Sorption of copper ions from water by bentonite clays
V.A. Somin, L.V. Kurtukova, L.F. Komarova
Section: Ecologization of industry
The traditional method of removing metal compounds from water is sorption, based on the use of various materials of both natural and artificial origin, which must be available, have high mechanical strength, the ability to regenerate multiple times, and resistance to aggressive environments. An important role in choosing a sorbent is played by selectivity and the value of the maximum sorption, the determination of which is carried out experimentally. Sorbents of natural origin include bentonite clays, which were studied by the authors in these studies. The results of studies on the sorption of copper ions on bentonite clays of the Desyaty Khutor deposit (Khakassia) grades 5.1 and 6.9 are presented. Native bentonite of both grades was washed with distilled water to remove large impurities, after which the suspension was settled and separated by density into a lower and upper layer. The layers were separated, then they were activated with a 5% solution of sodium bicarbonate. After that, the obtained activated bentonites of each grade were dried to a constant weight at a temperature of 105 оС. It was revealed that the bentonite layers exhibit different copper sorption abilities and are characterized by different nature of the processes occurring on them. The studies were carried out on model copper sulfate solutions. It was revealed that soda activation increases the sorption capacity of native bentonite grade 5.1 by 1.6 times (from 50 to 80 mg/g) for the upper layer and by 1.1 times for the lower layer. The sorption process is satisfactorily described by the Langmuir and Freundlich models for both native and modified bentonites, the Dubinin-Radushkevich model adequately describes sorption only on modified materials. Sorption of copper ions on the native sorbent and the activated lower layer is characterized as physical, while the chemisorption process occurs on the activated upper layer. The sorption capacity of bentonite activated by sodium hydroxide (upper layer) is 81–84 mg/g, which allows it to be used in the purification of copper-containing wastewater and thereby reduce the negative impact on surface water bodies.
Keywords: sorption, copper ions, bentonite clays, water treatment, pollution, heavy metals
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-130-139
Views: 2
Species-specific algicidal efficiency of nitrilo-tris(methylenephosphonato)zincate in the cooling water of thermal power plant
Waste of the zinc-contain galvanic solutions generated at a large number of industrial enterprises is one of the most dangerous ecotoxicants. The paper presents the results of testing the corrosion, salt deposition and biofouling inhibitor Na4[Zn{N(CH2PO3)3}]·13H2O, obtained from galvanizing plants waste, for algicidal activity against Chrysococcus rufescens, Nitzschia biacrula and Melosira varians. In the river water sample, single algal cells of two species were found: Cyclotella menenginiana and Chrysococcus rufescens. In water samples from the circulating cooling system, the number of algal cells significantly exceeded the number of cells in the river water. After the inhibitor was introduced, a decrease in the diversity of Bacillariophyceae species from 18 to 9 was observed, as well as a decrease in the total number of algae. Melosira varians and N. biacrula remained dominant species, but their number decreased by 2 times. After 3 days of inhibition, the total content of algae decreased by 17.4%. It has been established the studied reagent has the greatest algicidal activity to C. rufescens: a 65% decrease in the number of cells was recorded within three days of the reagent action with a concentration of 5 mg/dm3. It was determined that iron and copper in the river water and in the cooling system remained virtually unchanged, which confirms the properties of the studied complex as a corrosion inhibitor. The ability to use one reagent instead of several commonly used ones (corrosion inhibitor, antiscale agent and bactericide) without reducing the efficiency of water treatment allows for a reduction in the costs of maintaining the water chemistry regime of the thermal power plant’s circulating cooling system.
