Preparation and Photocatalytic Property of TiO2/Diatomite-Based Porous Ceramics Composite Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuilin Zheng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The diatomite-based porous ceramics was made by low-temperature sintering. Then the nano-TiO2/diatomite-based porous ceramics composite materials were prepared by hydrolysis deposition method with titanium tetrachloride as the precursor of TiO2 and diatomite-based porous as the supporting body of the nano-TiO2. The structure and microscopic appearance of nano-TiO2/diatomite-based porous ceramics composite materials was characterized by XRD and SEM. The photocatalytic property of the composite was investigated by the degradation of malachite green. Results showed that, after calcination at 550°C, TiO2 thin film loaded on the diatomite-based porous ceramics is anatase TiO2 and average grain size of TiO2 is about 10 nm. The degradation ratio of the composite for 5 mg/L malachite green solution reached 86.2% after irradiation for 6 h under ultraviolet.

Adsorption of Zinc(II) on diatomite and manganese-oxide-modified diatomite: A kinetic and equilibrium study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caliskan, Necla, E-mail: ncaliskan7@hotmail.com [Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Yuezuencue Yil University, Van 65080 (Turkey); Kul, Ali Riza; Alkan, Salih; Sogut, Eda Gokirmak; Alacabey, Ihsan [Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Yuezuencue Yil University, Van 65080 (Turkey)

2011-10-15

Highlights: {center_dot}The removal of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution was studied using natural and MnO{sub 2} modified diatomite samples at different temperatures. {center_dot} The sorption of Zn(II) on the natural and modified diatomite was an endothermic processes, controlled by physical mechanisms and spontaneously. {center_dot} Adsorption of zinc metal ion on diatomite samples is more or less a two step process. {center_dot} Adsorption of Zn(II) on natural and modified diatomite could be explained by the mechanism of pseudo-second-order. - Abstract: The removal of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution was studied using natural and MnO{sub 2} modified diatomite samples at different temperatures. The linear Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) adsorption equations were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms. From the D-R model, the mean adsorption energy was calculated as >8 kJ mol{sup -1}, indicating that the adsorption of Zn(II) onto diatomite and Mn-diatomite was physically carried out. In addition, the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models were used to determine the kinetic data. The experimental data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such as the enthalpy ({Delta}H{sup 0}), Gibbs' free energy ({Delta}G{sup 0}) and entropy ({Delta}S{sup 0}) were calculated for natural and MnO{sub 2} modified diatomite. These values showed that the adsorption of Zn(II) ions onto diatomite samples was controlled by a physical mechanism and occurred spontaneously.

Performance Evaluation and Improving Mechanisms of Diatomite-Modified Asphalt Mixture.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao; Xie, Jun; Zhou, Xiaojun; Liu, Quantao; Pang, Ling

2018-04-27

Diatomite is an inorganic natural resource in large reserve. This study consists of two phases to evaluate the effects of diatomite on asphalt mixtures. In the first phase, we characterized the diatomite in terms of mineralogical properties, chemical compositions, particle size distribution, mesoporous distribution, morphology, and IR spectra. In the second phase, road performances, referring to the permanent deformation, crack, fatigue, and moisture resistance, of asphalt mixtures with diatomite were investigated. The characterization of diatomite exhibits that it is a porous material with high SiO₂ content and large specific surface area. It contributes to asphalt absorption and therefore leads to bonding enhancement between asphalt and aggregate. However, physical absorption instead of chemical reaction occurs according to the results of FTIR. The resistance of asphalt mixtures with diatomite to permanent deformation and moisture are superior to those of the control mixtures. But, the addition of diatomite does not help to improve the crack and fatigue resistance of asphalt mixture.

Performance Evaluation and Improving Mechanisms of Diatomite-Modified Asphalt Mixture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Yang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Diatomite is an inorganic natural resource in large reserve. This study consists of two phases to evaluate the effects of diatomite on asphalt mixtures. In the first phase, we characterized the diatomite in terms of mineralogical properties, chemical compositions, particle size distribution, mesoporous distribution, morphology, and IR spectra. In the second phase, road performances, referring to the permanent deformation, crack, fatigue, and moisture resistance, of asphalt mixtures with diatomite were investigated. The characterization of diatomite exhibits that it is a porous material with high SiO2 content and large specific surface area. It contributes to asphalt absorption and therefore leads to bonding enhancement between asphalt and aggregate. However, physical absorption instead of chemical reaction occurs according to the results of FTIR. The resistance of asphalt mixtures with diatomite to permanent deformation and moisture are superior to those of the control mixtures. But, the addition of diatomite does not help to improve the crack and fatigue resistance of asphalt mixture.

Synthesis and characterization of antimicrobial nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites and its water treatment application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Yijie [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science, Technology, and Research - A*STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 (Singapore); School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093 (China); Jiang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Jing [AGplus Technologies Pte Ltd, 10 Jalan Besar #10-06 Sim Lim Tower, 208787 (Singapore); Lin, Ming [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science, Technology, and Research - A*STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 (Singapore); Tang, Xiaosheng [AGplus Technologies Pte Ltd, 10 Jalan Besar #10-06 Sim Lim Tower, 208787 (Singapore); Zhang, Jie, E-mail: zhangj@imre.a-star.edu.sg [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science, Technology, and Research - A*STAR, 3 Research Link, 117602 (Singapore); Liu, Hongjun, E-mail: hjliu@henu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine and Immuno-Engineering of Henan Province, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004 (China); AGplus Technologies Pte Ltd, 10 Jalan Besar #10-06 Sim Lim Tower, 208787 (Singapore)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Nanosilver diatomite has been developed with a facile, easy and effective in–situ reduction method. • The nanosilver diatomite demonstrated great antibacterial properties to gram positive and gram–negative bacterial. • A small amount of the nanosilver diatomite could kill >99.999% of E. Coli within half an hour time. • Low cost nano–composite antimicrobial material for water purification industry. - Abstract: Nanotechnology for water disinfection application gains increasing attention. Diatomite is one kind of safe natural material, which has been widely used as absorbent, filtration agents, mineral fillers, especially in water treatment industry. Nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites were developed in this publication with a facile, effective in-situ reduction method. The as-prepared nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites demonstrated amazing antibacterial properties to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The corresponding property has been characterized by UV–vis absorbance, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, the detailed bacteria killing experiments further displayed that 0.5 g of the nanosilver diatomite could kill >99.999% of E. Coli within half an hour time. And the silver leaching test demonstrated that the concentrations of silver in the filtered water under varies pH environment were below the limit for silver level of WHO standard. Considering the low price of natural diatomite, it is believed that the nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites have potential application in water purification industry due to its excellent antimicrobial property.

Synthesis and characterization of antimicrobial nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites and its water treatment application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Yijie; Jiang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Jing; Lin, Ming; Tang, Xiaosheng; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Hongjun

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Nanosilver diatomite has been developed with a facile, easy and effective in–situ reduction method. • The nanosilver diatomite demonstrated great antibacterial properties to gram positive and gram–negative bacterial. • A small amount of the nanosilver diatomite could kill >99.999% of E. Coli within half an hour time. • Low cost nano–composite antimicrobial material for water purification industry. - Abstract: Nanotechnology for water disinfection application gains increasing attention. Diatomite is one kind of safe natural material, which has been widely used as absorbent, filtration agents, mineral fillers, especially in water treatment industry. Nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites were developed in this publication with a facile, effective in-situ reduction method. The as-prepared nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites demonstrated amazing antibacterial properties to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The corresponding property has been characterized by UV–vis absorbance, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, the detailed bacteria killing experiments further displayed that 0.5 g of the nanosilver diatomite could kill >99.999% of E. Coli within half an hour time. And the silver leaching test demonstrated that the concentrations of silver in the filtered water under varies pH environment were below the limit for silver level of WHO standard. Considering the low price of natural diatomite, it is believed that the nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites have potential application in water purification industry due to its excellent antimicrobial property.

Preparation and thermal energy storage properties of paraffin/calcined diatomite composites as form-stable phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhiming; Zhang, Yuzhong; Zheng, Shuilin; Park, Yuri; Frost, Ray L.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Composite phase change material (PCM) was prepared by blending composite paraffin and calcined diatomite. ► The optimum mixed proportion was obtained through differential scanning calorimetry. ► Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by DSC. ► Thermal cycling test showed that the prepared PCMs are thermally reliable and chemically stable. - Abstract: A composite paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) was prepared by blending composite paraffin and calcined diatomite through the fusion adsorption method. In this study, raw diatomite was purified by thermal treatment in order to improve the adsorption capacity of diatomite, which acted as a carrier material to prepare shape-stabilized PCMs. Two forms of paraffin (paraffin waxes and liquid paraffin) with different melting points were blended together by the fusion method, and the optimum mixed proportion with a suitable phase-transition temperature was obtained through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Then the prepared composite paraffin was adsorbed in calcined diatomite. The prepared paraffin/calcined diatomite composites were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR) analysis techniques. Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by DSC method. DSC results showed that there was an optimum adsorption ratio between composite paraffin and calcined diatomite and the phase-transition temperature and the latent heat of the composite PCMs were 33.04 °C and 89.54 J/g, respectively. Thermal cycling test of composite PCMs showed that the prepared material is thermally reliable and chemically stable. The obtained paraffin/calcined diatomite composites have proper latent heat and melting temperatures, and show practical significance and good potential application value

Preparation and thermal energy storage properties of paraffin/calcined diatomite composites as form-stable phase change materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Zhiming [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Chemistry Discipline, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001 (Australia); Zhang, Yuzhong [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Zheng, Shuilin, E-mail: shuilinzh@yahoo.com.cn [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Park, Yuri [Chemistry Discipline, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001 (Australia); Frost, Ray L., E-mail: r.frost@qut.edu.au [Chemistry Discipline, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001 (Australia)

2013-04-20

Highlights: ► Composite phase change material (PCM) was prepared by blending composite paraffin and calcined diatomite. ► The optimum mixed proportion was obtained through differential scanning calorimetry. ► Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by DSC. ► Thermal cycling test showed that the prepared PCMs are thermally reliable and chemically stable. - Abstract: A composite paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) was prepared by blending composite paraffin and calcined diatomite through the fusion adsorption method. In this study, raw diatomite was purified by thermal treatment in order to improve the adsorption capacity of diatomite, which acted as a carrier material to prepare shape-stabilized PCMs. Two forms of paraffin (paraffin waxes and liquid paraffin) with different melting points were blended together by the fusion method, and the optimum mixed proportion with a suitable phase-transition temperature was obtained through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Then the prepared composite paraffin was adsorbed in calcined diatomite. The prepared paraffin/calcined diatomite composites were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR) analysis techniques. Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by DSC method. DSC results showed that there was an optimum adsorption ratio between composite paraffin and calcined diatomite and the phase-transition temperature and the latent heat of the composite PCMs were 33.04 °C and 89.54 J/g, respectively. Thermal cycling test of composite PCMs showed that the prepared material is thermally reliable and chemically stable. The obtained paraffin/calcined diatomite composites have proper latent heat and melting temperatures, and show practical significance and good potential application value.

Influence of diatomite microstructure on its adsorption capacity for Pb(II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nenadović S.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of microstructural changes caused by mechanical modification on adsorption properties of diatomite samples were investigated. The microstructure has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM while the degree of metal adsorption was evaluated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP AES. The results show that metal sorption capacity of diatomite is considerably improved after mechanical modification and it can be attributed to amorphysation of the material. Immobilization efficiency increased from 22% for untreated to 81% for the treated sample after 5h at BPR 4.This qualifies natural diatomite as a material for wastewater remediation.

Synthesis and characterization of antimicrobial nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites and its water treatment application

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yijie; Jiang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Jing; Lin, Ming; Tang, Xiaosheng; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Hongjun

2017-02-01

Nanotechnology for water disinfection application gains increasing attention. Diatomite is one kind of safe natural material, which has been widely used as absorbent, filtration agents, mineral fillers, especially in water treatment industry. Nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites were developed in this publication with a facile, effective in-situ reduction method. The as-prepared nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites demonstrated amazing antibacterial properties to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The corresponding property has been characterized by UV-vis absorbance, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, the detailed bacteria killing experiments further displayed that 0.5 g of the nanosilver diatomite could kill >99.999% of E. Coli within half an hour time. And the silver leaching test demonstrated that the concentrations of silver in the filtered water under varies pH environment were below the limit for silver level of WHO standard. Considering the low price of natural diatomite, it is believed that the nanosilver/diatomite nanocomposites have potential application in water purification industry due to its excellent antimicrobial property.

Diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Crangle, R.D.

2013-01-01

The United States continues to be the world’s leading producer and consumer of diatomite. Production of diatomite in the United States during 2012 was estimated to be 820 kt (903,000 st), a slight increase compared with 2011 production. The unit value of diatomite varied widely by end use in 2012. Diatomite used as a lightweight aggregate was priced at $11/t ($9.98/st), while specialty-grade diatomite, used in art supplies, cosmetics, or biomedical applications, could be priced as high as $10,000/t ($9,000/st). Filter-grade diatomite had an average unit value of $330/t ($299/st). Seven companies operated 10 mines and nine processing facilities in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. U.S. diatomite exports totaled about 96 kt (106,000 st). Imports were much lower at approximately 3.07 kt (3,380 st).

