermetallic structure was retained after the accelerated stress tests evidenced by atomic-scale elemental mapping. Fuel cell tests further verified the high intrinsic activity of the ordered Pt 3Co catalysts. Unlike the direct use of MOF-derived carbon supports for depositing Pt, we utilized MOF-derived carbon containing atomically dispersed Co sites as Co sources to prepare ordered Pt 3Co intermetallic catalysts. Finally, the new synthesis approach provides an effective strategy to develop active and stable Pt alloy catalysts by leveraging the unique properties of MOFs such as 3D structures, high surface areas, and controlled nitrogen doping.« less

Ordered Pt 3Co Intermetallic Nanoparticles Derived from Metal–Organic Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction

DOE PAGES

Wang, Xiao Xia; Hwang, Sooyeon; Pan, Yung-Tin; ...

2018-06-06

Highly ordered Pt alloy structures are proved effective to improve their catalytic activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Here, we report a new approach to preparing ordered Pt 3Co intermetallic nanoparticles through a facile thermal treatment of Pt nanoparticles supported on Co-doped metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived carbon. In particular, the atomically dispersed Co sites, which are originally embedded into MOF-derived carbon, diffuse into Pt nanocrystals and form ordered Pt 3Co structures. It is very crucial for the formation of the ordered Pt 3Co to carefully control the doping content of Co intomore » the MOFs and the heating temperatures for Co diffusion. The optimal Pt 3Co nanoparticle catalyst has achieved significantly enhanced activity and stability, exhibiting a half-wave potential up to 0.92 V vs. RHE and only losing 12 mV after 30,000 potential cycling between 0.6 and 1.0 V. The highly ordered intermetallic structure was retained after the accelerated stress tests evidenced by atomic-scale elemental mapping. Fuel cell tests further verified the high intrinsic activity of the ordered Pt 3Co catalysts. Unlike the direct use of MOF-derived carbon supports for depositing Pt, we utilized MOF-derived carbon containing atomically dispersed Co sites as Co sources to prepare ordered Pt 3Co intermetallic catalysts. Finally, the new synthesis approach provides an effective strategy to develop active and stable Pt alloy catalysts by leveraging the unique properties of MOFs such as 3D structures, high surface areas, and controlled nitrogen doping.« less

Solid-phase extraction of polar pesticides from environmental water samples on graphitized carbon and Empore-activated carbon disks and on-line coupling to octadecyl-bonded silica analytical columns.

PubMed

Slobodník, J; Oztezkizan, O; Lingeman, H; Brinkman, U A

1996-10-25

The suitability of Empore-activated carbon disks (EACD), Envi-Carb graphitized carbon black (GCB) and CPP-50 graphitized carbon for the trace enrichment of polar pesticides from water samples was studied by means of off-line and on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE). In the off-line procedure, 0.5-2 l samples spiked with a test mixture of oxamyl, methomyl and aldicarb sulfoxide were enriched on EnviCarb SPE cartridges or 47 mm diameter EACD and eluted with dichloromethane-methanol. After evaporation, a sample was injected onto a C18-bonded silica column and analysed by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (LC-UV) detection. EACD performed better than EnviCarb cartridges in terms of breakthrough volumes (> 2 l for all test analytes), reproducibility (R.S.D. of recoveries, 4-8%, n = 3) and sampling speed (100 ml/min); detection limits in drinking water were 0.05-0.16 microgram/l. In the on-line experiments, 4.6 mm diameter pieces cut from original EACD and stacked onto each other in a 9 mm long precolumn, and EnviCarb and CPP-50 packed in 10 x 2.0 mm I.D. precolumn, were tested, and 50-200 ml spiked water samples were preconcentrated. Because of the peak broadening caused by the strong sorption of the analytes on carbon, the carbon-packed precolumns were eluted by a separate stream of 0.1 ml/min acetonitrile which was mixed with the gradient LC eluent in front of the C18 analytical column. The final on-line procedure was also applied for the less polar propoxur, carbaryl and methiocarb. EnviCarb could not be used due to its poor pressure resistance. CPP-50 provided less peak broadening than EACD: peak widths were 0.1-0.3 min and R.S.D. of peak heights 4-14% (n = 3). In terms of analyte trapping efficiency on-line SPE-LC-UV with a CPP-50 precolumn also showed better performance than when Bondesil C18/OH or polymeric PLRP-S was used, but chromatographic resolution was similar. With the CPP-50-based system, detection limits of the test compounds were 0.05-1 microgram/l in surface water.

Effects of Soil Organic Matter Properties and Microbial Community Composition on Enzyme Activities in Cryoturbated Arctic Soils

PubMed Central

Schnecker, Jörg; Wild, Birgit; Hofhansl, Florian; Eloy Alves, Ricardo J.; Bárta, Jiří; Čapek, Petr; Fuchslueger, Lucia; Gentsch, Norman; Gittel, Antje; Guggenberger, Georg; Hofer, Angelika; Kienzl, Sandra; Knoltsch, Anna; Lashchinskiy, Nikolay; Mikutta, Robert; Šantrůčková, Hana; Shibistova, Olga; Takriti, Mounir; Urich, Tim; Weltin, Georg; Richter, Andreas

2014-01-01

Enzyme-mediated decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) is controlled, amongst other factors, by organic matter properties and by the microbial decomposer community present. Since microbial community composition and SOM properties are often interrelated and both change with soil depth, the drivers of enzymatic decomposition are hard to dissect. We investigated soils from three regions in the Siberian Arctic, where carbon rich topsoil material has been incorporated into the subsoil (cryoturbation). We took advantage of this subduction to test if SOM properties shape microbial community composition, and to identify controls of both on enzyme activities. We found that microbial community composition (estimated by phospholipid fatty acid analysis), was similar in cryoturbated material and in surrounding subsoil, although carbon and nitrogen contents were similar in cryoturbated material and topsoils. This suggests that the microbial community in cryoturbated material was not well adapted to SOM properties. We also measured three potential enzyme activities (cellobiohydrolase, leucine-amino-peptidase and phenoloxidase) and used structural equation models (SEMs) to identify direct and indirect drivers of the three enzyme activities. The models included microbial community composition, carbon and nitrogen contents, clay content, water content, and pH. Models for regular horizons, excluding cryoturbated material, showed that all enzyme activities were mainly controlled by carbon or nitrogen. Microbial community composition had no effect. In contrast, models for cryoturbated material showed that enzyme activities were also related to microbial community composition. The additional control of microbial community composition could have restrained enzyme activities and furthermore decomposition in general. The functional decoupling of SOM properties and microbial community composition might thus be one of the reasons for low decomposition rates and the persistence of 400 Gt carbon stored in cryoturbated material. PMID:24705618

A remarkable adsorbent for removal of contaminants of emerging concern from water: Porous carbon derived from metal azolate framework-6.

PubMed

Bhadra, Biswa Nath; Jhung, Sung Hwa

2017-10-15

A series of metal-azolate frameworks or MAFs-MAF-4, -5, and -6-were synthesized and pyrolyzed to prepare porous carbons derived from MAFs (CDM-4, -5, -6, respectively). Not only the obtained carbons but also MAFs were characterized and applied for the adsorption of organic contaminants of emerging concern (CECs, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products) such as salicylic acid, clofibric acid, diclofenac sodium, bisphenol-A, and oxybenzone (OXB) from water. CDM-6 was found to be the most remarkable adsorbent among the tested ones (including activated carbon) for all the adsorbates. OXB was taken as a representative adsorbate for detailed adsorption studies as well as understanding the adsorption mechanism. H-bonding (H-acceptor: CDM; H-donor: CECs) was suggested as the principal mechanism for the adsorption of tested adsorbates. Finally, CDMs, especially CDM-6, were suggested as highly efficient and easily recyclable adsorbents for water purification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesizing 2D MoS2 Nanofins on carbon nanospheres as catalyst support for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Hu, Yan; Chua, Daniel H C

2016-06-15

Highly dense 2D MoS2 fin-like nanostructures on carbon nanospheres were fabricated and formed the main catalyst support structure in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. These nanofins were observed growing perpendicular to the carbon nanosphere surface in random orientations and high resolution transmission electron microscope confirmed 2D layers. The PEM fuel cell test showed enhanced electrochemical activity with good stability, generating over 8.5 W.mgPt(-1) as compared to standard carbon black of 7.4 W.mgPt(-1) under normal operating conditions. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy confirmed that the performance improvement is highly due to the excellent water management of the MoS2 lamellar network, which facilitates water retention at low current density and flood prevention at high current density. Reliability test further demonstrated that these nanofins are highly stable in the electrochemical reaction and is an excellent ORR catalyst support.

Synthesizing 2D MoS2 Nanofins on carbon nanospheres as catalyst support for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

Hu, Yan; Chua, Daniel H. C.

2016-01-01

Highly dense 2D MoS2 fin-like nanostructures on carbon nanospheres were fabricated and formed the main catalyst support structure in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. These nanofins were observed growing perpendicular to the carbon nanosphere surface in random orientations and high resolution transmission electron microscope confirmed 2D layers. The PEM fuel cell test showed enhanced electrochemical activity with good stability, generating over 8.5 W.mgPt−1 as compared to standard carbon black of 7.4 W.mgPt−1 under normal operating conditions. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy confirmed that the performance improvement is highly due to the excellent water management of the MoS2 lamellar network, which facilitates water retention at low current density and flood prevention at high current density. Reliability test further demonstrated that these nanofins are highly stable in the electrochemical reaction and is an excellent ORR catalyst support. PMID:27302135

Second Generation International Space Station (ISS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Verification Testing and On-Orbit Performance Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bentley, Nicole L.; Thomas, Evan A.; VanWie, Michael; Morrison, Chad; Stinson, Richard G.

2010-01-01

The Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOGA) is designed to autonomously determine recovered water quality as a function of TOC. The current TOGA has been on the International Space Station since November 2008. Functional checkout and operations revealed complex operating considerations. Specifically, failure of the hydrogen catalyst resulted in the development of an innovative oxidation analysis method. This method reduces the activation time and limits the hydrogen produced during analysis, while retaining the ability to indicate TOC concentrations within 25% accuracy. Subsequent testing and comparison to archived samples returned from the Station and tested on the ground yield high confidence in this method, and in the quality of the recovered water.

System and method for coproduction of activated carbon and steam/electricity

DOEpatents

Srinivasachar, Srivats [Sturbridge, MA; Benson, Steven [Grand Forks, ND; Crocker, Charlene [Newfolden, MN; Mackenzie, Jill [Carmel, IN

2011-07-19

A system and method for producing activated carbon comprising carbonizing a solid carbonaceous material in a carbonization zone of an activated carbon production apparatus (ACPA) to yield a carbonized product and carbonization product gases, the carbonization zone comprising carbonaceous material inlet, char outlet and carbonization gas outlet; activating the carbonized product via activation with steam in an activation zone of the ACPA to yield activated carbon and activation product gases, the activation zone comprising activated carbon outlet, activation gas outlet, and activation steam inlet; and utilizing process gas comprising at least a portion of the carbonization product gases or a combustion product thereof; at least a portion of the activation product gases or a combustion product thereof; or a combination thereof in a solid fuel boiler system that burns a solid fuel boiler feed with air to produce boiler-produced steam and flue gas, the boiler upstream of an air heater within a steam/electricity generation plant, said boiler comprising a combustion zone, a boiler-produced steam outlet and at least one flue gas outlet.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paajanen, A.; Lehto, J.; Santapakka, T.

The efficiencies of 15 commercially available activated carbons were tested for the separation of trace cobalt ({sup 60}Co) in buffer solutions at pH 5.0, 6.7, and 9.1. On the basis of the results four carbon products, Diahope-006, Eurocarb TN5, Hydraffin DG47, and Norit ROW Supra, were selected for further study. These carbons represented varying (low, medium and high) cobalt removal efficiencies and were prepared of three typical raw materials: peat, coconut shell, or coal. Study was made of the effects on sorption efficiencies of factors of interest in metal/radionuclide-bearing waste effluents. These factors were pH, sodium ions, borate, and citrate.

21 CFR 862.3220 - Carbon monoxide test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Carbon monoxide test system. 862.3220 Section 862....3220 Carbon monoxide test system. (a) Identification. A carbon monoxide test system is a device intended to measure carbon monoxide or carboxyhemoglobin (carbon monoxide bound to the hemoglobin in the...

Morphology- and ion size-induced actuation of carbon nanotube architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geier; Mahrholz; Wierach; Sinapius

2018-04-01

Future adaptive applications require lightweight and stiff materials with high active strain but low energy consumption. A suitable combination of these properties is offered by carbon nanotube-based actuators. Papers made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are charged within an electrolyte, which results in an electrical field forming a double-layer of ions at their surfaces and a deflection of the papers can be detected. Until now, there is no generally accepted theory for the actuation mechanism. This study focuses on the actuation mechanism of CNT papers, which represent architectures of randomly oriented CNTs. The samples are tested electrochemically in an in-plane set-up to detect the free strain. The elastic modulus of the CNT papers is analyzed in a tensile test facility. The influence of various ion sizes of water-based electrolytes is investigated.

Aspect ratio has no effect on genotoxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Kim, Jin Sik; Lee, Kyu; Lee, Young Hee; Cho, Hyun Sun; Kim, Ki Heon; Choi, Kyung Hee; Lee, Sang Hee; Song, Kyung Seuk; Kang, Chang Soo; Yu, Il Je

2011-07-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have specific physico-chemical and electrical properties that are useful for telecommunications, medicine, materials, manufacturing processes and the environmental and energy sectors. Yet, despite their many advantages, it is also important to determine whether CNTs may represent a hazard to the environment and human health. Like asbestos, the aspect ratio (length:diameter) and metal components of CNTs are known to have an effect on the toxicity of carbon nanotubes. Thus, to evaluate the toxic potential of CNTs in relation to their aspect ratio and metal contamination, in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity tests were conducted using high-aspect-ratio (diameter: 10-15 nm, length: ~10 μm) and low-aspect-ratio multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs, diameter: 10-15 nm, length: ~150 nm) according to OECD test guidelines 471 (bacterial reverse mutation test), 473 (in vitro chromosome aberration test), and 474 (in vivo micronuclei test) with a good laboratory practice system. To determine the treatment concentration for all the tests, a solubility and dispersive test was performed, and a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) solution found to be more suitable than distilled water. Neither the high- nor the low-aspect-ratio MWCNTs induced any genotoxicity in a bacterial reverse mutation test (~1,000 μg/plate), in vitro chromosome aberration test (without S9: ~6.25 μg/ml, with S9: ~50 μg/ml), or in vivo micronuclei test (~50 mg/kg). However, the high-aspect-ratio MWCNTs were found to be more toxic than the low-aspect-ratio MWCNTs. Thus, while high-aspect-ratio MWCNTs do not induce direct genotoxicity or metabolic activation-mediated genotoxicity, genotoxicity could still be induced indirectly through oxidative stress or inflammation.

Investigation of organic nitrogen and carbon removal in the aerobic digestion of various sludges.

PubMed

Genç, Nevim; Yonsel, Sems; Dağaşan, Levent; Onar, A N

2002-11-01

Nitrification and carbon removal are investigated in aerobic batch digestion of various sludges. The experiments are carried out with activated sludge (Test 1) and with a mixture of activated and primary settling sludge (Test 2). The nitrification rate was monitored, measuring the NO2- concentration. At the 3rd day of the digestion 40.7 mgNO2-N/l and 3.89 mgNO2-N/l were found in Tests 1 and 2 respectively. In a digestion process, the degradation of biomass indicates the beginning of the endogenous phase. Our measure for biomass content of the sludge was protein analysis. In Test 1, the first day values of 50.93 mgTOC/ g(dry) matter/day and 138.53 mg(protein)-C/g(dry) matter/day for specific TOC and protein-C removal rates showed, that the digestion process began in the endogenous phase. For Test 2, since the endogenous phase began after removal of raw organic matter in primary settling sludge, specific TOC and protein-C removal rates were observed to be 60.12 mgTOC/g(dry) matter/day and 26.72 mg(protein-C/g(dry)matter/day, respectively.

Remediation of AMD using natural and waste material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basir, Nur Athirah Mohamad; Yaacob, Wan Zuhairi Wan

2014-09-01

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is highly acidic, sulphate rich and frequently carries a high transition metal and heavy metal burden. These AMD's eventually migrate into streams and rivers and impact negatively on the quality of these water bodies. So it is dire necessary to treat this AMD. Various materials such as ladle furnace slag (LFS), bentonite, zeolite, active carbon and kaolinite are currently available to remove heavy metals from contaminated water. All these materials are capable to rise up the pH value and adsorb heavy metals. The process is divided into two stages; screening test and tank experiment. Screening test is conduct by using Batch Equilibrium Test (BET), X-Ray Fluorescene (XRF) identification also Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) characteristic. The results showed that all the concentration of heavy metal are decreasing extremely and pH value rise up except for kaolinite. From screening test only ladle furnace slag, bentonite, zeolite and active carbon are chosen for the tank experiment. Tank experiment design with 18cm (H) X 15cm (L) X 15cm (H) was made by silica glass. All these treatment materials were stirred in the tank for 30 days. Initial pH for all tanks is 2.4 and after 30 days is changing into 6.11, 3.91, 2.98 and 2.71 for LFS, bentonite, active carbon as well as zeolite respectively. LFS is the best material for absorption of Zn, Mn and Cu in the synthetic solution. Meanwhile, bentonite is the best absorbent for Ni, Fe and Cd. The conclusion shows that LFS might have big potentials to control AMD pollution base on neutralize pH resulting in a great improvement in the quality of the water.

Immobilization of Cellulase from Bacillus subtilis UniMAP-KB01 on Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for Biofuel Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naresh, Sandrasekaran; Hoong Shuit, Siew; Kunasundari, Balakrishnan; Hoo Peng, Yong; Qi, Hwa Ng; Teoh, Yi Peng

2018-03-01

Bacillus subtilis UniMAP-KB01, a cellulase producer was isolated from Malaysian mangrove soil. Through morphological identification it was observed that the B. subtilis appears to be in rod shaped and identified as a gram positive bacterium. Growth profile of isolated B. subtilis was established by measuring optical density (OD) at 600 nm for every 1 hour intervals. Polymath software was employed to plot the growth profile and the non-linear plot established gave the precision value of linear regression, R2 of 0.9602, root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.0176 and variance of 0.0025. The hydrolysis capacity testing revealed the cellulolytic index of 2.83 ± 0.46 after stained with Gram’s Iodine. The harvested crude enzyme after 24 hours incubation in carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) broth at 45°C and 100 RPM, was tested for enzyme activity. Through Filter Paper Assay (FPA), the cellulase activity was calculated to be 0.05 U/mL. The hydrolysis capacity testing and FPA shown an acceptable value for thermophilic bacterial enzyme activity. Thus, this isolated strain reasoned to be potential for producing thermostable cellulase which will be immobilized onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes and the cellulolytic activity will be characterized for biofuel production.

Carbon dioxide hydrogenation on Ni(110).

PubMed

Vesselli, Erik; De Rogatis, Loredana; Ding, Xunlei; Baraldi, Alessandro; Savio, Letizia; Vattuone, Luca; Rocca, Mario; Fornasiero, Paolo; Peressi, Maria; Baldereschi, Alfonso; Rosei, Renzo; Comelli, Giovanni

2008-08-27

We demonstrate that the key step for the reaction of CO 2 with hydrogen on Ni(110) is a change of the activated molecule coordination to the metal surface. At 90 K, CO 2 is negatively charged and chemically bonded via the carbon atom. When the temperature is increased and H approaches, the H-CO 2 complex flips and binds to the surface through the two oxygen atoms, while H binds to the carbon atom, thus yielding formate. We provide the atomic-level description of this process by means of conventional ultrahigh vacuum surface science techniques combined with density functional theory calculations and corroborated by high pressure reactivity tests. Knowledge about the details of the mechanisms involved in this reaction can yield a deeper comprehension of heterogeneous catalytic organic synthesis processes involving carbon dioxide as a reactant. We show why on Ni the CO 2 hydrogenation barrier is remarkably smaller than that on the common Cu metal-based catalyst. Our results provide a possible interpretation of the observed high catalytic activity of NiCu alloys.

High surface adsorption properties of carbon-based nanomaterials are responsible for mortality, swimming inhibition, and biochemical responses in Artemia salina larvae.

PubMed

Mesarič, Tina; Gambardella, Chiara; Milivojević, Tamara; Faimali, Marco; Drobne, Damjana; Falugi, Carla; Makovec, Darko; Jemec, Anita; Sepčić, Kristina

2015-06-01

We investigated the effects of three different carbon-based nanomaterials on brine shrimp (Artemia salina) larvae. The larvae were exposed to different concentrations of carbon black, graphene oxide, and multiwall carbon nanotubes for 48 h, and observed using phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy. Acute (mortality) and behavioural (swimming speed alteration) responses and cholinesterase, glutathione-S-transferase and catalase enzyme activities were evaluated. These nanomaterials were ingested and concentrated in the gut, and attached onto the body surface of the A. salina larvae. This attachment was responsible for concentration-dependent inhibition of larval swimming, and partly for alterations in the enzyme activities, that differed according to the type of tested nanomaterials. No lethal effects were observed up to 0.5mg/mL carbon black and 0.1mg/mL multiwall carbon nanotubes, while graphene oxide showed a threshold whereby it had no effects at 0.6 mg/mL, and more than 90% mortality at 0.7 mg/mL. Risk quotients calculated on the basis of predicted environmental concentrations indicate that carbon black and multiwall carbon nanotubes currently do not pose a serious risk to the marine environment, however if uncontrolled release of nanomaterials continues, this scenario can rapidly change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale Electrochemistry of sp(2) Carbon Materials: From Graphite and Graphene to Carbon Nanotubes.

PubMed

Unwin, Patrick R; Güell, Aleix G; Zhang, Guohui

2016-09-20

Carbon materials have a long history of use as electrodes in electrochemistry, from (bio)electroanalysis to applications in energy technologies, such as batteries and fuel cells. With the advent of new forms of nanocarbon, particularly, carbon nanotubes and graphene, carbon electrode materials have taken on even greater significance for electrochemical studies, both in their own right and as components and supports in an array of functional composites. With the increasing prominence of carbon nanomaterials in electrochemistry comes a need to critically evaluate the experimental framework from which a microscopic understanding of electrochemical processes is best developed. This Account advocates the use of emerging electrochemical imaging techniques and confined electrochemical cell formats that have considerable potential to reveal major new perspectives on the intrinsic electrochemical activity of carbon materials, with unprecedented detail and spatial resolution. These techniques allow particular features on a surface to be targeted and models of structure-activity to be developed and tested on a wide range of length scales and time scales. When high resolution electrochemical imaging data are combined with information from other microscopy and spectroscopy techniques applied to the same area of an electrode surface, in a correlative-electrochemical microscopy approach, highly resolved and unambiguous pictures of electrode activity are revealed that provide new views of the electrochemical properties of carbon materials. With a focus on major sp(2) carbon materials, graphite, graphene, and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), this Account summarizes recent advances that have changed understanding of interfacial electrochemistry at carbon electrodes including: (i) Unequivocal evidence for the high activity of the basal surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), which is at least as active as noble metal electrodes (e.g., platinum) for outer-sphere redox processes. (ii) Demonstration of the high activity of basal plane HOPG toward other reactions, with no requirement for catalysis by step edges or defects, as exemplified by studies of proton-coupled electron transfer, redox transformations of adsorbed molecules, surface functionalization via diazonium electrochemistry, and metal electrodeposition. (iii) Rationalization of the complex interplay of different factors that determine electrochemistry at graphene, including the source (mechanical exfoliation from graphite vs chemical vapor deposition), number of graphene layers, edges, electronic structure, redox couple, and electrode history effects. (iv) New methodologies that allow nanoscale electrochemistry of 1D materials (SWNTs) to be related to their electronic characteristics (metallic vs semiconductor SWNTs), size, and quality, with high resolution imaging revealing the high activity of SWNT sidewalls and the importance of defects for some electrocatalytic reactions (e.g., the oxygen reduction reaction). The experimental approaches highlighted for carbon electrodes are generally applicable to other electrode materials and set a new framework and course for the study of electrochemical and interfacial processes.

PDLLA honeycomb-like scaffolds with a high loading of superhydrophilic graphene/multi-walled carbon nanotubes promote osteoblast in vitro functions and guided in vivo bone regeneration.

PubMed

Silva, Edmundo; Vasconcellos, Luana Marotta Reis de; Rodrigues, Bruno V M; Dos Santos, Danilo Martins; Campana-Filho, Sergio P; Marciano, Fernanda Roberta; Webster, Thomas J; Lobo, Anderson Oliveira

2017-04-01

Herein, we developed honeycomb-like scaffolds by combining poly (d, l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) with a high amount of graphene/multi-walled carbon nanotube oxides (MWCNTO-GO, 50% w/w). From pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) powders, we produced MWCNTO-GO via oxygen plasma etching (OPE), which promoted their exfoliation and oxidation. Initially, we evaluated PDLLA and PDLLA/MWCNTO-GO scaffolds for tensile strength tests, cell adhesion and cell viability (with osteoblast-like MG-63 cells), alkaline phosphatase (ALP, a marker of osteoblast differentiation) activity and mineralized nodule formation. In vivo tests were carried out using PDLLA and PDLLA/MWCNTO-GO scaffolds as fillers for critical defects in the tibia of rats. MWCNTO-GO loading was responsible for decreasing the tensile strength and elongation-at-break of PDLLA scaffolds, although the high mechanical performance observed (~600MPa) assures their application in bone tissue regeneration. In vitro results showed that the scaffolds were not cytotoxic and allowed for osteoblast-like cell interactions and the formation of mineralized matrix nodules. Furthermore, MG-63 cells grown on PDLLA/MWCNTO-GO significantly enhanced osteoblast ALP activity compared to controls (cells alone), while the PDLLA group showed similar ALP activity when compared to controls and PDLLA/MWCNTO-GO. Most impressively, in vivo tests suggested that compared to PDLLA scaffolds, PDLLA/MWCNTO-GO had a superior influence on bone cell activity, promoting greater new bone formation. In summary, the results of this study highlighted that this novel scaffold (MWCNTO-GO, 50% w/w) is a promising alternative for bone tissue regeneration and, thus, should be further studied. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial Activity and Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay of the Leaves Extract of Dillenia indica Linn

PubMed Central

Apu, AS; Muhit, MA; Tareq, SM; Pathan, AH; Jamaluddin, ATM; Ahmed, M

2010-01-01

The crude methanolic extract of Dillenia indica Linn. (Dilleniaceae) leaves has been investigated for the evaluation of antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Organic solvent (n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform) fractions of methanolic extract and methanolic fraction (aqueous) were screened for their antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method. Besides, the fractions were screened for cytotoxic activity using brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay. Among the four fractions tested, n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride, and chloroform fractions showed moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity compared to standard antibiotic, kanamycin. The average zone of inhibition was ranged from 6 to 8 mm at a concentration of 400 µg/disc. But the aqueous fraction was found to be insensitive to microbial growth. Compared to vincristine sulfate (with LC50 of 0.52 µg/ ml), n-hexane and chloroform fractions demonstrated a significant cytotoxic activity (having LC50 of 1.94 µg/ml and 2.13 µg/ml, respectively). The LC50 values of the carbon tetrachloride and aqueous fraction were 4.46 µg/ml and 5.13 µg/ ml, respectively. The study confirms the moderate antimicrobial and potent cytotoxic activities of Dillenia indica leaves extract and therefore demands the isolation of active principles and thorough bioassay. PMID:21331191

Nitrogen Alters Fungal Communities in Boreal Forest Soil: Implications for Carbon Cycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, S. D.; Treseder, K. K.