Section: Methodology and research methods. Models and forecasts
Air monitoring in large cities is a crucial task aimed at protecting public health and supporting the sustainable development of urban areas. High population density, intense traffic, and significant industrial activity in cities contribute to high levels of air pollution, leading to serious consequences for human health and the environment. This paper analyzes the experience of using monitoring network data generated by continuous sensors for monitoring suspended particles PM2.5 and PM10 and assesses the potential of using this data as a predictive action tool in the work of accredited laboratories of regulatory and supervisory authorities. Special attention is paid to the development of mathematical models describing aerosol systems dispersion processes in different hydrometeorological conditions. The application of these models makes it possible to predict changes in pollutant concentrations, forming a basis for preventive measures and reducing the risk of exposure to vulnerable population groups. The proposed approach allows regulatory authorities to promptly respond to the excess of standards, identify potential sources of pollution, and develop management solutions to improve the environmental situation. The proposed methodologies and analytical tools could serve as a basis for developing interactive maps of the environmental status. Public access to the above maps will enhance public trust in environmental control measures and encouraging citizen participation in efforts to improve environmental quality. These developments could also facilitate real-time monitoring of background pollutant levels, helping enterprises adjust their operations and plan production processes with environmental factors in mind, thereby reducing anthropogenic pressure on cities and surrounding areas. The research results were tested in Tolyatti and are used by a mobile environmental laboratory capable of analyzing atmospheric air across more than 50 parameters and accredited within the national accreditation system.
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-028-036
Views: 4
Installation for gasification of carbon-containing wastes
S.N. Saltykova, M.Yu. Nazarenko, R.V. Kozlov, A.D. Korshunov
Section: Ecologization of industry
The process of carbonaceous materials gasification is especially relevant in Russia, where the volume of coal waste exceeds 120 million tons. A gasification installation for carbon-containing waste operating in the fixed-bed mode has been developed. Experiments on gasification of fine coal fraction samples (1–2 mm) were carried out using preheated air, a steam-air mixture, and air with added carbon dioxide as gasifying agents. The work used the methods of differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and chromatographic analysis. Additions of water vapor and carbon dioxide made it possible to increase the heat of combustion and increase the gasification efficiency to 54%. The operating mode of the gas generator was determined, ensuring the production of synthesis gas with a calorific value of 3.6 MJ/nm3. It is shown that the highest efficiency of gas generation is achieved in the steam-air gasification mode with the addition of water vapor in the amount of 0.1 kg per 1 kg of coal and with the use of air as a gasifying agent with the addition of carbon dioxide in a volume ratio of 100:5. It is established that an increase in the addition of water vapor and carbon dioxide above the optimal amounts leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the gasification process. The process can use waste from various industries, including oil sludge, which determines its significance for the effective management of carbon-containing waste and for achieving broader environmental and economic goals.
Keywords: hard coal, carbon containing waste, gasification, fixed bed, gas generator, air blast, steam-air gasification, gasifying agent
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-153-159
Views: 0
Assessment of the calcium peroxide efficiency for removing phosphates from wastewater
T.S. Smirnova, D.A. Guskov, A.A. Alekseev
Section: Ecologization of industry
The standard for the phosphate ions (phosphorus) content in the discharge of treated wastewater into surface water bodies was established in the Russian Federation only in 1991. This standard for treated wastewater disposal into fishery waters is 0.2 mg/L. According to numerous studies, the average concentration of phosphorus phosphates entering surface waters along with wastewater is about 1.57 mg/L. This value exceeds the established standard by more than 7 times. Due to the fact that phosphorus is the main biogenic element (along with carbon and nitrogen) its increased content can lead to eutrophication of the surface waters. Therefore, the search for effective solutions to the phosphate ions removal during wastewater treatment is relevant. The main methods for removing phosphate ions from wastewater are biological, chemical (reagent) methods and complex biological-chemical methods. Reagent methods are the most promising. At the same time, the adding of auxiliary reagents during wastewater treatment can lead to secondary pollution. Therefore, the search for new effective and safe reagents for phosphate ions removing from wastewater is a currently important research issue. The paper presents the results of a study on the possibility of using calcium peroxide to remove phosphate ions from domestic wastewater, case-study of Kolomna treatment facilities. The received efficiency of phosphate ions removing phosphate ions from wastewater using calcium peroxide was nearly 90%. The dependence of changes in the chemical oxygen demand value on the concentration of calcium peroxide in wastewater was also determined.
