Emad M. Masoud

This research details the synthesis and application of a novel poly (sodium p-styrenesulfonate-co-acrylic acid)/Ficus leaf–derived activated carbon composite (P(NaSS-co-AA)/AC) for the Efficient elimination of 4-Nitrophenol from contaminated Aqueous Solutions. The copolymer P(NaSS-co-AA) was fabricated via free-radical copolymerization of sodium p-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) and acrylic acid (AA) and characterized by GPC, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR. The composite was further analyzed utilizing SEM, FTIR, BET, and TGA techniques. Batch adsorption tests experiments were performed to optimize operational parameters achieving optimal conditions at pH 7, an adsorbent dosage of 1.5 g/L, and a contact time of 120 min, with a removal efficiency of 95 ± 1.18%. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics, suggesting monolayer chemisorption on a homogeneous surface. The composite demonstrated high selectivity and robust performance in real wastewater matrices and multicomponent ionic environments, maintaining a removal efficiency of over 90% despite the presence of competing species. The maximum adsorption capacity was 65.0 ± 1.25 mg/g, exceeding conventional activated carbons. Statistical evaluation of models showed excellent fits (Langmuir R² = 0.994, RMSE = 0.85 ± 0.08; kinetics pseudo-second-order R² = 0.999, RMSE = 0.47 ± 0.04). Post-adsorption FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed 4-NP uptake and supported the proposed multi-mode adsorption mechanism (π–π stacking, electrostatic attraction, and hydrogen bonding). Preliminary column breakthrough experiments and leaching/environmental safety screening further validate the practical potential of this composite. These results showed that the developed composite is a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent with strong potential for wastewater treatment applications targeting nitrophenol contaminants.

This study introduces a novel polyaniline–chitosan/nano TiO ₂ composite (PAn-CS) synthesized through nanoparticle-incorporating to modify surface features, thereby improving its ability to adsorb and remove anionic rose Bengal (RB) dye. The composite was produced by incorporating TiO ₂ , SiO ₂ , or ZrO ₂ nanoparticles into the PAn-CS composite using chemical oxidation via a single-stage precipitation procedure. Analysis of the structural and morphological characteristics was carried out with X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy. The composites’ thermal stability, surface properties, and surface charge of composites were also evaluated. The adsorption process was investigated through kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics, and mechanistic insights. Results indicated that adding nano-oxides enhanced the PAn-CS composite’s affinity for RB removal. Optimal TiO ₂ -content at 10% wt. howed a maximum adsorption efficiency of 96% within 60 minutes at 25 ^o C and pH 4, with a 0.025 g adsorbent dose and an initial dye concentration of 25 mg/L. Notably, the PAn-CS/TiO ₂ composite demonstrated the highest RB adsorption capacity of 643.62 mgg ^-1 . The adsorption data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, suggesting chemisorptions as the primary mechanism. The adsorption involved electrostatic, hydrogen bonds, and π-π interactions. The composite also showed excellent stability and reusability over five cycles, highlighting its potential for practical and sustainable dye-removal applications.

Layered triple hydroxides and their calcined oxides offer distinct adsorption pathways for anionic pollutants, yet how thermal transformation redirects these mechanisms, particularly for bulky dye molecules, remains poorly understood. This study addresses this gap by synthesizing a Zn–Cu–Fe layered triple hydroxide (LTH) via coprecipitation and its calcined oxide (LTO) at 500 °C, comparing their behavior toward Indigo Carmine (IC) through integrated characterization, batch adsorption studies, and mechanistic analysis. Both materials were comprehensively examined using FTIR, FESEM-EDS, HRTEM, BET, and zeta potential, revealing that LTH possesses a high surface area with a well-ordered layered structure, while LTO comprises intimately mixed ZnO, CuO, and ZnFe₂O₄ phases with reduced surface area but enlarged mesopores and magnetic properties. Adsorption studies demonstrate that LTH achieves superior removal through monolayer coverage on homogeneous external surfaces following pseudo-first-order kinetics, while LTO exhibits lower capacity with faster initial kinetics and heterogeneous binding across its multiphase surface. Thermodynamic analysis confirms endothermic physisorption for both. Crucially, mechanistic elucidation through post-adsorption FTIR and FESEM reveals that despite LTH's layered architecture, IC molecules are too large to access the interlayer galleries; uptake instead proceeds via electrostatic attraction to external surfaces and edge-localized carbonate displacement. For LTO, a synergistic mechanism operates, pore-filling within the macroporous network, surface complexation on coordinatively unsaturated metal centers, and memory effect reconstruction that partially reforms layered domains incorporating additional dye. Maximum Langmuir capacities of LTH and LTO for IC at 35 °C, were 71.34 and 69.15 mg g⁻¹. The PFO kinetic model best described IC adsorption on both materials with q_exp of 48.6 mg g⁻¹. The BET surface areas of LTH and LTO were 150.14 and 21.70 m² g⁻¹, with total pore volumes of 0.2645 and 0.1982 cm³ g⁻¹ at p/p⁰ = 0.990 and the mean pore diameters were 7.05 and 36.53 nm, for LTH and LTO, respectively. These values provide a clearer snapshot of the performance and mechanistic differences between LTH and LTO. Both materials maintain IC selectivity in binary dye systems with minimal interference from NaCl or humic acid. The contrasting pathways demonstrate that calcination fundamentally transforms the adsorption mechanism, offering complementary strategies for anionic dye remediation.