2005-12-01

One potential effect of climate change in high latitude ecosystems is to increase soil nutrient availability. In particular, greater nitrogen availability could impact decomposer communities and lead to altered rates of soil carbon cycling. Since fungi are the primary decomposers in many high-latitude ecosystems, we used molecular techniques and field surveys to test whether fungal communities and abundances differed in response to nitrogen fertilization in a boreal forest ecosystem. We predicted that fungi that degrade recalcitrant carbon would decline under nitrogen fertilization, while fungi that degrade labile carbon would increase, leading to no net change in rates of soil carbon mineralization. The molecular data showed that basidiomycete fungi dominate the active fungal community in both fertilized and unfertilized soils. However, we found that fertilization reduced peak mushroom biomass by 79%, although most of the responsive fungi were ectomycorrhizal and therefore their capacity to degrade soil carbon is uncertain. Fertilization increased the activity of the cellulose-degrading enzyme beta-glucosidase by 78%, while protease activity declined by 39% and polyphenol oxidase, a lignin-degrading enzyme, did not respond. Rates of soil respiration did not change in response to fertilization. These results suggest that increased nitrogen availability does alter the composition of the fungal community, and its potential to degrade different carbon compounds. However, these differences do not affect the total flux of CO2 from the soil, even though the contribution to CO2 respiration from different carbon pools may vary with fertilization. We conclude that in the short term, increased nitrogen availability due to climate warming or nitrogen deposition is more likely to alter the turnover of individual carbon pools rather than total carbon fluxes from the soil. Future work should determine if changes in fungal community structure and associated differences in substrate utilization will also affect total carbon fluxes over longer time scales.

Carbon-neutral energy cycles using alcohols.

PubMed

Fukushima, Takashi; Kitano, Sho; Hata, Shinichi; Yamauchi, Miho

2018-01-01

We demonstrated carbon-neutral (CN) energy circulation using glycolic acid ( GC )/oxalic acid ( OX ) redox couple. Here, we report fundamental studies on both catalyst search for power generation process, i.e. GC oxidation, and elemental steps for fuel generation process, i.e. OX reduction, in CN cycle. The catalytic activity test on various transition metals revealed that Rh, Pd, Ir, and Pt have preferable features as a catalyst for electrochemical oxidation of GC . A carbon-supported Pt catalyst in alkaline conditions exhibited higher activity, durability, and product selectivity for electrooxidation of GC rather than those in acidic media. The kinetic study on OX reduction clearly indicated that OX reduction undergoes successive two-electron reductions to form GC . Furthermore, application of TiO 2 catalysts with large specific area for electrochemical reduction of OX facilitates the selective formation of GC .

Microwave-assisted synthesis of Pt/CNT nanocomposite electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Weimin; Chen, Jun; Swiegers, Gerhard F; Ma, Zi-Feng; Wallace, Gordon G

2010-02-01

Microwave-assisted heating of functionalized, single-wall carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) in ethylene glycol solution containing H(2)PtCl(6), led to the reductive deposition of Pt nanoparticles (2.5-4 nm) over the FCNTs, yielding an active catalyst for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In single-cell testing, the Pt/FCNT composites displayed a catalytic performance that was superior to Pt nanoparticles supported by raw (unfunctionalized) CNTs (RCNTs) or by carbon black (C), prepared under identical conditions. The supporting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), functionalized with carboxyl groups, were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and Raman spectroscopy. The loading level, morphology, and crystallinity of the Pt/SWNT catalysts were determined using TGA, SEM, and XRD. The electrochemically active catalytic surface area of the Pt/FCNT catalysts was 72.9 m(2)/g-Pt.

Carbon-neutral energy cycles using alcohols

PubMed Central

Fukushima, Takashi; Kitano, Sho; Hata, Shinichi; Yamauchi, Miho

2018-01-01

Abstract We demonstrated carbon-neutral (CN) energy circulation using glycolic acid (GC)/oxalic acid (OX) redox couple. Here, we report fundamental studies on both catalyst search for power generation process, i.e. GC oxidation, and elemental steps for fuel generation process, i.e. OX reduction, in CN cycle. The catalytic activity test on various transition metals revealed that Rh, Pd, Ir, and Pt have preferable features as a catalyst for electrochemical oxidation of GC. A carbon-supported Pt catalyst in alkaline conditions exhibited higher activity, durability, and product selectivity for electrooxidation of GC rather than those in acidic media. The kinetic study on OX reduction clearly indicated that OX reduction undergoes successive two-electron reductions to form GC. Furthermore, application of TiO2 catalysts with large specific area for electrochemical reduction of OX facilitates the selective formation of GC. PMID:29511392

Degradation of paracetamol by catalytic wet air oxidation and sequential adsorption - Catalytic wet air oxidation on activated carbons.

PubMed

Quesada-Peñate, I; Julcour-Lebigue, C; Jáuregui-Haza, U J; Wilhelm, A M; Delmas, H

2012-06-30

The concern about the fate of pharmaceutical products has raised owing to the increasing contamination of rivers, lakes and groundwater. The aim of this paper is to evaluate two different processes for paracetamol removal. The catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of paracetamol on activated carbon was investigated both as a water treatment technique using an autoclave reactor and as a regenerative treatment of the carbon after adsorption in a sequential fixed bed process. Three activated carbons (ACs) from different source materials were used as catalysts: two microporous basic ACs (S23 and C1) and a meso- and micro-porous acidic one (L27). During the first CWAO experiment the adsorption capacity and catalytic performance of fresh S23 and C1 were higher than those of fresh L27 despite its higher surface area. This situation changed after AC reuse, as finally L27 gave the best results after five CWAO cycles. Respirometry tests with activated sludge revealed that in the studied conditions the use of CWAO enhanced the aerobic biodegradability of the effluent. In the ADOX process L27 also showed better oxidation performances and regeneration efficiency. This different ageing was examined through AC physico-chemical properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reprocessing and reuse of waste tire rubber to solve air-quality related problems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lehmann, C.M.B.; Rostam-Abadi, M.; Rood, M.J.; Sun, Jielun

1998-01-01

There is a potential for using waste tire rubber to make activated-carbon adsorbents for air-quality control applications. Such an approach provides a recycling path for waste tires and the production of new adsorbents from a low-cost waste material. Tire-derived activated carbons (TDACs) were prepared from waste tires. The resulting products are generally mesoporous, with N2-BET specific surface areas ranging from 239 to 1031 m2/g. TDACs were tested for their ability to store natural gas and remove organic compounds and mercury species from gas streams. TDACs are able to achieve 36% of the recommended adsorbed natural gas (methane) storage capacity for natural-gas-fueled vehicles. Equilibrium adsorption capacities for CH4 achieved by TDACs are comparable to Calgon BPL, a commercially available activated-carbon adsorbent. The acetone adsorption capacity for a TDAC is 67% of the adsorption capacity achieved by BPL at 1 vol % acetone. Adsorption capacities of mercury in simulated flue-gas streams are, in general, larger than adsorption capacities achieved by coal-derived activated carbons (CDACs) and BPL. Although TDACs may not perform as well as commercial adsorbents in some air pollution control applications, the potential lower cost of TDACS should be considered when evaluating economics.

[Study on influence between activated carbon property and immobilized biological activated carbon purification effect].

PubMed

Wang, Guang-zhi; Li, Wei-guang; He, Wen-jie; Han, Hong-da; Ding, Chi; Ma, Xiao-na; Qu, Yan-ming

2006-10-01

By means of immobilizing five kinds of activated carbon, we studied the influence between the chief activated carbon property items and immobilized bioactivated carbon (IBAC) purification effect with the correlation analysis. The result shows that the activated carbon property items which the correlation coefficient is up 0.7 include molasses, abrasion number, hardness, tannin, uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter; the activated carbon property items which the correlation coefficient is up 0.5 include pH, iodine, butane and tetrachloride. In succession, the partial correlation analysis shows that activated carbon property items mostly influencing on IBAC purification effect include molasses, hardness, abrasion number, uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter. The causation of these property items bringing influence on IBAC purification is that the activated carbon holes distribution (representative activated carbon property item is molasses) provides inhabitable location and adjust food for the dominance bacteria; the mechanical resist-crash property of activated carbon (representative activated carbon property items: abrasion number and hardness) have influence on the stability of biofilm; and the particle diameter size and distribution of activated carbon (representative activated carbon property items: uniform coefficient, mean particle diameter and effective particle diameter) can directly affect the force of water in IBAC filter bed, which brings influence on the dominance bacteria immobilizing on activated carbon.

An Overview of the Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Randolph, Thomas M.; Polk, James E., Jr.

2004-01-01

The Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) research and development activity within NASA's Project Prometheus, was one of three proposals selected by NASA to develop thruster technologies for long life, high power, high specific impulse nuclear electric propulsion systems that would enable more robust and ambitious science exploration missions to the outer solar system. NEXIS technology represents a dramatic improvement in the state-of-the-art for ion propulsion and is designed to achieve propellant throughput capabilities >= 2000 kg and efficiencies >= 78% while increasing the thruster power to >= 20 kW and specific impulse to >= 6000 s. The NEXIS technology uses erosion resistant carbon-carbon grids, a graphite keeper, a new reservoir hollow cathode, a 65-cm diameter chamber masked to produce a 57-cm diameter ion beam, and a shared neutralizer architecture to achieve these goals. The accomplishments of the NEXIS activity so far include performance testing of a laboratory model thruster, successful completion of a proof of concept reservoir cathode 2000 hour wear test, structural and thermal analysis of a completed development model thruster design, fabrication of most of the development model piece parts, and the nearly complete vacuum facility modifications to allow long duration wear testing of high power ion thrusters.

Biochars made from agro-industrial by-products remove chlorine and lower water toxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzachristas, Andreas; Xirou, Maria; Manariotis, Ioannis D.; Dailianis, Stefanos; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.

2016-04-01

Chlorination is the most common disinfection process for water and treated wastewater. For the industrial use of water in food production, chlorine can add undesired taste and odor to the final product. For this reason, dechlorination is desired for food industries that use municipal tap water. For treated wastewater discharge or reuse, chlorine can be toxic to the receiving aqueous systems and to the irrigated plants. In both the above cases, dechlorination is also required. Traditionally activated carbon has been used as the ideal material for the removal of chlorine. The main mechanisms that describe the interaction between activated carbon and HOCl or OCl- are described by the following equations (AWWA, 1990): HOCl + C* → C*O + H+ + Cl- (1), OCl- + C* → C*O + Cl- (2) Where C* and C*O represent the activated carbon surface and a surface oxide, respectively. The present study proposes the use of agro-industrial by-products for the production of biochars that will be used for dechlorination of tap-water used for food-industry production. Different raw materials such as malt spent rootlets, coffee residue, olive and grape seeds, etc. are used for the production of biochar. Various temperatures and air-to-solid ratios are tested for optimizing biochar production. Batch tests as well as a column test are employed to study the dechlorination efficiency and kinetics of the different raw and biochar materials as well as those of commercial activated carbons. As chlorine concentration increases the removal also increases linearily. After 1 and 24 hours of contact the chlorine relative removal efficiencies for the biochar made from olive seeds are 50 and 77 ± 4%, respectively. It seems that the removal kinetics are faster during the first hour; then, removal continues but with a slower rate. Most of the biochars tested (with 3 mg of solid in 20 mL of chlorine solution at initial concentration Co=1.5 mg/L) demonstrated removal efficiencies with an average of 9.4 ± 0.5 mg/g. For the two commercial activated carbons, removal efficiencies were 11.4 ± 0.2 mg/g. The column experiment also showed positive results; no breakthrough has been observed after 1L of chlorine solution has passed through a column packed with 4 g of biochar made from the pyrolysis of grape seeds. Toxicity tests were also performed with the chlorine solution before and after passing through this column. The toxicity of the solution decreased after passing through the column packed with biochar suggesting that no toxic compounds are formed during the removal of chlorine by the biochar. The overall idea of this study is the sustainable use of the solid by-products of a food industry or producer to treat water or treated wastewater in order to enhance its quality and lower its toxicity. American Water Works Association (AWWA) 1990 Water quality and treatment, a handbook of community water supplies, Fourth edition.

Verification Test for Ultra-Light Deployment Mechanism for Sectioned Deployable Antenna Reflectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zajac, Kai; Schmidt, Tilo; Schiller, Marko; Seifart, Klaus; Schmalbach, Matthias; Scolamiero, Lucio

2013-09-01

The ultra-light deployment mechanism (UDM) is based on three carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) curved tape springs made of carbon fibre / cyanate ester prepregs.In the frame of the activity its space application suitability for the deployment of solid reflector antenna sections was investigated. A projected diameter of the full reflector of 4 m to 7 m and specific mass in the order of magnitude of 2.6kg/m2 was focused for requirement derivation.Extensive verification tests including health checks, environmental and functional tests were carried out with an engineering model to enable representative characterizing of the UDM unit.This paper presents the design and a technical description of the UDM as well as a summary of achieved development status with respect to test results and possible design improvements.

A study on experimental characteristic of microwave-assisted pyrolysis of microalgae.

PubMed

Hu, Zhifeng; Ma, Xiaoqian; Chen, Chunxiang

2012-03-01

The microwave-assisted pyrolysis of Chlorella vulgaris was carried out under different microwave power levels, catalysts and contents of activated carbon and solid residue. The products, pyrolysis temperature and temperature rising rate were analyzed in order to obtain the optimal conditions. The results indicated that the higher the microwave power level was, the higher the maximum temperature rising rate and pyrolysis temperature were. The maximum bio-oil yield (35.83 wt.%) and gas yield (52.37%) were achieved under the microwave power of 1500 W and 2250 W, respectively. And 2250 W was the optimal power to obtain bio-fuel product. High microwave power level and catalyst can enhance the production of gas. Catalysts can promote the pyrolysis of C. vulgaris, and activated carbon was the best among the tested catalysts followed by the solid residue. The optimal content of activated carbon is 5% with the maximum bio-fuel yield of 87.47%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PARP-1 depletion in combination with carbon ion exposure significantly reduces MMPs activity and overall increases TIMPs expression in cultured HeLa cells.

PubMed

Ghorai, Atanu; Sarma, Asitikantha; Chowdhury, Priyanka; Ghosh, Utpal

2016-09-22

Hadron therapy is an innovative technique where cancer cells are precisely killed leaving surrounding healthy cells least affected by high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation like carbon ion beam. Anti-metastatic effect of carbon ion exposure attracts investigators into the field of hadron biology, although details remain poor. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) inhibitors are well-known radiosensitizer and several PARP-1 inhibitors are in clinical trial. Our previous studies showed that PARP-1 depletion makes the cells more radiosensitive towards carbon ion than gamma. The purpose of the present study was to investigate combining effects of PARP-1 inhibition with carbon ion exposure to control metastatic properties in HeLa cells. Activities of matrix metalloproteinases-2, 9 (MMP-2, MMP-9) were measured using the gelatin zymography after 85 MeV carbon ion exposure or gamma irradiation (0- 4 Gy) to compare metastatic potential between PARP-1 knock down (HsiI) and control cells (H-vector - HeLa transfected with vector without shRNA construct). Expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of MMPs such as TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 were checked by immunofluorescence and western blot. Cell death by trypan blue, apoptosis and autophagy induction were studied after carbon ion exposure in each cell-type. The data was analyzed using one way ANOVA and 2-tailed paired-samples T-test. PARP-1 silencing significantly reduced MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities and carbon ion exposure further diminished their activities to less than 3 % of control H-vector. On the contrary, gamma radiation enhanced both MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in H-vector but not in HsiI cells. The expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in H-vector and HsiI showed different pattern after carbon ion exposure. All three TIMPs were increased in HsiI, whereas only TIMP-1 was up-regulated in H-vector after irradiation. Notably, the expressions of all TIMPs were significantly higher in HsiI than H-vector at 4 Gy. Apoptosis was the predominant mode of cell death and no autophagic death was observed. Our study demonstrates for the first time that PARP-1 inhibition in combination with carbon ion synergistically decreases MMPs activity along with overall increase of TIMPs. These data open up the possibilities of improvement of carbon ion therapy with PARP-1 inhibition to control highly metastatic cancers.

A palladium-doped ceria@carbon core-sheath nanowire network: a promising catalyst support for alcohol electrooxidation reactions.

PubMed

Tan, Qiang; Du, Chunyu; Sun, Yongrong; Du, Lei; Yin, Geping; Gao, Yunzhi

2015-08-28

A novel palladium-doped ceria and carbon core-sheath nanowire network (Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN) is synthesized by a template-free and surfactant-free solvothermal process, followed by high temperature carbonization. This hierarchical network serves as a new class of catalyst support to enhance the activity and durability of noble metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation reactions. Its supported Pd nanoparticles, Pd/(Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN), exhibit >9 fold increase in activity toward the ethanol oxidation over the state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, which is the highest among the reported Pd systems. Moreover, stability tests show a virtually unchanged activity after 1000 cycles. The high activity is mainly attributed to the superior oxygen-species releasing capability of Pd-doped CeO2 nanowires by accelerating the removal of the poisoning intermediate. The unique interconnected one-dimensional core-sheath structure is revealed to facilitate immobilization of the metal catalysts, leading to the improved durability. This core-sheath nanowire network opens up a new strategy for catalyst performance optimization for next-generation fuel cells.

Non-Ideal Detonation Properties of Ammonium Nitrate and Activated Carbon Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Atsumi; Echigoya, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Hidefumi; Ogawa, Terushige; Katoh, Katsumi; Kubota, Shiro; Wada, Yuji; Ogata, Yuji

To obtain a better understanding of detonation properties of ammonium nitrate (AN) and activated carbon (AC) mixtures, steel tube tests with several diameters were carried out for various compositions of powdered AN and AC mixtures and the influence of the charge diameter on the detonation velocity was investigated. The results showed that the detonation velocity increased with the increase of the charge diameter. The experimentally observed values were far below the theoretically predicted values made by the thermodynamic CHEETAH code and they showed so-called non-ideal detonation. The extrapolated detonation velocity of stoichiometric composition to the infinite diameter showed a good agreement with the theoretical value.

Prussian blue analogue derived magnetic carbon/cobalt/iron nanocomposite as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for activation of peroxymonosulfate.

PubMed

Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew; Chen, Bo-Jau

2017-01-01

A Prussian blue analogue, cobalt hexacyanoferrate Co 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 2 , was used for the first time to prepare a magnetic carbon/cobalt/iron (MCCI) nanocomposite via one-step carbonization of Co 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 2 . The resulting MCCI consisted of evenly-distributed cobalt and cobalt ferrite in a porous carbonaceous matrix, making it an attractive magnetic heterogeneous catalyst for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS). As Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation was adopted as a model test for evaluating activation capability of MCCI, factors influencing RhB degradation were thoroughly examined, including MCCI and PMS dosages, temperature, pH, salt and radical scavengers. A higher MCCI dosage noticeably facilitated the degradation kinetics, whereas insufficient PMS dosage led to ineffective degradation. RhB degradation by MCCI-activated PMS was much more favorable at high temperatures and under neutral conditions. The presence of high concentration of salt slightly interfered with RhB degradation by MCCI-activated PMS. Through examining effects of radical scavengers, RhB degradation by MCCI-activated PMS can be primarily attributed to sulfate radicals instead of a combination of sulfate and hydroxyl radicals. Compared to Co 3 O 4 , a typical catalyst for PMS activation, MCCI also exhibited a higher catalytic activity for activating PMS. In addition, MCCI was proven as a durable and recyclable catalyst for activating PMS over multiple cycles without efficiency loss and significant changes of chemical characteristics. These features demonstrate that MCCI, simply prepared from a one-step carbonization of Co 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] 2 is a promising heterogeneous catalyst for activating PMS to degrade organic pollutants. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Maintaining Adequate Carbon Dioxide Washout for an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chullen, Cinda; Navarro, Moses; Conger, Bruce; Korona, Adam; McMillin, Summer; Norcross, Jason; Swickrath, Mike

2013-01-01

Over the past several years, NASA has realized tremendous progress in technology development that is aimed at the production of an Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU). Of the many functions provided by the spacesuit and portable life support subsystem within the AEMU, delivering breathing gas to the astronaut along with removing the carbon dioxide (CO2) remains one of the most important environmental functions that the AEMU can control. Carbon dioxide washout is the capability of the ventilation flow in the spacesuit helmet to provide low concentrations of CO2 to the crew member to meet breathing requirements. CO2 washout performance is a critical parameter needed to ensure proper and sufficient designs in a spacesuit and in vehicle applications such as sleep stations and hygiene compartments. Human testing to fully evaluate and validate CO2 washout performance is necessary but also expensive due to the levied safety requirements. Moreover, correlation of math models becomes challenging because of human variability and movement. To supplement human CO2 washout testing, a breathing capability will be integrated into a suited manikin test apparatus to provide a safe, lower cost, stable, easily modeled alternative to human testing. Additionally, this configuration provides NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) the capability to evaluate CO2 washout under off-nominal conditions that would otherwise be unsafe for human testing or difficult due to fatigue of a test subject. Testing has been under way in-house at JSC and analysis has been initiated to evaluate whether the technology provides sufficient performance in ensuring that the CO2 is removed sufficiently and the ventilation flow is adequate for maintaining CO2 washout in the AEMU spacesuit helmet of the crew member during an extravehicular activity. This paper will review recent CO2 washout testing and analysis activities, testing planned in-house with a spacesuit simulator, and the associated analytical work along with insights from the medical aspect on the testing.

Production of activated carbon from TCR char

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stenzel, Fabian; Heberlein, Markus; Klinner, Tobias; Hornung, Andreas

2016-04-01

The utilization of char for adsorptive purposes is known since the 18th century. At that time the char was made of wood or bones and used for decoloration of fluids. In the 20th century the production of activated carbon in an industrial scale was started. The today's raw materials for activated carbon production are hard coal, peat, wood or coconut shells. All these materials entail costs especially the latter. Thus, the utilization of carbon rich residues (biomass) is an interesting economic opportunity because it is available for no costs or even can create income. The char is produced by thermo-catalytic reforming (TCR®). This process is a combination of an intermediate pyrolysis and subsequently a reforming step. During the pyrolysis step the material is decomposed in a vapor and a solid carbon enriched phase. In the second step the vapor and the solid phase get in an intensive contact and the quality of both materials is improved via the reforming process. Subsequently, the condensables are precipitated from the vapor phase and a permanent gas as well as oil is obtained. Both are suitable for heat and power production which is a clear advantage of the TCR® process. The obtained biochar from the TCR® process has special properties. This material has a very low hydrogen and oxygen content. Its stability is comparable to hard coal or anthracite. Therefore it consists almost only of carbon and ash. The latter depends from input material. Furthermore the surface structure and area can be influenced during the reforming step. Depending from temperature and residence time the number of micro pores and the surface area can be increased. Preliminary investigations with methylene blue solution have shown that a TCR® char made of digestate from anaerobic digestion has adsorptive properties. The decoloration of the solution was achieved. A further influencing factor of the adsorption performance is the particle size. Based on the results of the preliminary tests a systematically investigation was started. For this a muffle furnace with a maximum temperature up to 1300 ° C is used. Furthermore the gaseous atmosphere can be controlled. So it is possible to carry out the trials with the absence of oxygen by purging with nitrogen, carbon oxide and/ or steam for example. With the addition of steam the number of mesopores is increased. These pores are responsible for the adsorption performance in liquid phases. The trials for the TCR® chars made from beech wood (reference) and digestate are currently carried out. Additionally the reduction of the ash content of the char by using hydrochloric and acetic acid is investigated, too. These leaching tests are carried out in a lab scale test rig at an operating temperature of 60 ° C and a residence time up to 4 hours. The main objective is to adapt the TCR® process with regard to an optimized activated carbon production from biogenic residues to obtain an economic sustainable concept.

Chemistry Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1983

1983-01-01

Presents chemistry experiments, laboratory procedures, demonstrations, and classroom materials/activities. These include: experiments on colloids, processing of uranium ore, action of heat on carbonates; color test for phenols and aromatic amines; solvent properties of non-electrolytes; stereoscopic applications/methods; a valency balance;…

Characterization of activated carbons from oil-palm shell by CO2 activation with no holding carbonization temperature.

PubMed

Herawan, S G; Hadi, M S; Ayob, Md R; Putra, A

2013-01-01

Activated carbons can be produced from different precursors, including coals of different ranks, and lignocellulosic materials, by physical or chemical activation processes. The objective of this paper is to characterize oil-palm shells, as a biomass byproduct from palm-oil mills which were converted into activated carbons by nitrogen pyrolysis followed by CO2 activation. The effects of no holding peak pyrolysis temperature on the physical characteristics of the activated carbons are studied. The BET surface area of the activated carbon is investigated using N2 adsorption at 77 K with selected temperatures of 500, 600, and 700°C. These pyrolysis conditions for preparing the activated carbons are found to yield higher BET surface area at a pyrolysis temperature of 700°C compared to selected commercial activated carbon. The activated carbons thus result in well-developed porosities and predominantly microporosities. By using this activation method, significant improvement can be obtained in the surface characteristics of the activated carbons. Thus this study shows that the preparation time can be shortened while better results of activated carbon can be produced.

