E. A. Abdel Rahim

Bio: E. A. Abdel Rahim is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Chemistry & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 15 citations.

Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from agricultural wastes and their ability to remove chlorpyrifos from water

Abstract: Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide linked to neurological dysfunctions, endocrine disturbance, cardiovascular illness, genotoxicity, histopathological abnormalities, immunotoxicity, and oxidative stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prepare activated carbon from agricultural waste to adsorb and remove chlorpyrifos from aqueous solutions, as well as to study the physicochemical characteristics of the prepared activated carbon.Activated carbon was prepared from agricultural waste (banana peels, orange peels, pomegranate peels and date stones). The activated carbon prepared showed an exterior surface that was irregular and full of cavities with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) surface areas of 94.26, 111.75, 183.89, and 289.86 m2/g for activated carbon prepared from orange peels, date stone, pomegranate peels, and banana peels respectively. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image revealed that the activated carbon's exterior surface was irregular and full of various shapes and sizes of cavities.The Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) indicated the existence of carbon, oxygen, silicon and potassium in banana peels-derived activated carbon, whereas carbon, oxygen, silicon and potassium, in addition to aluminium, were detected in the pomegranate peels-derived activated carbon. The Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of prepared activated carbon revealed several functional groups, including carboxylic acid, carbon dioxide, and aromatic compounds. Results also showed that the activated carbon significantly removed chlorpyrifos from water, recording 97.6%, 90.6%, 71.48%, and 52.00 % for activated carbon prepared from pomegranate peels, banana peels, date stones and orange peels, respectively. The study concluded that agricultural waste-derived activated carbon could be employed as an alternative pesticide adsorbent.

Total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of agricultural wastes, and their ability to remove some pesticide residues

Abstract: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) cause great risk to human health as they are used globally. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine the total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of agricultural waste, as well as to control the pesticide residues (diazinon, and parathion) at a laboratory scale level using dried-milled fruit wastes. The pesticide residues parathion and diazinon were used at concentrations of 0.094, and 1.90 mg/mL respectively. The fruit wastes used in this study were orange and banana peels, as well as date stones, and they were used in two concentrations (3 and 9 g/30 mL deionized water). The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant activity were measured in fruit wastes. Also, the Fourier transmitted infrared (FTIR) spectra of fruit wastes were established to figure out the nature of the functional groups found before and after pesticide residues removal. The ability of fruit wastes to remove pesticides residues was determined using Gas Chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Data showed that date stones contained a higher amount of total phenolic content than orange and banana peels. However, orange peels contained a higher amount of total flavonoid contents than those of date stones and banana peels. As for antioxidant activity, banana peels recorded the higher antioxidant activity, followed by orange peels and date stones respectively. Results revealed that there was no relation between total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity. Results also indicated that date stones at a concentration of 9 g successfully reduced diazinon (81.18%), followed by banana (63.86%) and orange peels (43.42%) respectively, whereas parathion was reduced by banana peels at a concentration of 9 g (50.34%), followed by orange peels (45.28%), and date stones (39.52%) respectively. This study demonstrated that agricultural wastes were effective in the adsorption of diazinon from water, and their use is considered safe for the environment.

Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from agricultural wastes and their ability to remove chlorpyrifos from water

Abstract: Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide linked to neurological dysfunctions, endocrine disturbance, cardiovascular illness, genotoxicity, histopathological abnormalities, immunotoxicity, and oxidative stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to prepare activated carbon from agricultural waste to adsorb and remove chlorpyrifos from aqueous solutions, as well as to study the physicochemical characteristics of the prepared activated carbon.Activated carbon was prepared from agricultural waste (banana peels, orange peels, pomegranate peels and date stones). The activated carbon prepared showed an exterior surface that was irregular and full of cavities with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) surface areas of 94.26, 111.75, 183.89, and 289.86 m2/g for activated carbon prepared from orange peels, date stone, pomegranate peels, and banana peels respectively. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image revealed that the activated carbon's exterior surface was irregular and full of various shapes and sizes of cavities.The Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) indicated the existence of carbon, oxygen, silicon and potassium in banana peels-derived activated carbon, whereas carbon, oxygen, silicon and potassium, in addition to aluminium, were detected in the pomegranate peels-derived activated carbon. The Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of prepared activated carbon revealed several functional groups, including carboxylic acid, carbon dioxide, and aromatic compounds. Results also showed that the activated carbon significantly removed chlorpyrifos from water, recording 97.6%, 90.6%, 71.48%, and 52.00 % for activated carbon prepared from pomegranate peels, banana peels, date stones and orange peels, respectively. The study concluded that agricultural waste-derived activated carbon could be employed as an alternative pesticide adsorbent.