Possible Use of Diatomite and Pumice-Amended Mortar and Plaster in Agricultural Structures

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Serkan Yazarel

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to investigate the potential use of diatomite (a natural pozzolana and pumice in plasters and mortars to be used in agricultural buildings. Compacted and loose unit weights, specific weight, water absorption, organic matter content, abrasion resistance of aggregate (sand and pumice and pozzolana were investigated and materials were found to comply with the relevant standards. Test results on fresh (unit weight and slum test and hardened (unit weight, capillary water absorption, total water absorption, bending and compressive strength, vapor diffusion test mortar samples revealed that pumice and diatomite could be used in agricultural structures. Diatomite and pumice should be heat-treated and grounded before to use in mortars. In plasters to be made with abundant pumice and diatomite sources, high water holding capacity of the materials should be taken into consideration and further researches should be carried out about their compliance with the other materials.

Adsorption of Zinc(II) on diatomite and manganese-oxide-modified diatomite: a kinetic and equilibrium study.

Science.gov (United States)

Caliskan, Necla; Kul, Ali Riza; Alkan, Salih; Sogut, Eda Gokirmak; Alacabey, Ihsan

2011-10-15

The removal of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution was studied using natural and MnO(2) modified diatomite samples at different temperatures. The linear Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) adsorption equations were applied to describe the equilibrium isotherms. From the D-R model, the mean adsorption energy was calculated as >8 kJ mol(-1), indicating that the adsorption of Zn(II) onto diatomite and Mn-diatomite was physically carried out. In addition, the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models were used to determine the kinetic data. The experimental data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters such as the enthalpy (ΔH(0)), Gibbs' free energy (ΔG(0)) and entropy (ΔS(0)) were calculated for natural and MnO(2) modified diatomite. These values showed that the adsorption of Zn(II) ions onto diatomite samples was controlled by a physical mechanism and occurred spontaneously. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alumina Coating To Realize Desired Pore Characteristics Of Sintered Diatomite Membrane

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Ha J.-H.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Porous ceramic membranes prepared from natural materials such as diatomite, have lately attracted great interest in industrial applications due to their cost-effectiveness. In this study, we attempted to prepare an alumina coating to be deposited over a sintered diatomite-kaolin composite support layer in order to reduce the largest pore size to below 0.4 μm; such a coating could be potentially used in water treatment applications for bacterial removal.

The separation of uranium ions by natural and modified diatomite from aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sprynskyy, Myroslav, E-mail: sprynsky@yahoo.com [Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina Str., 87-100 Torun (Poland); Kovalchuk, Iryna [Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina Str., 87-100 Torun (Poland); Institute of Adsorption and Problem of Endoecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 13 General Naumov Str., 03164 Kyiv (Ukraine); Buszewski, Boguslaw [Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina Str., 87-100 Torun (Poland)

2010-09-15

In this work the natural and the surfactant modified diatomite has been tested for ability to remove uranium ions from aqueous solutions. Such controlling factors of the adsorption process as initial uranium concentration, pH, contact time and ionic strength have been investigated. Effect of ionic strength of solution has been examined using the solutions of NaCl, Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} and K{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. The pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order models have been used to analyze the adsorption kinetic results, whereas the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherms have been used to the equilibrium adsorption data. The effects of the adsorbent modification as well as uranium adsorption on the diatomite surface have been studied using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The maximum adsorption capacities of the natural and the modified diatomite towards uranium were 25.63 {mu}mol/g and 667.40 {mu}mol/g, respectively. The desorptive solutions of HCl, NaOH, Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, K{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, CaCO{sub 3}, humic acid, cool and hot water have been tested to recover uranium from the adsorbent. The highest values of uranium desorption (86%) have been reached using 0.1 M HCl.

The separation of uranium ions by natural and modified diatomite from aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Sprynskyy, Myroslav; Kovalchuk, Iryna; Buszewski, Bogusław

2010-09-15

In this work the natural and the surfactant modified diatomite has been tested for ability to remove uranium ions from aqueous solutions. Such controlling factors of the adsorption process as initial uranium concentration, pH, contact time and ionic strength have been investigated. Effect of ionic strength of solution has been examined using the solutions of NaCl, Na(2)CO(3) and K(2)SO(4). The pseudo-first order and the pseudo-second order models have been used to analyze the adsorption kinetic results, whereas the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherms have been used to the equilibrium adsorption data. The effects of the adsorbent modification as well as uranium adsorption on the diatomite surface have been studied using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The maximum adsorption capacities of the natural and the modified diatomite towards uranium were 25.63 micromol/g and 667.40 micromol/g, respectively. The desorptive solutions of HCl, NaOH, Na(2)CO(3), K(2)SO(4), CaCO(3), humic acid, cool and hot water have been tested to recover uranium from the adsorbent. The highest values of uranium desorption (86%) have been reached using 0.1M HCl. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface silylation of natural mesoporous/macroporous diatomite for adsorption of benzene.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenbin; Deng, Liangliang; Yuan, Peng; Liu, Dong; Yuan, Weiwei; Liu, Peng; He, Hongping; Li, Zhaohui; Chen, Fanrong

2015-06-15

Naturally occurring porous diatomite (Dt) was functionalized with phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES), and the PTES-modified diatomite (PTES-Dt) was characterized using diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. After silylation, a functional group (-C6H5, phenyl) was successfully introduced onto the surface of Dt. PTES-Dt exhibited hydrophobic properties with a water contact angle (WCA) as high as 120°±1°, whereas Dt was superhydrophilic with a WCA of 0°. The benzene adsorption data on both Dt and PTES-Dt fit well with the Langmuir isotherm equation. The Langmuir adsorption capacity of benzene on PTES-Dt is 28.1 mg/g, more than 4-fold greater than that on Dt. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics results show that equilibrium was achieved faster for PTES-Dt than for Dt, over the relative pressure range of 0.118-0.157. The excellent benzene adsorption performance of PTES-Dt is attributed to strong π-system interactions between the phenyl groups and the benzene molecules as well as to the macroporosity of the PTES-Dt. These results show that the silylated diatomite could be a new and inexpensive adsorbent suitable for use in benzene emission control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Easy and industrially applicable impregnation process for preparation of diatomite-based phase change material nanocomposites for thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konuklu, Yeliz; Ersoy, Orkun; Gokce, Ozgur

2015-01-01

The high porosity, high oil and water absorption capacity and low density of diatomite make it ideal for industrial applications. The porous structure of diatomite protects phase change materials (PCMs) from environmental factors as a supporting matrix and phase changes occur in nanopores of diatomite. Previous research on diatomite/PCMs composites aimed optimal composite preparation but many methods were feasible only in laboratory scale. In large scale industrial fabrication, easy, continuous and steady state methods are need to be performed. The main purpose of this study was to prepare leakage-free, thermally stable nanocomposite PCMs (nanoCPCMs) by an easy, continuous and steady state method for high temperature thermal energy storage applications. A series of nanoCPCMs with different paraffin:diatomite mass ratios were prepared. The properties of nanoCPCMs have been characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The leak (exudation) test was performed on prepared composites at higher temperatures (95 °C) in comparison with literature. As the optimum composite for thermal energy storage applications, thermal reliability of nanoCPCM was evaluated after 400 cycles of melting and freezing. NanoCPCM melted at 36.55 °C with latent heat of 53.1 J/g. - Highlights: • Diatomite-based phase change material nanocomposites were prepared. • An easy and industrially applicable impregnation process was developed. • Influence of diatomite: PCM mass ratio on thermal properties reported.

Adsorption of p-Nitrophenol (PNP) on new adsorbents prepared from diatomite and charcoal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamdi, B.; Khelifa, N.; Chernai-Hamdi, S.; Hadjari, H.

2009-01-01

Increasing attention has been paid to mesoporous materials with high surface area and narrow pore size distribution because of their diverse applications (e. g., adsorbents, catalysts, and host materials). Inorganic composite materials (ICM) prepared by a mixture of natural diatomite (macroporous materials) and charcoal (microporous material) in particular operative conditions. (Author)

Adsorption of BTEX, MTBE and TAME on natural and modified diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Aivalioti, Maria; Papoulias, Panagiotis; Kousaiti, Athanasia; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2012-03-15

The removal of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and m-,p-,o-xylenes), MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) and TAME (tertiary amyl methyl ether) from aqueous solutions by raw, thermally, chemically and both chemically and thermally treated diatomite was studied, through batch adsorption experiments. In total, 14 different diatomite samples were created and tested. Selected physical characteristics of the adsorbents, such as specific surface area and pore volume distribution, were determined. Matrix and competitive adsorption effects were also explored. It was proved that the diatomite samples were effective in removing BTEX, MTBE and TAME from aqueous solutions, with the sample treated with HCl being the most effective, as far as its adsorption capacity and equilibrium time are concerned. Among the contaminants, BTEX appeared to have the strongest affinity, based on mass uptake by the diatomite samples. Matrix effects were proved to be strong, significantly decreasing the adsorption of the contaminants onto diatomite. The kinetics data proved a closer fit to the pseudo second order model, while the isotherm experimental data were a better fit to the Freundlich model. However, the latter produced values of the isotherm constant 1/n greater than one, indicating unfavorable adsorption. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Layer-by-layer assembly of TiO(2) colloids onto diatomite to build hierarchical porous materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Yuxin; Han, Wei; Xiong, Guoxing; Yang, Weishen

2008-07-15

TiO(2) colloids with the most probably particle size of 10 nm were deposited on the surface of macroporous diatomite by a layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly method with using phytic acid as molecular binder. For preparation of colloidal TiO(2), titanium(IV) isopropoxide (Ti(C(3)H(7)O)(4)) was used as titanium precursor, nitric acid (HNO(3)) as peptizing agent and deionized water and isopropanol (C(3)H(7)OH) as solvent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N(2) adsorption-desorption, and UV-vis spectra are used to assess the morphology and physical chemistry properties of the resulting TiO(2) coated diatomite. It was shown that the mesoporosity has been introduced into macroporous diatomite by LBL deposition. The mesoporosity was originated from close-packing of the uniform TiO(2) nanoparticles. More TiO(2) could be coated on the surface of diatomite by increasing the deposition cycles. This hierarchical porous material has potential for applications in catalytic reactions involved diffusion limit, especially in photocatalytic reactions.

The role of diatomite particles in the activated sludge system for treating coal gasification wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, W.Q.; Rao, P.H.; Zhang, H.; Xu, J.L. [Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai (China)

2009-02-15

Diatomite is a kind of natural low-cost mineral material. It has a number of unique physical properties and has been widely used as an adsorbent in wastewater treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the aerobic biodegradation of coal gasification wastewater with and without diatomite addition. Experimental results indicated that diatomite added in the activated sludge system could promote the biomass and also enhance the performance of the sludge settling. The average mixed-liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) is increased from 4055 mg.L{sup -1} to 4518 mg.L{sup -1} and the average settling volume (SV) are changed only from 45.9% to 47.1%. Diatomite additive could enhance the efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phenols removal from the wastewater. The COD removal increased from 73.3% to near 80% and the total phenols removal increased from 81.4% to 85.8%. The mechanisms of the increase of biomass and pollutants removal may correlated to the improvement of bioavailability and sludge settlement characteristics by diatomite added. Micrograph of the sludge in the diatomite-activated sludge system indicated that the diatomite added could be the carrier of the microbe and also affect the biomass and pollutant removal.

Prediction of equilibrium parameters of adsorption of lead (II) ions onto diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Salman, Taylan; Ardalı, Yüksel; Gamze Turan, N.

2013-04-01

Heavy metals from industrial wastewaters are one of the most important environmental issues to be solved today. Due to their toxicity and nonbiodegradable nature, heavy metals cause environmental and public health problems. Various techniques have been developed to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. These include chemical precipitation, reverse osmosis, ion Exchange and adsorption. Among them, adsorption is considered to be a particularly competitive and effective process for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. There is growing interest in using low cost, commercially available materials for the adsorption of heavy metals. Diatomite is a siliceous sedimentary rock having an amorphous form of silica (SiO2. nH2O) containing a small amount of microcrystalline material. It has unique combination of physical and chemical properties such as high porosity, high permeability, small particle size, large surface area, and low thermal conductivity. In addition, it is available in Turkey and in various locations around the world. Therefore, diatomite has been successfully used as adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals. The aim of the study is to investigate the adsorption properties of diatomite. The equilibrium adsorption data were applied to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevic (D-R) isotherm models. Adsorption experiments were performed under batch process, using Pb (II) initial concentration, pH of solution and contact time as variables. The results demonstrated that the adsorption of Pb (II) was strongly dependent on pH of solution. The effect of pH on adsorption of Pb(II) on diatomite was conducted by varying pH from 2 to 12 at 20 oC. In the pH range of 2.0-4.0, the adsorption percentage increases slightly as the pH increasing. At pH>4, the adsorption percentage decreases with increasing pH because hydrolysis product and the precipitation begin to play an important role in the sorption of Pb (II). At pH4, the maximum adsorption

Study on preparation and thermal property of binary fatty acid and the binary fatty acids/diatomite composite phase change materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Min; Kao, Hongtao; Wu, Zhishen; Tan, Jinmiao

2011-01-01

This study prepared a series of binary phase change materials by mixing decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid and octadecanoic acid each other. The phase-transition temperature of binary fatty acid and its corresponding mixing proportion are calculated with phase diagram thermodynamic method. The results are verified by the experimental result of the heat absorption curve and the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis curve. The results show that the calculation method of phase diagram thermodynamic calculation can be taken as a basis for mixing proportion of binary fatty acid phase change materials. In addition, the decanoic-dodecanoic acid/diatomite composite phase change material (PCM) are prepared and its microstructure, thermal property and thermal reliability are characterized. The result shows that the decanoic-dodecanoic acid is uniformly adsorbed into diatomite and the form-stable PCM are formed. The phase-transition temperature and the latent heat of the decanoic-dodecanoic acid/diatomite composite PCMs is 16.74 o C and 66.8114 J/g, respectively.