Platinum assisted by carbon quantum dots for methanol electro-oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Dan; Li, Xingwei; Zhang, Aofeng

2018-01-01

Various types of fuel cells as clean and portable power sources show a great attraction, especially direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) having high energy density, low operating temperature and convenient fuel storage. However, the preparation of low-cost Pt-based catalysts with satisfactory catalytic performance still faces many challenges for its commercialization on large scale. Here, Pt catalysts assisted by carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are reported. The synergistic effect of carbon quantum dots and Pt metals is similar to a bi-component catalyst, such as PtRu. First, carbon quantum dots derived from Vulcan XC-72 carbon black are synthesized by mixed acid etching. Then, carbon black (Vulcan XC-72) is soaked in carbon quantum dots solution for several days to obtain carbon black modified by carbon quantum dots (XC-72-CQDs). Finally, Pt catalysts are supported on XC-72-CQDs (Pt/XC-72-CQDs) through a simple chemical reduction method. For methanol electro-oxidation reaction, the catalytic performance of Pt/XC-72-CQDs is compared with commercial PtRu/C (30% Pt + 15% Ru). Results show that a typical product (Pt/XC-72-CQDs5) exhibits a better catalytic activity than PtRu/C. In cyclic voltammetry test, the specific activity of Pt/XC-72-CQDs5 is 1.06 mA cm-2 Pt and 477.6 mA mg-1 Pt, while that of PtRu/C is 0.77 mA cm-2 Pt and 280.6 mA mg-1 Pt.

Black Ink of Activated Carbon Derived From Palm Kernel Cake (PKC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selamat, M. H.; Ahmad, A. H.

2009-06-01

Recycling the waste from natural plant to produce useful end products will benefit many industries and help preserve the environment. The research reported in this paper is an investigation on the use of the natural waste of palm kernel cake (PKC) to produce carbon residue as a black carbon for pigment source by using pyrolysis process. The activated carbons (AC) is produced in powder form using ball milling process. Rheological spectra in ink is one of quality control process in determining its performance properties. Findings from this study will help expand the scientific knowledge-base for black ink production and formulation base on PKC. Various inks with different weight percentage compositions of AC will be made and tested against its respective rheological properties in order to determine ideal ink printing system. The items in the formulation used comprised of organic and bio-waste materials with added additive to improve the quality of the black ink. Modified Polyurethane was used as binder. The binder's properties highlighted an ideal vehicle to be applied for good black ink opacity performance. The rheological behaviour is a general foundation for ink characterization where the wt% of AC-PKC resulted in different pseudoplastic behaviors, including the Newtonian behavior. The result found that Newtonian field was located in between 2 wt% and 10 wt% of AC-PKC composition with binder. Mass spectroscopy results shown that the carbon content in PKC is high and very suitable for black performance. In the ageing test, the pigment of PKC perform fairly according to the standard pigment of Black carbon (CB) of ferum oxide pigment. The contact angle for substrate's wettability of the ink system shown a good angle proven to be a water resistive coating on paper subtrates; an advantage of the PKC ink pigment performance.

Operating room fire prevention: creating an electrosurgical unit fire safety device.

PubMed

Culp, William C; Kimbrough, Bradly A; Luna, Sarah; Maguddayao, Aris J

2014-08-01

To reduce the incidence of surgical fires. Operating room fires represent a potentially life-threatening hazard and are triggered by the electrosurgical unit (ESU) pencil. Carbon dioxide is a fire suppressant and is a routinely used medical gas. We hypothesize that a shroud of protective carbon dioxide covering the tip of the ESU pencil displaces oxygen, thereby preventing fire ignition. Using 3-dimensional modeling techniques, a polymer sleeve was created and attached to an ESU pencil. This sleeve was connected to a carbon dioxide source and directed the gas through multiple precisely angled ports, generating a cone of fire-suppressive carbon dioxide surrounding the active pencil tip. This device was evaluated in a flammability test chamber containing 21%, 50%, and 100% oxygen with sustained ESU activation. The sleeve was tested with and without carbon dioxide (control) until a fuel was ignited or 30 seconds elapsed. Time to ignition was measured by high-speed videography. Fires were ignited with each control trial (15/15 trials). The control group median ± SD ignition time in 21% oxygen was 3.0 ± 2.4 seconds, in 50% oxygen was 0.1 ± 1.8 seconds, and in 100% oxygen was 0.03 ± 0.1 seconds. No fire was observed when the fire safety device was used in all concentrations of oxygen (0/15 trials; P < 0.0001). The exact 95% confidence interval for absolute risk reduction of fire ignition was 76% to 100%. A sleeve creating a cone of protective carbon dioxide gas enshrouding the sparks from an ESU pencil effectively prevents fire in a high-flammability model. Clinical application of this device may reduce the incidence of operating room fires.

Survival of selected bacterial species in sterilized activated carbon filters and biological activated carbon filters.

PubMed Central

Rollinger, Y; Dott, W

1987-01-01

The survival of selected hygienically relevant bacterial species in activated carbon (AC) filters on a bench scale was investigated. The results revealed that after inoculation of the test strains the previously sterilized AC absorbed all bacteria (10(6) to 10(7)). After a period of 6 to 13 days without countable bacteria in the effluent, the numbers of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas putida increased up to 10(4) to 10(5) CFU/ml of effluent and 10(6) to 10(7) CFU/g of AC. When Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus faecalis were used, no growth in filters could be observed. The numbers of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and P. putida, however, decreased immediately and showed no regrowth in nonsterile AC from a filter which had been continuously connected to running tap water for 2 months. Under these conditions an autochthonous microflora developed on the carbon surface which could be demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and culturing methods (heterotrophic plate count). These bacteria reduced E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and P. putida densities in the effluent by a factor of more than 10(5) within 1 to 5 days. The hypothesis that antagonistic substances of the autochthonous microflora were responsible for the elimination of the artificial contamination could not be confirmed because less than 1% of the isolates of the autochthonous microflora were able to produce such substances as indicated by in vitro tests. Competition for limiting nutrients was thought to be the reason for the observed effects. PMID:3579281

CO.sub.2 utilization in electrochemical systems

DOEpatents

Boxley, Chett; Akash, Akash; Zhao, Qiang

2013-01-22

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with a quantity of spray dryer ash (SDA) and water to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and form a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 40%, and in some cases less than 20%, of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. An optional alkaline activator may be mixed with the fly ash and SDA to facilitate the geopolymerization reaction. The alkaline activator may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

Enhancement of methanogenesis via direct interspecies electron transfer between Geobacteraceae and Methanosaetaceae conducted by granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuo; Chang, Jiali; Lin, Chao; Pan, Yiran; Cui, Kangping; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia

2017-12-01

To understand how granular activated carbon (GAC) promotes methanogenesis, batch tests of CH 4 production potential in anaerobic serum bottles with addition of GAC or not were conducted. Tests showed that GAC promoted methanogenesis remarkably, but the non-conductive zeolite did not. The qPCR demonstrated that the biomass on GAC contributed little to the promotion. High-throughput sequencing data implied that promotion was related with direct interspecies electron transfer between Geobacteraceae and Methanosaetaceae. According to the c-type cytochromes (c-Cyts) response to the supplement of GAC, it was speculated that GAC may play the role of c-Cyts' substitution. In the undefined cultures, the phenomenon that c-Cyts were repressed by GAC was first observed. This research provided new evidence to microbial mechanism of promoting methanogenesis via GAC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of fly ash for use in concrete

DOEpatents

Boxley, Chett [Park City, UT

2012-05-15

A process for treating fly ash to render it highly usable as a concrete additive. A quantity of fly ash is obtained that contains carbon and which is considered unusable fly ash for concrete based upon foam index testing. The fly ash is mixed with a quantity of spray dryer ash (SDA) and water to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and form a geopolymerized fly ash. The geopolymerized fly ash is granulated. The geopolymerized fly ash is considered usable fly ash for concrete according to foam index testing. The geopolymerized fly ash may have a foam index less than 40%, and in some cases less than 20%, of the foam index of the untreated fly ash. An optional alkaline activator may be mixed with the fly ash and SDA to facilitate the geopolymerization reaction. The alkaline activator may contain an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate, silicate, aluminate, or mixtures thereof.

A mechanistic soil biogeochemistry model with explicit representation of microbial and macrofaunal activities and nutrient cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatichi, Simone; Manzoni, Stefano; Or, Dani; Paschalis, Athanasios

2016-04-01

The potential of a given ecosystem to store and release carbon is inherently linked to soil biogeochemical processes. These processes are deeply connected to the water, energy, and vegetation dynamics above and belowground. Recently, it has been advocated that a mechanistic representation of soil biogeochemistry require: (i) partitioning of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools according to their functional role; (ii) an explicit representation of microbial dynamics; (iii) coupling of carbon and nutrient cycles. While some of these components have been introduced in specialized models, they have been rarely implemented in terrestrial biosphere models and tested in real cases. In this study, we combine a new soil biogeochemistry model with an existing model of land-surface hydrology and vegetation dynamics (T&C). Specifically the soil biogeochemistry component explicitly separates different litter pools and distinguishes SOC in particulate, dissolved and mineral associated fractions. Extracellular enzymes and microbial pools are explicitly represented differentiating the functional roles of bacteria, saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi. Microbial activity depends on temperature, soil moisture and litter or SOC stoichiometry. The activity of macrofauna is also modeled. Nutrient dynamics include the cycles of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. The model accounts for feedbacks between nutrient limitations and plant growth as well as for plant stoichiometric flexibility. In turn, litter input is a function of the simulated vegetation dynamics. Root exudation and export to mycorrhiza are computed based on a nutrient uptake cost function. The combined model is tested to reproduce respiration dynamics and nitrogen cycle in few sites where data were available to test plausibility of results across a range of different metrics. For instance in a Swiss grassland ecosystem, fine root, bacteria, fungal and macrofaunal respiration account for 40%, 23%, 33% and 4% of total belowground respiration, respectively. Root exudation and carbon export to mycorrhizal represent about 7% of plant Net Primary Production. The model allows exploring the temporal dynamics of respiration fluxes from the different ecosystem components and designing virtual experiments on the controls exerted by environmental variables and/or soil microbes and mycorrhizal associations on soil carbon storage, plant growth, and nutrient leaching.

Design rules and reality check for carbon-based ultracapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, Erhard T.

1995-04-01

Design criteria for carbon-based Ultracapacitors have been determined for specified energy and power requirements, using the geometry of the components and such material properties as density, porosity and conductivity as parameters, while also considering chemical compatibility. This analysis shows that the weights of active and inactive components of the capacitor structure must be carefully balanced for maximum energy and power density. When applied to nonaqueous electrolytes, the design rules for a 5 Wh/kg device call for porous carbon with a specific capacitance of about 30 F/cu cm. This performance is not achievable with pure, electrostatic double layer capacitance. Double layer capacitance is only 5 to 30% of that observed in aqueous electrolyte. Tests also showed that nonaqueous electrolytes have a diminished capability to access micropores in activated carbon, in one case yielding a capacitance of less than 1 F/cu cm for carbon that had 100 F/cu cm in aqueous electrolyte. With negative results on nonaqueous electrolytes dominating the present study, the obvious conclusion is to concentrate on aqueous systems. Only aqueous double layer capacitors offer adequate electrostatic charging characteristics which is the basis for high power performance. There arc many opportunities for further advancing aqueous double layer capacitors, one being the use of highly activated carbon films, as opposed to powders, fibers and foams. While the manufacture of carbon films is still costly, and while the energy and power density of the resulting devices may not meet the optimistic goals that have been proposed, this technology could produce true double layer capacitors with significantly improved performance and large commercial potential.

Lithographically patterned thin activated carbon films as a new technology platform for on-chip devices.

PubMed

Wei, Lu; Nitta, Naoki; Yushin, Gleb

2013-08-27

Continuous, smooth, visibly defect-free, lithographically patterned activated carbon films (ACFs) are prepared on the surface of silicon wafers. Depending on the synthesis conditions, porous ACFs can either remain attached to the initial substrate or be separated and transferred to another dense or porous substrate of interest. Tuning the activation conditions allows one to change the surface area and porosity of the produced carbon films. Here we utilize the developed thin ACF technology to produce prototypes of functional electrical double-layer capacitor devices. The synthesized thin carbon film electrodes demonstrated very high capacitance in excess of 510 F g(-1) (>390 F cm(-3)) at a slow cyclic voltammetry scan rate of 1 mV s(-1) and in excess of 325 F g(-1) (>250 F cm(-3)) in charge-discharge tests at an ultrahigh current density of 45,000 mA g(-1). Good stability was demonstrated after 10,000 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles. The high values of the specific and volumetric capacitances of the selected ACF electrodes as well as the capacity retention at high current densities demonstrated great potential of the proposed technology for the fabrication of various on-chip devices, such as micro-electrochemical capacitors.

High surface area carbon and process for its production

DOEpatents

Romanos, Jimmy; Burress, Jacob; Pfeifer, Peter; Rash, Tyler; Shah, Parag; Suppes, Galen

2016-12-13

Activated carbon materials and methods of producing and using activated carbon materials are provided. In particular, biomass-derived activated carbon materials and processes of producing the activated carbon materials with prespecified surface areas and pore size distributions are provided. Activated carbon materials with preselected high specific surface areas, porosities, sub-nm (<1 nm) pore volumes, and supra-nm (1-5 nm) pore volumes may be achieved by controlling the degree of carbon consumption and metallic potassium intercalation into the carbon lattice during the activation process.

Ecotoxicological assessment of grey water treatment systems with Daphnia magna and Chironomus riparius.

PubMed

Hernández Leal, L; Soeter, A M; Kools, S A E; Kraak, M H S; Parsons, J R; Temmink, H; Zeeman, G; Buisman, C J N

2012-03-15

In order to meet environmental quality criteria, grey water was treated in four different ways: 1) aerobic 2) anaerobic+aerobic 3) aerobic+activated carbon 4) aerobic+ozone. Since each treatment has its own specific advantages and disadvantages, the aim of this study was to compare the ecotoxicity of differently treated grey water using Chironomus riparius (96 h test) and Daphnia magna (48 h and 21d test) as test organisms. Grey water exhibited acute toxicity to both test organisms. The aerobic and combined anaerobic+aerobic treatment eliminated mortality in the acute tests, but growth of C. riparius was still affected by these two effluents. Post-treatment by ozone and activated carbon completely removed the acute toxicity from grey water. In the chronic toxicity test the combined anaerobic+aerobic treatment strongly affected D. magna population growth rate (47%), while the aerobic treatment had a small (9%) but significant effect. Hence, aerobic treatment is the best option for biological treatment of grey water, removing most of the toxic effects of grey water. If advanced treatment is required, the treatment with either ozone or GAC were shown to be very effective in complete removal of toxicity from grey water. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing the chlorine dioxide demand in final disinfection of drinking water treatment plants using activated carbon.

PubMed

Sorlini, Sabrina; Biasibetti, Michela; Collivignarelli, Maria Cristina; Crotti, Barbara Marianna

2015-01-01

Chlorine dioxide is one of the most widely employed chemicals in the disinfection process of a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the adsorption process with granular activated carbon (GAC) on the chlorine dioxide consumption in final oxidation/disinfection. A first series of tests was performed at the laboratory scale employing water samples collected at the outlet of the DWTP sand filter of Cremona (Italy). The adsorption process in batch conditions with seven different types of GAC was studied. A second series of tests was performed on water samples collected at the outlet of four GAC columns installed at the outlet of the DWTP sand filter. The results showed that the best chlorine dioxide demand (ClO2-D) reduction yields are equal to 60-80% and are achieved in the first 30 min after ClO2 addition, during the first 16 days of the column operation using a mineral, coal-based, mesoporous GAC. Therefore, this carbon removes organic compounds that are more rapidly reactive with ClO2. Moreover, a good correlation was found between the ClO2-D and UV absorbance at wavelength 254 nm using mineral carbons; therefore, the use of a mineral mesoporous GAC is an effective solution to control the high ClO2-D in the disinfection stage of a DWTP.

4BMS-X Design and Test Activation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, Warren T.; Knox, James C.

2017-01-01

In support of the NASA goals to reduce power, volume and mass requirements on future CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) removal systems for exploration missions, a 4BMS (Four Bed Molecular Sieve) test bed was fabricated and activated at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The 4BMS-X (Four Bed Molecular Sieve-Exploration) test bed used components similar in size, spacing, and function to those on the flight ISS flight CDRA system, but were assembled in an open framework. This open framework allows for quick integration of changes to components, beds and material systems. The test stand is highly instrumented to provide data necessary to anchor predictive modeling efforts occurring in parallel to testing. System architecture and test data collected on the initial configurations will be presented.

Immobilized Carbonic Anhydrase on Hollow Fiber Membranes Accelerates CO2 Removal from Blood

PubMed Central

Arazawa, David T.; Oh, Heung-Il; Ye, Sang-Ho; Johnson, Carl A.; Woolley, Joshua R.; Wagner, William R.; Federspiel, William J.

2012-01-01

Current artificial lungs and respiratory assist devices designed for carbon dioxide removal (CO2R) are limited in their efficiency due to the relatively small partial pressure difference across gas exchange membranes. To offset this underlying diffusional challenge, bioactive hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) increase the carbon dioxide diffusional gradient through the immobilized enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), which converts bicarbonate to CO2 directly at the HFM surface. In this study, we tested the impact of CA-immobilization on HFM CO2 removal efficiency and thromboresistance in blood. Fiber surface modification with radio frequency glow discharge (RFGD) introduced hydroxyl groups, which were activated by 1M CNBr while 1.5M TEA was added drop wise over the activation time course, then incubation with a CA solution covalently linked the enzyme to the surface. The bioactive HFMs were then potted in a model gas exchange device (0.0084 m2) and tested in a recirculation loop with a CO2 inlet of 50mmHg under steady blood flow. Using an esterase activity assay, CNBr chemistry with TEA resulted in 0.99U of enzyme activity, a 3.3 fold increase in immobilized CA activity compared to our previous method. These bioactive HFMs demonstrated 108 ml/min/m2 CO2 removal rate, marking a 36% increase compared to unmodified HFMs (p < 0.001). Thromboresistance of CA-modified HFMs was assessed in terms of adherent platelets on surfaces by using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Results indicated HFMs with CA modification had 95% less platelet deposition compared to unmodified HFM (p < 0.01). Overall these findings revealed increased CO2 removal can be realized through bioactive HFMs, enabling a next generation of more efficient CO2 removal intravascular and paracorporeal respiratory assist devices. PMID:22962517

Physicochemical properties of metal-doped activated carbons and relationship with their performance in the removal of SO2 and NO.

PubMed

Gao, Xiang; Liu, Shaojun; Zhang, Yang; Luo, Zhongyang; Cen, Kefa

2011-04-15

Several metal-doped activated carbons (Fe, Co, Ni, V, Mn, Cu and Ce) were prepared and characterized. The results of N(2) adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that some metals (Cu and Fe) were partly reduced by carbon during preparation. Activity tests for the removal of SO(2) and the selective catalytic reduction of NO with ammonia were carried out. Due to different physicochemical properties, different pathways for the SO(2) removal had been put out, i.e., catalytic oxidation, direct reaction and adsorption. This classification depended on the standard reduction potentials of metal redox pairs. Samples impregnated with V, Ce and Cu showed good activity for NO reduction by NH(3), which was also ascribed to the reduction potential values of metal redox pairs. Ce seemed to be a promising alternative to V due to the higher activity in NO reduction and the nontoxic property. A metal cation which could easily convert between the two valences seemed to be crucial to the good performance of both SO(2) and NO removal, just like V and Cu. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Activated carbon mitigates mercury and methylmercury bioavailability in contaminated sediments.

PubMed

Gilmour, Cynthia C; Riedel, Georgia S; Riedel, Gerhardt; Kwon, Seokjoon; Landis, Richard; Brown, Steven S; Menzie, Charles A; Ghosh, Upal

2013-11-19

There are few available in situ remediation options for Hg contaminated sediments, short of capping. Here we present the first tests of activated carbon and other sorbents as potential in situ amendments for remediation of mercury and methylmercury (MeHg), using a study design that combined 2 L sediment/water microcosms with 14 day bioaccumulation assays. Our key end points were pore water concentrations, and bioaccumulation of total Hg and MeHg by a deposit-feeding oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus. Four amendments were tested: an activated carbon (AC); CETCO Organoclay MRM (MRM); Thiol-SAMMS (TS), a thiol-functionalized mesoporous silica; and AMBERSEP GT74, an ion-exchange resin. Amendments were tested in four separate microcosm assays using Hg-contaminated sediments from two freshwater and two estuarine sites. AC and TS amendments, added at 2-7% of the dry weight of sediments significantly reduced both MeHg concentrations in pore waters, relative to unamended controls (by 45-95%) and bioaccumulation of MeHg by Lumbriculus (by between 30 and 90%). Both amendments had only small impacts on microcosm surface water, sediment and pore water chemistry, with the exception of significant reductions in pore water dissolved organic matter. The effectiveness of amendments in reducing bioaccumulation was well-correlated with their effectiveness in increasing sediment:water partitioning, especially of MeHg. Sediments with low native sediment:water MeHg partition coefficients were most effectively treated. Thus, in situ sediment sorbent amendments may be able to reduce the risk of biotic Hg and MeHg uptake in contaminated sediments, and subsequent contamination of food webs.

Simultaneous removal of ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursors from high ammonia water by zeolite and powdered activated carbon.

PubMed

Xue, Runmiao; Donovan, Ariel; Zhang, Haiting; Ma, Yinfa; Adams, Craig; Yang, John; Hua, Bin; Inniss, Enos; Eichholz, Todd; Shi, Honglan

2018-02-01

When adding sufficient chlorine to achieve breakpoint chlorination to source water containing high concentration of ammonia during drinking water treatment, high concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) may form. If N-nitrosamine precursors are present, highly toxic N-nitrosamines, primarily N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), may also form. Removing their precursors before disinfection should be a more effective way to minimize these DBPs formation. In this study, zeolites and activated carbon were examined for ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal when incorporated into drinking water treatment processes. The test results indicate that Mordenite zeolite can remove ammonia and five of seven N-nitrosamine precursors efficiently by single step adsorption test. The practical applicability was evaluated by simulation of typical drinking water treatment processes using six-gang stirring system. The Mordenite zeolite was applied at the steps of lime softening, alum coagulation, and alum coagulation with powdered activated carbon (PAC) sorption. While the lime softening process resulted in poor zeolite performance, alum coagulation did not impact ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal. During alum coagulation, more than 67% ammonia and 70%-100% N-nitrosamine precursors were removed by Mordenite zeolite (except 3-(dimethylaminomethyl)indole (DMAI) and 4-dimethylaminoantipyrine (DMAP)). PAC effectively removed DMAI and DMAP when added during alum coagulation. A combination of the zeolite and PAC selected efficiently removed ammonia and all tested seven N-nitrosamine precursors (dimethylamine (DMA), ethylmethylamine (EMA), diethylamine (DEA), dipropylamine (DPA), trimethylamine (TMA), DMAP, and DMAI) during the alum coagulation process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

21 CFR 862.1160 - Bicarbonate/carbon dioxide test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Bicarbonate/carbon dioxide test system. 862.1160... Systems § 862.1160 Bicarbonate/carbon dioxide test system. (a) Identification. A bicarbonate/carbon dioxide test system is a device intended to measure bicarbonate/carbon dioxide in plasma, serum, and whole...

Adsorption of Ammonia on Regenerable Carbon Sorbents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wójtowicz, Marek A.; Cosgrove, Jesph E.; Serio, Michael A..; Wilburn, Monique

2015-01-01

Results are presented on the development of reversible sorbents for the combined carbon dioxide, moisture, and trace-contaminant (TC) removal for use in Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), and more specifically in the Primary Life Support System (PLSS). The currently available life support systems use separate units for carbon dioxide, trace contaminants, and moisture control, and the long-term objective is to replace the above three modules with a single one. Data on sorption and desorption of ammonia, which is a major TC of concern, are presented in this paper. The current TC-control technology involves the use of a packed bed of acid-impregnated granular charcoal, which is non-regenerable, and the carbon-based sorbent under development in this project can be regenerated by exposure to vacuum at room temperature. In this study, several carbon sorbents were fabricated and tested for ammonia sorption. Ammonia-sorption capacity was related to carbon pore structure characteristics, and the temperature of oxidative carbon-surface treatment was optimized for enhanced ammonia-sorption performance.

Low-Temperature Fluorination of Soft-Templated Mesoporous Carbons for a High-Power Lithium/Carbon Fluoride Battery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fulvio, Pasquale F.; Brown, Suree S.; Adcock, Jamie

Soft-templated mesoporous carbons and activated mesoporous carbons were fluorinated using elemental fluorine between room temperature and 235 °C. The mesoporous carbons were prepared via self-assembly synthesis of phloroglucinol–formaldehyde as a carbon precursor in the presence of triblock ethylene oxide–propylene oxide–ethylene oxide copolymer BASF Pluronic F127 as the template. The F/C ratios ranged from ~0.15 to 0.75 according to gravimetric, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Materials have mesopore diameters up to 11 nm and specific surface areas as high as 850 m² g⁻¹ after fluorination as calculated from nitrogen adsorption isotherms at -196 °C. Furthermore, the materialsmore » exhibit higher discharge potentials and energy and power densities as well as faster reaction kinetics under high current densities than commercial carbon fluorides with similar fluorine contents when tested as cathodes for Li/CF x batteries.« less

Low-Temperature Fluorination of Soft-Templated Mesoporous Carbons for a High-Power Lithium/Carbon Fluoride Battery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fulvio, Pasquale F; Dai, Sheng; Guo, Bingkun

Soft-templated mesoporous carbons and activated mesoporous carbons were fluorinated using elemental fluorine between room temperature and 235 C. The mesoporous carbons were prepared via self-assembly synthesis of phloroglucinol formaldehyde as a carbon precursor in the presence of triblock ethylene oxide propylene oxide ethylene oxide copolymer BASF Pluronic F127 as the template. The F/C ratios ranged from 0.15 to 0.75 according to gravimetric, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Materials have mesopore diameters up to 11 nm and specific surface areas as high as 850 m2 g 1 after fluorination as calculated from nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 196more » C. Furthermore, the materials exhibit higher discharge potentials and energy and power densities as well as faster reaction kinetics under high current densities than commercial carbon fluorides with similar fluorine contents when tested as cathodes for Li/CFx batteries.« less

Adsorption of Carbon Dioxide, Ammonia, Formaldehyde, and Water Vapor on Regenerable Carbon Sorbents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wojtowicz, Marek A.; Cosgrove, Joseph E.; Serio, Michael A.; Wilburn, Monique

2015-01-01

Results are presented on the development of reversible sorbents for the combined carbon dioxide, moisture, and trace-contaminant (TC) removal for use in Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), and more specifically in the Primary Life Support System (PLSS). The currently available life support systems use separate units for carbon dioxide, trace contaminants, and moisture control, and the long-term objective is to replace the above three modules with a single one. Furthermore, the current TC-control technology involves the use of a packed bed of acid-impregnated granular charcoal, which is nonregenerable, and the carbon-based sorbent under development in this project can be regenerated by exposure to vacuum at room temperature. In this study, several carbon sorbents were fabricated and tested for simultaneous carbon dioxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, and water sorption. Multiple adsorption/vacuum-regeneration cycles were demonstrated at room temperature, and also the enhancement of formaldehyde sorption by the presence of ammonia in the gas mixture.