2,4-D removal by fish scales-derived carbon/apatite composite adsorbent: adsorption mechanism and modeling

Abstract: The increasing use of herbicides has generated health and environmental problems, as their bioaccumulative characteristics affect water resources. Traditional water treatment methods are commonly not effective in removing these compounds. The adsorption technique shows potential for these pollutants’ removal due to the possibility of application in low concentrations. Therefore, the objective of this work was to produce and evaluate the adsorption of 2,4-D herbicide by fish scales-derived carbon/apatite composite (CApC) adsorbent materials. The CApC material was produced by applying a previous thermal treatment of the fish scales (330 °C for 3 h) under an oxidative atmosphere, followed by KOH (1:1 m/m) one-pot carbonization/activation under N2 atmosphere (10 °C min−1 up to 950 °C for 1 h). The CApC was then preliminarily evaluated on the 2,4-D adsorption as a function of pH. Subsequently, at the optimal pH, in-depth adsorption experiments were carried out under different 2,4-D initial concentrations and temperatures for the CApC adsorbent to acquire kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic data. Furthermore, CApC was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, particle density and size distribution, N2 physisorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and zero-charge point (pHzpc). It was found that the CApC showed higher adsorptive capacity at pH 6.5 (without pH adjustment), despite showing a wide pH range adsorption potential. The experimental data was evaluated through a unified and phenomenological approach by a monolayer-multilayer (MMA) model, which was able to describe the kinetics, equilibrium, and thermodynamics mechanistically. The equilibrium data indicated multilayer for higher concentrations. Also, adsorption thermodynamics was spontaneous and physical process for both monolayer and multilayer steps, however, showing specific endothermic and exothermic character for each step, respectively. The modeling results agree with retention mechanisms via H-bonds and π–π stacking, whereas negligible electrostatic forces. Overall, the synthesized CApC adsorbent material showed efficiency and desirable characteristics for herbicide-contaminated water treatment.

Natural and Natural-Based Polymers: Recent Developments in Management of Emerging Pollutants

Abstract: Anthropogenic activities lead to the issue of new classes of pollutants in the environment that are not currently monitored in environmental studies. This category of pollutants (known as emerging contaminants) includes a very wide range of target substances, such as pharmaceuticals, plant protection products, personal care products, dyes, toxins, microplastics and many other industrially important intermediaries. Together with an increasing demand for clean water (both for agricultural necessities and for the increasing population consumption), the need for the removal of emerging pollutants, simultaneously with the current “green chemistry” approach, opens the door for the industrial application of natural polymers in the area of environmental protection. Recent developments in this area are presented in this paper, as well as the application of these particular natural materials for the removal of other contaminants of interest (such as radioisotopes and nanoparticles). The current knowledge regarding the processes’ kinetics is briefly presented, as well as the future development perspectives in this area.

Novel eco-friendly initiation system based on vitamin C for energy efficient synthesis of PMAA hydrogel used for delivery of phenolic compounds

Abstract: This study reports successful free radical synthesis of pH-sensitive hydrogels based on poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) by using new green initiation system based on vitamin C and hydrogen peroxide (VC/H2O2). The application of proposed initiation system provides many advantages, above all cost effective and eco-friendly synthesis which can be carried out under ambient conditions. The obtained PMAA hydrogels are analyzed by various technics: Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and by using single compression tests. In line with the intended application, PMAA hydrogels are further investigated in terms of their potential to be used for encapsulation and controlled release of active substances such as antioxidant phenolic compounds. To keep it green, the total phenolic compounds (TPC) were obtained from orange peels waste by applying ultrasonic-assisted extraction and deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on glycerol:urea:water. The TPC were successfully encapsulated into the PMAA hydrogels which were previously estimated to have the optimal mechanical and swelling properties with respect to the final application. The swelling behavior of the PMAA hydrogels and controlled release of the TPC were tested as a function of the various synthesis parameters in several media with different pH values. It was shown that TPC can be released in control manner in medium which simulates the environment in human intestines, finally resulting in enhanced bioavailability of TPC, reduced side effects and improved therapeutic effects.

An experimental study of application of activated carbon from nipa fruit waste on herbal drinks

Abstract: Nipa is one of the palm family, and 60% of the fruit is biomass waste. One of the utilizations of the waste is to be converted into activated carbon. In the present research, the nipa waste was pyrolyzed, and the biochar, a by-product of the pyrolysis process, was activated using HCl. The nipa’s fruit waste activated carbon (NWAC) was then experimentally used to remove the distinct odours of Noni and Mangosteen herbal drinks. The characteristics of the NWAC produced in this study have a water content of 15.08%, ash content of 8.77%, volatile matter of 8.51%, carbon content of 67.6%, yield of 95.49%, iodine adsorption of 966.98 mg/g, and surface area of 1066.39 m2/g. The characteristics of the Noni herbal drink after NWAC adsorption showed that the highest total dissolved solids of 6.97 °Brix was treated with 25% NWAC addition. The lowest IC50 value was 4.4 ppm, and it was gradually increased with the addition of the NWAC. The addition of NWAC decreased the total phenol in the Mangosteen peel herbal drink, but the effect was insignificant in the Noni herbal drink. Antioxidant activity values ranged from 16% to 37% in the Mangosteen herbal drink, and 30% to 55% in the Noni herbal drink. The total dissolved solids ranged between 4 and 7 °Brix in both herbal drinks. Overall, the addition of NWAC improved the quality of the herbal drinks, but the optimum condition needs to be quantified.