Mineral scale formation and emulsion instability are major challenges in high-salinity oilfield systems, leading to operational inefficiencies and reduced oil recovery. In this study, a partially bio-based ionic liquid polymer, poly(2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid)-based ionic liquid polymer (HPTA-ILP), was synthesized from citric acid and evaluated as a multifunctional additive for simultaneous scale inhibition and emulsion stabilization. The polymer was characterized using FTIR, XRD, and ¹H NMR, confirming the formation of an amorphous, ionically functionalized polymer network. Dynamic scale loop tests under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions (190 °F, 1500 psi) demonstrated effective inhibition of calcium-based scale formation, with a minimum inhibitor concentration (MIC) of 200 ppm. At this concentration, the polymer achieved an emulsion stability index (ESI) of 85% and improved oil recovery efficiency to 87%. The inhibition mechanism involves calcium ion complexation, adsorption on crystal growth sites, and interfacial stabilization through electrostatic and steric effects. These results highlight the potential of HPTA-ILP as a multifunctional additive for improving flow assurance and enhanced oil recovery performance in high-salinity environments.

Here, the degradation of a β-blocker drug (Nadolol (NAD)) and real pharmaceutical wastewater was achieved using magnetized cow bone waste-derived char (MCBWC)–alginate hydrogel beads via a periodate (PI) activation system in a continuous-flow fluidized-bed photoreactor. The removal of NAD by PI-based degradation systems has not been previously reported, and the degradation of real industrial wastewater in continuous-flow photoreactors remains underexplored. The fabricated beads exhibited a high surface area of 78.58 m² g⁻¹, a total pore volume of 0.19 cm³ g⁻¹, and an effective integration of all composite components. The MCBWC–alginate hydrogel beads/PI/light degradation system degraded 71.47% of NAD, which was higher than that of the sole photocatalysis and PI activation systems. Further, the optimal operating condition could achieve a NAD degradation efficiency of 97.1% and a total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency of 82.78%. Furthermore, the degradation system demonstrated the non-formation of toxic iodinated byproducts. The hydrogel beads demonstrated high stability, where the NAD degradation efficiency slightly decreased by only 2.85% across five successive experiments. Singlet oxygen and iodine-based radicals contributed to NAD degradation more than other reactive species. Bicarbonate showed the highest suppressive effect on the degradation performance, while adding 10 mg L⁻¹ of humic acid decreased the degradation efficiency to 85.58%. The degradation system could further degrade other pharmaceuticals (e.g., ibuprofen, paracetamol, carbamazepine, tetracycline) and real pharmaceutical wastewater, attaining 78.37% degradation efficiency of NAD and 44.25% TOC mineralization. This study presents a stable, effective, and continuous degradation system that can be employed in real-world industrial wastewater treatment applications.

This study presents the synthesis of floatable sodium alginate/water lettuce-derived biochar/hollow glass microsphere (SA/WLBC/HGM) beads and their application as activators of periodate (PI) for the degradation of carbofuran (CBF) in a continuous-flow packed-bed photoreactor. The degradation mechanisms and the optimization of continuous-flow photoreactor systems remain insufficiently explored in the existing literature. Under the optimized conditions (catalyst dosage of 4 g, PI concentration of 0.8 g L⁻¹, flow rate of 2 mL min⁻¹, reaction time of 200 min, neutral pH, and ambient temperature), the SA/WLBC/HGMs–PI/light system achieved a CBF degradation efficiency of 94.11%. Under the same conditions, degradation efficiencies of 89.77, 84.50, and 78.12% were obtained for diazinon, malathion, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. Singlet oxygen species were the main contributors to the degradation process, and the degradation mechanism was explored. Toxic iodinated byproducts were not detected in the SA/WLBC/HGMs–PI/light degradation system, and most of the generated intermediates were less toxic compared to CBF. The SA/WLBC/HGMs beads demonstrated high stability under five successive cycles with a total loss of 1.86% in degradation efficiency. The degradation performance was evaluated in the presence of inorganic ions, natural organic matter, and different water matrices. Techno-economic analysis demonstrated the economic feasibility of the treatment system for mixed-pesticide wastewater, as evidenced by a relatively short payback period of 5.5 years, a positive net present value, and a profitability index exceeding unity. This study presents a stable, efficient, and inexpensive continuous-flow packed-bed photoreactor that can be employed for the remediation of real-world industrial effluents.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate how different metal oxide nanoparticles influence the physical properties of polymer composite containing conducting polyaniline and biopolymer chitosan, which help in creating sustainable industrial solutions. Herein, a polyaniline-chitosan composite comprising various nano oxides (MO ₂ , M = Ti, Si, and Zr) was created using an in situ chemical polymerisation technique. The following methods were used to characterize all synthesised composites: XRD, FT-IR, SEM, BET, TGA, and DTA. The impact of those nano oxides on the polyaniline-chitosan matrix was demonstrated by the structural characterization of every sample under investigation. At room temperature (303 K), the sample containing nano TiO ₂ (PACT) had the highest conductivity value (9.75 × 10 ⁻⁸ S m ⁻¹ ) compared to the other samples containing ZrO ₂ (PACZ, 5.33 × 10 ⁻⁸ S m ⁻¹ ) and SiO ₂ (PACS, 1.14 × 10 ⁻⁸ S m ⁻¹ ). Good thermal stability behaviour was displayed by the same sample. At 1 MHz, the PACT sample had the lowest tan δ value (0.19) among the others in consideration of dielectric characteristics. The PACT sample has the lowest dielectric properties (tangent loss (tan δ)) when compared to other related samples that have been previously studied. Based on these preliminary dielectric measurements, the material may be used for high-frequency device applications such as dynamic random-access memory and decoupling capacitors in radio frequency and microwave technology after further investigations.