Performance Evaluation and Improving Mechanisms of Diatomite-Modified Asphalt Mixture

OpenAIRE

Chao Yang; Jun Xie; Xiaojun Zhou; Quantao Liu; Ling Pang

2018-01-01

Diatomite is an inorganic natural resource in large reserve. This study consists of two phases to evaluate the effects of diatomite on asphalt mixtures. In the first phase, we characterized the diatomite in terms of mineralogical properties, chemical compositions, particle size distribution, mesoporous distribution, morphology, and IR spectra. In the second phase, road performances, referring to the permanent deformation, crack, fatigue, and moisture resistance, of asphalt mixtures with diato...

Fabrication and excellent conductive performance of antimony-doped tin oxide-coated diatomite with porous structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Yucheng; Yan Jing; Meng Qi; Wang Jinshu; Dai Hongxing

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO)-coated diatomite with porous structures are fabricated using the co-precipitation method. The porous ATO-coated diatomite material shows excellent conductive performance. Highlights: ► Sb-doped SnO 2 (ATO)-coated diatomite materials with porous structures are prepared. ► Sn/Sb ratio, ATO coating amount, pH value, and temperature influence resistivity. ► Porous ATO-coated diatomite materials show excellent conductive performance. ► The lowest resistivity of the porous ATO-coated diatomite sample is 10 Ω cm. - Abstract: Diatomite materials coated with antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) were prepared by the co-precipitation method, and characterized by means of the techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and N 2 adsorption–desorption measurement. It was shown that the coated ATO possessed a tetragonal rutile crystal structure, and the ATO-coated diatomite materials had a multi-pore (micro- meso-, and macropores) architecture. The porous ATO-coated diatomite materials exhibited excellent electrical conductive behaviors. The best conductive performance (volume resistivity = 10 Ω cm) was achieved for the sample that was prepared under the conditions of Sn/Sb molar ratio = 5.2, Sn/Sb coating amount = 45 wt%, pH = 1.0, and reaction temperature = 50 °C. Such a conductive porous material is useful for the applications in physical and chemical fields.

Fabrication and excellent conductive performance of antimony-doped tin oxide-coated diatomite with porous structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du Yucheng, E-mail: ychengdu@bjut.edu.cn [Key Lab of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Yan Jing; Meng Qi; Wang Jinshu [Key Lab of Advanced Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Dai Hongxing, E-mail: hxdai@bjut.edu.cn [Laboratory of Catalysis Chemistry and Nanoscience, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China)

2012-04-16

Graphical abstract: Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO)-coated diatomite with porous structures are fabricated using the co-precipitation method. The porous ATO-coated diatomite material shows excellent conductive performance. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sb-doped SnO{sub 2} (ATO)-coated diatomite materials with porous structures are prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sn/Sb ratio, ATO coating amount, pH value, and temperature influence resistivity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Porous ATO-coated diatomite materials show excellent conductive performance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The lowest resistivity of the porous ATO-coated diatomite sample is 10 {Omega} cm. - Abstract: Diatomite materials coated with antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) were prepared by the co-precipitation method, and characterized by means of the techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption measurement. It was shown that the coated ATO possessed a tetragonal rutile crystal structure, and the ATO-coated diatomite materials had a multi-pore (micro- meso-, and macropores) architecture. The porous ATO-coated diatomite materials exhibited excellent electrical conductive behaviors. The best conductive performance (volume resistivity = 10 {Omega} cm) was achieved for the sample that was prepared under the conditions of Sn/Sb molar ratio = 5.2, Sn/Sb coating amount = 45 wt%, pH = 1.0, and reaction temperature = 50 Degree-Sign C. Such a conductive porous material is useful for the applications in physical and chemical fields.

Adsorption of p-cresol on novel diatomite/carbon composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjar, H; Hamdi, B; Ania, C O

2011-04-15

Hybrid inorganic/organic adsorbents were synthesized using mixtures of diatomite and carbon charcoal as precursors, and explored for the removal of p-cresol from aqueous solution. The carbon/diatomite composites displayed a bimodal and interconnected porous structure which was partially inherited from both precursors. They display moderate surface areas (between 100 and 400 m(2)g(-1)) due to their large inorganic content (between 70 and 90 wt.%), since the diatomite is a non-porous material. Compared to activated carbons with a more developed porosity, p-cresol adsorption on the prepared carbon/diatomite composites was much faster, showing adsorption capacities similar to those of conventional adsorbents over a wide pH range. These results show a good affinity of p-cresol molecules towards the hybrid inorganic/organic composites, and demonstrate the suitability of these novel materials for the removal of aromatic (polar) molecules, despite their dominant inorganic character. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polyaniline on surface modification of diatomite: a novel way to obtain conducting diatomite fillers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingwei; Bian Chaoqing; Chen Wei; He Jinbo; Wang Zhaoquen; Xu Ning; Xue Gi

2003-01-01

A conducting diatomite was obtained by polyaniline on surface modification of diatomite, and was characterized via Fourier-transform Raman spectra, UV-Vis absorption spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscope, as well as conductivity. The results of spectroanalysis illustrate that polyaniline is not simply blended with diatomite. An interaction exists at the interface of diatomite and polyaniline, which may associate with hydrogen bond formed between the surface of diatomite with electronegativity and N-H bond in polyaniline macromolecule. The results of thermogravimetric analysis suggest that the conducting diatomite only contains 8% polyaniline by mass, but its conductivity has reached 2.8x10 -2 S cm -1 at 20 deg. C

COMPOSITION OF MINERAL PHASES OF THE GHIDIRIM DIATOMITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasile Rusu

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Studies of the mineralogical composition of diatomite from the Ghidirim location of RM, as well as of the extracted clay phase are presented. The mineral phase of the diatomite contains a number of clay minerals, like montmorillonite (in a mixture with insignificant quantities of slightly chloritized montmorillonite, illite and kaolinite. Diatomite contains also non-clay components as fine-dispersed quartz and amorphous material, the more probable sources of which are opal, amorphous alumosilicates, aluminum and iron hydroxides. The applied procedure for separation of clay fractions by sizing settling in liquid media proves to be very useful, enabling possibilities for more accurate identification of the clay constituents of diatomic material. Procedure allows to separate very clean clay fraction especially rich in montmorillonite, which can be utilized itself as mineral adsorbent for practical purposes.

Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2016-11-01

Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (~110,700 S m-1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using TiO2 Impregnated Diatomite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranfang Zuo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nano-TiO2 showed a good catalytic activity, but it is easy to agglomerate, resulting in the reduction or even complete loss of photocatalytic activity. The dispersion of TiO2 particles on porous materials was a potential solution to this problem. Diatomite has high specific surface and absorbability because of its particular shell structure. Thus, TiO2/diatomite composite, prepared by loading TiO2 on the surface of diatomite, was a good photocatalyst, through absorbing organic compounds with diatomite and degrading them with TiO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, energy dispersive spectrum (EDS, X-ray diffraction (XRD, chemical analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR indicated that TiO2 was impregnated well on the surface of diatomite. Furthermore, TiO2/diatomite was more active than nano-TiO2 for the degradation of methylene blue (MB in solution. MB at concentrations of 15 and 35 ppm can be completely degraded in 20 and 40 min, respectively.

Geological influence of andesite intrusion on diatomite. Pt. 2. Physical property changes of diatomite and self-sealing mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chigira, Masahiro; Nakata, Eiji [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Abiko, Chiba (Japan). Abiko Research Lab.

1996-03-01

Diatomite alteration by andesite intrusion was studied especially on their physical property changes and the dynamic alteration processes for the diatomite of the Miocene Iwaya Formation in the Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. Diatomite is altered in different ways according to the extent of infiltration of hydrothermal solution into diatomite from dike. When the solution infiltrates into diatomite in large amount, smectite is formed in diatomite which is subsequently compacted to the most, and amorphous silica and poorly crystallized opal-CT precipitate in the compacted zone to form impermeable opaline chert. The chert zone becomes a hydraulic barrier against the infiltration of hydrothermal solution to make a closed system around the heat source, where opal-A transforms into opal-CT. When hydrothermal solution does not infiltrate into diatomite, diatomite is altered only by the heat from the andesitic dike: diatomite is compacted under higher temperatures near the dike, and consequently permeability is lowered. In both cases, diatomite is altered so as to mitigate the influence of magma intrusion. (author). 66 refs.

Geological influence of andesite intrusion on diatomite. Pt. 2. Physical property changes of diatomite and self-sealing mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chigira, Masahiro; Nakata, Eiji

1996-01-01

Diatomite alteration by andesite intrusion was studied especially on their physical property changes and the dynamic alteration processes for the diatomite of the Miocene Iwaya Formation in the Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. Diatomite is altered in different ways according to the extent of infiltration of hydrothermal solution into diatomite from dike. When the solution infiltrates into diatomite in large amount, smectite is formed in diatomite which is subsequently compacted to the most, and amorphous silica and poorly crystallized opal-CT precipitate in the compacted zone to form impermeable opaline chert. The chert zone becomes a hydraulic barrier against the infiltration of hydrothermal solution to make a closed system around the heat source, where opal-A transforms into opal-CT. When hydrothermal solution does not infiltrate into diatomite, diatomite is altered only by the heat from the andesitic dike: diatomite is compacted under higher temperatures near the dike, and consequently permeability is lowered. In both cases, diatomite is altered so as to mitigate the influence of magma intrusion. (author). 66 refs

Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using TiO2 Impregnated Diatomite

OpenAIRE

Zuo, Ranfang; Du, Gaoxiang; Zhang, Weiwei; Liu, Lianhua; Liu, Yanming; Mei, Lefu; Li, Zhaohui

2014-01-01

Nano-TiO2 showed a good catalytic activity, but it is easy to agglomerate, resulting in the reduction or even complete loss of photocatalytic activity. The dispersion of TiO2 particles on porous materials was a potential solution to this problem. Diatomite has high specific surface and absorbability because of its particular shell structure. Thus, TiO2/diatomite composite, prepared by loading TiO2 on the surface of diatomite, was a good photocatalyst, through absorbing organic compounds with ...

Growing three-dimensional biomorphic graphene powders using naturally abundant diatomite templates towards high solution processability.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ke; Li, Cong; Shi, Liurong; Gao, Teng; Song, Xiuju; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Zou, Zhiyu; Deng, Bing; Ji, Qingqing; Ma, Donglin; Peng, Hailin; Du, Zuliang; Rümmeli, Mark Hermann; Zhang, Yanfeng; Liu, Zhongfan

2016-11-07

Mass production of high-quality graphene with low cost is the footstone for its widespread practical applications. We present herein a self-limited growth approach for producing graphene powders by a small-methane-flow chemical vapour deposition process on naturally abundant and industrially widely used diatomite (biosilica) substrates. Distinct from the chemically exfoliated graphene, thus-produced biomorphic graphene is highly crystallized with atomic layer-thickness controllability, structural designability and less noncarbon impurities. In particular, the individual graphene microarchitectures preserve a three-dimensional naturally curved surface morphology of original diatom frustules, effectively overcoming the interlayer stacking and hence giving excellent dispersion performance in fabricating solution-processible electrodes. The graphene films derived from as-made graphene powders, compatible with either rod-coating, or inkjet and roll-to-roll printing techniques, exhibit much higher electrical conductivity (∼110,700 S m -1 at 80% transmittance) than previously reported solution-based counterparts. This work thus puts forward a practical route for low-cost mass production of various powdery two-dimensional materials.

Diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst: Facile deposition synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Baoying; Huang, Hongwei; Guo, Yuxi; Zhang, Yihe

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst has been prepared by a facile one-step deposition process for the first time. • The diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst exhibits much better photocatalytic performance. • This enhancement should be attributed to that diatomite can play as an excellent carrier platform to increase the reactive sites and promote the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. • This work shed new light on facile fabrication of novel composite photocatalyst based on natural mineral. - Abstract: A novel diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst has been prepared by a facile one-step deposition process for the first time. The structure, morphology and optical property of the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared BiOI/diatomite photocatalysts was studied by photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) and monitoring photocurrent generation under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The results revealed that BiOI/diatomite composites exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine BiOI sample. This enhancement should be attributed to that diatomite can play as an excellent carrier platform to increase the reactive sites and promote the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In addition, the corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the active species trapping experiments. This work shed new light on facile fabrication of novel composite photocatalyst based on natural mineral.

Diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst: Facile deposition synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Baoying; Huang, Hongwei, E-mail: hhw@cugb.edu.cn; Guo, Yuxi; Zhang, Yihe, E-mail: zyh@cugb.edu.cn

2015-10-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst has been prepared by a facile one-step deposition process for the first time. • The diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst exhibits much better photocatalytic performance. • This enhancement should be attributed to that diatomite can play as an excellent carrier platform to increase the reactive sites and promote the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. • This work shed new light on facile fabrication of novel composite photocatalyst based on natural mineral. - Abstract: A novel diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst has been prepared by a facile one-step deposition process for the first time. The structure, morphology and optical property of the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared BiOI/diatomite photocatalysts was studied by photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) and monitoring photocurrent generation under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The results revealed that BiOI/diatomite composites exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine BiOI sample. This enhancement should be attributed to that diatomite can play as an excellent carrier platform to increase the reactive sites and promote the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In addition, the corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the active species trapping experiments. This work shed new light on facile fabrication of novel composite photocatalyst based on natural mineral.

Modified local diatomite as potential functional drug carrier--A model study for diclofenac sodium.

Science.gov (United States)

Janićijević, Jelena; Krajišnik, Danina; Čalija, Bojan; Vasiljević, Bojana Nedić; Dobričić, Vladimir; Daković, Aleksandra; Antonijević, Milan D; Milić, Jela

2015-12-30

Diatomite makes a promising candidate for a drug carrier because of its high porosity, large surface area, modifiable surface chemistry and biocompatibility. Herein, refined diatomite from Kolubara coal basin, which complied with the pharmacopoeial requirements for heavy metals content and microbiological quality, was used as a starting material. Inorganic modification of the starting material was performed through a simple, one-step procedure. Significant increase in adsorbent loading with diclofenac sodium (DS) was achieved after the modification process (∼373mg/g) which enabled the preparation of comprimates containing therapeutic dose of the adsorbed drug. Adsorption of DS onto modified diatomite resulted in the alteration of the drug's XRD pattern and FTIR spectrum. In vitro drug release studies in phosphate buffer pH 7.5 demonstrated prolonged DS release over 8h from comprimates containing DS adsorbed on modified diatomite (up to 37% after 8h) and those containing physical mixture of the same composition (up to 45% after 8h). The results of in vivo toxicity testing on mice pointed on potential safety of both unmodified (starting) and modified diatomite. All these findings favor the application of diatomite as a potential functional drug carrier. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Facile synthesis of three-dimensional diatomite/manganese silicate nanosheet composites for enhanced Fenton-like catalytic degradation of malachite green dye

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, De Bin; Yuan, Yunsong; Zhao, Deqiang; Tao, Kaiming; Xu, Xuan; Zhang, Yu Xin

2018-05-01

In this work, we demonstrate a novel and simple approach for fabrication of the complex three-dimensional (3D) diatomite/manganese silicate nanosheet composite (DMSNs). The manganese silicate nanosheets are uniformly grown on the inner and outer surface of diatomite with controllable morphology using a hydrothermal method. Such structural features enlarged the specific surface area, resulting in more catalytic active sites. In the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction, the DMSNs exhibited excellent catalytic capability for the degradation of malachite green (MG). Under optimum condition, 500 mg/L MG solution was nearly 93% decolorized at 70 min in the reaction. The presented results show an enhanced catalytic behavior of the DMSNs prepared by the low-cost natural diatomite material and simple controllable process, which indicates their potential for environmental remediation applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Diatomite releases silica during spirit filtration.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, J; Gil, M L A; de la Rosa-Fox, N; Alguacil, M

2014-09-15

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether diatomite is an inert filter aid during spirit filtration. Surely, any compound with a negative effect on the spirit composition or the consumer's health could be dissolved. In this study different diatomites were treated with 36% vol. ethanol/water mixtures and the amounts and structures of the extracted compounds were determined. Furthermore, Brandy de Jerez was diatomite- and membrane-filtered at different temperatures and the silicon content was analysed. It was found that up to 0.36% by weight of diatomite dissolved in the aqueous ethanol and amorphous silica, in the form of hollow spherical microparticles, was the most abundant component. Silicon concentrations in Brandy de Jerez increased by up to 163.0% after contact with diatomite and these changes were more marked for calcined diatomite. In contrast, reductions of more than 30% in silicon concentrations were achieved after membrane filtration at low temperatures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on the surface modification of diatomite with polyethyleneimine and trapping effect of the modified diatomite for phenol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Baojiao; Jiang Pengfei; An Fuqiang; Zhao Shuying; Ge Zhen

2005-01-01

The adsorption isotherm of polyethyleneimine (PEI) on diatomite was studied using UV spectrophotometry, the surface of diatomite was modified with polyethyleneimine by using impregnation method, and the trapping behavior of the modified diatomite for phenol was investigated by using 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AAP) spectrophotometric method. The experiment results show that negatively charged diatomite particles have very strong absorption effect for cationic macromolecule PEI, the adsorption isotherm fits in Freundlich equation. The character that there is a maximum value after intitial sharp increase of adsorption capacity on the adsorption curve indicates that there is strong affinity between diatomite particles and polyethyleneimine macromolecules, and it attributes to the strong electrostatic interaction. After modification with PEI, the electric property of diatomite particle surface changes essentially, and the isoelectric point of diatomite particles moves from pH 2.0 to 10.5. In acidic solution, phenol exists as molecular state, and the modified diatomite particles adsorb phenol through hydrogen bond interaction. However, the hydrogen bond interaction between nitrogen atoms on PEI chains and phenol is weaker because of high degree of protonation of polyethyleneimine macromolecules, so the adsorption quantity is lower. In basic solution, phenol exists as negative benzene-oxygen ion, and the modified diatomite particles adsorb phenol through electrostatic interaction. However, the electrostatic interaction between PEI and negative benzene-oxygen ion is very weak because of low degree of protonation of polyethyleneimine macromolecules, so the adsorption quantity is much lower. The modified diatomite particles produce very strong trapping effect for phenol in neutral aqueous solution via the cooperating of strong electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bond interaction, and the saturated adsorption capacity can attain to 92 mg g -1

Diatomite biosilica nanocarriers for siRNA transport inside cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Rea, Ilaria; Martucci, Nicola M; De Stefano, Luca; Ruggiero, Immacolata; Terracciano, Monica; Dardano, Principia; Migliaccio, Nunzia; Arcari, Paolo; Taté, Rosarita; Rendina, Ivo; Lamberti, Annalisa

2014-12-01

Diatomite is a natural porous biomaterial of sedimentary origin, formed by fragments of diatom siliceous skeletons, called "frustules". Due to large availability in many areas of the world, chemical stability, and non-toxicity, these fossil structures have been widespread used in lot of industrial applications, such as food production, water extracting agent, production of cosmetics and pharmaceutics. However, diatomite is surprisingly still rarely used in biomedical applications. In this work, we exploit diatomite nanoparticles for small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) transport inside human epidermoid cancer cells (H1355). Morphology and composition of diatomite microfrustules (average size lower than 40μm) are investigated by scanning electron microscopy equipped by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared analysis, and photoluminescence measurements. Nanometric porous particles (average size lower than 450nm) are obtained by mechanical crushing, sonication, and filtering of micrometric frustules. siRNA bioconjugation is performed on both micrometric and nanometric fragments by silanization. In-vitro experiments show very low toxicity on exposure of the cells to diatomite nanoparticle concentration up to 300μg/ml for 72h. Confocal microscopy imaging performed on cancer cells incubated with siRNA conjugated nanoparticles demonstrates a cytoplasmatic localization of vectors. Gene silencing by delivered siRNA is also demonstrated. Our studies endorse diatomite nanoparticles as non-toxic nanocarriers for siRNA transport in cancer cells. siRNA is a powerful molecular tool for cancer treatment but its delivery is inefficient due to the difficulty to penetrate the cell membrane. siRNA-diatomite nanoconjugate may be well suited for delivery of therapeutic to cancer cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BIOSILICA NANOVECTOR FROM DIATOMITE FOR siRNA TRANSPORT IN CANCER CELL

OpenAIRE

Migliaccio, Nunzia

2015-01-01

Diatomite is a natural porous biomaterial of sedimentary origin, formed by fragments of diatom siliceous skeletons, called "frustules". Due to large availability in many areas of the world, chemical stability, and non-toxicity, these fossil structures have been widespread used in a lot of industrial applications, such as food production, water extracting agent, production of cosmetics and pharmaceutics. However, diatomite is surprisingly still rarely used in biomedical ap...

Mineral resource of the month: diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

,

2013-01-01

The article discusses the properties and applications of the mineral diatomite. According to the author, diatomite is a soft, friable and very fine-grained siliceous sedimentary rock made of the remains of fossilized diatoms. The author adds that its properties make diatomite very useful as a filtration medium and as a component in cement.

Synthesis of ZnFe2O4/SiO2 composites derived from a diatomite template.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhaoting; Fan, Tongxiang; Zhou, Han; Zhang, Di; Gong, Xiaolu; Guo, Qixin; Ogawa, Hiroshi

2007-03-01

A novel porous ZnFe2O4/SiO2 composite product has been generated with a template-directed assembly method from porous diatomite under different synthesis conditions, such as precursor concentrations (metallic nitrates), calcination temperature and diatomite type. The phase composition and morphology of all the materials were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that an inherited hierarchical porous structure from the diatomite template can be obtained, and the synthesis conditions were found to have clear effects on the formation of the ZnFe2O4/SiO2 composite. The ideal composite of ZnFe2O4/SiO2 can be obtained through optimization of diatomite template type, precursor solution and calcination temperature. Furthermore, the adsorption abilities of two types of diatomites were analyzed in detail using FTIR spectra and nitrogen adsorption measurements etc, which proved that A-diatomite (Shengzhou-diatomite) is better than B-diatomite (Changbai-diatomite) on the aspect of adsorbing Zn and Fe ions, and of forming the ZnFe2O4.

Diatomite as high performance and environmental friendly catalysts for phenol hydroxylation with H2O2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxin Jia et al

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A series of diatomite catalysts were treated and characterized. For the first time, the resulting materials were used in catalysis for the hydroxylation of phenol with H2O2 and showed very high hydroxylation activity due to the Fe species in the diatomite. The effect of HCl treatment, contents of catalysts and H2O2 were investigated and the active components of diatomite were discussed. The results show that diatomite is the promising candidate for industrial output due to their high catalytic activity, easy physical separation and very low costs.

The use of infrared spectroscopy to determine product quality of carbonate-rich diatomite ores

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guatame Garcia, L.A.; Buxton, M.W.N.

2018-01-01

Diatomite, a rock formed by the accumulation of opaline diatom frustules, is a preferred raw material for the manufacturing of filters. Its uniqueness relies on the high porosity and inertness of the frustules. The presence of carbonates in some diatomite ores hinders these properties. The~purpose

Preparation of Diatomite Supported Nano Zinc Oxide Composite Photocatalytic Material and Study on its Formaldehyde Degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Liguang; Pang, Bo

2017-09-01

This experiment used zinc nitrate as precursor, ethanol as solvent and polyethylene glycol as dispersant, diatomite as carrier, diatomite loaded nano Zinc Oxide was prepared by sol-gel method, in addition, the formaldehyde degradation was studied by two kinds of experimental methods: preparation and loading, preparation and post loading, The samples were characterized by SEM, XRD, BET and IR. Experimental results showed that: Diatomite based nano Zinc Oxide had a continuous adsorption and degradation of formaldehyde, formaldehyde gas with initial concentration was 0.7mg/m3, after 36h degradation, the concentration reached 0.238mg/m3, the degradation rate reached to 66%.

Pore structure modified diatomite-supported PEG composites for thermal energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Tingting; Li, Jinhong; Deng, Yong

2016-09-01

A series of novel composite phase change materials (PCMs) were tailored by blending PEG and five kinds of diatomite via a vacuum impregnation method. To enlarge its pore size and specific surface area, different modification approaches including calcination, acid treatment, alkali leaching and nano-silica decoration on the microstructure of diatomite were outlined. Among them, 8 min of 5 wt% NaOH dissolution at 70 °C has been proven to be the most effective and facile. While PEG melted during phase transformation, the maximum load of PEG could reach 70 wt.%, which was 46% higher than that of the raw diatomite. The apparent activation energy of PEG in the composite was 1031.85 kJ·mol-1, which was twice higher than that of the pristine PEG. Moreover, using the nano-silica decorated diatomite as carrier, the maximum PEG load was 66 wt%. The composite PCM was stable in terms of thermal and chemical manners even after 200 cycles of melting and freezing. All results indicated that the obtained composite PCMs were promising candidate materials for building applications due to its large latent heat, suitable phase change temperature, excellent chemical compatibility, improved supercooling extent, high thermal stability and long-term reliability.