Laser Synthesis of Supported Catalysts for Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanderWal, Randall L.; Ticich, Thomas M.; Sherry, Leif J.; Hall, Lee J.; Schubert, Kathy (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

Four methods of laser assisted catalyst generation for carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis have been tested. These include pulsed laser transfer (PLT), photolytic deposition (PLD), photothermal deposition (PTD) and laser ablation deposition (LABD). Results from each method are compared based on CNT yield, morphology and structure. Under the conditions tested, the PLT was the easiest method to implement, required the least time and also yielded the best pattemation. The photolytic and photothermal methods required organometallics, extended processing time and partial vacuums. The latter two requirements also held for the ablation deposition approach. In addition to control of the substrate position, controlled deposition duration was necessary to achieve an active catalyst layer. Although all methods were tested on both metal and quartz substrates, only the quartz substrates proved to be inactive towards the deposited catalyst particles.

Laboratory evaluation of a reactive baffle approach to NOx control. Final technical report, February-April 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, S.G.; Van Stone, D.A.; Little, R.C.

1993-09-01

Vermiculite, vermiculite coated with magnesia, and activated carbon sorbents have successfully removed NOx (and carbon monoxide and particles) from combustion exhausts in a subscale drone jet engine test cell (JETC), but back pressure so generated elevated the temperature of the JETC and of the engine. The objective of this effort was to explore the feasibility of locating the sorbents in the face of the duct or of baffles parallel to the direction of flow within the ducts. Jet engine test cells (JETCs) are stationary sources of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), soot, and unburned or partially oxidized carbon compounds that formmore » as byproducts of imperfect combustion. Regulation of NOx emissions is being considered for implementation under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Several principles have been examined as candidate methods to control NOx emissions from JETCs.« less

Work Plan for a Limited CCC/USDA Investigation of the Current Carbon Tetrachloride Contamination in Groundwater at Navarre, Kansas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaFreniere, Lorraine M.

During private well testing in 1990-1991, carbon tetrachloride was identified in the groundwater at several locations in the town of Navarre, Kansas, at levels exceeding the Kansas Tier 2 level and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5.0 μg/L. Several subsequent investigations through 2006 evaluated the concentrations and distribution of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater. This work included the identification of the contaminant sources (Argonne 2007). The history of activities to address the contamination in soil and groundwater is summarized in Table 1.1. The most recent studies, conducted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE),more » include a brownfields investigation initiated in 2013 (Phase I) and continuing in early 2014 (Phase II), as well as private well testing.« less

Nondestructive Evaluation of Carbon Fiber Bicycle Frames Using Infrared Thermography

PubMed Central

Ibarra-Castanedo, Clemente; Klein, Matthieu; Maldague, Xavier; Sanchez-Beato, Alvaro

2017-01-01

Bicycle frames made of carbon fibre are extremely popular for high-performance cycling due to the stiffness-to-weight ratio, which enables greater power transfer. However, products manufactured using carbon fibre are sensitive to impact damage. Therefore, intelligent nondestructive evaluation is a required step to prevent failures and ensure a secure usage of the bicycle. This work proposes an inspection method based on active thermography, a proven technique successfully applied to other materials. Different configurations for the inspection are tested, including power and heating time. Moreover, experiments are applied to a real bicycle frame with generated impact damage of different energies. Tests show excellent results, detecting the generated damage during the inspection. When the results are combined with advanced image post-processing methods, the SNR is greatly increased, and the size and localization of the defects are clearly visible in the images. PMID:29156650

Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David W. Mazyck; Angela Lindner; CY Wu, Rick Sheahan, Ashok Jain

2007-06-30

Forest products provide essential resources for human civilization, including energy and materials. In processing forest products, however, unwanted byproducts, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are generated. The goal of this study was to develop a cost effective and reliable air pollution control system to reduce VOC and HAP emissions from pulp, paper and paperboard mills and solid wood product facilities. Specifically, this work focused on the removal of VOCs and HAPs from high volume low concentration (HVLC) gases, particularly methanol since it is the largest HAP constituent in these gases. Three technologies were developedmore » and tested at the bench-scale: (1) A novel composite material of activated carbon coated with a photocatalyst titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) (referred to as TiO{sub 2}-coated activated carbon or TiO{sub 2}/AC), (2) a novel silica gel impregnated with nanosized TiO{sub 2} (referred to as silica-titania composites or STC), and (3) biofiltration. A pilot-scale reactor was also fabricated and tested for methanol removal using the TiO{sub 2}/AC and STC. The technical feasibility of removing methanol with TiO{sub 2}/AC was studied using a composite synthesized via a spay desiccation method. The removal of methanol consists of two consecutive operation steps: removal of methanol using fixed-bed activated carbon adsorption and regeneration of spent activated carbon using in-situ photocatalytic oxidation. Regeneration using photocatalytic oxidation employed irradiation of the TiO{sub 2} catalyst with low-energy ultraviolet (UV) light. Results of this technical feasibility study showed that photocatalytic oxidation can be used to regenerate a spent TiO{sub 2}/AC adsorbent. A TiO{sub 2}/AC adsorbent was then developed using a dry impregnation method, which performed better than the TiO{sub 2}/AC synthesized using the spray desiccation method. The enhanced performance was likely a result of the better distribution of TiO2 particles on the activated carbon surface. A method for pore volume impregnation using microwave irradiation was also developed. A commercial microwave oven (800 W) was used as the microwave source. Under 2450 MHz microwave irradiation, TTIP was quickly hydrolyzed and anatase TiO2 was formed in a short time (< 20 minutes). Due to the volumetric heating and selective heating of microwave, the solvent and by-products were quickly removed which reduced energy consumption and processing time. Activated carbon and TiO{sub 2}/AC were also tested for the removal of hydrogen sulfide, which was chosen as the representative total reduced sulfur (TRS) species. The BioNuchar AC support itself was a good H{sub 2}S remover. After coating TiO{sub 2} by dry impregnation, H{sub 2}S removal efficiency of TiO{sub 2}/AC decreased compared with the virgin AC due to the change of surface pH. Under UV light irradiation, H{sub 2}S removal efficiency of TiO{sub 2}/AC composite doubled, and its sulfate conversion efficiency was higher than that of AC. The formation of sulfate is preferred since the sulfate can be removed from the composite by rising with water. A pilot-scale fluidized bed reactor was designed to test the efficiency of methanol oxidation with TiO{sub 2}/AC in the presence of UV light. TiO{sub 2}/AC was prepared using the spray desiccation method. The TiO{sub 2}/AC was pre-loaded with (1) methanol (equivalent to about 2%wt) and (2) methanol and water. When the TiO{sub 2}/AC loaded with methanol only was exposed to UV light for one hour in the reactor, most of the methanol remained in the carbon pores and, thus, was not oxidized. The TiO{sub 2}/AC loaded with methanol and water desorbed about 2/3 of the methanol from its pores during fluidization, however, only a small portion of this desorbed methanol was oxidized. A biofilter system employing biological activated carbon was developed for methanol removal. The biofilter contained a mixed packing with Westvaco BioNuchar granular activated carbon, perlite, Osmocote slow release ammonium nitrate pellets, and Agrasoke water crystals in a 4:2:1:1 ratio by volume. The biofilter was inoculated with a bacterial culture collected from a Florida pulp and paperboard plant. A non-inoculated biofilter column was also tested. Use of a biological inoculum enriched from biofilm in the pulp and paper process has the potential to enhance the performance of a GAC biofilter. During testing, packing material was removed from the inlet and oulet of the biofilters and analyzed for genetic diversity using molecular techniques. The biofilter inoculated with specifically-enhanced inoculum showed higher bacterial diversity for methylotrophs and all bacteria, as compared to a non-inoculated biofilter. Mixed methylotrophic cultures, selected as potential biofilter inocula, showed increased methanol removal with highest concentrations of nitrogen provided as nitrate.« less

Synthesis and characterization of low-cost activated carbon prepared from Malawian baobab fruit shells by H3PO4 activation for removal of Cu(II) ions: equilibrium and kinetics studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vunain, Ephraim; Kenneth, Davie; Biswick, Timothy

2017-12-01

In this study, low-cost activated carbon (AC) prepared from baobab fruit shells by chemical activation using phosphoric acid was evaluated for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution. The prepared activated carbon samples were characterized using N2-adsorption-desorption isotherms, SEM, FTIR, EDX and XRD analysis. The sample activated at 700 °C was chosen as our optimized sample because its physicochemical properties and BET results were similar to those of a commercial sample. The N2-adsorption-desorption results of the optimized sample revealed a BET surface area of 1089 m2/g, micropore volume of 0.3764 cm3/g, total pore volume of 0.4330 cm3/g and pore size of 1.45 nm. Operational parameters such as pH, initial copper concentration, contact time, adsorbent dosage and temperature were studied in a batch mode. Equilibrium data were obtained by testing the adsorption data using three different isotherm models: Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevish (D-R) models. It was found that the adsorption of copper correlated well with the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 3.0833 mg/g. The kinetics of the adsorption process was tested through pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model provided the best correlation for the experimental data studied. The adsorption followed chemisorption process. The study provided an effective use of baobab fruit shells as a valuable source of adsorbents for the removal of copper ions from aqueous solution. This study could add economic value to baobab fruit shells in Malawi, reduce disposal problems, and offer an economic source of AC to the AC users.

Pharmacological activities of a new glycosaminoglycan, acharan sulfate isolated from the giant African snail Achatina fulica.

PubMed

Shim, Jin Young; Lee, Yeon Sil; Jung, Sang Hoon; Choi, Hyung Seok; Shin, Kuk Hyun; Kim, Yeong Shik

2002-12-01

Acharan sulfate (AS) is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) prepared from the giant African snail, Achatina fulica. In this study, some biological activities of AS were evaluated on the basis of structural similarities to heparin/heparan sulfate and the biological functions of GAGs. We demonstrated that it exhibited strong immunostimulating activities as measured by carbon clearance test in mice and in vivo phagocytosis. It also exhibited a significant hypoglycemic activity in epinephrine (EP)-induced hyperglycemia as well as antifatigue effects by weight-loaded forced swimming test. And it showed hypolipidemic activities in cholesterol-rich mixture induced hyperlipidemia in rats. The above results indicate that AS has diverse biological activities and suggest therapeutically important target molecules.

Activated, coal-based carbon foam

DOEpatents

Rogers, Darren Kenneth; Plucinski, Janusz Wladyslaw

2004-12-21

An ablation resistant, monolithic, activated, carbon foam produced by the activation of a coal-based carbon foam through the action of carbon dioxide, ozone or some similar oxidative agent that pits and/or partially oxidizes the carbon foam skeleton, thereby significantly increasing its overall surface area and concurrently increasing its filtering ability. Such activated carbon foams are suitable for application in virtually all areas where particulate or gel form activated carbon materials have been used. Such an activated carbon foam can be fabricated, i.e. sawed, machined and otherwise shaped to fit virtually any required filtering location by simple insertion and without the need for handling the "dirty" and friable particulate activated carbon foam materials of the prior art.

Adhesion to Carbon Nanotube Conductive Scaffolds Forces Action-Potential Appearance in Immature Rat Spinal Neurons

PubMed Central

Toma, Francesca Maria; Calura, Enrica; Rizzetto, Lisa; Carrieri, Claudia; Roncaglia, Paola; Martinelli, Valentina; Scaini, Denis; Masten, Lara; Turco, Antonio; Gustincich, Stefano; Prato, Maurizio; Ballerini, Laura

2013-01-01

In the last decade, carbon nanotube growth substrates have been used to investigate neurons and neuronal networks formation in vitro when guided by artificial nano-scaled cues. Besides, nanotube-based interfaces are being developed, such as prosthesis for monitoring brain activity. We recently described how carbon nanotube substrates alter the electrophysiological and synaptic responses of hippocampal neurons in culture. This observation highlighted the exceptional ability of this material in interfering with nerve tissue growth. Here we test the hypothesis that carbon nanotube scaffolds promote the development of immature neurons isolated from the neonatal rat spinal cord, and maintained in vitro. To address this issue we performed electrophysiological studies associated to gene expression analysis. Our results indicate that spinal neurons plated on electro-conductive carbon nanotubes show a facilitated development. Spinal neurons anticipate the expression of functional markers of maturation, such as the generation of voltage dependent currents or action potentials. These changes are accompanied by a selective modulation of gene expression, involving neuronal and non-neuronal components. Our microarray experiments suggest that carbon nanotube platforms trigger reparative activities involving microglia, in the absence of reactive gliosis. Hence, future tissue scaffolds blended with conductive nanotubes may be exploited to promote cell differentiation and reparative pathways in neural regeneration strategies. PMID:23951361

Techniques for tritium recovery from carbon flakes and dust at the JET active gas handling system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gruenhagen, S.; Perevezentsev, A.; Brennan, P. D.

2008-07-15

Detritiation of highly tritium contaminated carbon and metal material used as first wall armour is a key issue for fusion machines like JET and ITER. Re-deposited carbon and hydrogen in the form of flakes and dust can lead to a build-up of the tritium inventory and therefore this material must be removed and processed. The high tritium concentration of the flake and dust material collected from the JET vacuum vessel makes it unsuitable for direct waste disposal without detritiation. A dedicated facility to process the tritiated carbon flake material and recover the tritium has been designed and built. In severalmore » test runs active material was successfully processed and de-tritiated in the new facility. Samples containing only carbon and hydrogen isotopes have been completely oxidized without any residue. Samples containing metallic impurities, e.g. beryllium, require longer processing times, adjusted processing parameters and yield an oxide residue. The detritiation factor was 2x10{sup 4}. In order to simulate in-vessel and ex-vessel detritiation techniques, the detritiation of a carbon flake sample by isotopic exchange in a hydrogen atmosphere was investigated. 2.8% of tritium was recovered by this means. (authors)« less

Antisense Suppression of the Small Chloroplast Protein CP12 in Tobacco Alters Carbon Partitioning and Severely Restricts Growth1[W

PubMed Central

Howard, Thomas P.; Fryer, Michael J.; Singh, Prashant; Metodiev, Metodi; Lytovchenko, Anna; Obata, Toshihiro; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Kruger, Nicholas J.; Quick, W. Paul; Lloyd, Julie C.; Raines, Christine A.

2011-01-01

The thioredoxin-regulated chloroplast protein CP12 forms a multienzyme complex with the Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes phosphoribulokinase (PRK) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). PRK and GAPDH are inactivated when present in this complex, a process shown in vitro to be dependent upon oxidized CP12. The importance of CP12 in vivo in higher plants, however, has not been investigated. Here, antisense suppression of CP12 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was observed to impact on NAD-induced PRK and GAPDH complex formation but had little effect on enzyme activity. Additionally, only minor changes in photosynthetic carbon fixation were observed. Despite this, antisense plants displayed changes in growth rates and morphology, including dwarfism and reduced apical dominance. The hypothesis that CP12 is essential to separate oxidative pentose phosphate pathway activity from Calvin-Benson cycle activity, as proposed in cyanobacteria, was tested. No evidence was found to support this role in tobacco. Evidence was seen, however, for a restriction to malate valve capacity, with decreases in NADP-malate dehydrogenase activity (but not protein levels) and pyridine nucleotide content. Antisense repression of CP12 also led to significant changes in carbon partitioning, with increased carbon allocation to the cell wall and the organic acids malate and fumarate and decreased allocation to starch and soluble carbohydrates. Severe decreases were also seen in 2-oxoglutarate content, a key indicator of cellular carbon sufficiency. The data presented here indicate that in tobacco, CP12 has a role in redox-mediated regulation of carbon partitioning from the chloroplast and provides strong in vivo evidence that CP12 is required for normal growth and development in plants. PMID:21865489

Perceptual and Neural Olfactory Similarity in Honeybees

PubMed Central

Sandoz, Jean-Christophe

2005-01-01

The question of whether or not neural activity patterns recorded in the olfactory centres of the brain correspond to olfactory perceptual measures remains unanswered. To address this question, we studied olfaction in honeybees Apis mellifera using the olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension response. We conditioned bees to odours and tested generalisation responses to different odours. Sixteen odours were used, which varied both in their functional group (primary and secondary alcohols, aldehydes and ketones) and in their carbon-chain length (from six to nine carbons).The results obtained by presentation of a total of 16 × 16 odour pairs show that (i) all odorants presented could be learned, although acquisition was lower for short-chain ketones; (ii) generalisation varied depending both on the functional group and the carbon-chain length of odours trained; higher generalisation was found between long-chain than between short-chain molecules and between groups such as primary and secondary alcohols; (iii) for some odour pairs, cross-generalisation between odorants was asymmetric; (iv) a putative olfactory space could be defined for the honeybee with functional group and carbon-chain length as inner dimensions; (v) perceptual distances in such a space correlate well with physiological distances determined from optophysiological recordings of antennal lobe activity. We conclude that functional group and carbon-chain length are inner dimensions of the honeybee olfactory space and that neural activity in the antennal lobe reflects the perceptual quality of odours. PMID:15736975

Development and Evaluation of a Novel Mucoadhesive Film Containing Acmella oleracea Extract for Oral Mucosa Topical Anesthesia

PubMed Central

Santana de Freitas-Blanco, Verônica; Franz-Montan, Michelle; Groppo, Francisco Carlos; de Carvalho, João Ernesto; Figueira, Glyn Mara; Serpe, Luciano; Oliveira Sousa, Ilza Maria; Guilherme Damasio, Viviane Aparecida; Yamane, Lais Thiemi; de Paula, Eneida; Ferreira Rodrigues, Rodney Alexandre

2016-01-01

Purpose To develop an anesthetic mucoadhesive film containing Acmella oleracea (jambu) extract for topical use on oral mucosa. Methods Ethanolic extracts from aerial parts of jambu were prepared by maceration. Pigment removal was obtained by adsorption with activated carbon. Three mucoadhesive films were developed using a film casting method: 10 or 20% of crude jambu extract (10% JB and 20% JB), and 10% of crude jambu extract treated with activated carbon (10% JBC). The mucoadhesive films were characterized regarding their uniformity, thickness, pH, and spilanthol content, and their stability was evaluated during 120 days. Gas chromatography was used to quantify the amount of spilanthol. In vitro tests determined the permeation of spilanthol across pig esophageal epithelium mucosa in Franz diffusion cells. Topical anesthetic efficacy was assessed in vivo using a tail flick test in mice. Results The three mucoadhesive films showed physical stability and visual appearances suitable for use on oral mucosa. The permeation study revealed that the spilanthol from 10% JBC presented higher flux and permeability coefficient values, compared to 10% or 20% JB (p < 0.001). Moreover, 10% JBC showed better topical anesthetic efficacy than the other films (p < 0.01). Conclusion Mucoadhesive film containing crude extract of jambu treated with activated carbon is a potential alternative for oral, topical use, encouraging future clinical studies. PMID:27626796

Modeling the effects of fire severity and climate warming on active layer and soil carbon dynamics of black spruce forests across the landscape in interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Genet, H.; McGuire, Anthony David; Barrett, K.; Breen, A.; Euskirchen, E.S.; Johnstone, J.F.; Kasischke, E.S.; Melvin, A.M.; Bennett, A.; Mack, M.C.; Rupp, T.S.; Schuur, A.E.G.; Turetsky, M.R.; Yuan, F.

2013-01-01

There is a substantial amount of carbon stored in the permafrost soils of boreal forest ecosystems, where it is currently protected from decomposition. The surface organic horizons insulate the deeper soil from variations in atmospheric temperature. The removal of these insulating horizons through consumption by fire increases the vulnerability of permafrost to thaw, and the carbon stored in permafrost to decomposition. In this study we ask how warming and fire regime may influence spatial and temporal changes in active layer and carbon dynamics across a boreal forest landscape in interior Alaska. To address this question, we (1) developed and tested a predictive model of the effect of fire severity on soil organic horizons that depends on landscape-level conditions and (2) used this model to evaluate the long-term consequences of warming and changes in fire regime on active layer and soil carbon dynamics of black spruce forests across interior Alaska. The predictive model of fire severity, designed from the analysis of field observations, reproduces the effect of local topography (landform category, the slope angle and aspect and flow accumulation), weather conditions (drought index, soil moisture) and fire characteristics (day of year and size of the fire) on the reduction of the organic layer caused by fire. The integration of the fire severity model into an ecosystem process-based model allowed us to document the relative importance and interactions among local topography, fire regime and climate warming on active layer and soil carbon dynamics. Lowlands were more resistant to severe fires and climate warming, showing smaller increases in active layer thickness and soil carbon loss compared to drier flat uplands and slopes. In simulations that included the effects of both warming and fire at the regional scale, fire was primarily responsible for a reduction in organic layer thickness of 0.06 m on average by 2100 that led to an increase in active layer thickness of 1.1 m on average by 2100. The combination of warming and fire led to a simulated cumulative loss of 9.6 kgC m−2 on average by 2100. Our analysis suggests that ecosystem carbon storage in boreal forests in interior Alaska is particularly vulnerable, primarily due to the combustion of organic layer thickness in fire and the related increase in active layer thickness that exposes previously protected permafrost soil carbon to decomposition.

Nitrogen-doped Carbon Derived from ZIF-8 as a High-performance Metal-free Catalyst for Acetylene Hydrochlorination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Songlin; Zou, Fang; Wan, Fanfan; Dong, Xiaobin; Wang, Yanlin; Wang, Yuxuan; Guan, Qingxin; Wang, Guichang; Li, Wei

2017-01-01

Acetylene hydrochlorination is a major industrial technology for manufacturing vinyl chloride monomer in regions with abundant coal resources; however, it is plagued by the use of mercury(II) chloride catalyst. The development of a nonmercury catalyst has been extensively explored. Herein, we report a N-doped carbon catalyst derived from ZIF-8 with both high activity and quite good stability. The acetylene conversion reached 92% and decreased slightly during a 200 h test at 220 °C and atmospheric pressure. Experimental studies and theoretical calculations indicate that C atoms adjacent to the pyridinic N are the active sites, and coke deposition covering pyridinic N is the main reason for catalyst deactivation. The performance of those N-doped carbons makes it possible for practical applications with further effort. Furthermore, the result also provides guidance for designing metal-free catalysts for similar reactions.

Removal of mercury from an alumina refinery aqueous stream.

PubMed

Mullett, Mark; Tardio, James; Bhargava, Suresh; Dobbs, Charles

2007-06-01

Digestion condensate is formed as a by-product of the alumina refinery digestion process. The solution exhibits a high pH and is chemically reducing, containing many volatile species such as water, volatile organics, ammonia, and mercury. Because digestion condensate is chemically unique, an innovative approach was required to investigate mercury removal. The mercury capacity and adsorption kinetics were investigated using a number of materials including gold, silver and sulphur impregnated silica and a silver impregnated carbon. The results were compared to commercial sorbents, including extruded and powdered virgin activated carbons and a sulphur impregnated mineral. Nano-gold supported on silica (88% removal under batch conditions and 95% removal under flow conditions) and powdered activated carbon (91% under batch conditions and 98% removal under flow conditions) were the most effective materials investigated. The silver and sulphur impregnated materials were unstable in digestion condensate under the test conditions used.

Factors affecting the behavior of unburned carbon upon steam activation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhe

The main objective of this study is to investigate the factors that could affect the behavior of unburned carbon samples upon steam activation. Through this work, the relationships among the factors that could influence the carbon-steam reaction with the surface area of the produced activated carbon were explored. Statistical analysis was used to relate the chemical and physical properties of the unburned carbon to the surface area of the activated carbon. Six unburned carbons were selected as feedstocks for activated carbon, and marked as UCA through UCF. The unburned carbons were activated using steam at 850°C for 90 minutes, and the surface areas of their activated counterparts were measured using N2 adsorption isotherms at 77K. The activated carbons produced from different unburned carbon precursors presented different surface areas at similar carbon burn-off levels. Moreover, in different carbon burn-off regions, the sequences for surface area of activated carbons from different unburned carbon samples were different. The factors that may affect the carbon-steam gasification reactions, including the concentration of carbon active sites, the crystallite size of the carbon, the intrinsic porous structure of carbon, and the inorganic impurities, were investigated. All unburned carbons investigated in this study were similar in that they showed the very broad (002) and (10 ) carbon peaks, which are characteristic of highly disordered carbonaceous materials. In this study, the unburned carbon samples contained about 17--48% of inorganic impurities. Compared to coals, the unburned carbon samples contain a larger amount of inorganic impurities as a result of the burn-off, or at lease part, of the carbon during the combustion process. These inorganic particles were divided into two groups in terms of the way they are associated with carbon particles: free single particles, and particles combined with carbon particles. As indicated from the present work, unburned carbons with one of the following properties will produce activated carbons with high surface areas. These properties include: (a) large amount of O2 chemisorption capacity; (b) high concentration of surface C-O complex; and (c) small crystallite diameter; (d) high concentration of Na+K particles that are combined with carbon; (e) high concentration of isotropic carbon. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Activated carbon from leather shaving wastes and its application in removal of toxic materials.

PubMed

Kantarli, Ismail Cem; Yanik, Jale

2010-07-15

In this study, utilization of a solid waste as raw material for activated carbon production was investigated. For this purpose, activated carbons were produced from chromium and vegetable tanned leather shaving wastes by physical and chemical activation methods. A detailed analysis of the surface properties of the activated carbons including acidity, total surface area, extent of microporosity and mesoporosity was presented. The activated carbon produced from vegetable tanned leather shaving waste produced has a higher surface area and micropore volume than the activated carbon produced from chromium tanned leather shaving waste. The potential application of activated carbons obtained from vegetable tanned shavings as adsorbent for removal of water pollutants have been checked for phenol, methylene blue, and Cr(VI). Adsorption capacities of activated carbons were found to be comparable to that of activated carbons derived from biomass. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of CO2 laser Doppler instrumentation for detection of clear air turbulence, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, C. E.; Jelalian, A. V.

1979-01-01

Modification, construction, test and operation of an advanced airborne carbon dioxide laser Doppler system for detecting clear air turbulence are described. The second generation CAT program and those auxiliary activities required to support and verify such a first-of-a-kind system are detailed: aircraft interface; ground and flight verification tests; data analysis; and laboratory examinations.

Carbon and silver nanoparticles in the fight against the filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus: genotoxicity and impact on behavioral traits of non-target aquatic organisms.

