Photocatalytic degradation of xanthate in flotation plant tailings by TiO2/graphene nanocomposites

Rivers originated from Tibetan Plateau are of great significance due to their environmental sensibility and fragility. However, the pollution of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in these rivers is rarely reported, in particular, the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) contamination. To clarify the status, sources, behavior, and risks of PTEs in SPM, a full investigation was conducted in dams-influenced Lancangjiang River basin. The findings revealed that the PTEs content (mg kg-1) ranked Mn (766) > V (151.7) > Zn (131.0) > Cr (94.6) > Ni (44.2) > Pb (36.7) > Cu (29.4) > Co (14.6) > Sb (2.6) > Mo (1.6) > Tl (0.78) > Cd (0.48). The multi-index assessment suggested that Sb and Cd were moderately severe to severe enriched PTEs with the enrichment factor values of 10.0 and 8.8 and the geo-accumulation index values of 2.2 and 2.0, respectively, while the rest of PTEs were minor/no enrichment. In contrast, Cr and Ni were major toxic elements in SPM which contributed 25 ± 10%, 24 ± 8% to the total toxic risk index. The high partition coefficients (e.g., 6.1 for Cr) were observed in most PTEs and resulted in the 96.3% of Cr, 85.2% of Zn, 83.6% of Pb, 77.8% of Ni, and 63.2% of Cu transportation in the SPM form. Natural inputs (e.g., soil erosion) are the main source (53.6%∼61.9%) of V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Tl, while fuel burning contributed 40.9% of Zn, 32.5% of Pb, and 37.3% of Cd. Moreover, 51.2% of Sb was attributed to industrial waste source, while porphyry copper/molybdenum deposits related milltailings were the co-source of Mo (54.4%) and Cu (34.8%). Overall, the PTEs geochemistry of SPM showed the potential in tracing regional environmental change. 

Potentially toxic elements in cascade dams-influenced river originated from Tibetan Plateau.

Scientometric analysis and scientific trends on microplastics research.

The application of boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials in various fields received extensive attention in the past decades, attributed to its extraordinary characteristics: high surface area, low density, excellent thermal stability, mechanical strength, bio-compatible, and excellent corrosion resistance and antioxidant. This article starts reviews the research progress in the synthesis of BN nanomaterials with different dimensions, followed by briefly summarizing the commonly used preparation methods and main applications of BN nanomaterials, focusing on their potential applications in the fields of environmental remediation, energy conversion (oxygen reduction, nitrogen reduction, hydrogen evolution, fuel cell), and biomedicine. Finally, the research prospects of BN-based nanomaterials are proposed, including the challenges for the large-scale preparation of BN nanomaterials and mechanism research. It is expected that this review is beneficial further to understand the current status and properties of BN-based nanomaterials, to promote research and development of the BN nanomaterials in various fields. • A comprehensive overview of boron nitride in different dimensions is presented. • The potential of various boron nitride in environment restoration is evaluated. • The possible application of various boron nitride in energy area is evaluated. • Boron nitride nanomaterials have been used in diverse biomedical applications. • The prospects and challenges of future research on boron nitride are suggested. 

Rational design of boron nitride with different dimensionalities for sustainable applications

Contamination of the aquatic environment with pharmaceutical compounds is a serious environmental concern. The present investigation aims to utilize the Ce3+/TiO2 thin film catalyst to remove of potential antibiotics (amoxicillin and tetracycline) using the less harmful UV-A radiations. Reduced cerium ion-doped TiO2 is obtained by a simple one-step facile template method using polyethylene glycol as the templating agent. The synthesized catalysts Ce3+@TiO2 (non-template) and Ce3+@TiO2(T) (template) were characterized by spectroscopic methods. The XPS reaffirms the reduced Ce3+ dispersed within the titania network, and the AFM showed the surface roughness of the thin films. Detailed physicochemical analyses were conducted to deduce the degradation mechanism, and repeated use of the thin film photocatalyst showed enhanced stability. Significant mineralization of the antibiotics indicates the potential applicability of the photocatalytic catalyst. Furthermore, the presence of Ce3+ significantly restricted the recombination of electron/hole pairs in the photo-excited TiO2 semiconductor and showed enhanced photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotics proceeded predominantly through the •OH. 

Xiaolin Zhao

Papers

Perovskite oxides for oxygen transport: Chemistry and material horizons.