Pore structure modified diatomite-supported PEG composites for thermal energy storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Tingting; Li, Jinhong; Deng, Yong

2016-09-01

A series of novel composite phase change materials (PCMs) were tailored by blending PEG and five kinds of diatomite via a vacuum impregnation method. To enlarge its pore size and specific surface area, different modification approaches including calcination, acid treatment, alkali leaching and nano-silica decoration on the microstructure of diatomite were outlined. Among them, 8 min of 5 wt% NaOH dissolution at 70 °C has been proven to be the most effective and facile. While PEG melted during phase transformation, the maximum load of PEG could reach 70 wt.%, which was 46% higher than that of the raw diatomite. The apparent activation energy of PEG in the composite was 1031.85 kJ·mol(-1), which was twice higher than that of the pristine PEG. Moreover, using the nano-silica decorated diatomite as carrier, the maximum PEG load was 66 wt%. The composite PCM was stable in terms of thermal and chemical manners even after 200 cycles of melting and freezing. All results indicated that the obtained composite PCMs were promising candidate materials for building applications due to its large latent heat, suitable phase change temperature, excellent chemical compatibility, improved supercooling extent, high thermal stability and long-term reliability.

[Preliminary study of bonding strength between diatomite-based dental ceramic and veneering porcelains].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiao-li; Gao, Mei-qin; Cheng, Yu-ye; Zhang, Fei-min

2015-04-01

In order to choose the best veneering porcelain for diatomite-based dental ceramic substrate, the bonding strength between diatomite-based dental ceramics and veneering porcelains was measured, and the microstructure and elements distribution of interface were analyzed. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of diatomite-based dental ceramics was detected by dilatometry. Three veneering porcelain materials were selected with the best CTE matching including alumina veneering porcelain (group A), titanium porcelain veneering porcelain (group B), and E-max veneering porcelain (group C). Shear bonding strength was detected. SEM and EDS were used to observe the interface microstructure and element distribution. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software package. The CTE of diatomite-based dental ceramics at 25-500 degrees centigrade was 8.85×10-6K-1. The diatomite-based substrate ceramics combined best with group C. Shear bonding strength between group A and C and group B and C both showed significant differences(P<0.05). SEM and EDS showed that the interface of group C sintered tightly and elements permeated on both sides of the interface. The diatomite-based substrate ceramics combines better with E-max porcelain veneer.

Improved performance of diatomite-based dental nanocomposite ceramics using layer-by-layer assembly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu X

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Xiaoli Lu1,2, Yang Xia1, Mei Liu1, Yunzhu Qian3, Xuefeng Zhou4, Ning Gu4, Feimin Zhang1,41Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 2Nantong Stomatological Hospital, Nantong, 3Center of Stomatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, Suzhou, 4Suzhou Institute, Southeast University, Suzhou, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: To fabricate high-strength diatomite-based ceramics for dental applications, the layer-by-layer technique was used to coat diatomite particles with cationic [poly(allylamine hydrochloride] and anionic [poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate] polymers to improve the dispersion and adsorption of positively charged nano-ZrO2 (zirconia as a reinforcing agent. The modified diatomite particles had reduced particle size, narrower size distribution, and were well dispersed, with good adsorption of nano-ZrO2. To determine the optimum addition levels for nano-ZrO2, ceramics containing 0, 20, 25, 30, and 35 wt% nano-ZrO2 were sintered and characterized by the three-point bending test and microhardness test. In addition to scanning electron microscopy, propagation phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used to examine the internal structure of the ceramics. The addition of 30 wt% nano-ZrO2 resulted in the highest flexural strength and fracture toughness with reduced porosity. Shear bond strength between the core and veneer of our diatomite ceramics and the most widely used dental ceramics were compared; the shear bond strength value for the diatomite-based ceramics was found to be significantly higher than for other groups (P < 0.05. Our results show that diatomite-based nanocomposite ceramics are good potential candidates for ceramic-based dental materials.Keywords: layer-by-layer, diatomite, nanoceramics, zirconia (ZrO2, dental materials

[Preparation and structural analysis of diatomite-supported SPFS flocculant].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Huai-li; Fang, Hui-li; Jiang, Shao-jie; Yang, Chun; Ma, Jiang-ya; Zhang, Zhao-qing

2011-07-01

In the presetn study, polymerized ferric sulphate (PFS) flocculant was prepared and tested. In the preparation of PFS flocculant, industrial by-product ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) was reused as the main material. By composition with diatomite and drying up at certain temperature in vacuum drying oven, solid PFS flocculant was produced. Structural characteristics of the new flocculant product were examined through infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that by compositing with diatomite, new group bridging emerged in the structure of PFS, which made the bond of groups stronger. In addition, part of the metalic contents in diatomite was polymerized with PFS, the product of which was polymerized ferric complex. Furthermore, the absorbing and agglomerating capacity of the diatomite carrier was significant. Considering the factors listed above, the new solid polymerized ferric sulphate (SPFS) flocculant was characterized with a larger molecule structure and enhanced absorbing, bridging and rolling sweep capacities. Through orthogonal experiment, optimum conditions of synthesis were as follows: the ratio of FeSO4.7H2O/diatomite in weight was 43/1, the reaction time is 1 h and the reaction temperature is 55 degrees C. By wastewater treatment experiment, it was found that the synthetic products showed good flocculation performance in the treatment of domestic sewage, the removal of COD was 80.00% and the removal of turbidity was 99.98%.

Diatomite Ores: Origin, Characterization and Applications

OpenAIRE

, S.S. Ibrahim

2016-01-01

Diatomite is a sedimentary silica mineral that composed of the fossilized skeletal remains of the microscopic single-celled aquatic plants called diatoms. Over 10,000 species of these microscopic algae have been recognized, each with its own distinct morphology. Accordingly, diatomite is multifaceted and varies from microto macro-meter in size. Diatomite has many important industrial applications due to its unique properties. Its chemical constitution is approximately 85% insoluble silica; ac...

Interface actions between TiO2 and porous diatomite on the structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Yue; Li, Fangfei; Jiang, Yinshan; Xia, Maosheng; Xue, Bing; Li, Yanjuan

2014-01-01

TiO 2 -diatomite photocatalysts were prepared by sol–gel process with various pre-modified diatomite. In order to obtain diatomite with different surface characteristics, two modification approaches including calcination and phosphoric acid treatment on the micro-structure of diatomite are introduced. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms and micromorphology analysis. The results indicate that, compared with pure TiO 2 , the anatase-to-rutile phase transition temperature of TiO 2 loaded on diatomite carrier is significantly increased to nearly 900 °C, depending on the different pretreatment method of diatomite. The photocatalytic activities of different samples were evaluated by their degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV and visible-light irradiation. The samples prepared by phosphoric acid pretreatment method exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity. After 90 min of UV irradiation, about 90% of MO is decomposed by the best effective photocatalyst. And after 8 h visible-light irradiation, nearly 60% of MO is decomposed by the same sample. Further mechanism investigation reveals that the H 3 PO 4 pretreatment process can obviously change the surface features of diatomite carrier, cause the formation of Si–O–Ti bond, increase the binding strength between TiO 2 and diatomite, restrain crystal growth of loaded TiO 2 , and thus form thermal-stable mesoporous structure at the granular spaces. It helps to build micro-, meso- and macro-porous hierarchical porous structure in TiO 2 -diatomite, and improves the charge and mass transfer efficiency during catalyzing process, resulting in the significantly increased photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 -diatomite pretreated by phosphoric acid.

Interface actions between TiO2 and porous diatomite on the structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yue; Li, Fangfei; Jiang, Yinshan; Xia, Maosheng; Xue, Bing; Li, Yanjuan

2014-06-01

TiO2-diatomite photocatalysts were prepared by sol-gel process with various pre-modified diatomite. In order to obtain diatomite with different surface characteristics, two modification approaches including calcination and phosphoric acid treatment on the micro-structure of diatomite are introduced. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and micromorphology analysis. The results indicate that, compared with pure TiO2, the anatase-to-rutile phase transition temperature of TiO2 loaded on diatomite carrier is significantly increased to nearly 900 °C, depending on the different pretreatment method of diatomite. The photocatalytic activities of different samples were evaluated by their degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV and visible-light irradiation. The samples prepared by phosphoric acid pretreatment method exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity. After 90 min of UV irradiation, about 90% of MO is decomposed by the best effective photocatalyst. And after 8 h visible-light irradiation, nearly 60% of MO is decomposed by the same sample. Further mechanism investigation reveals that the H3PO4 pretreatment process can obviously change the surface features of diatomite carrier, cause the formation of Si-O-Ti bond, increase the binding strength between TiO2 and diatomite, restrain crystal growth of loaded TiO2, and thus form thermal-stable mesoporous structure at the granular spaces. It helps to build micro-, meso- and macro-porous hierarchical porous structure in TiO2-diatomite, and improves the charge and mass transfer efficiency during catalyzing process, resulting in the significantly increased photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite pretreated by phosphoric acid.

Liquid Phase adsorption kinetics and equilibrium of toluene by novel modified-diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheshdeh, Reza Khalighi; Abbasizadeh, Saeed; Nikou, Mohammad Reza Khosravi; Badii, Khashayar; Sharafi, Mohammad Sadegh

2014-01-01

The adsorption equilibria of toluene from aqueous solutions on natural and modified diatomite were examined at different operation parameters such as pH, contact time, initial toluene concentration was evaluated and optimum experimental conditions were identified. The surface area and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, BET, XRD, FTIR and EDX analysis. It was found that in order to obtain the highest possible removal of toluene, the experiments can be carried out at pH 6, temperature 25°C, an agitation speed of 200 rpm, an initial toluene concentration of 150 mg/L, a centrifugal rate of 4000 rpm, adsorbent dosage = 0.1 g and a process time of 90 min. The results of this work show that the maximum percentage removal of toluene from aqueous solution in the optimum conditions for NONMD was 96.91% (145.36 mg/g). Furthermore, under same conditions, the maximum adsorption of natural diatomite was 71.45% (107.18 mg/g). Both adsorption kinetic and isotherm experiments were carried out. The experimental data showed that the adsorption follows the Langmuir model and Freundlich model on natural and modified diatomite respectively. The kinetics results were found to conform well to pseudo-second order kinetics model with good correlation. Thus, this study demonstrated that the modified diatomite could be used as potential adsorbent for removal of toluene from aqueous solution.

Preparation, characterization and antimicrobial efficiency of Ag/PDDA-diatomite nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Panáček, Aleš; Balzerová, Anna; Prucek, Robert; Ranc, Václav; Večeřová, Renata; Husičková, Vendula; Pechoušek, Jiří; Filip, Jan; Zbořil, Radek; Kvítek, Libor

2013-10-01

Nanocomposites consisting of diatomaceous earth particles and silver nanoparticles (silver NPs) with high antimicrobial activity were prepared and characterized. For the purpose of nanocomposite preparation, silver NPs with an average size of 28nm prepared by modified Tollens process were used. Nanocomposites were prepared using poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA) as an interlayer substance between diatomite and silver NPs which enables to change diatomite original negative surface charge to positive one. Due to strong electrostatic interactions between negatively charged silver NPs and positively charged PDDA-modified diatomite, Ag/PDDA-diatomite nanocomposites with a high content of silver (as high as 46.6mgAg/1g of diatomite) were prepared. Because of minimal release of silver NPs from prepared nanocomposites to aqueous media (<0.3mg Ag/1g of nanocomposite), the developed nanocomposites are regarded as a potential useful antimicrobial material with a long-term efficiency showing no risk to human health or environment. All the prepared nanocomposites exhibit a high bactericidal activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungicidal activity against yeasts at very low concentrations as low as 0.11g/L, corresponding to silver concentration of 5mg/L. Hence, the prepared nanocomposites constitute a promising candidate suitable for the microbial water treatment in environmental applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

To the question of peculiarities of thermal activation of natural siliceous raw material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chumachenko Natalya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The results of research of activity enhancement of natural siliceous raw material are given in the article. Fossil meal of Khotynetsky deposit, diatomite of Sharlovsky deposit, silica clay of Balasheika deposit were used as natural active mineral admixtures. The influence of heat-treating temperature and dispersion on activity of different types of siliceous raw material is studied. The increase of activity of fixation of Ca(OH2 in several times is traced after heat-treating at a certain temperature in the range from 100 to 800°C. The type of activity change is discovered. Explanation is given connected with the change of silica structure in the surface layer. Parameters of the highest activity are defined for every type of siliceous raw material.