PubMed

Murugan, Kadarkarai; Nataraj, Devaraj; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Sujitha, Vasu; Chandramohan, Balamurugan; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Dinesh, Devakumar; Chandirasekar, Ramachandran; Kovendan, Kalimuthu; Suresh, Udaiyan; Subramaniam, Jayapal; Paulpandi, Manickam; Vadivalagan, Chithravel; Rajaganesh, Rajapandian; Wei, Hui; Syuhei, Ban; Aziz, Al Thabiani; Alsalhi, Mohamad Saleh; Devanesan, Sandhanasamy; Nicoletti, Marcello; Canale, Angelo; Benelli, Giovanni

2016-03-01

Mosquito-borne diseases represent a deadly threat for millions of people worldwide. The Culex genus, with special reference to Culex quinquefasciatus, comprises the most common vectors of filariasis across urban and semi-urban areas of Asia. In recent years, important efforts have been conducted to propose green-synthesized nanoparticles as a valuable alternative to synthetic insecticides. However, the mosquitocidal potential of carbon nanoparticles has been scarcely investigated. In this study, the larvicidal and pupicidal activity of carbon nanoparticle (CNP) and silver nanoparticle (AgNP) was tested against Cx. quinquefasciatus. UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and Raman analysis confirmed the rapid and cheap synthesis of carbon and silver nanoparticles. In laboratory assays, LC50 (lethal concentration that kills 50 % of the exposed organisms) values ranged from 8.752 ppm (first-instar larvae) to 18.676 ppm (pupae) for silver nanoparticles and from 6.373 ppm (first-instar larvae) to 14.849 ppm (pupae) for carbon nanoparticles. The predation efficiency of the water bug Lethocerus indicus after a single treatment with low doses of silver and carbon nanoparticles was not reduced. Moderate evidence of genotoxic effects induced by exposure to carbon nanoparticles was found on non-target goldfish, Carassius auratus. Lastly, the plant extract used for silver nanosynthesis was tested for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activity. Overall, our results pointed out that AgNP and CNP can be a candidate for effective tools to reduce larval and pupal populations of filariasis vectors, with reduced genotoxicity and impact on behavioral traits of other aquatic organisms sharing the same ecological niche of Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Actively controlled shaft seals for aerospace applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salant, Richard F.

1993-01-01

An electronically controlled mechanical seal for use as the purge gas seal in a liquid oxygen turbo pump has been fabricated and tested under transient operating conditions. The thickness of the lubricating film is controlled by adjusting the coning of the carbon face. This is accomplished by applying a voltage to a piezoelectric actuator to which the carbon face is bonded. The seal has been operated with a closed-loop control system that utilizes either the leakage rate or the seal face temperature as the feedback. Both speed and pressure transients have been imposed on the seal. The transient tests have demonstrated that the seal is capable of maintaining low leakage rates while limiting the face temperatures.

Flexible and conductive waste tire-derived carbon/polymer composite paper as pseudocapacitive electrode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naskar, Amit K.; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans; Boota, Muhammad

A method of making a supercapacitor from waste tires, includes the steps of providing rubber pieces and contacting the rubber pieces with a sulfonation bath to produce sulfonated rubber; pyrolyzing the sulfonated rubber to produce a tire-derived carbon composite comprising carbon black embedded in rubber-derived carbon matrix comprising graphitized interface portions; activating the tire-derived carbon composite by contacting the tire-derived carbon composite with a specific surface area-increasing composition to increase the specific surface area of the carbon composite to provide an activated tire-derived carbon composite; and, mixing the activated tire-derived carbon composite with a monomer and polymerizing the monomer tomore » produce a redox-active polymer coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite. The redox-active polymer coated, activated tire-derived carbon composite can be formed into a film. An electrode and a supercapacitor are also disclosed.« less

Read-across of ready biodegradability based on the substrate specificity of N-alkyl polypropylene polyamine-degrading microorganisms.

PubMed

Geerts, R; van Ginkel, C G; Plugge, C M

2017-04-01

The biodegradation of N-alkyl polypropylene polyamines (NAPPs) was studied using pure and mixed cultures to enable read-across of ready biodegradability test results. Two Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from activated sludge with N-oleyl alkyl propylene diamine and N-coco alkyl dipropylene triamine, respectively. Both strains utilized all NAPPs tested as the sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy for growth. Mineralization of NAPPs was independent of the alkyl chain length and the size of the polyamine moiety. NAPPs degraded in closed bottle tests (CBTs) using both river water and activated sludge. However, ready biodegradability of NAPPs with alkyl chain lengths of 16-18 carbon atoms and polyamine moieties with three and four nitrogen atoms could not be demonstrated. Biodegradation in the CBT was hampered by their limited bioavailability, making assessment of the true ready biodegradability of these highly adsorptive surfactants impossible. All NAPPs are therefore classified as readily biodegradable through read-across. Read-across is justified by the broad substrate specificity of NAPP-degrading microorganisms, their omnipresence and the mineralization of NAPPs.

Rapid small-scale column testing of granular activated carbon for organic micro-pollutant removal in treated domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Zietzschmann, F; Müller, J; Sperlich, A; Ruhl, A S; Meinel, F; Altmann, J; Jekel, M

2014-01-01

This study investigates the applicability of the rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) concept for testing of granular activated carbon (GAC) for organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) removal from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. The chosen experimental setup was checked using pure water, WWTP effluent, different GAC products, and variable hydrodynamic conditions with different flow velocities and differently sized GAC, as well as different empty bed contact times (EBCTs). The setup results in satisfying reproducibility and robustness. RSSCTs in combination with WWTP effluent are effective when comparing the OMP removal potentials of different GAC products and are a useful tool for the estimation of larger filters. Due to the potentially high competition between OMPs and bulk organics, breakthrough curves are likely to have unfavorable shapes when treating WWTP effluent. This effect can be counteracted by extending the EBCT. With respect to the strong competition observed in GAC treatment of WWTP effluent, the small organic acid and neutral substances are retained longer in the RSSCT filters and are likely to cause the majority of the observed adsorption competition with OMPs.

IMPACT OF OXYGEN MEDIATED OXIDATIVE COUPLING ON ADSORPTION KINETICS

EPA Science Inventory

The presence of molecular oxygen in the test environment promotes oxidative coupling (polymer formation) of phenolic compounds on the surface of granular activated carbon (GAC). Both adsorption equilibria and adsorption kinetics are affected by these chemical reactions. Lack of...

Conductive and corrosion behaviors of silver-doped carbon-coated stainless steel as PEMFC bipolar plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ming; Xu, Hong-feng; Fu, Jie; Tian, Ying

2016-07-01

Ni-Cr enrichment on stainless steel SS316L resulting from chemical activation enabled the deposition of carbon by spraying a stable suspension of carbon nanoparticles; trace Ag was deposited in situ to prepare a thin continuous Ag-doped carbon film on a porous carbon-coated SS316L substrate. The corrosion resistance of this film in 0.5 mol·L-1 H2SO4 solution containing 5 ppm F- at 80°C was investigated using polarization tests. The results showed that the surface treatment of the SS316L strongly affected the adhesion of the carbon coating to the stainless steel. Compared to the bare SS316L, the Ag-doped carbon-coated SS316L bipolar plate was remarkably more stable in both the anode and cathode environments of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and the interface contact resistance between the specimen and Toray 060 carbon paper was reduced from 333.0 mΩ·cm2 to 21.6 mΩ·cm2 at a compaction pressure of 1.2 MPa.

Development of an all-metal thick-film cost-effective metallization system for solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, B.

1981-01-01

Screened electrodes made from fluorocarbon activated copper paste and silver fluoride activated copper paste, tape adhesion and scratch tests were studied. Experiments were conducted with variations in past parameters, firing conditions, including gas ambients, furnace furniture, silicon surface and others. A liquid medium intended to provide transport during the carbon fluoride decomposition, is incorporated in the paste.

Issues on the production and electrochemical separation of oxygen from carbon dioxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaloupis, P.; Sridhar, K. R.

1991-01-01

There is considerable interest in in-situ propellant manufacturing on the moon and Mars. One of the concepts of oxygen production that is being actively pursued is the processing of atmospheric carbon dioxide on Mars to produce oxygen by means of thermal decomposition and electrochemical separation. The key component of such a production facility is the electrochemical separation cell that filters out the oxygen from the gas mixture of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and oxygen. Efficient design of the separation cell and the selection of electrolyte and electrode materials of superior performance for the cell would translate to significant reduction in the power requirement and the mass of the production facility. The objective is to develop the technology required to produce the cells in-house and test various electrolyte and electrode materials systematically until the optimal combination is found. An effective technique was developed for the fabrication of disk shaped cells. Zirconia and Ceria cells were made in-house. Complete modules of the electrochemical cell and housings were designed, fabricated, and tested.

Natural adsorbents of dyes from aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmani, Meryem; El Hajjaji, souad; Dahchour, Abdelmalek; El M'Rabet, Mohammadine

2017-04-01

Contamination of natural waters is a current environmental problem and lot of work has been done to find methods for its, prevention and remediation such as ionic exchange, adsorption on active carbon, filtration, electrolysis, biodegradation …etc. Adsorption is one of the most applied methods according to its effectiveness and easy management. Some adsorbents with good properties such as active alumina, zeolites, crop residues … etc, are suitable to substitute usual active carbon. This study aimed at the removal of dyes using oil shale as natural support, and its optimization by factorial experiment. Three factors were considered namly:pollutant concentration, pH and weight of the adsorbent. Tests have been performed with cationic and anionic dyes. Experimental results show that pseudo-first-order kinetic model provided the best fit to the experimental data for the adsorption by the oil shale. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were tested to fit experimental data, the adsorption equilibrium was well described by Freundlich isotherm for methylorange and Temkin for methyl blue. Analysis were completed by oil shale characterization educing XRD, IR, XRF techniques, and cationic exchange capacity.

Analyzing Structural Changes of Fe-N-C Cathode Catalysts in PEM Fuel Cell by Mößbauer Spectroscopy of Complete Membrane Electrode Assemblies.

PubMed

Kramm, Ulrike I; Lefèvre, Michel; Bogdanoff, Peter; Schmeißer, Dieter; Dodelet, Jean-Pol

2014-11-06

The applicability of analyzing by Mößbauer spectroscopy the structural changes of Fe-N-C catalysts that have been tested at the cathode of membrane electrode assemblies in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells is demonstrated. The Mößbauer characterization of powders of the same catalysts was recently described in our previous publication. A possible change of the iron species upon testing in fuel cell was investigated here by Mößbauer spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray cross-sectional imaging, and neutron activation analysis. Our results show that the absorption probability of γ rays by the iron nuclei in Fe-N-C is strongly affected by the presence of Nafion and water content. A detailed investigation of the effect of an oxidizing treatment (1.2 V) of the non-noble cathode in PEM fuel cell indicates that the observed activity decay is mainly attributable to carbon oxidation causing a leaching of active iron sites hosted in the carbon matrix.

78 FR 33052 - Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Request for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

... Incorporated China National Building Materials and Equipment Import and Export Corp China National Nuclear........ Datong Huaxin Activated Carbon Datong Huibao Active Carbon Co., Ltd Datong Huibao Activated Carbon Co... Fujian Nanping Yuanli Activated Carbon Co., Ltd Fujian Yuanli Active Carbon Co., Ltd Fuzhou Taking...

Stepped Single Crystals as Improved Model for Supported Catalysts: Ethylene, Methanol and Assorted Molecules on PLATINUM(511) and PLATINUM(331)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaendonk, Vincent Van

Past research has shown unusual activity of the (1 x 1)Pt(110) surface to break carbon-carbon and carbon -oxygen bonds. Methane formation from ethylene or ethane has been reported for supported platinum catalysts. A model for the methane formation on (1 x 1)Pt(110), was proposed by Yagasaki. In this study, the mechanism of methane formation has been further investigated, and Yagasaki's model tested, by studying the decomposition of ethylene and methanol on the stepped surfaces Pt(511) and Pt(331) with Temperature Programmed Desorption. The experiments have been carried out in a Ultra High Vacuum system, equipped with a mass spectrometer, LEED and AES. Hydrogen and carbon monoxide desorption show that on Pt(511) different adsorption sites are available than on Pt(331). Ethylene decomposition on Pt(511) leads to small amounts of methane formation compared to (1 x 1)Pt(110). The metastable (1 x 1) phase of Pt(511) is 2-3 times more active than the stable (hex) phase. When ^{13}C_2H _4 is used, ^{13 }CH_4 is not detected. Methane formation is not seen on the Pt(331) surface. Arguments are given why Pt(511) is a superior model for supported catalysts compared to (1 x 1)Pt(110). The carbon-oxygen bond of methanol is not broken on either Pt(511) or Pt(331), whether the surface is clean or covered with oxygen. Hydrogen saturating the surface, prevents the chemisorption of ethylene and the formation of methane. Postadsorption of hydrogen does not lead to an increase in methane formation. Coadsorption of ethylene with carbon monoxide shows a maximum methane formation at 0.3 L carbon monoxide exposure. Poison experiments with 'oxide' and carbon indicate that the active site for methane formation is located at the step. The amount of carbon deposited during ethylene decomposition, increases in the order (1 x 1)Pt(511) to (hex)Pt(511) to Pt(331). This is also the order for decreasing methane activity. In a new model, it is proposed that in order to be active for methane formation, a surface has to prevent the polymerization of single carbon species to inactive graphite. The model predicts that surfaces with large enough (111) terraces have higher diffusion rates and allow the single carbon species to convert to graphite before the species can be hydrogenated.

ZIF-8 derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon as metal-free catalyst of peroxymonosulfate activation.

PubMed

Ma, Wenjie; Du, Yunchen; Wang, Na; Miao, Peng

2017-07-01

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) is synthesized through a direct pyrolysis of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-8 under N 2 flow followed by acid washing process. It is found that NPC-800 pyrolyzed at 800 °C can inherit the perfect rhombic dodecahedron morphology of ZIF-8 crystals and achieve the considerable nitrogen-doping content of 15.20%. When NPC-800 is applied as the heterogeneous catalyst in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol, NPC-800 will exhibit its better performance than some conventional transition metal-based oxides and common carbon materials. The active sites can be primarily ascribed to nitrogen modification and sp 2 -hybridized carbon frameworks. Besides, the influence of several parameters such as the dosage of catalyst, the concentration of oxidant, and reaction temperature is conducted systematically. More importantly, NPC-800 can maintain its considerable degradation in the presence of some anions and natural organic matters, even under some actual water background conditions. Although NPC-800 displays mild deactivation in repeated experiments, its catalytic performance can be easily recovered through heat treatment at 350 °C in air. Radical quenching tests reveal that both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals are responsible for the removal of organic pollutants. This research may provide a new way for the application of novel metal-free carbocatalysts in terms of PMS activation.

Effect of Graphitic Content on Carbon Supported Catalyst Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, Anant; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Atanassov, Plamen

2011-07-01

The effect of graphitic content on carbon supported platinum catalysts was investigated in order to investigate its influence on catalyst performance. Four catalysts of varying surface areas and graphitic content were analyzed using XPS, HREELS, and tested using RDE experiments. The catalysts were also heat treated at 150oC and 100%RH as means to uniformly age them. The heat treated samples were analyzed using the same methods to determine what changes had occurred due to this aging process. When compared to the BOL catalysts, heat treated catalysts displayed increased graphitic carbon and platinum metalic content, however they also showed depressed catalyticmore » activity. The primary cause is still under investigation, though it is believed to be related to loss of amorphous carbon content.« less

Cell adhesion and proliferation on poly(tetrafluoroethylene) with plasma-metal and plasma-metal-carbon interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reznickova, Alena; Kvitek, Ondrej; Kolarova, Katerina; Smejkalova, Zuzana; Svorcik, Vaclav

2017-06-01

The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of the interface between plasma activated, gold and carbon coated poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) on in vitro adhesion and spreading of mouse fibroblasts (L929). Surface properties of pristine and modified PTFE were studied by several experimental techniques. The thickness of a deposited gold film is an increasing function of the sputtering time, conversely thickness of carbon layer decreases with increasing distance between carbon source and the substrate. Because all the used surface modification techniques take place in inert Ar plasma, oxidized degradation products are formed on the PTFE surface, which affects wettability of the polymer surface. Cytocompatibility tests indicate that on samples with Au/C interface, the cells accumulate on the part of sample with evaporated carbon. Number of L929 cells proliferated on the studied samples is comparable to tissue culture polystyrene standard.

Concentration-dependent effects of carbon nanotubes on growth and biphenyl degradation of Dyella ginsengisoli LA-4.

PubMed

Qu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhou, Hao; Ma, Qiao; Zhang, Zhaojing; Li, Duanxing; Shen, Wenli; Zhou, Jiti

2016-02-01

To enrich the understanding on interactions between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and microbes, the responses of a biphenyl-degrading bacterium to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carboxyl single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-COOHs) were investigated. Electron microscopy, viability test, cellular membrane integrity, and oxidative stress analyses indicated that CNT toxicity was mainly caused by physical piercing. Apart from antibacterial activities, the experimental results showed that CNTs enhanced cell growth and biphenyl degradation at certain concentrations (1.0-1.5 mg/L). The CNTs aggregated and adsorbed cells and biphenyl to form a CNTs-cells-biphenyl coexisting system, thus it created a suitable microenvironment for cell attachment and proliferation where the cells could utilize biphenyl easier for their growth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report about CNTs' impact on biodegradation efficacy and growth of aromatic-degrading bacterium.

Mesoporous cellular-structured carbons derived from glucose-fructose syrup and their adsorption properties towards acetaminophen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzvetkov, George; Spassov, Tony; Kaneva, Nina; Tsyntsarski, Boyko

Here, a series of cellular-structured and predominantly mesoporous carbons were prepared via carbonization of glucose-fructose syrup (GFS) with sulfuric acid and subsequent calcination between 400∘C and 700∘C. Comparative results on the microstructure, chemical and textural properties of the newly produced carbons are presented. Furthermore, their adsorption performance for removal of acetaminophen from water was tested and it was found that the carbon calcined at 700∘C has a maximum adsorption capacity (98.7mgṡg-1) among all samples due to its suitable textural properties (BET surface area of 418m2ṡg-1 and total pore volume of 0.2cm3ṡg-1). This study demonstrates the potential use of GFS as a precursor in the preparation of carbonaceous materials for removal of biologically-active micropollutants from water.

Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Kim, Jin Sik; Song, Kyung Seuk; Yu, Il Je

2015-08-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have extensive potential industrial applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties; yet this also increases the chance of human and environment exposure to SWCNTs. Due to the current lack of hazardous effect information on SWNCTs, a standardized genotoxicity battery test was conducted to clarify the genetic toxicity potential of SWCNTs (diameter: 1-1.2 nm, length: ∼20 μm) according to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines 471 (bacterial reverse mutation test), 473 (in vitro chromosome aberration test), and 474 (in vivo micronuclei test) with a good laboratory practice system. The test results showed that the SWCNTs did not induce significant bacterial reverse mutations at 31.3-500 μg/plate in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537 or in Escherichia coli strain WP2uvrA, with and without a metabolic activation system. Furthermore, the in vitro chromosome aberration test showed no significant increase in structural or numerical chromosome aberration frequencies at SWCNT dose levels of 12.5-50 μg/ml in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. However, dose-dependent cell growth inhibition was found at all the SWCNT dose levels and statistically significant cytotoxic effects observed at certain concentrations in the presence and absence of metabolic activation. Finally, the SWCNTs did not evoke significant in vivo micronuclei frequencies in the polychromatic erythrocytes of an imprinting control region mice at 25-100 mg/kg. Thus, according to the results of the present study, the SWCNTs were not found to have a genotoxic effect on the in vitro and in vivo test systems. © The Author(s) 2013.

Statistics provide guidance for indigenous organic carbon detection on Mars missions.

PubMed

Sephton, Mark A; Carter, Jonathan N

2014-08-01

Data from the Viking and Mars Science Laboratory missions indicate the presence of organic compounds that are not definitively martian in origin. Both contamination and confounding mineralogies have been suggested as alternatives to indigenous organic carbon. Intuitive thought suggests that we are repeatedly obtaining data that confirms the same level of uncertainty. Bayesian statistics may suggest otherwise. If an organic detection method has a true positive to false positive ratio greater than one, then repeated organic matter detection progressively increases the probability of indigeneity. Bayesian statistics also reveal that methods with higher ratios of true positives to false positives give higher overall probabilities and that detection of organic matter in a sample with a higher prior probability of indigenous organic carbon produces greater confidence. Bayesian statistics, therefore, provide guidance for the planning and operation of organic carbon detection activities on Mars. Suggestions for future organic carbon detection missions and instruments are as follows: (i) On Earth, instruments should be tested with analog samples of known organic content to determine their true positive to false positive ratios. (ii) On the mission, for an instrument with a true positive to false positive ratio above one, it should be recognized that each positive detection of organic carbon will result in a progressive increase in the probability of indigenous organic carbon being present; repeated measurements, therefore, can overcome some of the deficiencies of a less-than-definitive test. (iii) For a fixed number of analyses, the highest true positive to false positive ratio method or instrument will provide the greatest probability that indigenous organic carbon is present. (iv) On Mars, analyses should concentrate on samples with highest prior probability of indigenous organic carbon; intuitive desires to contrast samples of high prior probability and low prior probability of indigenous organic carbon should be resisted.

FIELD TEST PROGRAM TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN, OPERATING, AND COST DATA FOR MERCURY CONTROL SYSTEMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michael D. Durham

PG&E NEG Salem Harbor Station Unit 1 was successfully tested for applicability of activated carbon injection as a mercury control technology. Test results from this site have enabled a thorough evaluation of mercury control at Salem Harbor Unit 1, including performance, estimated cost, and operation data. This unit has very high native mercury removal, thus it was important to understand the impacts of process variables on native mercury capture. The team responsible for executing this program included plant and PG&E headquarters personnel, EPRI and several of its member companies, DOE, ADA, Norit Americas, Inc., Hamon Research-Cottrell, Apogee Scientific, TRC Environmentalmore » Corporation, Reaction Engineering, as well as other laboratories. The technical support of all of these entities came together to make this program achieve its goals. Overall the objectives of this field test program were to determine the mercury control and balance-of-plant impacts resulting from activated carbon injection into a full-scale ESP on Salem Harbor Unit 1, a low sulfur bituminous-coal-fired 86 MW unit. It was also important to understand the impacts of process variables on native mercury removal (>85%). One half of the gas stream was used for these tests, or 43 MWe. Activated carbon, DARCO FGD supplied by NORIT Americas, was injected upstream of the cold side ESP, just downstream of the air preheater. This allowed for approximately 1.5 seconds residence time in the duct before entering the ESP. Conditions tested in this field evaluation included the impacts of the Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) system on mercury capture, of unburned carbon in the fly ash, of adjusting ESP inlet flue gas temperatures, and of boiler load on mercury control. The field evaluation conducted at Salem Harbor looked at several sorbent injection concentrations at several flue gas temperatures. It was noted that at the mid temperature range of 322-327 F, the LOI (unburned carbon) lost some of its ability to capture vapor phase Hg, however activated carbon performed relatively well. At the normal operating temperatures of 298-306 F, mercury emissions from the ESP were so low that both particulate and elemental mercury were ''not detected'' at the detection limits of the Ontario Hydro method for both baseline and injection tests. The oxidized mercury however, was 95% lower at a sorbent injection concentration of 10 lbs/MMacf compared with baseline emissions. When the flue gas temperatures were increased to a range of 343-347 F, mercury removal efficiencies were limited to <25%, even at the same sorbent injection concentration. Other tests examined the impacts of fly ash LOI, operation of the SNCR system, and flue gas temperature on the native mercury capture without sorbent injection. Listed below are the main conclusions from this program: (1) SNCR on/off test showed no beneficial effect on mercury removal caused by the SNCR system. (2) At standard operating temperatures ({approx} 300 F), reducing LOI from 30-35% to 15-20% had minimal impact on Hg removal. (3) Increasing flue gas temperatures reduced Hg removal regardless of LOI concentrations at Salem Harbor (minimum LOI was 15%). Native mercury removal started to fall off at temperatures above 320 F. ACI effectiveness for mercury removal fell off at temperatures above 340 F. (4) Test method detection limits play an important role at Salem Harbor due to the low residual emissions. Examining the proposed MA rule, both the removal efficiency and the emission concentrations will be difficult to demonstrate on an ongoing basis. (5) Under tested conditions the baseline emissions met the proposed removal efficiency for 2006, but not the proposed emission concentration. ACI can meet the more-stringent 2012 emission limits, as long as measurement detection limits are lower than the Ontario Hydro method. SCEM testing was able to verify the low emissions. For ACI to perform at this level, process conditions need to match those obtained during testing.« less

Composition of biomineral organic matrices with special emphasis on turbot (Psetta maxima) otolith and endolymph.

PubMed

Borelli, G; Mayer-Gostan, N; Merle, P L; De Pontual, H; Boeuf, G; Allemand, D; Payan, P

2003-06-01

The soluble organic matrix (OM) of various biominerals (red coral skeleton, oyster shell, sea urchin test, turbot otolith, chicken eggshell) was extracted after demineralization with acetic acid. The protein content of the OM varies strongly from 0.02 to 1.6 microg/mg biomineral whereas proteoglycans present less variations (from 0.7 to 1.4 microg/mg biomineral). Electrophoresis of biominerals OM shows differences in their protein pattern although several bands are present in all matrices. OM of all biominerals shows carbonic anhydrase activity but no activity was detectable in the endolymph. OM of all biominerals also displays an anticalcifying activity. After separation of the OM extracts by chloroform-methanol, 80% of the anticalcifying activity was found in the methanol phase except in the urchin test. After OM precipitation with trichloracetic acid, 70% of the activities was found in the supernatants. Partial biochemical characterization suggests that the anticalcifying factor is a polyanionic and water-soluble molecule, which could be proteoglycans. The endolymph surrounding the otolith also displays an anticalcifying activity although its inhibitous activity was 50 times lower than that of the otolith OM. However, the anticalcifying activity of the endolymph is assumed by a proteic structure (80% activity precipitated with TCA treatment). Our results suggest that both carbonic anhydrase and anticalcifying activities are widespread and play a significant role in the regulation of biomineral formation. Results are discussed in relation to the calcification process that takes place at the fluid-mineral interface.