Section: Methodology and research methods. Models and forecasts
Snow cover is an informative indicator of atmospheric air pollution since it accumulates and preserves pollutants coming from the atmosphere as part of precipitation. Modeling the surface distribution of pollutant content in snow cover involves selecting predictors that maximize the predictive ability of the models. The purpose of this study was to compare multiple regression and multilayer perceptron models for mapping the dust surface distribution in the snow cover in the southern part of Novy Urengoy (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia). The authors proposed applying to the selection of spatial variables a Land Use Regression (LUR) approach, which uses data on the relative positions of potential pollution sources and sampling sites to build a multiple linear regression model. To consider the nonlinear relationships between model predictors and dust concentration, a neural network model, a multilayer perceptron (MLP), was used. A total of four different models were tested: two LUR- and two MLP-based models. The MLP model with selected for the standard LUR model predictors and added coordinates of the sampling sites shows the best performance. The selected predictors contain spatial information about dust distribution. The added geographical coordinates made it possible to supplement the model with geostatistical information and improve its predictive ability. Finally, surface dust distribution maps were restored using four models and kriging. LUR and MLP models with spatial variables, which considered the location of potential pollution sources, produced dust distribution maps demonstrating the influence of these sources on surface distribution of dust accumulated in the snow cover.
Keywords: snow cover, dust content, surface distribution, mapping, land use regression, multilayer perceptron
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-037-043
Views: 2
Prospects for using a combined indicator of activated sludge status in water treatment practice
Currently, industrial wastewater is characterized by a more complex composition and increased toxicity. Industrial wastewater treatment takes place mainly in biological treatment plants, the distinctive feature of which is the implementation of the process of extended aeration of wastewater. To ensure the required quality of biotreated water, it is prerequisite to know the status of activated sludge during the biological treatment process. Therefore, the purpose of the work was to assess the state of activated sludge in the process of biological treatment of industrial wastewater in a comparative aspect and to develop a new, more promising indicator for assessing the activated sludge status. The article assessed the status of two activated sludges: formed on wastewater from organic synthesis plants and on wastewater from petrochemical enterprises. A similar trend has been established for changes in the activated sludge status while biological treatment, assessed on a five-point scale and the Shannon hydrobiological index. The exception is the modified Cube index, for which the quantitative discrepancy of its changes compared to the above is shown. A certain subjectivity of the five-point rating scale, associated with the microbiologist qualification, and insufficient information content of hydrobiological indices which take into account only the presence of indicator organisms of activated sludge were revealed. For use in water treatment practice, a new quantitative indicator has been proposed. It is based on data from direct analytical measurements. It is equal to the ratio of the supernatant liquid turbidity to the generic Shannon index (combined indicator) value. The complete correspondence of the change in the activated sludge status on a five-point rating scale and a combined indicator characterizing the stress level of activated sludge during the biotreatment process is shown. Greater sensitivity of the combined indicator was noted, especially with a significant decrease in the assessment of the activated sludge status. A predictive model has been obtained that describes the change in the status of activated sludge formed from wastewater of organic synthesis plant during the water treatment and its recovery potential (coefficient of determination 97.06%).
Article published in number 4 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-4-140-147
Views: 2
Economic utilization of xylotrophic basidiomycetes: a review
Yu.A. Zlobina, A.A. Shirokikh, T.Ya. Ashikhmina
Section: Theoretical problems of ecology
The modern trend towards the use of biological raw materials and the development of unique technologies in demand in agriculture, ecology, materials science, medicine and pharmaceuticals has led to a rapid growth of interest in representatives of a special kingdom of living organisms - fungi. Fungi are one of the key biological resources that can be used to develop a wide range of environmentally friendly products with promising application possibilities. The review presents an analysis of modern achievements in the field of economic use of xylotrophic basidiomycetes, which are of great interest for sustainable nature management due to their ability to decompose lignocellulosic materials under the action of unique enzymatic systems, produce a wide range of metabolites with antimicrobial, antitumor, immunostimulating, neuroprotective and other valuable properties. White and brown rot fungi demonstrate high activity in the degradation of complex polymers, playing an important role in waste recycling and the creation of closed production cycles. The article considers promising areas of their application in the bioeconomy, including agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industries, materials science, and the production of biocomposite materials based on fungal mycelium. In agriculture, xylotrophic fungi are used to create biofertilizers that improve soil structure and increase its fertility. In the food industry, they are a valuable source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. In pharmaceuticals, basidiomycete metabolites have proven antimicrobial, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activity. Composites based on mycelium and plant waste are used in packaging, construction, and design furniture and interiors, reducing the environmental impact of plastic. The article analyzes the environmental aspects and economic benefits of the practical use of xylotrophic fungi in various sectors of the national economy and economics, and considers further prospects for the introduction of xylotrophic basidiomycetes in the context of solving current problems and sustainable development of society.