Fibrillar polyaniline/diatomite composite synthesized by one-step in situ polymerization method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingwei; Li Xiaoxuan; Wang Gengchao

2005-01-01

A fibrillar polyaniline/diatomite composite was prepared by one-step in situ polymerization of aniline in the dispersed system of diatomite, and was characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), UV-vis-NIR spectra, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as conductivity. Morphology of the composite is uniform nanofibers, which the diameters of nanofibers are about 50-80 nm. The conductivity of polyaniline/diatomite composite contained 28% polyaniline is 0.29 S cm -1 at 25 deg. C, and temperature of thermal degradation has reached 493 deg. C in air. The composite has potential commercial applications as fillers for electromagnetic shielding materials and conductive coatings

Diatomite releases silica during spirit filtration

OpenAIRE

Gómez Benítez, Juan; Gil Montero, María Luisa Almoraima; De la Rosa Fox, Nicolas; Alguacil, Marcos

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether diatomite is an inert filter aid during spirit filtration. Surely, any compound with a negative effect on the spirit composition or the consumer’s health could be dissolved. In this study different diatomites were treated with 36% vol. ethanol/water mixtures and the amounts and structures of the extracted compounds were determined. Furthermore, Brandy de Jerez was diatomite- and membrane-filtered at different temperatures and the silicon cont...

Hydrous iron oxide modified diatomite as an active filtration medium for phosphate capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhe; Lin, Yan; Wu, Deyi; Kong, Hainan

2016-02-01

A simple method to functionalize diatomite with hydrous iron oxide was attempted and its performance as a new active filtration material to remove and recover phosphate from water was investigated under varying solution conditions. The Langmuir phosphate adsorption capacity increased from 0.6 mgP/g for raw diatomite to 4.89, 14.71, 25.02 mgP/g for hydrous iron oxide modified diatomite (HIOMD), depending on the amount of iron loaded. Loading of hydrous iron oxide caused the increase in true and bulk density and a decline in filtration rate, but to a lesser extent. It was shown that the HIOMD product with suitable iron content could retain a good filtration performance with a greatly increased adsorption capacity for phosphate. The phosphate adsorption increased by decreasing pH and by increasing ionic strength at high pH levels. The adsorption process was interpreted by ligand exchange. Coexisting oxyanions of sulfate, nitrate, citrate, carbonate, silicate and humic acid showed different effects on phosphate fixation but it was presumed that their influence at their concentrations and pH levels commonly encountered in effluent or natural waters was limited, i.e., HIOMD had a reasonably good selectivity. Results in repeated adsorption, desorption and regeneration experiment showed that the adsorbed phosphate could be recovered and the material could be reused after regeneration. The column test showed that HIOMD could be potentially utilized as an adsorption filtration medium for phosphate removal and recovery from water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manipulating surface wettability and oil absorbency of diatomite depending on processing and ambient conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Özen, İlhan; Şimşek, Süleyman; Okyay, Gamze

2015-03-01

In this study, a diatomite sample, which is a natural inorganic mineral with inherently high water and oil absorption capacity, was subjected to grinding before surface modification. Afterwards, the diatomite surface was modified via facile methods using a fluorocarbon (FC) chemical and stearic acid (SA) in addition to the sol-gel fluorosilanization (FS) process. The water and oil wettability, and oil absorbency properties of the unmodified and modified diatomites were investigated in addition to diatomite characterizations such as chemical content, surface area, particle size distribution, morphology, and modification efficiency. It was revealed that the wettability was changed completely depending on the surface modification agent and the media used, while the oil absorbency property surprisingly did not change. On the other hand, the oil absorbency was worsened by the grinding process, whereas the wettability was not affected.

[Application of classical isothermal adsorption models in heavy metal ions/ diatomite system and related problems].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jian; Wu, Qing-Ding; Wang, Ping; Li, Ke-Lin; Lei, Ming-Jing; Zhang, Wei-Li

2013-11-01

In order to fully understand adsorption nature of Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite, and to find problems of classical isothermal adsorption models' application in liquid/solid system, a series of isothermal adsorption tests were conducted. As results indicate, the most suitable isotherm models for describing adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite are Tenkin, Tenkin, Langmuir, Tenkin, Freundlich and Freundlich, respectively, the adsorption of each ion onto natural diatomite is mainly a physical process, and the adsorption reaction is favorable. It also can be found that, when using classical isothermal adsorption models to fit the experimental data in liquid/solid system, the equilibrium adsorption amount q(e) is not a single function of ion equilibrium concentration c(e), while is a function of two variables, namely c(e) and the adsorbent concentration W0, q(e) only depends on c(e)/W(0). Results also show that the classical isothermal adsorption models have a significant adsorbent effect, and their parameter values are unstable, the simulation values of parameter differ greatly from the measured values, which is unhelpful for practical use. The tests prove that four-adsorption-components model can be used for describing adsorption behavior of single ion in nature diatomite-liquid system, its parameters k and q(m) have constant values, which is favorable for practical quantitative calculation in a given system.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of ytterbium-doped titania/diatomite composite photocatalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Wenjian; Qiu, Kehui; Zhang, Peicong; Yuan, Xiqiang

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Yb-doped TiO_2/diatomite composite photocatalysts were prepared by a sol-gel method. • Yb-doped TiO_2/diatomite photocatalysts show much higher photocatalytic activity. • The higher photodegradation rate is due to the effect of diatomite and Yb doping. - Abstract: Ytterbium-doped titanium dioxide (Yb-TiO_2)/diatomite composite materials with different Yb concentrations were prepared by sol–gel method. The phase structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the as-prepared composites were well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis indicated that the TiO_2 existed in the form of pure anatase in the composites. The SEM images exhibited the well deposition and dispersion of TiO_2 nanoparticles with little agglomeration on the surfaces of diatoms. The UV–vis diffuse reflection spectra showed that the band gap of TiO_2 could be narrowed by the introduction of Yb species, which was further affected by doping concentration of Yb. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized samples was investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. It was observed that the photocatalytic degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. Compared to TiO_2 and TiO_2/diatomite, the Yb-TiO_2/diatomite composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity toward degradation of MB using UV light irradiation.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of ytterbium-doped titania/diatomite composite photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Wenjian; Qiu, Kehui; Zhang, Peicong; Yuan, Xiqiang

2016-01-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Yb-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite photocatalysts were prepared by a sol-gel method. • Yb-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite photocatalysts show much higher photocatalytic activity. • The higher photodegradation rate is due to the effect of diatomite and Yb doping. - Abstract: Ytterbium-doped titanium dioxide (Yb-TiO{sub 2})/diatomite composite materials with different Yb concentrations were prepared by sol–gel method. The phase structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the as-prepared composites were well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis indicated that the TiO{sub 2} existed in the form of pure anatase in the composites. The SEM images exhibited the well deposition and dispersion of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with little agglomeration on the surfaces of diatoms. The UV–vis diffuse reflection spectra showed that the band gap of TiO{sub 2} could be narrowed by the introduction of Yb species, which was further affected by doping concentration of Yb. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized samples was investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. It was observed that the photocatalytic degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. Compared to TiO{sub 2} and TiO{sub 2}/diatomite, the Yb-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity toward degradation of MB using UV light irradiation.

Diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst: Facile deposition synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Baoying; Huang, Hongwei; Guo, Yuxi; Zhang, Yihe

2015-10-01

A novel diatomite-immobilized BiOI hybrid photocatalyst has been prepared by a facile one-step deposition process for the first time. The structure, morphology and optical property of the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared BiOI/diatomite photocatalysts was studied by photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) and monitoring photocurrent generation under visible light (λ > 420 nm). The results revealed that BiOI/diatomite composites exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine BiOI sample. This enhancement should be attributed to that diatomite can play as an excellent carrier platform to increase the reactive sites and promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. In addition, the corresponding photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on the active species trapping experiments. This work shed new light on facile fabrication of novel composite photocatalyst based on natural mineral.

Interface actions between TiO{sub 2} and porous diatomite on the structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2}-diatomite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Yue; Li, Fangfei; Jiang, Yinshan, E-mail: jiangys@jlu.edu.cn; Xia, Maosheng; Xue, Bing; Li, Yanjuan

2014-06-01

TiO{sub 2}-diatomite photocatalysts were prepared by sol–gel process with various pre-modified diatomite. In order to obtain diatomite with different surface characteristics, two modification approaches including calcination and phosphoric acid treatment on the micro-structure of diatomite are introduced. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms and micromorphology analysis. The results indicate that, compared with pure TiO{sub 2}, the anatase-to-rutile phase transition temperature of TiO{sub 2} loaded on diatomite carrier is significantly increased to nearly 900 °C, depending on the different pretreatment method of diatomite. The photocatalytic activities of different samples were evaluated by their degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV and visible-light irradiation. The samples prepared by phosphoric acid pretreatment method exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity. After 90 min of UV irradiation, about 90% of MO is decomposed by the best effective photocatalyst. And after 8 h visible-light irradiation, nearly 60% of MO is decomposed by the same sample. Further mechanism investigation reveals that the H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} pretreatment process can obviously change the surface features of diatomite carrier, cause the formation of Si–O–Ti bond, increase the binding strength between TiO{sub 2} and diatomite, restrain crystal growth of loaded TiO{sub 2}, and thus form thermal-stable mesoporous structure at the granular spaces. It helps to build micro-, meso- and macro-porous hierarchical porous structure in TiO{sub 2}-diatomite, and improves the charge and mass transfer efficiency during catalyzing process, resulting in the significantly increased photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2}-diatomite pretreated by phosphoric acid.

Development and characterization of ferrihydrite-modified diatomite as a phosphorus adsorbent.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Wenhui; Peng, Jian

2008-12-01

A novel phosphorus adsorbent, ferrihydrite-modified diatomite was developed and characterized in this study. The ferrihydrite-modified diatomite was made through surface modification treatments including NaOH treatment and ferrihydrite deposition on raw diatomite. In the NaOH treatment, surface SiO(2) of diatomite was partially dissolved in the NaOH solution. The dissolved Si contributed to form the stable 2-line ferrihydrite which deposited into the macropores and mesopores of diatomite. Blocking macropores and larger mesopores of diatomite with 0.24g Fe/g of 2-line ferrihydrite resulted in a specific surface area of 211.1m(2)/g for the ferrihydrite-modified diatomite, which is 8.5-fold increase than the raw diatomite (24.77m(2)/g). The surface modification also increased the point of zero charge (pH(PZC)) values to 10 for the ferrihydrite-modified diatomite from 5.8 for the raw diatomite. Because of the increased surface area and surface charge, the maximum adsorption capacity of ferrihydrite-modified diatomite at pH 4 and pH 8.5 was increased from 10.2mgP/g and 1.7mgP/g of raw diatomite to 37.3mgP/g and 13.6mgP/g, respectively.

Improved performance of diatomite-based dental nanocomposite ceramics using layer-by-layer assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiaoli; Xia, Yang; Liu, Mei; Qian, Yunzhu; Zhou, Xuefeng; Gu, Ning; Zhang, Feimin

2012-01-01

To fabricate high-strength diatomite-based ceramics for dental applications, the layer-by-layer technique was used to coat diatomite particles with cationic [poly(allylamine hydrochloride)] and anionic [poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)] polymers to improve the dispersion and adsorption of positively charged nano-ZrO(2) (zirconia) as a reinforcing agent. The modified diatomite particles had reduced particle size, narrower size distribution, and were well dispersed, with good adsorption of nano-ZrO(2). To determine the optimum addition levels for nano-ZrO(2), ceramics containing 0, 20, 25, 30, and 35 wt% nano-ZrO(2) were sintered and characterized by the three-point bending test and microhardness test. In addition to scanning electron microscopy, propagation phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used to examine the internal structure of the ceramics. The addition of 30 wt% nano-ZrO(2) resulted in the highest flexural strength and fracture toughness with reduced porosity. Shear bond strength between the core and veneer of our diatomite ceramics and the most widely used dental ceramics were compared; the shear bond strength value for the diatomite-based ceramics was found to be significantly higher than for other groups (P < 0.05). Our results show that diatomite-based nanocomposite ceramics are good potential candidates for ceramic-based dental materials.

Sonocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics Tetracycline by Mn-Modified Diatomite

OpenAIRE

Guo, Yiping; Mi, Xiao; Li, Guoting; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

Mn-modified diatomite was prepared by wet impregnation and subsequent calcinations processes. It was used as catalyst for sonocatalytic degradation of antibiotics tetracycline. Characterizations by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the morphology and crystal structure of the modified diatomite were similar to these of raw diatomite. Despite containing very limited amount of Mn oxides, the Mn-modified diatomite showed much higher sonocatalytic activity than...

Lime finishing compounds using modified diatomite

OpenAIRE

Логаніна, Валентина Іванівна; Камбург, Володимир Григорович; Давидова, Ольга Олександрівна; Симонов, Євген Євгенович

2012-01-01

It provides information on the impact of modification of diatomite sol silicon-ing acid on the rheological properties of calcareous composition with the introduction of plasticizers. It is shown that modification of diatomite promotes the improvement exists a plasticizing properties of calcareous composition

Detection of mineral impurities in diatomite ores

OpenAIRE

Guatame Garcia, L.A.; Buxton, M.W.N.; Fiore, Saverio

2017-01-01

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is commonly used in the industry for the manufacturing of filters, where diatomite is preferred due to its low chemical reactivity and high porosity. Diatomite deposits with major amounts of mineral impurities, such as carbonates, present a problem in the production DE. In this study, samples from a diatomite deposit with known presence of carbonate were analysed. With the aim of estimating the carbonate content, the samples were analysed with infrared (IR) spectroscop...