Carbon transfer from magnesia-graphite ladle refractories to ultra-low carbon steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo, Andrew Arthur

Ultra-low carbon steels are utilized in processes which require maximum ductility. Increases in interstitial carbon lower the ductility of steel; therefore, it is important to examine possible sources of carbon. The refractory ladle lining is one such source. Ladle refractories often contain graphite for its desirable thermal shock and slag corrosion resistance. This graphite is a possible source of carbon increase in ultra-low carbon steels. The goal of this research is to understand and evaluate the mechanisms by which carbon transfers to ultra-low carbon steel from magnesia-graphite ladle refractory. Laboratory dip tests were performed in a vacuum induction furnace under an argon atmosphere to investigate these mechanisms. Commercial ladle refractories with carbon contents between 4-12 wt% were used to investigate the effect of refractory carbon content. Slag-free dip tests and slag-containing dip tests with varying MgO concentrations were performed to investigate the influence of slag. Carbon transfer to the steel was controlled by steel penetrating into the refractory and dissolving carbon in dip tests where no slag was present. The rate limiting step for this mechanism is convective mass transport of carbon into the bulk steel. No detectable carbon transfer occurred in dip tests with 4 and 6 wt%C refractories without slag because no significant steel penetration occurred. Carbon transfer was controlled by the corrosion of refractory by slag in dip tests where slag was present.

Efficient Intracellular Delivery of Molecules with High Cell Viability Using Nanosecond-Pulsed Laser-Activated Carbon Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Conventional physical and chemical methods that efficiently deliver molecules into cells are often associated with low cell viability. In this study, we evaluated the cellular effects of carbon nanoparticles believed to emit photoacoustic waves due to nanosecond-pulse laser activation to test the hypothesis that this method could achieve efficient intracellular delivery while maintaining high cell viability. Suspensions of DU145 human prostate carcinoma cells, carbon black (CB) nanoparticles, and calcein were exposed to 5–9 ns long laser pulses of near-infrared (1064 nm wavelength) light and then analyzed by flow cytometry for intracellular uptake of calcein and cell viability by propidium iodide staining. We found that intracellular uptake increased and in some cases saturated at high levels with only small losses in cell viability as a result of increasing laser fluence, laser exposure time, and as a unifying parameter, the total laser energy. Changing interpulse spacing between 0.1 and 10 s intervals showed no significant change in bioeffects, suggesting that the effects of each pulse were independent when spaced by at least 0.1 s intervals. Pretreatment of CB nanoparticles to intense laser exposure followed by mixing with cells also had no significant effect on uptake or viability. Similar uptake and viability were seen when CB nanoparticles were substituted with India ink, when DU145 cells were substituted with H9c2 rat cardiomyoblast cells, and when calcein was substituted with FITC-dextran. The best laser exposure conditions tested led to 88% of cells with intracellular uptake and close to 100% viability, indicating that nanosecond-pulse laser-activated carbon nanoparticles can achieve efficient intracellular delivery while maintaining high cell viability. PMID:24547946

Stabilization/solidification of an alkyd paint waste by carbonation of waste-lime based formulations.

PubMed

Arce, R; Galán, B; Coz, A; Andrés, A; Viguri, J R

2010-05-15

The application of solvent-based paints by spraying in paint booths is extensively used in a wide range of industrial activities for the surface treatment of a vast array of products. The wastes generated as overspray represent an important environmental and managerial problem mainly due to the hazardous characteristics of the organic solvent, rendering it necessary to appropriately manage this waste. In this paper a solidification/stabilization (S/S) process based on accelerated carbonation was investigated as an immobilization pre-treatment prior to the disposal, via landfill, of an alkyd solvent-based paint waste coming from the automotive industry; the purpose of this S/S process was to immobilize the contaminants and reduce their release into the environment. Different formulations of paint waste with lime, lime-coal fly-ash and lime-Portland cement were carbonated to study the effect of the water/solid ratio and carbonation time on the characteristics of the final product. To assess the efficiency of the studied S/S process, metals, anions and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were analyzed in the leachates obtained from a battery of compliance and characterization leaching tests. Regarding the carbonation of paint waste-lime formulations, a mathematical expression has been proposed to predict the results of the leachability of DOC from carbonated mixtures working at water/solid ratios from 0.2 to 0.6. However, lower DOC concentrations in leachates (400mg/kg DOC in L/S=10 batch leaching test) were obtained when carbonation of paint waste-lime-fly-ash mixtures was used at 10h carbonation and water to solid ratio of 0.2. The flammability characteristics, the total contents of contaminants and the contaminant release rate in compliance leaching tests provide evidence for a final product suitable for deposition in non-hazardous landfills. The characterization of this carbonated sample using a dynamic column leaching test shows a high stabilization of metals, partial immobilization of Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), F(-) and limited retention of DOC. However, the obtained results improve the previous findings obtained after the paint waste S/S using uncarbonated formulations and would be a useful pre-treatment technique of the alkyd paint waste prior to its disposal in a landfill. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment of wastewater containing toxic chromium using new activated carbon developed from date palm seed.

PubMed

El Nemr, Ahmed; Khaled, Azza; Abdelwahab, Ola; El-Sikaily, Amany

2008-03-21

The use of a new activated carbon developed from date palm seed wastes, generated in the jam industry, for removing toxic chromium from aqueous solution has been investigated. The activated carbon has been achieved from date palm seed by dehydrating methods using concentrated sulfuric acid. The batch experiments were conducted to determine the adsorption capacity of the biomass. The effect of initial metal concentration (25-125mgl(-1)), pH, contact time, and concentration of date palm seed carbon have been studied at room temperature. A strong dependence of the adsorption capacity on pH was observed, the capacity increase as pH value decrease and the optimum pH value is pH 1.0. Kinetics and adsorption equilibrium were studied at different sorbent doses. The adsorption process was fast and the equilibrium was reached within 180min. The maximum removal was 100% for 75mgl(-1) of Cr(+ concentration on 4gl(-1) carbon concentration and the maximum adsorption capacity was 120.48mgg(-1). The kinetic data were analyzed using various kinetic models - pseudo-first order equation, pseudo-second order equation, Elovich equation and intraparticle diffusion equation - and the equilibrium data were tested using several isotherm models, Langmuir, Freundlich, Koble-Corrigan, Redlich-Peterson, Tempkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich and Generalized isotherm equations. The Elovich equation and pseudo-second order equation provide the greatest accuracy for the kinetic data and Koble-Corrigan and Langmuir models the closest fit for the equilibrium data. Activation energy of sorption has also been evaluated as 0.115 and 0.229kJmol(-1).

Silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofiber composites for high-performance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, So Yeun; Kim, Bo-Hye

2016-10-01

A hybrid of silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) is fabricated in the form of a web via electrospinning and an activation process as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors in an organic electrolyte. The introduction of PhSiH3 (PS) into the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution induces a porous ACNF structure containing silica nanoparticles (NPs) via the spontaneous sol-gel process of PS by steam in the subsequent physical activation process. These inorganic-organic hybrid composites of porous ACNF containing silica NPs show superior specific capacitance and energy density in electrochemical tests, along with good rate capability and excellent cycle life in an organic electrolyte, which is attributed to the combination of ACNF's high surface area and silica's hydrophilicity. The electrochemical performance decreases with increasing PS concentration, and this trend is consistent with the specific surface area results, which reveal the rapid formation of a double layer.

Efficiency of activated carbon to transform ozone into *OH radicals: influence of operational parameters.

PubMed

Sánchez-Polo, M; von Gunten, U; Rivera-Utrilla, J

2005-09-01

Based on previous findings (Jans, U., Hoigné, J., 1998. Ozone Sci. Eng. 20, 67-87), the activity of activated carbon for the transformation of ozone into *OH radicals including the influence of operational parameters (carbon dose, ozone dose, carbon-type and carbon treatment time) was quantified. The ozone decomposition constant (k(D)) was increased by the presence of activated carbon in the system and depending on the type of activated carbon added, the ratio of the concentrations of *OH radicals and ozone, the R(ct) value ([*OH]/[O3]), was increased by a factor 3-5. The results obtained show that the surface chemical and textural characteristics of the activated carbon determines its activity for the transformation of ozone into *OH radicals. The most efficient carbons in this process are those with high basicity and large surface area. The obtained results show that the interaction between ozone and pyrrol groups present on the surface of activated carbon increase the concentration of O2*- radicals in the system, enhancing ozone transformation into *OH radicals. The activity of activated carbon decreases for extended ozone exposures. This may indicate that activated carbon does not really act as a catalyst but rather as a conventional initiator or promoter for the ozone transformation into *OH radicals. Ozonation of Lake Zurich water ([O3] = 1 mg/L) in presence of activated carbon (0.5 g/L) lead to an increase in the k(D) and R(ct) value by a factor of 10 and 39, respectively, thereby favouring the removal of ozone-resistant contaminants. Moreover, the presence of activated carbon during ozonation of Lake Zurich water led to a 40% reduction in the content of dissolved organic carbon during the first 60 min of treatment. The adsorption of low concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on activated carbon surfaces did not modify its capacity to initiate/promote ozone transformation into *OH radicals.

Preparation and Characterization of Impregnated Commercial Rice Husks Activated Carbon with Piperazine for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoum Raman, S. N.; Ismail, N. A.; Jamari, S. S.

2017-06-01

Development of effective materials for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology is a fundamental importance to reduce CO2 emissions. This work establishes the addition of amine functional group on the surface of activated carbon to further improve the adsorption capacity of CO2. Rice husks activated carbon were modified using wet impregnation method by introducing piperazine onto the activated carbon surfaces at different concentrations and mixture ratios. These modified activated carbons were characterized by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The results from XRD analysis show the presence of polyethylene butane at diffraction angles of 21.8° and 36.2° for modified activated carbon with increasing intensity corresponding to increase in piperazine concentration. BET results found the surface area and pore volume of non-impregnated activated carbon to be 126.69 m2/g and 0.081 cm3/g respectively, while the modified activated carbons with 4M of piperazine have lower surface area and pore volume which is 6.77 m2/g and 0.015 cm3/g respectively. At 10M concentration, the surface area and pore volume are the lowest which is 4.48 m2/g and 0.0065 cm3/g respectively. These results indicate the piperazine being filled inside the activated carbon pores thus, lowering the surface area and pore volume of the activated carbon. From the FTIR analysis, the presence of peaks at 3312 cm-1 and 1636 cm-1 proved the existence of reaction between carboxyl groups on the activated carbon surfaces with piperazine. The surface morphology of activated carbon can be clearly seen through FESEM analysis. The modified activated carbon contains fewer pores than non-modified activated carbon as the pores have been covered with piperazine.

Non-destructive measurement of carbonic anhydrase activity and the oxygen isotope composition of soil water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Sam; Sauze, Joana; Ogée, Jérôme; Wohl, Steven; Bosc, Alexandre; Wingate, Lisa

2016-04-01

Carbonic anhydrases are a group of metalloenzymes that catalyse the hydration of aqueous carbon dioxide (CO2). The expression of carbonic anhydrase by bacteria, archaea and eukarya has been linked to a variety of important biological processes including pH regulation, substrate supply and biomineralisation. As oxygen isotopes are exchanged between CO2 and water during hydration, the presence of carbonic anhydrase in plants and soil organisms also influences the oxygen isotope budget of atmospheric CO2. Leaf and soil water pools have distinct oxygen isotope compositions, owing to differences in pool sizes and evaporation rates, which are imparted on CO2during hydration. These differences in the isotopic signature of CO2 interacting with leaves and soil can be used to partition the contribution of photosynthesis and soil respiration to net terrestrial CO2 exchange. However, this relies on our knowledge of soil carbonic anhydrase activity and currently, the prevalence and function of these enzymes in soils is poorly understood. Isotopic approaches used to estimate soil carbonic anhydrase activity typically involve the inversion of models describing the oxygen isotope composition of CO2 fluxes to solve for the apparent, potentially catalysed, rate of oxygen exchange during hydration. This requires information about the composition of CO2 in isotopic equilibrium with soil water obtained from destructive, depth-resolved soil water sampling. This can represent a significant challenge in data collection given the considerable potential for spatial and temporal variability in the isotopic composition of soil water and limited a priori information with respect to the appropriate sampling resolution and depth. We investigated whether we could circumvent this requirement by constraining carbonic anhydrase activity and the composition of soil water in isotopic equilibrium with CO2 by solving simultaneously the mass balance for two soil CO2 steady states differing only in the oxygen isotope composition of ambient CO2. This non-destructive approach was tested through laboratory incubations of air-dried soils that were re-wetted with water of known isotopic composition. Performance was assessed by comparing estimates of the soil water oxygen isotope composition derived from open chamber flux measurements with those measured in the irrigation water and soil water extracted following incubations. The influence of soil pH and bovine carbonic anhydrase additions on these estimates was also investigated. Coherent values were found between the soil water composition estimates obtained from the dual steady state approach and those measured for irrigation waters. Estimates of carbonic anhydrase activity made using this approach also reflected well artificial increases to the concentration of carbonic anhydrase and indicated that this activity was sensitive to soil pH.

Synthesis of activated carbon fiber from pyrolyzed cotton for adsorption of fume pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuryantini, A. Y.; Rahayu, F.; Mahen, E. C. S.; Sawitri, A.; Nuryadin, B. W.

2018-05-01

In this study, we have synthesized and applied the activated carbon fibbers from pyrolyzed cotton to adsorp fume pollutants. The activated carbon fibbers from cotton were synthesized using an oven with simple heating method at low carbonization temperature. The cotton was successfully turned into carbon within four hours at carbonization temperature of 250°C. The reults showed that activation process using KOH and NaOH significantly affected the functional groups, morphology, diameter, and porosity of the activated carbon fibbers.

Preparation of Activated Carbon from Palm Shells Using KOH and ZnCl2 as the Activating Agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliusman; Nasruddin; Afdhol, M. K.; Amiliana, R. A.; Hanafi, A.

2017-07-01

Palm shell is a potential source of raw materials for the produce of activated carbon as biosorbent for quite large numbers. The purpose of this study is to produce activated carbon qualified Indonesian Industrial Standard (SNI), which will be used as biosorbent to purify the impurities in the off gas petroleum refinery products. Stages of manufacture of activated carbon include carbonization, activation of chemistry and physics. Carbonization of activated carbon is done at a temperature of 400°C followed by chemical activation with active agent KOH and ZnCl2. Then the physical activation is done by flowing N2 gas for 1 hour at 850°C and followed by gas flow through the CO2 for 1 hour at 850°C. Research results indicate that activation of the active agent KOH produce activated carbon is better than using the active agent ZnCl2. The use of KOH as an active agent to produce activated carbon with a water content of 13.6%, ash content of 9.4%, iodine number of 884 mg/g and a surface area of 1115 m2/g. While the use of ZnCl2 as the active agent to produce activated carbon with a water content of 14.5%, total ash content of 9.0%, iodine number 648 mg/g and a surface area of 743 m2/g.

Selective Aliphatic Carbon-Carbon Bond Activation by Rhodium Porphyrin Complexes.

PubMed

To, Ching Tat; Chan, Kin Shing

2017-07-18

The carbon-carbon bond activation of organic molecules with transition metal complexes is an attractive transformation. These reactions form transition metal-carbon bonded intermediates, which contribute to fundamental understanding in organometallic chemistry. Alternatively, the metal-carbon bond in these intermediates can be further functionalized to construct new carbon-(hetero)atom bonds. This methodology promotes the concept that the carbon-carbon bond acts as a functional group, although carbon-carbon bonds are kinetically inert. In the past few decades, numerous efforts have been made to overcome the chemo-, regio- and, more recently, stereoselectivity obstacles. The synthetic usefulness of the selective carbon-carbon bond activation has been significantly expanded and is becoming increasingly practical: this technique covers a wide range of substrate scopes and transition metals. In the past 16 years, our laboratory has shown that rhodium porphyrin complexes effectively mediate the intermolecular stoichiometric and catalytic activation of both strained and nonstrained aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds. Rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradicals readily activate the aliphatic carbon(sp 3 )-carbon(sp 3 ) bond in TEMPO ((2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) and its derivatives, nitriles, nonenolizable ketones, esters, and amides to produce rhodium(III) porphyrin alkyls. Recently, the cleavage of carbon-carbon σ-bonds in unfunctionalized and noncoordinating hydrocarbons with rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradicals has been developed. The absence of carbon-hydrogen bond activation in these systems makes the reaction unique. Furthermore, rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide complexes can be generated in situ to selectively activate the carbon(α)-carbon(β) bond in ethers and the carbon(CO)-carbon(α) bond in ketones under mild conditions. The addition of PPh 3 promotes the reaction rate and yield of the carbon-carbon bond activation product. Thus, both rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradical and rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide are very reactive to activate the aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds. Recently, we successfully demonstrated the rhodium porphyrin catalyzed reduction or oxidation of aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds using water as the reductant or oxidant, respectively, in the absence of sacrificial reagents and neutral conditions. This Account presents our contribution in this domain. First, we describe the chemistry of equilibria among the reactive rhodium porphyrin complexes in oxidation states from Rh(I) to Rh(III). Then, we present the serendipitous discovery of the carbon-carbon bond activation reaction and subsequent developments in our laboratory. These aliphatic carbon-carbon bond activation reactions can generally be divided into two categories according to the reaction type: (i) homolytic radical substitution of a carbon(sp 3 )-carbon(sp 3 ) bond with a rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradical and (ii) σ-bond metathesis of a carbon-carbon bond with a rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide. Finally, representative examples of catalytic carbon-carbon bond hydrogenation and oxidation through strategic design are covered. The progress in this area broadens the chemistry of rhodium porphyrin complexes, and these transformations are expected to find applications in organic synthesis.

75 FR 70208 - Certain Activated Carbon From the People's Republic of China: Final Results and Partial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... is a woven textile fabric made of or containing activated carbon fibers. It is used in masks and... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-904] Certain Activated Carbon... activated carbon from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Certain Activated Carbon From the People...

Magnetically Recoverable and Reusable Antimicrobial Nanocomposite Based on Activated Carbon, Magnetite Nanoparticles, and Silver Nanoparticles for Water Disinfection

DOE PAGES

Furlan, Ping; Fisher, Adam; Furlan, Alexander; ...

2017-06-06

Recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to the development of innovative, low-cost and highly efficient water disinfection technologies that may replace or enhance the conventional methods. In this study, we introduce a novel procedure for preparing a bifunctional activated carbon nanocomposite in which nanoscale-sized magnetic magnetite and antimicrobial silver nanoparticles are incorporated (MACAg). The antimicrobial efficacy of the nanocomposite was tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli). MACAg (0.5 g, 0.04% Ag) was found to remove and kill 10 6–10 7 CFU (colony-forming units) in 30 min via a shaking test and the removing and killing rate of the nanocomposites increasedmore » with increasing silver content and decreased with increasing CFU. The inhibition zone tests revealed, among the relevant components, only Ag nanoparticles and Ag + ions showed antimicrobial activities. The MACAg was easily recoverable from treated water due to its magnetic properties and was able to remove and kill 10 6 CFU after multiple-repeated use. The MACAg nanocomposite also demonstrated its feasibility and applicability for treating a surface water containing 10 5 CFU. Combining low cost due to easy synthesis, recoverability, and reusability with high antimicrobial efficiency, MACAg may provide a promising water disinfection technology that will find wide applications.« less

Magnetically Recoverable and Reusable Antimicrobial Nanocomposite Based on Activated Carbon, Magnetite Nanoparticles, and Silver Nanoparticles for Water Disinfection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Furlan, Ping; Fisher, Adam; Furlan, Alexander

Recent advancements in nanotechnology have led to the development of innovative, low-cost and highly efficient water disinfection technologies that may replace or enhance the conventional methods. In this study, we introduce a novel procedure for preparing a bifunctional activated carbon nanocomposite in which nanoscale-sized magnetic magnetite and antimicrobial silver nanoparticles are incorporated (MACAg). The antimicrobial efficacy of the nanocomposite was tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli). MACAg (0.5 g, 0.04% Ag) was found to remove and kill 10 6–10 7 CFU (colony-forming units) in 30 min via a shaking test and the removing and killing rate of the nanocomposites increasedmore » with increasing silver content and decreased with increasing CFU. The inhibition zone tests revealed, among the relevant components, only Ag nanoparticles and Ag + ions showed antimicrobial activities. The MACAg was easily recoverable from treated water due to its magnetic properties and was able to remove and kill 10 6 CFU after multiple-repeated use. The MACAg nanocomposite also demonstrated its feasibility and applicability for treating a surface water containing 10 5 CFU. Combining low cost due to easy synthesis, recoverability, and reusability with high antimicrobial efficiency, MACAg may provide a promising water disinfection technology that will find wide applications.« less

Highly porous activated carbons from resource-recovered Leucaena leucocephala wood as capacitive deionization electrodes.

PubMed

Hou, Chia-Hung; Liu, Nei-Ling; Hsi, Hsing-Cheng

2015-12-01

Highly porous activated carbons were resource-recovered from Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. wood through combined chemical and physical activation (i.e., KOH etching followed by CO2 activation). This invasive species, which has severely damaged the ecological economics of Taiwan, was used as the precursor for producing high-quality carbonaceous electrodes for capacitive deionization (CDI). Carbonization and activation conditions strongly influenced the structure of chars and activated carbons. The total surface area and pore volume of activated carbons increased with increasing KOH/char ratio and activation time. Overgasification induced a substantial amount of mesopores in the activated carbons. In addition, the electrochemical properties and CDI electrosorptive performance of the activated carbons were evaluated; cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements revealed a typical capacitive behavior and electrical double layer formation, confirming ion electrosorption in the porous structure. The activated-carbon electrode, which possessed high surface area and both mesopores and micropores, exhibited improved capacitor characteristics and high electrosorptive performance. Highly porous activated carbons derived from waste L. leucocephala were demonstrated to be suitable CDI electrode materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical and anti-microbial characteristics of carbon nanoparticles prepared from lamp soot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, B.; Verma, Anita K.; Claesson, P.; Bohidar, H. B.

2007-11-01

Soot originating from the burning of butter and mustard oil in a lamp with a cotton wick was collected on a brass plate and dispersed in water and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) as naked, and as Gum Arabic (GA, a anionic polyelectrolyte)-coated nanoparticles in water. They were physically characterized, and their anti-bacterial activities were probed on gram positive and negative bacterial colonies. TEM data revealed the presence of 35-55 nm diameter spherical carbon nanoparticles in water and CCl4. The dynamic light scattering determined the average hydrodynamic diameter for the same samples, which was found to be ≈100 nm (in CCl4) and ≈240 nm (in water), implying the packing of these nanoparticles into clusters. GA-coated particles yielded stable suspensions in water, but the clusters were almost the same in size (≈250 nm). The zeta potential distributions of the naked and the GA-coated nanoparticles were found to be unimodal and bimodal, respectively, with both yielding mean zeta potential values nearly equal to zero. Results of energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX) confirmed the absence of toxic metallic elements inside the specimen. X-ray diffraction study confirmed the presence of amorphous as well as graphitized carbon in these nanostructures. The anti-microbial activities in terms of growth inhibition for the carbon nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 13709 (native strain) and Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 29655 (native strain) were assayed in agar gel. In vitro testing revealed significant anti-microbial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia, but carbon nanoparticles were unable to kill Staphylococcus aureus.

Highly uniform and monodisperse carbon nanospheres enriched with cobalt-nitrogen active sites as a potential oxygen reduction electrocatalyst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Xing; Wang, Hongjuan; Yu, Hao; Peng, Feng

2017-04-01

Uniform cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanospheres (CoN-CNS) with high specific surface area (865 m2 g-1) have been prepared by a simple but efficient method. The prepared CoN-CNS catalyst exhibits outstanding catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes. In alkaline electrolyte, the prepared CoN-CNS has more positive half-wave potential and larger kinetic current density than commercial Pt/C. In acidic electrolyte, CoN-CNS also shows good ORR activity with high electron transfer number, its onset and half-wave potentials are all close to those of commercial carbon supported platinum catalyst (Pt/C). CoN-CNS catalyst shows more superior stability and higher methanol-tolerance than commercial Pt/C both in alkaline and in acidic electrolytes. The potassium thiocyanate-poisoning test further confirms that the cobalt-nitrogen active sites exist in CoN-CNS, which are dominating to endow high ORR catalytic activity in acidic electrolyte. This study develops a new method to prepare non-precious metal catalyst with excellent ORR performances for direct methanol fuel cells.

Acute toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, sodium pentachlorophenate, and their complex on earthworm Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Zhang, Liujun; Hu, Changwei; Wang, Weili; Ji, Funian; Cui, Yibin; Li, Mei

2014-05-01

Laboratory experiments were undertaken to relate biomarker responses to the toxicities of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and sodium pentachlorophenate (PCP-Na), both individually and combined. The acute toxicities of MWCNTs and PCP-Na on earthworm Eisenia fetida were studied through different exposure methods (filter paper contact test, immersion contact test, and artificial soil contact test). Enzyme activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the earthworm E. fetida exposed to MWCNTs and PCP-Na in filter paper contact test, both individually and under combined exposure, were determined. After exposure, PCP-Na induced observable acute toxicity while the MWCNTs induced slight toxicity. Interestingly the earthworms exposed to the mixture of MWCNTs and PCP-Na demonstrated different expression of enzymatic biomarkers from those exposed to MWCNTs or PCP-Na alone. Our results indicated that the toxicity of PCP-Na on E. fetida may be alleviated by the appearance of MWCNTs for all exposure methods except for immersion contact test. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metabolic activities of five botryticides against Botrytis cinerea examined using the Biolog FF MicroPlate.

PubMed

Wang, Hancheng; Wang, Jin; Li, Licui; Hsiang, Tom; Wang, Maosheng; Shang, Shenghua; Yu, Zhihe

2016-08-05

Tobacco grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is an important fungal disease worldwide. Boscalid, carbendazim, iprodione, pyrimethanil and propiconazole are representative botryticides for grey mold management. This research investigated the sensitivities of B. cinerea from tobacco to these chemicals using the Biolog FF Microplate. All five chemicals showed inhibitory activity, with average EC50 values of 0.94, 0.05, 0.50, 0.61 and 0.31 μg ml(-1), respectively. B. cinerea metabolized 96.8% of tested carbon sources, including 29 effectively and 33 moderately, but the metabolic fingerprints differed under pressures imposed by these botryticides. For boscalid, B. cinerea was unable to metabolize many substrates related to tricarboxylic acid cycle. For carbendazim, carbon sources related to glycolysis were not metabolized. For iprodione, use of most carbon substrates was weakly inhibited, and the metabolic profile was similar to that of the control. For propiconazole, no carbon substrates were metabolized and the physiological and biochemical functions of the pathogen were totally inhibited. These findings provide useful information on metabolic activities of these botryticides, and may lead to future applications of the Biolog FF Microplate for examining metabolic effects of other fungicides on other fungi, as well as providing a metabolic fingerprint of B. cinerea that could be useful for identification.