Article published in number 3 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-3-006-018
Views: 10
Weather conditions affect the physiological features of the Lupinus angustifolius L. development when using biological products
A.P. Kislitsyna, A.Y. Sofronova
Section: Agroecology
We assessed the climatic factor effect on the manifestation of two agricultural practices for the Lupinus angustifolius. The first was inoculation of lupine seeds with a Rhizoverm preparation of nodule bacteria. The second one was treatment of seeds and crops with a complex growth-stimulating preparation PolyminТМ Boron-Molybdenum. The experiment was conducted for 2 years varied considerably in the precipitation amount and temperature conditions. The weather in 2023 was moderately humid (moisture index – 1.29), but precipitation during the summer season was extremely uneven. The weather in 2024 was arid (moisture index – 0.68). The leaves pigments’ amount (LPA) during the mass flowering phase in lupine varied in different years. The LPA closely related to the accumulation of dry matter by the phytomass in the phase of gray-green beans (r=0.96) in favorable water-temperature conditions. The level of the above-mentioned relationship corresponded to the average values, r=0.43 (p≤0.05) in drought conditions. There was 227% precipitation from the climatic norm in July 2023. Due to vegetative overgrowth of L. angustifolius plants in warm and rainy weather during flowering and seed formation, the seed yield was 0.8–0.93 t/ha, versus 0.6 t/ha in the control. Seeds inoculation with Rizoverm combined with the crops treatment with PolyminТМ Boron-Molybdenum during the growing season (the budding phase) was the most effective method that provided 55% increase in seed yield compared to the control (+0.33 t/ha). In atmospheric and soil drought in 2024, there was no reliable effect of the growth regulator, as well as the inoculation of seeds or their combined use on the pigment content in leaves and the productivity. The L. angustifolius seeds yield according to the experimental variations was 0.82–0.87 t/ha.
Article published in number 3 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-3-142-150
Views: 4
Sorbent based on thermally oxidized sapropel for wastewater treatment from phenols, oil products and heavy metals
I.V. Zykova, V.A. Isakov, N.M. Mishina
Section: Ecologization of industry
The adsorption of solutions of petroleum products with concentrations from 10 to 150 mg/dm3, phenols with concentrations from 0.01 to 1.0 mmol/dm3 and heavy metals with concentrations from 0.1 to 100 mmol/dm3 was studied. Sapropel, heat-treated at 600 оC in an oxidizing medium (TOS), was used as a sorbent. The assessment was carried out under static conditions at 1 g of sorbent per 200 cm 3 of solution. Processing of experimental data according to the Boyd and Morris-Weber kinetic models showed that copper(II) ions adsorption by TOS has a mixed-diffusion character. The dependence of the copper(II) ions adsorption by TOS on the contact time is satisfactorily described by both Lagergren and Ho and McKay kinetic models. The thermodynamic values of the adsorption of copper(II) ions from a model solution by TOS were calculated using Ho and McKay kinetic model, taking into account the chemical interaction between the copper(II) ion and the functional groups of the adsorbent. However, it is quite difficult to determine the proportion of chemical interaction and diffusion based on formal kinetic equations. It was established that resorcinol adsorption is described by the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation, while the oil products and copper(II) ions adsorption is described by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller polymolecular adsorption equation (BET). The calculated quantitative characteristics of resorcinol, copper(II) ions and oil products adsorption by TOS showed that TOS can be used as a sorbent for wastewater treatment from oil products, phenols and heavy metals.
Keywords: adsorption, thermally oxidized sapropel, phenols, petroleum products, heavy metals
Article published in number 3 for 2025 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2025-3-134-141
ISSN 1995-4301
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