Improved performance of diatomite-based dental nanocomposite ceramics using layer-by-layer assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiaoli; Xia, Yang; Liu, Mei; Qian, Yunzhu; Zhou, Xuefeng; Gu, Ning; Zhang, Feimin

2012-01-01

To fabricate high-strength diatomite-based ceramics for dental applications, the layer-by-layer technique was used to coat diatomite particles with cationic [poly(allylamine hydrochloride)] and anionic [poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)] polymers to improve the dispersion and adsorption of positively charged nano-ZrO2 (zirconia) as a reinforcing agent. The modified diatomite particles had reduced particle size, narrower size distribution, and were well dispersed, with good adsorption of nano-ZrO2. To determine the optimum addition levels for nano-ZrO2, ceramics containing 0, 20, 25, 30, and 35 wt% nano-ZrO2 were sintered and characterized by the three-point bending test and microhardness test. In addition to scanning electron microscopy, propagation phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used to examine the internal structure of the ceramics. The addition of 30 wt% nano-ZrO2 resulted in the highest flexural strength and fracture toughness with reduced porosity. Shear bond strength between the core and veneer of our diatomite ceramics and the most widely used dental ceramics were compared; the shear bond strength value for the diatomite-based ceramics was found to be significantly higher than for other groups (P ceramics are good potential candidates for ceramic-based dental materials. PMID:22619551

Flower-, wire-, and sheet-like MnO2-deposited diatomites: Highly efficient absorbents for the removal of Cr(VI).

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yucheng; Wang, Liping; Wang, Jinshu; Zheng, Guangwei; Wu, Junshu; Dai, Hongxing

2015-03-01

Flower-, wire-, and sheet-like MnO2-deposited diatomites have been prepared using a hydrothermal method with Mn(Ac)2, KMnO4 and/or MnSO4 as Mn source and diatomite as support. Physical properties of the materials were characterized by means of numerous analytical techniques, and their behaviors in the adsorption of chromium(VI) were evaluated. It is shown that the MnO2-deposited diatomite samples with different morphologies possessed high surface areas and abundant surface hydroxyl groups (especially the wire-like MnO2/diatomite sample). The wire-like MnO2/diatomite sample showed the best performance in the removal of Cr(VI), giving the maximum Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of 101 mg/g. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Advanced tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater using raw and modified diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jinlu; Yang, Y S; Lin, Jinhua

2005-12-09

Advanced technology for more efficient and effective wastewater treatment is always timely needed. The feasibility of using raw and modified diatomite for advanced treatment of secondary sewage effluents (SSE) was investigated in this study. Raw diatomite at a dosing rate of 300 mg/l showed a similar potential as activated carbon for removing most organic pollutants and toxic metals from SSE. Its performance was found poor in removal of arsenic and crop nutrient constituents (e.g. ammoniacal nitrogen and phosphate) and remained unsatisfactory even when the dosing rate increased up to 500 mg/l. Where modified diatomite was in lieu of raw diatomite, the removal efficiency for all target constituents was improved by 20-50%. At the dosing rate of 150 mg/l, modified diatomite enabled the post-treated effluents to satisfy the discharge consents, with the levels of all target constituents below the regulatory limits. Modified diatomite has advantages over raw diatomite in improving removal efficiency and reducing the dosing rate required for satisfactory treatment of SSE. It is concluded that modified diatomite is much more effective and efficient than raw diatomite, as an alternative to activated carbon, for economic treatment of SSE.

The Influence of Diatomite on the Strength and Microstructure of Portland Cement

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Liu Jun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available To study the influence of the types and mixing amount of diatomite on the Portland cement, we prepared the cement specimen doped with the calcined first-grade, first-grade and second-grade diatomite ,tested the 3d, 7d, 14d compressive strength, and studied and discussed phase, structure and morphology of diatomite in the binary system by the method of XRD, SEM . Experimental results show that with the addition of diatomite, the strength of cement paste increase; the optimal contents of calcined first-grade ,first-grade and second-grade diatomite in Portland cement are 5%,Compared to the blank group, the strength of specimen can be increased by 54.6%, 15.4% and 10.2%, respectively; At the same time ,the 7d microscopic hydration of different diatomite particles were analyzed through the experiment , and the shell of calcined diatomite particles were better hydrated than that of first-grade and second-grade diatomite particles. The results indicate that the diatomite can improve the strength of cement paste, the hydration of different diatomite particles can influence the growth of cement paste strength.

Synthesis, characterization and activity of an immobilized photocatalyst: natural porous diatomite supported titania nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; de Godoi, Fernanda Condi; Sun, Zhiming; Zeng, Qingcong; Zheng, Shuilin; Frost, Ray L

2015-01-15

Diatomite, a porous non-metal mineral, was used as support to prepare TiO2/diatomite composites by a modified sol-gel method. The as-prepared composites were calcined at temperatures ranging from 450 to 950 °C. The characterization tests included X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements. The XRD analysis indicated that the binary mixtures of anatase and rutile exist in the composites. The morphology analysis confirmed the TiO2 particles were uniformly immobilized on the surface of diatom with a strong interfacial anchoring strength, which leads to few drain of photocatalytic components during practical applications. In further XPS studies of hybrid catalyst, we found the evidence of the presence of Ti-O-Si bond and increased percentage of surface hydroxyl. In addition, the adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity of synthesized TiO2/diatomite composites were evaluated by studying the degradation kinetics of aqueous Rhodamine B under UV-light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation was found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The preferable removal efficiency was observed in composites by 750 °C calcination, which is attributed to a relatively appropriate anatase/rutile mixing ratio of 90/10. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Performances of Phase Change Microcapsules with a Polymer/Diatomite Hybrid Shell for Thermal Energy Storage

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Yanli Sun

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The mechanical behavior of phase-change microcapsules (microPCMs is of vital significance for practical applications in thermal energy storage. Hence, a new type of microPCMs based on an n-octadecane (C18 core and a melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF/diatomite hybrid shell was developed through in situ polymerization. Based on SEM micrographs, most microPCMs exhibited a nearly spherical and smooth microstructure, with broadened particle size distributions. It was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR that successful polymerization of diatomite into the microPCMs occurred, and that additional diatomite had no effect on the core coated by the shell. In addition, the results of the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the microPCMs were remarkably improved by the addition of a moderate amount of diatomite, but that the heat enthalpy and encapsulated efficiency (η decreased slightly. The incorporation of 2 wt % diatomite resulted in the average Young’s modulus of microPCMs, which was 1.64 times greater than those of microPCMs without diatomite. Furthermore, the melting and crystallization enthalpies and the encapsulated efficiency of the microPCMs were as high as 237.6 J/g, 234.4 J/g and 77.90%, respectively. The microPCMs with a polymer/diatomite hybrid shell may become the potential materials in the application of thermal energy storage.

Detection of mineral impurities in diatomite ores

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Guatame Garcia, L.A.; Buxton, M.W.N.; Fiore, Saverio

2017-01-01

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is commonly used in the industry for the manufacturing of filters, where diatomite is preferred due to its low chemical reactivity and high porosity. Diatomite deposits with major amounts of mineral impurities, such as carbonates, present a problem in the production DE. In

Sorption properties of Th(IV) on the raw diatomite-Effects of contact time, pH, ionic strength and temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng Guodong; Hu Jun; Wang Xiangke

2008-01-01

Diatomite has a number of unique physicochemical properties and has diversified industrial uses. Natural diatomite has been tested as a potential sorbent for the removal of Th(IV) from aqueous solutions. The results indicate that sorption of Th(IV) is strongly dependent on ionic strength at pH 3. Outer-sphere complexation or ion exchange may be the main sorption mechanism of Th(IV) to diatomite at low pH values, whereas the sorption of Th(IV) at pH>3 is mainly dominated by inner-sphere complexation or precipitation. The competition for Th(IV) between aqueous or surface adsorbed anions (e.g., herein ClO 4 - , NO 3 - and Cl - ) and surface functional groups of diatomite is important for Th(IV) sorption. The thermodynamic data (ΔH 0 , ΔS 0 , ΔG 0 ) are calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms. The results suggest that sorption process of Th(IV) on diatomite is spontaneous and endothermic

Sorption properties of Th(IV) on the raw diatomite--effects of contact time, pH, ionic strength and temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Guodong; Hu, Jun; Wang, Xiangke

2008-10-01

Diatomite has a number of unique physicochemical properties and has diversified industrial uses. Natural diatomite has been tested as a potential sorbent for the removal of Th(IV) from aqueous solutions. The results indicate that sorption of Th(IV) is strongly dependent on ionic strength at pH3. Outer-sphere complexation or ion exchange may be the main sorption mechanism of Th(IV) to diatomite at low pH values, whereas the sorption of Th(IV) at pH>3 is mainly dominated by inner-sphere complexation or precipitation. The competition for Th(IV) between aqueous or surface adsorbed anions (e.g., herein ClO(4)(-), NO(3)(-) and Cl(-)) and surface functional groups of diatomite is important for Th(IV) sorption. The thermodynamic data (DeltaH(0), DeltaS(0), DeltaG(0)) are calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms. The results suggest that sorption process of Th(IV) on diatomite is spontaneous and endothermic.

Sonocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics Tetracycline by Mn-Modified Diatomite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiping Guo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mn-modified diatomite was prepared by wet impregnation and subsequent calcinations processes. It was used as catalyst for sonocatalytic degradation of antibiotics tetracycline. Characterizations by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the morphology and crystal structure of the modified diatomite were similar to these of raw diatomite. Despite containing very limited amount of Mn oxides, the Mn-modified diatomite showed much higher sonocatalytic activity than the raw diatomite. The increases in both MnSO4 concentration of the wet impregnation solution and the catalyst dosage could enhance the degradation of antibiotics tetracycline significantly. Kapp values for ultrasonication, catalyst adsorption, and both processes combined (0.10 mol/L MnSO4-modified diatomite were 1.22 × 10−4, 0.00193, and 0.00453 min−1, respectively, while the corresponding values of R2 were 0.956, 0.986, and 0.953, respectively. These results demonstrated the significant synergetic effect by combining ultrasonication and catalyst adsorption processes. The presence of isopropanol, KBr, and NaN3 quenched a series of reactive oxygen species sharply, indicating the dominant role of reactive oxygen species in the sonocatalytic process. In contrast, the addition of Fe(II enhanced the degradation due to the generation of more OH∙ radicals in the concurrent Fenton reaction. All the results indicated that Mn-modified diatomite had the great potential for water treatment by sonocatalytic oxidation.

Removal of aniline and phenol from water using raw and aluminum hydroxide-modified diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, C D; Zhang, J Y; Wang, L; He, M H

2013-01-01

The feasibility of using raw diatomite and aluminum hydroxide-modified diatomite (Al-diatomite) for removal of aniline and phenol from water was investigated. Their physicochemical characteristics such as pHsolution, point of zero charge (pHPZC), surface area, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy was determined. After the raw diatomite was modified, the surface area of Al-diatomite increases from 26.67 to 82.65 m(2) g(-1). The pHPZC and pHsolution (10%) occurred around pH 5.2 and pH 8.6, respectively. The removal rates of aniline and phenol on diatomite and Al-diatomite decreased with increasing solution pH, while surface charge density decreased. The adsorption of aniline and phenol on diatomite presented a good fit to the Langmuir and Freundlich models, but the models are not fit to forecast the adsorption of aniline and phenol on Al-diatomite. The study indicated that electrostatic interaction was a dominating mechanism of aniline and phenol sorption onto Al-diatomite.

Freshwater diatomite deposits in the western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Alan R.; Frank, David G.; Founie, Alan

2006-01-01

Freshwater diatomite deposits in the Western United States are found in lake beds that formed millions of years ago. These diatom-rich sediments are among the Nation's largest commercial diatomite deposits. Each deposit contains billions of tiny diatom skeletons, which are widely used for filtration, absorption, and abrasives. New studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are revealing how ancient lakes in the Western States produced such large numbers of diatoms. These findings can be used by both land-use managers and mining companies to better evaluate diatomite resources in the region.