Metabolic activities of five botryticides against Botrytis cinerea examined using the Biolog FF MicroPlate

PubMed Central

Wang, Hancheng; Wang, Jin; Li, Licui; Hsiang, Tom; Wang, Maosheng; Shang, Shenghua; Yu, Zhihe

2016-01-01

Tobacco grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is an important fungal disease worldwide. Boscalid, carbendazim, iprodione, pyrimethanil and propiconazole are representative botryticides for grey mold management. This research investigated the sensitivities of B. cinerea from tobacco to these chemicals using the Biolog FF Microplate. All five chemicals showed inhibitory activity, with average EC50 values of 0.94, 0.05, 0.50, 0.61 and 0.31 μg ml−1, respectively. B. cinerea metabolized 96.8% of tested carbon sources, including 29 effectively and 33 moderately, but the metabolic fingerprints differed under pressures imposed by these botryticides. For boscalid, B. cinerea was unable to metabolize many substrates related to tricarboxylic acid cycle. For carbendazim, carbon sources related to glycolysis were not metabolized. For iprodione, use of most carbon substrates was weakly inhibited, and the metabolic profile was similar to that of the control. For propiconazole, no carbon substrates were metabolized and the physiological and biochemical functions of the pathogen were totally inhibited. These findings provide useful information on metabolic activities of these botryticides, and may lead to future applications of the Biolog FF Microplate for examining metabolic effects of other fungicides on other fungi, as well as providing a metabolic fingerprint of B. cinerea that could be useful for identification. PMID:27491536

Nano-molybdenum carbide/carbon nanotubes composite as bifunctional anode catalyst for high-performance Escherichia coli-based microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Wang, Yaqiong; Li, Bin; Cui, Dan; Xiang, Xingde; Li, Weishan

2014-01-15

A novel electrode, carbon felt-supported nano-molybdenum carbide (Mo2C)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite, was developed as platinum-free anode of high performance microbial fuel cell (MFC). The Mo2C/CNTs composite was synthesized by using the microwave-assisted method with Mo(CO)6 as a single source precursor and characterized by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The activity of the composite as anode electrocatalyst of MFC based on Escherichia coli (E. coli) was investigated with cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and cell discharge test. It is found that the carbon felt electrode with 16.7 wt% Mo Mo2C/CNTs composite exhibits a comparable electrocatalytic activity to that with 20 wt% platinum as anode electrocatalyst. The superior performance of the developed platinum-free electrode can be ascribed to the bifunctional electrocatalysis of Mo2C/CNTs for the conversion of organic substrates into electricity through bacteria. The composite facilitates the formation of biofilm, which is necessary for the electron transfer via c-type cytochrome and nanowires. On the other hand, the composite exhibits the electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of hydrogen, which is the common metabolite of E. coli. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring Impact of a Pesticide Treatment on Bacterial Soil Communities by Metabolic and Genetic Fingerprinting in Addition to Conventional Testing Procedures

PubMed Central

Engelen, Bert; Meinken, Kristin; von Wintzingerode, Friedrich; Heuer, Holger; Malkomes, Hans-Peter; Backhaus, Horst

1998-01-01

Herbogil (dinoterb), a reference herbicide, the mineral oil Oleo (paraffin oil used as an additive to herbicides), and Goltix (metamitron) were taken as model compounds for the study of impacts on microbial soil communities. After the treatment of soil samples, effects on metabolic sum parameters were determined by monitoring substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and dehydrogenase activity, as well as carbon and nitrogen mineralization. These conventional ecotoxicological testing procedures are used in pesticide registration. Inhibition of biomass-related activities and stimulation of nitrogen mineralization were the most significant effects caused by the application of Herbogil. Even though Goltix and Oleo were used at a higher dosage (10 times higher), the application of Goltix resulted in smaller effects and the additive Oleo was the least-active compound, with minor stimulation of test parameters at later observation times. The results served as a background for investigation of the power of “fingerprinting” methods in microbial ecology. Changes in catabolic activities induced by treatments were analyzed by using the 95 carbon sources provided by the BIOLOG system. Variations in the complex metabolic fingerprints demonstrated inhibition of many catabolic pathways after the application of Herbogil. Again, the effects of the other compounds were expressed at much lower levels and comprised stimulations as well as inhibitions. Testing for significance by a multivariate t test indicated that the sensitivity of this method was similar to the sensitivities of the conventional testing procedures. The variation of sensitive carbon sources, as determined by factor weights at different observation times, indicated the dynamics of the community shift induced by the Herbogil treatment in more detail. DNA extractions from soil resulted in a collection of molecules representing the genetic composition of total bacterial communities. Distinct and highly reproducible community patterns, or genetic fingerprints, resulting from application of the different herbicides were obtained by the sequence-specific separation of partial 16S rDNA amplification products in temperature gradient gel electrophoresis. Significant pattern variations were quantified. For detailed analysis, application-responsive bands from the Herbogil and Oleo treatments were sequenced and their tentative phylogenetic positions were identified. Data interpretation and the potentials and biases of the additional observation windows on microbial communities are discussed. PMID:9687435

Photodegradation of gaseous acetaldehyde and methylene blue in aqueous solution with titanium dioxide-loaded activated carbon fiber polymer materials and aquatic plant ecotoxicity tests.

PubMed

Kadirova, Zukhra C; Hojamberdiev, Mirabbos; Katsumata, Ken-ichi; Isobe, Toshihiro; Matsushita, Nobuhiro; Nakajima, Akira; Okada, Kiyoshi

2014-03-01

TiO2-supported activated carbon felts (TiO2-ACFTs) were prepared by dip coating of felts composed of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) with either polyester fibers (PS-A20) and/or a polyethylene pulp (PE-W15) in a TiO2 aqueous suspension followed by calcination at 250 °C for 1 h. The as-prepared TiO2-ACFTs with 29-35 wt.% TiO2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2 adsorption. The TiO2-ACFT(PS-A20) samples with 0 and 29 wt.% TiO2 were microporous with specific surface areas (S BET) of 996 and 738 m(2)/g, respectively, whereas the TiO2-ACFT(PE-W15) samples with 0 and 35 wt.% TiO2 were mesoporous with S BET of 826 and 586 m(2)/g, respectively. Adsorption and photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by measuring adsorption in the dark and photodegradation of gaseous acetaldehyde (AcH) and methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under UV light. The TiO2 loading caused a considerable decrease in the S BET and MB adsorption capacity along with an increase in MB photodegradation and AcH mineralization. Lemna minor was chosen as a representative aquatic plant for ecotoxicity tests measuring detoxification of water obtained from the MB photodegradation reaction with the TiO2-ACFT samples under UV light.

Full-scale results for TAM limestone injection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baer, S.

1996-12-31

Information is outlined on the use of thermally active marble (TAM) sorbents in boilers. Data are presented on: the comparison of TAM to limestone; NOVACON process development history; CFB test history; CFB pilot scale test; full-scale CFB trial; August, 1996 CFB demonstration; Foster Wheeler Mount Carmel sorbent feed rate comparison and Ca:S comparison; unburned carbon is ash; and advantages and savings in CFB boilers.

Actuation mechanisms of carbon nanotube-based architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geier, Sebastian; Mahrholz, Thorsten; Wierach, Peter; Sinapius, Michael

2016-04-01

State of the art smart materials such as piezo ceramics or electroactive polymers cannot feature both, mechanical stiffness and high active strain. Moreover, properties like low density, high mechanical stiffness and high strain at the same time driven by low energy play an increasingly important role for their future application. Carbon nanotubes (CNT), show this behavior. Their active behavior was observed 1999 the first time using paper-like mats made of CNT. Therefore the CNT-papers are electrical charged within an electrolyte thus forming a double- layer. The measured deflection of CNT material is based on the interaction between the charged high surface area formed by carbon nanotubes and ions provided by the electrolyte. Although CNT-papers have been extensively analyzed as well at the macro-scale as nano-scale there is still no generally accepted theory for the actuation mechanism. This paper focuses on investigations of the actuation mechanisms of CNT-papers in comparison to vertically aligned CNT-arrays. One reason of divergent results found in literature might be attributed to different types of CNT samples. While CNT-papers represent architectures of short CNTs which need to bridge each other to form the dimensions of the sample, the continuous CNTs of the array feature a length of almost 3 mm, along which the experiments are carried out. Both sample types are tested within an actuated tensile test set-up under different conditions. While the CNT-papers are tested in water-based electrolytes with comparably small redox-windows the hydrophobic CNT-arrays are tested in ionic liquids with comparatively larger redox-ranges. Furthermore an in-situ micro tensile test within an SEM is carried out to prove the optimized orientation of the MWCNTs as result of external load. It was found that the performance of CNT-papers strongly depends on the test conditions. However, the CNT-arrays are almost unaffected by the conditions showing active response at negative and positive voltages. A micro alignment as result of tensile stress can be proven. A comparison of both results point out that the actuation mechanism strongly depends on the weakest bonds of the architectures: Van-der-Waals-bonds vs. covalent C-bonds.

Synthesis, Adsorptive, and Photocatalytic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes/TiO2 Nanocomposite Photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Xiankun; Nie, Shibin; Shao, Liangzhi; Zhang, Baoshan; Li, Benxia

2017-12-01

The carbon nanotubes/TiO2 (CNTs/TiO2) composite photocatalysts composed of TiO2 nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. The photocatalysts were characterized by a range of analytical techniques including X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, thermal gravimetric analysis and UV-Vis optical absorption spectra, etc. The amount of TiO2 nanoparticles growing on CNTs could be tuned by adjusting the dosage of precursor in the reaction solution. Both the adsorptivity and photocatalytic activities of pure CNTs, pure TiO2, and the CNTs/TiO2 nanocomposites were tested by the removal of methylene blue from water in dark and under a simulated sunlight, respectively. By comparison, the improved photocatalytic activity of the CNTs/TiO2 nanocomposite is mainly due to that the CNTs can disperse the active component of TiO2 nanoparticles, provide a larger the specific surface area, as well as act as an electron sink to accelerate the separation of the photogenerated charges.

Nitrogen activation of carbon-encapsulated zero-valent iron nanoparticles and influence of the activation temperature on heavy metals removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonaiti, Stefania; Calderon, Blanca; Collina, Elena; Lasagni, Marina; Mezzanotte, Valeria; Aracil, Ignacio; Fullana, Andrés

2017-05-01

Nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (nZVI) represent a promising agent for environmental remediation. This is due to their core-shell structure which presents the characteristics of both metallic and oxidised iron, leading to sorption and reductive precipitation of metal ions. Nevertheless, nZVI application presents some limitations regarding their rapid oxidation and aggregation in the media which leads to the delivery of the ions after some hours (the “aging effect”). To address these issues, modifications of nZVI structure and synthesis methods have been developed in the last years. The aging problem was solved by using nZVI encapsulated inside carbon spheres (CE-nZVI), synthetized through Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC). Results showed high heavy metals removal percentage. Furthermore, CE-nZVI were activated with nitrogen in order to increase the metallic iron content. The aim of this study was to test CE-nZVI post-treated with nitrogen at different temperatures in heavy metals removal, demonstrating that the influence of the temperature was negligible in nanoparticles removal efficiency.

MoS2-coated microspheres of self-sensitized carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Quan; Sun, Huaming; Xie, Zunyuan; Gao, Ziwei; Xue, Can

2017-02-01

We have successfully coated the self-sensitized carbon nitride (SSCN) microspheres with a layer of MoS2 through a facile one-pot hydrothermal method by using (NH4)2MoS4 as the precursor. The resulted MoS2-coated SSCN photocatalyst appears as a core-shell structure and exhibits enhanced visible-light activities for photocatalytic H2 generation as compared to the un-coated SSCN and the standard g-C3N4 reference with MoS2 coating. The photocatalytic test results suggest that the oligomeric s-triazine dyes on the SSCN surface can provide additional light-harvesting capability and photogenerated charge carriers, and the coated MoS2 layer can serve as active sites for proton reduction towards H2 evolution. This synergistic effect of surface triazine dyes and MoS2 coating greatly promotes the activity of carbon nitride microspheres for vishible-light-driven H2 generation. This work provides a new way of future development of low-cost noble-metal-free photocatalysts for efficient solar-driven hydrogen production.

21 CFR 866.5200 - Carbonic anhydrase B and C immunological test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Immunological Test Systems § 866.5200 Carbonic anhydrase B and C immunological test system. (a) Identification. A carbonic... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Carbonic anhydrase B and C immunological test...

Remediation of AMD using natural and waste material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Basir, Nur Athirah Mohamad; Yaacob, Wan Zuhairi Wan

2014-09-03

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is highly acidic, sulphate rich and frequently carries a high transition metal and heavy metal burden. These AMD's eventually migrate into streams and rivers and impact negatively on the quality of these water bodies. So it is dire necessary to treat this AMD. Various materials such as ladle furnace slag (LFS), bentonite, zeolite, active carbon and kaolinite are currently available to remove heavy metals from contaminated water. All these materials are capable to rise up the pH value and adsorb heavy metals. The process is divided into two stages; screening test and tank experiment. Screening testmore » is conduct by using Batch Equilibrium Test (BET), X-Ray Fluorescene (XRF) identification also Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) characteristic. The results showed that all the concentration of heavy metal are decreasing extremely and pH value rise up except for kaolinite. From screening test only ladle furnace slag, bentonite, zeolite and active carbon are chosen for the tank experiment. Tank experiment design with 18cm (H) X 15cm (L) X 15cm (H) was made by silica glass. All these treatment materials were stirred in the tank for 30 days. Initial pH for all tanks is 2.4 and after 30 days is changing into 6.11, 3.91, 2.98 and 2.71 for LFS, bentonite, active carbon as well as zeolite respectively. LFS is the best material for absorption of Zn, Mn and Cu in the synthetic solution. Meanwhile, bentonite is the best absorbent for Ni, Fe and Cd. The conclusion shows that LFS might have big potentials to control AMD pollution base on neutralize pH resulting in a great improvement in the quality of the water.« less

Short-term effect of the soil amendments activated carbon, biochar, and ferric oxyhydroxide on bacteria and invertebrates.

PubMed

Hale, Sarah E; Jensen, John; Jakob, Lena; Oleszczuk, Patryk; Hartnik, Thomas; Henriksen, Thomas; Okkenhaug, Gudny; Martinsen, Vegard; Cornelissen, Gerard

2013-08-06

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the secondary ecotoxicological effects of soil amendment materials that can be added to contaminated soils in order to sequester harmful pollutants. To this end, a nonpolluted agricultural soil was amended with 0.5, 2, and 5% of the following four amendments: powder activated carbon (PAC), granular activated carbon, corn stover biochar, and ferric oxyhydroxide powder, which have previously been proven to sequester pollutants in soil. The resulting immediate effects (i.e., without aging the mixtures before carrying out tests) on the springtail Folsomia candida, the earthworm species Aporectodea caliginosa and Eisenia fetida, the marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri, a suite of ten prokaryotic species, and a eukaryote (the yeast species Pichia anomalia) were investigated. Reproduction of F. candida was significantly increased compared to the unamended soil when 2% biochar was added to it. None of the treatments caused a negative effect on reproduction. All amendments had a deleterious effect on the growth of A. caliginosa when compared to the unamended soil, except the 0.5% amendment of biochar. In avoidance tests, E. fetida preferred biochar compared to all other amendments including the unamended soil. All amendments reduced the inhibition of luminescence to V. fischeri, i.e., were beneficial for the bacteria, with PAC showing the greatest improvement. The effects of the amendments on the suite of prokaryotic species and the eukaryote were variable, but overall the 2% biochar dose provided the most frequent positive effect on growth. It is concluded that the four soil amendments had variable but never strongly deleterious effects on the bacteria and invertebrates studied here during the respective recommended experimental test periods.

A novel promising strain of Trichoderma evansii (WF-3) for extracellular α-galactosidase production by utilizing different carbon sources under optimized culture conditions.

PubMed

Chauhan, Aishwarya; Siddiqi, Nikhat Jamal; Sharma, Bechan

2014-01-01

A potential fungal strain of Trichoderma sp. (WF-3) was isolated and selected for the production of α-galactosidase. Optimum conditions for mycelial growth and enzyme induction were determined. Basal media selected for the growth of fungal isolate containing different carbon sources like guar gum (GG), soya bean meal (SM), and wheat straw (WS) and combinations of these carbon substrates with basic sugars like galactose and sucrose were used to monitor their effects on α-galactosidase production. The results of this study indicated that galactose and sucrose enhanced the enzyme activity in guar gum (GG) and wheat straw (WS). Maximum α-galactosidase production (213.63 U mL(-1)) was obtained when the basic medium containing GG is supplemented with galactose (5 mg/mL). However, the presence of galactose and sucrose alone in the growth media shows no effect. Soya meal alone was able to support T. evansii to produce maximum enzyme activity (170.36 U mL(-1)). The incubation time, temperature, and pH for the maximum enzyme synthesis were found to be 120 h (5 days), 28°C, and 4.5-5.5, respectively. All the carbon sources tested exhibited maximum enzyme production at 10 mg/mL concentration. Among the metal ions tested, Hg was found to be the strongest inhibitor of the enzyme. Among the chelators, EDTA acted as stronger inhibitor than succinic acid.

A Novel Promising Strain of Trichoderma evansii (WF-3) for Extracellular α-Galactosidase Production by Utilizing Different Carbon Sources under Optimized Culture Conditions

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Aishwarya; Siddiqi, Nikhat Jamal

2014-01-01

A potential fungal strain of Trichoderma sp. (WF-3) was isolated and selected for the production of α-galactosidase. Optimum conditions for mycelial growth and enzyme induction were determined. Basal media selected for the growth of fungal isolate containing different carbon sources like guar gum (GG), soya bean meal (SM), and wheat straw (WS) and combinations of these carbon substrates with basic sugars like galactose and sucrose were used to monitor their effects on α-galactosidase production. The results of this study indicated that galactose and sucrose enhanced the enzyme activity in guar gum (GG) and wheat straw (WS). Maximum α-galactosidase production (213.63 UmL−1) was obtained when the basic medium containing GG is supplemented with galactose (5 mg/mL). However, the presence of galactose and sucrose alone in the growth media shows no effect. Soya meal alone was able to support T. evansii to produce maximum enzyme activity (170.36 UmL−1). The incubation time, temperature, and pH for the maximum enzyme synthesis were found to be 120 h (5 days), 28°C, and 4.5–5.5, respectively. All the carbon sources tested exhibited maximum enzyme production at 10 mg/mL concentration. Among the metal ions tested, Hg was found to be the strongest inhibitor of the enzyme. Among the chelators, EDTA acted as stronger inhibitor than succinic acid. PMID:25126562

Preparation of steam activated carbon from rubberwood sawdust (Hevea brasiliensis) and its adsorption kinetics.

PubMed

Prakash Kumar, B G; Shivakamy, K; Miranda, Lima Rose; Velan, M

2006-08-25

Activated carbon was produced from a biowaste product, rubberwood sawdust (RWSD) using steam in a high temperature fluidized bed reactor. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of various process parameters such as activation time, activation temperature, particle size and fluidising velocity on the quality of the activated carbon. The activated carbon was characterized based on its iodine number, methylene blue number, Brauner Emmet Teller (BET) surface area and surface area obtained using the ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether (EGME) retention method. The best quality activated carbon was obtained at an activation time and temperature of 1h and 750 degrees C for an average particle size of 0.46 mm. The adsorption kinetics shows that pseudo-second-order rate fitted the adsorption kinetics better than pseudo-first-order rate equation. The adsorption capacity of carbon produced from RWSD was found to be 1250 mg g(-1) for the Bismark Brown dye. The rate constant and diffusion coefficient for intraparticle transport were determined for steam activated carbon. The characteristic of the prepared activated carbon was found comparable to the commercial activated carbon.

Adsorption of metal ions by pecan shell-based granular activated carbons.

PubMed

Bansode, R R; Losso, J N; Marshall, W E; Rao, R M; Portier, R J

2003-09-01

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the adsorption effectiveness of pecan shell-based granular activated carbons (GACs) in removing metal ions (Cu(2+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+)) commonly found in municipal and industrial wastewater. Pecan shells were activated by phosphoric acid, steam or carbon dioxide activation methods. Metal ion adsorption of shell-based GACs was compared to the metal ion adsorption of a commercial carbon, namely, Calgon's Filtrasorb 200. Adsorption experiments were conducted using solutions containing all three metal ions in order to investigate the competitive effects of the metal ions as would occur in contaminated wastewater. The results obtained from this study showed that acid-activated pecan shell carbon adsorbed more lead ion and zinc ion than any of the other carbons, especially at carbon doses of 0.2-1.0%. However, steam-activated pecan shell carbon adsorbed more copper ion than the other carbons, particularly using carbon doses above 0.2%. In general, Filtrasorb 200 and carbon dioxide-activated pecan shell carbons were poor metal ion adsorbents. The results indicate that acid- and steam-activated pecan shell-based GACs are effective metal ion adsorbents and can potentially replace typical coal-based GACs in treatment of metal contaminated wastewater.

Electrochemical Ultracapacitors Using Graphitic Nanostacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marotta, Christopher

2012-01-01

Electrochemical ultracapacitors (ECs) have been developed using graphitic nanostacks as the electrode material. The advantages of this technology will be the reduction of device size due to superior power densities and relative powers compared to traditional activated carbon electrodes. External testing showed that these materials display reduced discharge response times compared to state-of-the-art materials. Such applications are advantageous for pulsed power applications such as burst communications (satellites, cell phones), electromechanical actuators, and battery load leveling in electric vehicles. These carbon nanostructures are highly conductive and offer an ordered mesopore network. These attributes will provide more complete electrolyte wetting, and faster release of stored charge compared to activated carbon. Electrochemical capacitor (EC) electrode materials were developed using commercially available nanomaterials and modifying them to exploit their energy storage properties. These materials would be an improvement over current ECs that employ activated carbon as the electrode material. Commercially available graphite nanofibers (GNFs) are used as precursor materials for the synthesis of graphitic nanostacks (GNSs). These materials offer much greater surface area than graphite flakes. Additionally, these materials offer a superior electrical conductivity and a greater average pore size compared to activated carbon electrodes. The state of the art in EC development uses activated carbon (AC) as the electrode material. AC has a high surface area, but its small average pore size inhibits electrolyte ingress/egress. Additionally, AC has a higher resistivity, which generates parasitic heating in high-power applications. This work focuses on fabricating EC from carbon that has a very different structure by increasing the surface area of the GNF by intercalation or exfoliation of the graphitic basal planes. Additionally, various functionalities to the GNS surface will be added that can exhibit pseudocapacitance. This pseudocapacitance exhibits faradaic (charge transfer) properties that can further increase the overall relative and volumetric capacitance of the material. A process is also proposed to use GNF as a precursor material to fabricate GNS that will be used as EC electrodes. This results in much better electrical conductivity than activated carbon. This is advantageous for high-pulsed-power applications to reduce parasitic heating. Larger average pore size allows more complete electrolyte wetting (faster charge transfer kinetics). These properties contribute to a lowered equivalent series resistance (ESR), increased specific power, shorter charging times, and decreased parasitic heating. The high density of basal plane edges provides nucleation sites for activation (addition of hydrophilic functional groups) that facilitate electrolyte wetting, and will contribute to pseudocapacitance.

NARC Rayon Replacement Program for the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle: Screening Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, R. V.; Fairbourn, M. W.; Wendel, G. M.

2000-01-01

Thiokol Corporation and NASA MSFC are jointly developing a replacement for North American Rayon Corporation (NARC) Aerospace Grade Rayon (1650/720 continuous filament), the precursor for the Carbon Cloth Phenolic (CCP) ablatives used in the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) Nozzles. NARC discontinued production of Aerospace Grade Rayon in September 1997. NASA maintains a stockpile of NARC Rayon to support RSRM production through the summer of 2005. The program plan for selection and qualification of a replacement for NARC rayon was approved in August 1998. Screening activities began in February 1999. The intent of this paper is to provide a summary of the data generated during the screening phase of the NARC Rayon Replacement Program. Twelve cellulose based fibers (rayon and lyocell) were evaluated. These fibers were supplied by three independent vendors. Many of these fibers were carbonized by two independent carbonizers. Each candidate was tested according to standard acceptance test methods at each step of the manufacturing process. Additional testing was performed with the candidate CCPS, including hot fire tests, Process studies and mechanical and thermal characterization. Six of the twelve fiber candidates tested were dropped at the conclusion of Phase 1. The reasons for the elimination of these candidates included; difficulties in processing the material in the whitegoods, carbon and CCP forms; poor composite mechanical performance; and future availability concerns. The remaining six fibers demonstrated enough promise to merit continued evaluation and optimization of the CCP fabrication process. Note: Certain CCP data falls under the restrictions of US export laws, (ITAR, etc.) and will not be included in this paper.

Microwave pyrolysis using self-generated pyrolysis gas as activating agent: An innovative single-step approach to convert waste palm shell into activated carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yek, Peter Nai Yuh; Keey Liew, Rock; Shahril Osman, Mohammad; Chung Wong, Chee; Lam, Su Shiung

2017-11-01

Waste palm shell (WPS) is a biomass residue largely available from palm oil industries. An innovative microwave pyrolysis method was developed to produce biochar from WPS while the pyrolysis gas generated as another product is simultaneously used as activating agent to transform the biochar into waste palm shell activated carbon (WPSAC), thus allowing carbonization and activation to be performed simultaneously in a single-step approach. The pyrolysis method was investigated over a range of process temperature and feedstock amount with emphasis on the yield and composition of the WPSAC obtained. The WPSAC was tested as dye adsorbent in removing methylene blue. This pyrolysis approach provided a fast heating rate (37.5°/min) and short process time (20 min) in transforming WPS into WPSAC, recording a product yield of 40 wt%. The WPSAC was detected with high BET surface area (≥ 1200 m2/g), low ash content (< 5 wt%), and high pore volume (≥ 0.54 cm3/g), thus recording high adsorption efficiency of 440 mg of dye/g. The desirable process features (fast heating rate, short process time) and the recovery of WPSAC suggest the exceptional promise of the single-step microwave pyrolysis approach to produce high-grade WPSAC from WPS.

Effects of double and triple bonds on the spatial representations of odorants in the rat olfactory bulb.

PubMed

Johnson, Brett A; Ong, Joan; Lee, Kaman; Ho, Sabrina L; Arguello, Spart; Leon, Michael

2007-02-01

Many naturally occurring volatile chemicals that are detected through the sense of smell contain unsaturated (double or triple) carbon-carbon bonds. These bonds can affect odors perceived by humans, yet in a prior study of unsaturated hydrocarbons we found only very minor effects of unsaturated bonds. In the present study, we tested the possibility that unsaturated bonds affect the recognition of oxygen-containing functional groups, because humans perceive odor differences between such molecules. We therefore compared spatial activity patterns across the entire glomerular layer of the rat olfactory bulb evoked by oxygen-containing odorants differing systematically in the presence, position, number, and stereochemistry of unsaturated bonds. We quantified activity patterns by mapping [(14)C]2-deoxyglucose uptake into anatomically standardized data matrices, which we compared statistically. We found that the presence and number of unsaturated bonds consistently affected activity patterns, with the largest effect related to the presence of a triple bond. Effects of bond saturation included a loss of activity in glomeruli strongly activated by the corresponding saturated odorants and/or the presence of activity in areas not stimulated by the corresponding saturated compounds. The position of double bonds also affected patterns of activity, but cis vs. trans configuration had no measurable impact in all five sets of stereoisomers that we studied. These results simultaneously indicate the importance of interactions between carbon-carbon bond types and functional groups in the neural coding of odorant chemical information and highlight the emerging concept that the rat olfactory system is more sensitive to certain types of chemical differences than others. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Mesoporous activated carbon from corn stalk core for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi; Li, Chun; Qi, Hui; Yu, Kaifeng; Liang, Ce

2018-04-01

A novel mesoporous activated carbon (AC) derived from corn stalk core is prepared via a facile and effective method which including the decomposition and carbonization of corn stalk core under an inert gas atmosphere and further activation process with KOH solution. The mesoporous activated carbon (AC) is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements. These biomass waste derived from activated carbon is proved to be promising anode materials for high specific capacity lithium ion batteries. The activated carbon anode possesses excellent reversible capacity of 504 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.2C. Compared with the unactivated carbon (UAC), the electrochemical performance of activated carbon is significantly improved due to its mesoporous structure.

Technology Advancements for Active Remote Sensing of Carbon Dioxide From Space using the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obland, M. D.; Liu, Z.; Campbell, J. F.; Lin, B.; Kooi, S. A.; Carrion, W.; Hicks, J.; Fan, T. F.; Nehrir, A. R.; Browell, E. V.; Meadows, B.; Davis, K. J.

2016-12-01

This work describes advances in critical lidar technologies and techniques developed as part of the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator (ACES) system for measuring atmospheric column carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios in support of the NASA Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission. The ACES design demonstrates advancements in: (1) enhanced power-aperture product through the use and operation of multiple co-aligned laser transmitters and a multi-aperture telescope design; (2) high-efficiency, high-power Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs); (3) high-bandwidth, low-noise HgCdTe detector and transimpedence amplifier (TIA) subsystem capable of long-duration operation; and (4) advanced algorithms for cloud and aerosol discrimination. The ACES instrument, an Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave (IM-CW) lidar, was designed for high-altitude aircraft operations and can be directly applied to space instrumentation to meet the ASCENDS mission requirements. Specifically, the lidar simultaneously transmits three IM-CW laser beams from the high power EDFAs operating near 1571 nm. The outgoing laser beams are aligned to the field of view of three fiber-coupled 17.8-cm diameter telescopes, and the backscattered light collected by the same three telescopes is sent to the detector/TIA subsystem, which has a bandwidth of 4.9 MHz and operates service-free with a tactical Dewar and cryocooler. The electronic bandwidth is only slightly higher than 1 MHz, effectively limiting the noise level. Two key laser modulation approaches are being tested to significantly mitigate the effects of thin clouds on the retrieved CO2 column amounts. This work provides an over view of these technologies, the modulation approaches, and results from recent test flights during the Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Earth Venture Suborbital flight campaign.

Removal of Heavy Metal Ions with Acid Activated Carbons Derived from Oil Palm and Coconut Shells

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mokhlesur M.; Adil, Mohd; Yusof, Alias M.; Kamaruzzaman, Yunus B.; Ansary, Rezaul H.

2014-01-01

In this work, batch adsorption experiments were carried out to investigate the suitability of prepared acid activated carbons in removing heavy metal ions such as nickel(II), lead(II) and chromium(VI). Acid activated carbons were obtained from oil palm and coconut shells using phosphoric acid under similar activation process while the differences lie either in impregnation condition or in both pretreatment and impregnation conditions. Prepared activated carbons were modified by dispersing hydrated iron oxide. The adsorption equilibrium data for nickel(II) and lead(II) were obtained from adsorption by the prepared and commercial activated carbons. Langmuir and Freundlich models fit the data well. Prepared activated carbons showed higher adsorption capacity for nickel(II) and lead(II). The removal of chromium(VI) was studied by the prepared acid activated, modified and commercial activated carbons at different pH. The isotherms studies reveal that the prepared activated carbon performs better in low concentration region while the commercial ones in the high concentration region. Thus, a complete adsorption is expected in low concentration by the prepared activated carbon. The kinetics data for Ni(II), Pb(II) and Cr(VI) by the best selected activated carbon fitted very well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. PMID:28788640

Activated carbon production from bagasse and banana stem at various times of carbonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misran, E.; Maulina, S.; Dina, S. F.; Nazar, A.; Harahap, S. A.

2018-02-01

The utilization of bagasse and banana stem as activated carbon precursors has been conducted. In this study, the dried samples were impregnated using phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solution as the activator at a ratio of sample to the activator (w/w) was 1:1. The impregnation was conducted at room temperature for 24 hours. The samples then carbonized at 400 °C for 30, 45 and 60 minutes and finally washed and dried to obtain the activated carbon. The research aimed to investigate the effects of time of carbonization on the characteristics of activated carbon produced from bagasse and banana stem. The result showed that yield of activated carbon was in the range of 40.03 - 46.73 % with a high content of carbon as high 90.33 %. The result of BET analysis showed that the highest surface area reached1130.465 m2/g.

Preparation and characterization of activated carbon produced from pomegranate seeds by ZnCl 2 activation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uçar, Suat; Erdem, Murat; Tay, Turgay; Karagöz, Selhan

2009-08-01

In this study, pomegranate seeds, a by-product of fruit juice industry, were used as precursor for the preparation of activated carbon by chemical activation with ZnCl 2. The influence of process variables such as the carbonization temperature and the impregnation ratio on textural and chemical-surface properties of the activated carbons was studied. When using the 2.0 impregnation ratio at the carbonization temperature of 600 °C, the specific surface area of the resultant carbon is as high as 978.8 m 2 g -1. The results showed that the surface area and total pore volume of the activated carbons at the lowest impregnation ratio and the carbonization temperature were achieved as high as 709.4 m 2 g -1 and 0.329 cm 3 g -1. The surface area was strongly influenced by the impregnation ratio of activation reagent and the subsequent carbonization temperature.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, Jin-Woo; Kim, Icpyo; Kim, Ki-Won

Highlights: • The sulfur/activated carbon composite is fabricated using commercial activated carbons. • The sulfur/activated carbon composite with coal shows the best performance. • The Li/S battery has capacities of 1240 mAh g{sup −1} at 1 C and 567 mAh g{sup −1} at 10 C. - Abstract: We prepared sulfur/active carbon composites via a simple solution-based process using the following commercial activated carbon-based materials: coal, coconut shells, and sawdust. Although elemental sulfur was not detected in any of the sulfur/activated carbon composites based on Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results confirmed its presence in themore » activated carbon. These results indicate that sulfur was successfully impregnated in the activated carbon and that all of the activated carbons acted as sulfur reservoirs. The sulfur/activated carbon composite cathode using coal exhibited the highest discharge capacity and best rate capability. The first discharge capacity at 1 C (1.672 A g{sup −1}) was 1240 mAh g{sup −1}, and a large reversible capacity of 567 mAh g{sup −1} was observed at 10 C (16.72 A g{sup −1}).« less

Production of granular activated carbon from food-processing wastes (walnut shells and jujube seeds) and its adsorptive properties.

PubMed

Bae, Wookeun; Kim, Jongho; Chung, Jinwook

2014-08-01

Commercial activated carbon is a highly effective absorbent that can be used to remove micropollutants from water. As a result, the demand for activated carbon is increasing. In this study, we investigated the optimum manufacturing conditions for producing activated carbon from ligneous wastes generated from food processing. Jujube seeds and walnut shells were selected as raw materials. Carbonization and steam activation were performed in a fixed-bed laboratory electric furnace. To obtain the highest iodine number, the optimum conditions for producing activated carbon from jujube seeds and walnut shells were 2 hr and 1.5 hr (carbonization at 700 degrees C) followed by 1 hr and 0.5 hr (activation at 1000 degrees C), respectively. The surface area and iodine number of activated carbon made from jujube seeds and walnut shells were 1,477 and 1,184 m2/g and 1,450 and 1,200 mg/g, respectively. A pore-distribution analysis revealed that most pores had a pore diameter within or around 30-40 angstroms, and adsorption capacity for surfactants was about 2 times larger than the commercial activated carbon, indicating that waste-based activated carbon can be used as alternative. Implications: Wastes discharged from agricultural and food industries results in a serious environmental problem. A method is proposed to convert food-processing wastes such as jujube seeds and walnut shells into high-grade granular activated carbon. Especially, the performance of jujube seeds as activated carbon is worthy of close attention. There is little research about the application ofjujube seeds. Also, when compared to two commercial carbons (Samchully and Calgon samples), the results show that it is possible to produce high-quality carbon, particularly from jujube seed, using a one-stage, 1,000 degrees C, steam pyrolysis. The preparation of activated carbon from food-processing wastes could increase economic return and reduce pollution.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study of carbon electrodes prepared from date pits and fibers of oil palm empty fruit bunches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdan, E.; Deraman, M.; Suleman, M.; Nor, N. S. M.; Basri, N. H.; Hanappi, M. F. Y. M.; Sazali, N. E. S.; Tajuddin, N. S. M.; Omar, R.; Othman, M. A. R.; Shamsudin, S. A.

2016-11-01

In this study, we produced pre-carbonized date pits (PDP) and self-adhesive carbon grains (SACGs) from oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) by a low temperature (200°C for DP and 280°C for SACGs, respectively) carbonization method followed by KOH treatment to obtain KOH treated PDP (T-PDP) and KOH treated SACGs (T-SACGs). Four sets of green monolith (GMs) denoted as GM-A, GM-B, GM-C and GM-D were prepared respectively from SACGs (100 wt. %), mixture of PDP and SACGs (50:50 wt. %), T-SACGs (100 wt. %), and mixture of T-SACGs and T-PDP (50:50 wt. %), respectively. From these GMs the respective activated carbon monolith (ACMs) electrodes namely ACM-A, ACM-B, ACM-C and ACM-D were prepared via carbonization (N2 carbonization) and activation (CO2 environment). These ACMs electrodes were used to fabricate the corresponding EDLC cells: Cell-A, Cell-B, Cell-C and Cell-D, respectively. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests conducted on the cells found that the Cell-D showed the maximum value of specific capacitance, Csp (˜ 135 F g-1) whereas the Cell-A showed the minimum values of ESR and characteristic response time, respectively, ˜ 2.14 Ω and ˜ 46 s. Therefore, it can be concluded that the KOH treatment can improve the capacitance but caused the increase in the ESR and response time.

Removal of bromide and iodide anions from drinking water by silver-activated carbon aerogels.

PubMed

Sánchez-Polo, M; Rivera-Utrilla, J; Salhi, E; von Gunten, U

2006-08-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the use of Ag-doped activated carbon aerogels for bromide and iodide removal from drinking water and to study how the activation of Ag-doped aerogels affects their behavior. It has been observed that the carbonization treatment and activation process of Ag-doped aerogels increased the surface area value ( [Formula: see text] ), whereas the volume of meso-(V(2)) and macropores (V(3)) decreased slightly. Chemical characterization of the materials revealed that carbonization and especially activation process considerably increased the surface basicity of the sample. Original sample (A) presented acidic surface properties (pH(PZC)=4.5) with 21% surface oxygen, whereas the sample that underwent activation showed mainly basic surface chemical properties (pH(PZC)=9.5) with only 6% of surface oxygen. Carbonization and especially, activation process considerable increased the adsorption capacity of bromide and iodide ions. This would mainly be produced by (i) an increase in the microporosity of the sample, which increases Ag-adsorption sites available to halide anions, and (ii) a rise of the basicity of the sample, which produces an increase in attractive electrostatic interactions between the aerogel surface, positively charged at the working pH (pH(solution)

The efficiency of seismic attributes to differentiate between massive and non-massive carbonate successions for hydrocarbon exploration activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarhan, Mohammad Abdelfattah

2017-12-01

The present work investigates the efficiency of applying volume seismic attributes to differentiate between massive and non-massive carbonate sedimentary successions on using seismic data. The main objective of this work is to provide a pre-drilling technique to recognize the porous carbonate section (probable hydrocarbon reservoirs) based on seismic data. A case study from the Upper Cretaceous - Eocene carbonate successions of Abu Gharadig Basin, northern Western Desert of Egypt has been tested in this work. The qualitative interpretations of the well-log data of four available wells distributed in the study area, namely; AG-2, AG-5, AG-6 and AG-15 wells, has confirmed that the Upper Cretaceous Khoman A Member represents the massive carbonate section whereas the Eocene Apollonia Formation represents the non-massive carbonate unit. The present work have proved that the most promising seismic attributes capable of differentiating between massive and non-massive carbonate sequences are; Root Mean Square (RMS) Amplitude, Envelope (Reflection Strength), Instantaneous Frequency, Chaos, Local Flatness and Relative Acoustic Impedance.

Synthesis of Carbon Nano Materials Originated from Waste Cooking Oil Using a Nebulized Spray Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arie, A. A.; Hadisaputra, L.; Susanti, R. F.; Devianto, H.; Halim, M.; Enggar, R.; Lee, J. K.

2017-07-01

Synthesis of nanocarbon on snake fruit-peel’s activated carbon from waste cooking oil palm was conducted by a nebulized spray pyrolysis process (NSP) by varying the processing temperature from 650 to 750 °C. Ferrocene was used as a catalyst with constant concentration of 0.015 g/ml of carbon source. The structure of nanocarbon was studied by using scanning electron microscope (SEM),x-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area analyzer and Raman spectroscopy. SEM results showed that the structures of carbon products was in the the form of carbon nanopsheres (CNS). XRD and Raman analysis confirmed the CNS structure. The carbon producs were then tested as electrode’s materials for lithium ion capacitors (LIC) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) instruments. From the CV results the specific capacitance was estimated as 79.57 F / g at a scan rate of 0.1 mV / s and voltage range from 2.5 - 4 V. This study shows that the nano carbons synthesized from the waste cooking oil can be used as prospective electrode materials for LIC.

EFFECT OF MOLECULAR OXYGEN ON THE SCALEUP OF GAC ADSORBERS

EPA Science Inventory

A rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT), designed according to the assumption of no dependency of the intraparticle surface diffusion coefficient on the activated carbon particle size, was able to accurately predict breakthrough of three volatile organic chemicals as well as back...

An Examination of Issues Related to U.S. Lake Erie Natural Gas Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

37 pg/mL 27 pg/mL 27 pg/mL 27 pg/mL detergent Wac-8 Talc & guar Non-toxic to 10,000 pg/mL in 24 hours gum Wac-10 Talc, silica Non-toxic to 10,000 ug...mL in 24 hours guar gum Fr-10 High molecu- Bioassay Method not applicable lar weight synthetic Fr-19 Polymer Bioassay Method not applicable aData from...Adeorption None Activated carbon. Activated carbon Activated carbon Activated carbon Activated carbon powdered Filtration Sandb Activated carbon. Sand Sand

The Viking mission search for life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, H. P.; Lederberg, J.; Rich, A.; Horowitz, N. H.; Oyama, V. I.; Levin, G. V.

1976-01-01

The scientific payload on the Viking Mars landers is described. Shortly after landing, two facsimile cameras capable of stereoscopic imaging will scan the landing site area in black and white, color, and infrared to reveal gross evidence of past or present living systems. A wide range mass spectrometer will record a complete mass spectrum for soil samples from mass 12 to mass 200 every 10.3 sec. Three experiments based on different assumptions on the nature of life on Mars, if it exists, will be carried out by the bio-lab. A pyrolytic release experiment is designed to measure photosynthetic or dark fixation of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide into organic compounds. A labelled release experiment will test for metabolic activity during incubation of a surface sample moistened with a solution of radioactively labelled simple organic compounds. A gas exchange experiment will detect changes in the gaseous medium surrounding a soil sample as the result of metabolic activity. The hardware, function, and terrestrial test results of the bio-lab experiments are discussed.

Cathode catalyst for primary phosphoric fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, F.

1980-01-01

Alkylation of Vulcan XC-72 provided the most stable bond type for linking CoTAA to the surface of the carbon; this result is based on data obtained by cyclic voltammetry, pulse voltammetry and by release of 14C from bonded CoTAA. Half-cell tests at 100 C in 85% phosphoric acid showed that CoTAA bonded to the surface of carbon (Vulcan XC-72) via an alkylation procedure is a more active catalyst than is platinum based on a factor of two improvement in Tafel slope; dimeric CoTAA has catalytic activity equal to platinum. Half-cell tests also showed that bonded CoTAA catalysts do not suffer a loss in potential when air is used as a fuel rather than oxygen. Commercially available PTFE was shown to be stable for four months in 200 C 85% phosphoric acid based on lack of change in surface wetting properties, IR and physical characteristics. When stressed electrochemically in 150 C 85% phosphoric acid, PTFE also showed no changes after one month.

Performance enhancement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells by dual-layered membrane electrode assembly structures with carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Jung, Dong-Won; Kim, Jun-Ho; Kim, Se-Hoon; Kim, Jun-Bom; Oh, Eun-Suok

2013-05-01

The effect of dual-layered membrane electrode assemblies (d-MEAs) on the performance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was investigated using the following characterization techniques: single cell performance test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). It has been shown that the PEMFC with d-MEAs has better cell performance than that with typical mono-layered MEAs (m-MEAs). In particular, the d-MEA whose inner layer is composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) showed the best fuel cell performance. This is due to the fact that the d-MEAs with MWCNTs have the highest electrochemical surface area and the lowest activation polarization, as observed from the CV and EIS test.

Effect of polymer type on characterization and filtration performances of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-COOH-based polymeric mixed matrix membranes.

PubMed

Sengur-Tasdemir, Reyhan; Mokkapati, Venkata R S S; Koseoglu-Imer, Derya Y; Koyuncu, Ismail

2018-05-01

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can be used for the fabrication of mixed matrix polymeric membranes that can enhance filtration perfomances of the membranes by modifying membrane surface properties. In this study, detailed characterization and filtration performances of MWCNTs functionalized with COOH group, blended into polymeric flat-sheet membranes were investigated using different polymer types. Morphological characterization was carried out using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. For filtration performance tests, protein, dextran, E. coli suspension, Xanthan Gum and real activated sludge solutions were used. Experimental data and analyses revealed that Polyethersulfone (PES) + MWCNT-COOH mixed matrix membranes have superior performance abilities compared to other tested membranes.

Electrochemical oxidation of sulfites by DWCNTs, MWCNTs, higher fullerenes and manganese

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzun, Dzhamal; Pchelarov, George; Dimitrov, Ognian; Vassilev, Sasho; Obretenov, Willi; Petrov, Konstantin

2018-03-01

Different electrocatalysts were tested for oxidation of sulfites to sulfates, namely, manganese thin films deposited on fullerenes and carbon nanotubes. The results presented clearly show that electrodes containing HFs (higher fullerenes), DWCNTs (double-wall carbon nanotubes) and manganese acetate are effective catalysts in S/O2 fuel cells. HFs and DWCNTs have high catalytic activity and can be employed as standalone catalysts. Manganese was deposited on DWCNTs, HFs and fullerenes C60/C70 by a thermal process. The electrocatalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical testing was carried out by plotting the E/V polarization curve. The polarization curves of the electrodes composed of pristine DWCNTs showed the lowest overpotentials.

Evaluation studies on carbon supported catalysts for oxygen reduction in alkaline medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, Vakula S.; Singer, Joseph

1986-01-01

This paper describes tests designed to predict the performance of fuel cell electrodes, as applied to an alkaline oxygen-fuel cell having specially fabricated porous-carbon electrodes with various amounts of dispersed platinum or gold as active catalysts. The tests are based on information obtained from the techniques of cyclic voltammetry and polarization. The parameters obtained from cyclic voltammetry were of limited use in predicting fuel cell performance of the cathode. On the other hand, half-cell polarization measurements offered close simulation of the oxygen electrode, although a predictor of the electrode life is still lacking. The very low polarization of the Au-10 percent Pt catalytic electrode suggests that single-phase catalysts should be considered.

Does carbon availability control temporal dynamics of radial growth in Norway spruce (Picea abies)?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberhuber, Walter; Gruber, Andreas; Swidrak, Irene

2015-04-01

Intra-annual dynamics of cambial activity and wood formation of coniferous species exposed to soil dryness revealed early culmination of maximum growth in late spring prior to occurrence of more favourable environmental conditions, i.e., repeated high rainfall events during summer (Oberhuber et al. 2014). Because it is well known that plants can adjust carbon allocation patterns to optimize resource uptake under prevailing environmental constraints, we hypothesize that early decrease in radial stem growth is an adaptation to cope with drought stress, which might require an early switch of carbon allocation to belowground organs. Physical blockage of carbon transport in the phloem through girdling causes accumulation and depletion of carbohydrates above and below the girdle, respectively, making this method quite appropriate to investigate carbon relationships in trees. Hence, in a common garden experiment we will manipulate the carbon status of Norway spruce (Picea abies) saplings by phloem blockage at different phenological stages during the growing season. We will present the methodological approach and first results of the study aiming to test the hypothesis that carbon status of the tree affects temporal dynamics of cambial activity and wood formation in conifers under drought. Acknowledgment The research is funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF): P25643-B16 "Carbon allocation and growth of Scots pine". Reference Oberhuber W, A Gruber, W Kofler, I Swidrak (2014) Radial stem growth in response to microclimate and soil moisture in a drought-prone mixed coniferous forest at an inner Alpine site. Eur J For Res 133:467-479.

Activated carbon from biomass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manocha, S.; Manocha, L. M.; Joshi, Parth; Patel, Bhavesh; Dangi, Gaurav; Verma, Narendra

2013-06-01

Activated carbon are unique and versatile adsorbents having extended surface area, micro porous structure, universal adsorption effect, high adsorption capacity and high degree of surface reactivity. Activated carbons are synthesized from variety of materials. Most commonly used on a commercial scale are cellulosic based precursors such as peat, coal, lignite wood and coconut shell. Variation occurs in precursors in terms of structure and carbon content. Coir having very low bulk density and porous structure is found to be one of the valuable raw materials for the production of highly porous activated carbon and other important factor is its high carbon content. Exploration of good low cost and non conventional adsorbent may contribute to the sustainability of the environment and offer promising benefits for the commercial purpose in future. Carbonization of biomass was carried out in a horizontal muffle furnace. Both carbonization and activation were performed in inert nitrogen atmosphere in one step to enhance the surface area and to develop interconnecting porosity. The types of biomass as well as the activation conditions determine the properties and the yield of activated carbon. Activated carbon produced from biomass is cost effective as it is easily available as a waste biomass. Activated carbon produced by combination of chemical and physical activation has higher surface area of 2442 m2/gm compared to that produced by physical activation (1365 m2/gm).

75 FR 51754 - Certain Activated Carbon from the People's Republic of China: Notice of Partial Rescission of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-23

... Carbon Co., Ltd.; Datong Juqiang Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Datong Locomotive Coal & Chemicals Co., Ltd....; Xingtai Coal Chemical Co., Ltd; Zhejiang Xingda Activated Carbon Co., Ltd. \\1\\ See Memo to the File from... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-904] Certain Activated Carbon...

Effects of microwave heating on porous structure of regenerated powdered activated carbon used in xylose.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Wang, Xinying; Peng, Jinhui

2014-01-01

The regeneration of spent powdered activated carbons used in xylose decolourization by microwave heating was investigated. Effects of microwave power and microwave heating time on the adsorption capacity of regenerated activated carbons were evaluated. The optimum conditions obtained are as follows: microwave power 800W; microwave heating time 30min. Regenerated activated carbon in this work has high adsorption capacities for the amount of methylene blue of 16 cm3/0.1 g and the iodine number of 1000.06mg/g. The specific surface areas of fresh commercial activated carbon, spent carbon and regenerated activated carbon were calculated according to the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller method, and the pore-size distributions of these carbons were characterized by non-local density functional theory (NLDFT). The results show that the specific surface area and the total pore volume of regenerated activated carbon are 1064 m2/g and 1.181 mL/g, respectively, indicating the feasibility of regeneration of spent powdered activated carbon used in xylose decolourization by microwave heating. The results of surface fractal dimensions also confirm the results of isotherms and NLDFT.

Pecan shell-based granular activated carbon for treatment of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in municipal wastewater.

PubMed

Bansode, R R; Losso, J N; Marshall, W E; Rao, R M; Portier, R J

2004-09-01

The present investigation was undertaken to compare the adsorption efficiency of pecan shell-based granular activated carbon with the adsorption efficiency of the commercial carbon Filtrasorb 200 with respect to uptake of the organic components responsible for the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of municipal wastewater. Adsorption efficiencies for these two sets of carbons (experimental and commercial) were analyzed by the Freundlich adsorption model. The results indicate that steam-activated and acid-activated pecan shell-based carbons had higher adsorption for organic matter measured as COD, than carbon dioxide-activated pecan shell-based carbon or Filtrasorb 200 at all the carbon dosages used during the experiment. The higher adsorption may be related to surface area as the two carbons with the highest surface area also had the highest organic matter adsorption. These results show that granular activated carbons made from agricultural waste (pecan shells) can be used with greater effectiveness for organic matter removal from municipal wastewater than a coal-based commercial carbon. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.

Synthesis, characterization, antibacterial activities and carbonic anhydrase enzyme inhibitor effects of new arylsulfonylhydrazone and their Ni(II), Co(II) complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, Ümmühan Özmen; Arslan, Fatma; Hamurcu, Fatma

2010-01-01

Ethane sulfonic acide hydrazide ( esh: CH 3CH 2SO 2NHNH 2) derivatives as 5-methylsalicyl-aldehydeethanesulfonylhydrazone ( 5msalesh), 5-methyl-2-hydroxyacetophenoneethane sulfonylhydrazone ( 5mafesh) and their Ni(II), Co(II) complexes have been synthesized for the first time. The structure of these compounds has been investigated by elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, LC/MS, UV-vis spectrophotometric method, magnetic susceptibility, thermal studies and conductivity measurements. The antibacterial activities of synthesized compounds were studied against Gram positive bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus magaterium and Gram negative bacteria; Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli by using the microdilution broth method. The biological activity screening showed that ligands have more activity than complexes against the tested bacteria. The inhibition activities of these compounds on carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) have been investigated by comparing IC 50 and Ki values and it has been found that 5msalesh and its complexes have more enzyme inhibition efficiency than other compounds.