Characterization and improved solar light activity of vanadium doped TiO2/diatomite hybrid catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Bin; Zhang, Guangxin; Leng, Xue; Sun, Zhiming; Zheng, Shuilin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • V-doped TiO 2 /diatomite composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • The physiochemical property and solar light photoactivity were characterized. • The presence and influence of V ions in TiO 2 matrix was systematically analyzed. • The photocatalysis for Rhodamine B were studied under solar light illumination. - Abstract: V-doped TiO 2 /diatomite composite photocatalysts with different vanadium concentrations were synthesized by a modified sol–gel method. The diatomite was responsible for the well dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the matrix and consequently inhibited the agglomeration. V-TiO 2 /diatomite hybrids showed red shift in TiO 2 absorption edge with enhanced absorption intensity. Most importantly, the dopant energy levels were formed in the TiO 2 bandgap due to V 4+ ions substituted to Ti 4+ sites. The 0.5% V-TiO 2 /diatomite photocatalyst displayed narrower bandgap (2.95 eV) compared to undoped sample (3.13 eV) and other doped samples (3.05 eV) with higher doping concentration. The photocatalytic activities of V doped TiO 2 /diatomite samples for the degradation of Rhodamine B under stimulated solar light illumination were significantly improved compared with the undoped sample. In our case, V 4+ ions incorporated in TiO 2 lattice were responsible for increased visible-light absorption and electron transfer to oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of TiO 2 to produce superoxide radicals ·O 2 – , while V 5+ species presented on the surface of TiO 2 particles in the form of V 2 O 5 contributed to e – –h + separation. In addition, due to the combination of diatomite as support, this hybrid photocatalyst could be separated from solution quickly by natural settlement and exhibited good reusability

Characterization and improved solar light activity of vanadium doped TiO2/diatomite hybrid catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Zhang, Guangxin; Leng, Xue; Sun, Zhiming; Zheng, Shuilin

2015-03-21

V-doped TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalysts with different vanadium concentrations were synthesized by a modified sol-gel method. The diatomite was responsible for the well dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles on the matrix and consequently inhibited the agglomeration. V-TiO2/diatomite hybrids showed red shift in TiO2 absorption edge with enhanced absorption intensity. Most importantly, the dopant energy levels were formed in the TiO2 bandgap due to V(4+) ions substituted to Ti(4+) sites. The 0.5% V-TiO2/diatomite photocatalyst displayed narrower bandgap (2.95 eV) compared to undoped sample (3.13 eV) and other doped samples (3.05 eV) with higher doping concentration. The photocatalytic activities of V doped TiO2/diatomite samples for the degradation of Rhodamine B under stimulated solar light illumination were significantly improved compared with the undoped sample. In our case, V(4+) ions incorporated in TiO2 lattice were responsible for increased visible-light absorption and electron transfer to oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of TiO2 to produce superoxide radicals ˙O2(-), while V(5+) species presented on the surface of TiO2 particles in the form of V2O5 contributed to e(-)-h(+) separation. In addition, due to the combination of diatomite as support, this hybrid photocatalyst could be separated from solution quickly by natural settlement and exhibited good reusability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diatomite reinforced chitosan composite membrane as potential scaffold for guided bone regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamburaci, Sedef; Tihminlioglu, Funda

2017-11-01

In this study, natural silica source, diatomite, incorporated novel chitosan based composite membranes were fabricated and characterized for bone tissue engineering applications as possible bone regeneration membrane. The effect of diatomite loading on the mechanical, morphological, chemical, thermal and surface properties, wettability and in vitro cytotoxicity and cell proliferation on of composite membranes were investigated and observed by tensile test, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), protein adsorption assay, air/water contact angle analysis and WST-1 respectively. Swelling studies were also performed by water absorption capacity determination. Results showed that incorporation of diatomite to the chitosan matrix increased the surface roughness, swelling capacity and tensile modulus of membranes. An increase of about 52% in Young's modulus was achieved for 10wt% diatomite composite membranes compared with chitosan membranes. High cell viability results were obtained with indirect extraction method. Besides, in vitro cell proliferation and ALP activity results showed that diatom incorporation significantly increased the ALP activity of Saos-2 cells cultured on chitosan membranes. The novel composite membranes prepared in the present study with tunable properties can be considered as a potential candidate as a scaffold in view of its enhanced physical & chemical properties as well as biological activities for bone tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inorganically modified diatomite as a potential prolonged-release drug carrier.

Science.gov (United States)

Janićijević, Jelena; Krajišnik, Danina; Calija, Bojan; Dobričić, Vladimir; Daković, Aleksandra; Krstić, Jugoslav; Marković, Marija; Milić, Jela

2014-09-01

Inorganic modification of diatomite was performed with the precipitation product of partially neutralized aluminum sulfate solution at three different mass ratios. The starting and the modified diatomites were characterized by SEM-EDS, FTIR, thermal analysis and zeta potential measurements and evaluated for drug loading capacity in adsorption batch experiments using diclofenac sodium (DS) as a model drug. In vitro drug release studies were performed in phosphate buffer pH6.8 from comprimates containing: the drug adsorbed onto the selected modified diatomite sample (DAMD), physical mixture of the drug with the selected modified diatomite sample (PMDMD) and physical mixture of the drug with the starting diatomite (PMDD). In vivo acute toxicity testing of the modified diatomite samples was performed on mice. High adsorbent loading of the selected modified diatomite sample (~250mg/g in 2h) enabled the preparation of comprimates containing adsorbed DS in the amount near to its therapeutic dose. Drug release studies demonstrated prolonged release of DS over a period of 8h from both DAMD comprimates (18% after 8h) and PMDMD comprimates (45% after 8h). The release kinetics for DAMD and PMDMD comprimates fitted well with Korsmeyer-Peppas and Bhaskar models, indicating that the release mechanism was a combination of non-Fickian diffusion and ion exchange process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sorption properties of Th(IV) on the raw diatomite-Effects of contact time, pH, ionic strength and temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheng Guodong; Hu Jun [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 1126, Hefei 230031 (China); Wang Xiangke [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 1126, Hefei 230031 (China)], E-mail: xkwang@ipp.ac.cn

2008-10-15

Diatomite has a number of unique physicochemical properties and has diversified industrial uses. Natural diatomite has been tested as a potential sorbent for the removal of Th(IV) from aqueous solutions. The results indicate that sorption of Th(IV) is strongly dependent on ionic strength at pH<3, and is independent of ionic strength at pH>3. Outer-sphere complexation or ion exchange may be the main sorption mechanism of Th(IV) to diatomite at low pH values, whereas the sorption of Th(IV) at pH>3 is mainly dominated by inner-sphere complexation or precipitation. The competition for Th(IV) between aqueous or surface adsorbed anions (e.g., herein ClO{sub 4}{sup -}, NO{sub 3}{sup -} and Cl{sup -}) and surface functional groups of diatomite is important for Th(IV) sorption. The thermodynamic data ({delta}H{sup 0}, {delta}S{sup 0}, {delta}G{sup 0}) are calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms. The results suggest that sorption process of Th(IV) on diatomite is spontaneous and endothermic.

A new green methodology for surface modification of diatomite filler in elastomers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamastra, F.R. [Italian Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133, Rome (Italy); Mori, S.; Cherubini, V. [Italian Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133, Rome (Italy); Department of Enterprise Engineering, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , Via del Politecnico 1, 00133, Rome (Italy); Scarselli, M. [Department of Physics, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome (Italy); Nanni, F., E-mail: fnanni@ing.uniroma2.it [Italian Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM), Research Unit Roma Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133, Rome (Italy); Department of Enterprise Engineering, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , Via del Politecnico 1, 00133, Rome (Italy)

2017-06-15

In this work a new, simple and green protocol to introduce a limited content of silanol groups on the surface of an hydrophobic diatomite, in order to be slightly hydrophilic and susceptible to be silanized by bifunctional, sulfur-containing organosilanes for rubber applications, is proposed. The chemical modification was carried out at 85 °C in a solution of H{sub 2}O:NaOH:H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The modified diatomite was then silanized with bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) disulfide by a procedure that does not involve toxic solvent. Morphological features and elemental composition of diatomite were investigated by Field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface modification and silanization process were assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Diatomite was composed by micrometric frustules from different diatom species with pore size ranging from 25 nm to 1 μm. The spectroscopic characterizations confirmed the surface modification of diatomite with some silanols that acted as sites for silanization reaction. The silanized diatomite and the untreated one were used as filler in unvulcanized solvent-cast SBR films in order to verify that the modification does not negatively affect the polymer/filler interface and as consequence the mechanical properties. Mechanical properties of the realized samples were assessed by uniaxial tensile tests. Films filled with 10 wt% of diatomite (untreated or silanized) showed an increase of Elastic Modulus about of 50% and a decrease of the strain at break with respect to SBR samples, while the tensile strength was not significantly affected by the diatomite addition. SEM images of fracture surfaces of tested specimens showed a fine dispersion of both untreated and silanized diatomite in the polymeric matrix and the achieving of a good interfacial adhesion SBR/fillers. The silanized diatomite, as it is potentially able to bind

A new green methodology for surface modification of diatomite filler in elastomers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamastra, F.R.; Mori, S.; Cherubini, V.; Scarselli, M.; Nanni, F.

2017-01-01

In this work a new, simple and green protocol to introduce a limited content of silanol groups on the surface of an hydrophobic diatomite, in order to be slightly hydrophilic and susceptible to be silanized by bifunctional, sulfur-containing organosilanes for rubber applications, is proposed. The chemical modification was carried out at 85 °C in a solution of H_2O:NaOH:H_2O_2. The modified diatomite was then silanized with bis(triethoxysilylpropyl) disulfide by a procedure that does not involve toxic solvent. Morphological features and elemental composition of diatomite were investigated by Field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface modification and silanization process were assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Diatomite was composed by micrometric frustules from different diatom species with pore size ranging from 25 nm to 1 μm. The spectroscopic characterizations confirmed the surface modification of diatomite with some silanols that acted as sites for silanization reaction. The silanized diatomite and the untreated one were used as filler in unvulcanized solvent-cast SBR films in order to verify that the modification does not negatively affect the polymer/filler interface and as consequence the mechanical properties. Mechanical properties of the realized samples were assessed by uniaxial tensile tests. Films filled with 10 wt% of diatomite (untreated or silanized) showed an increase of Elastic Modulus about of 50% and a decrease of the strain at break with respect to SBR samples, while the tensile strength was not significantly affected by the diatomite addition. SEM images of fracture surfaces of tested specimens showed a fine dispersion of both untreated and silanized diatomite in the polymeric matrix and the achieving of a good interfacial adhesion SBR/fillers. The silanized diatomite, as it is potentially able to bind chemically to

Synthesis and characterization of silver/diatomite nanocomposite by electron beam irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Hanh, Truong Thi; Thu, Nguyen Thi; Quoc, Le Anh; Hien, Nguyen Quoc

2017-10-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with diameter about 9 nm were deposited on diatomite by irradiation under electron beam of diatomite suspension containing 10 mM AgNO3 in 1% chitosan solution, at the dose of 20.2 kGy. The AgNPs/diatomite nanocomposite was characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM image and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The antibacterial activity of the AgNPs/diatomite against E. coli and S. aureus was evaluated by reduction of bacterial colonies on spread plates and inhibition zone diameter on diffusion disks.

Study on Purification Diatomite with nitric acid by Thermal Closed System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuang Meng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this research, a purification approach using nitric acid leaching at thermal closed system was developed to improve the porous structure of raw diatomite by removal of impurities from its surface and clogged pores. The feasibility and efficiency of this approach were determined by XRF for chemical constitution of diatomite, SEM for morphology and BET for specific surface area of purified diatomite. The investigations indicated that the content of SiO2 was in order of 85.14% for raw diatomite and 98% for purified diatomite, the content of Fe2O3 decreases after purified; the integrity of the porous structure was confirmed by SEM, and increase in specific surface area from 18m2·g-1 to 36m2·g-1.

3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane Modified Diatomite: Preparation and Application for Voltammetric Determination of Lead (II and Cadmium (II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dinh Quang Khieu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, functionalized diatomite was prepared by grafting of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS to diatomite (MPTMS-diatomite. The diatomite with thermal treatment from 100 to 700°C was functionalized by MPTMS under dry and humid conditions. The obtained MPTMS-diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermal gravity-differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC, and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR. The results showed that an increase in treatment temperature seems to reduce the loading of MPTMS onto diatomite. The humidity of diatomite was favorable for the grafting of functional groups on the surface. The possible mechanisms of MPTMS loading to diatomite (MPTMS-diatomite were also proposed. The performance of a carbon paste electrode (CPE modified with MPTMS-diatomite in the simultaneous determination of Cd(II and Pb(II ions was addressed.

Bio-diatomite dynamic membrane reactor for micro-polluted surface water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Huaqiang; Cao, Dawen; Dong, Bingzhi; Qiang, Zhimin

2010-03-01

This work investigated the feasibility of treating micro-polluted surface water for drinking water production with a bio-diatomite dynamic membrane reactor (BDDMR) at lab-scale in continuous-flow mode. Results indicate that the BDDMR was effective in removing COD(Mn), DOC, UV(254), NH(3)-N and trihalomethanes' formation potential (THMFP) at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3.5h due to its high concentrations of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS). The removal of pollutants was mainly ascribed to microbial degradation in BDDMR because the dynamic membrane alone was much less effective in pollutant removal. Though the diatomite particles (5-20microm) were much smaller in size than the aperture of the stainless steel support mesh (74microm), microorganisms and their extracellular polymer substances could bind these particles tightly to form bio-diatomite particles which were completely retained by the support mesh. The analysis of molecular weight (MW) distribution by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) shows that the BDDMR could effectively remove the hydrophilic fraction of dissolved organic materials present in the raw water. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic-inorganic hybrid foams with diatomite addition: Effect on functional properties

Science.gov (United States)

Verdolotti, L.; D'Auria, M.; Lavorgna, M.; Vollaro, P.; Iannace, S.; Capasso, I.; Galzerano, B.; Caputo, D.; Liguori, B.

2016-05-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid foams were prepared by using metakaolin, diatomite as a partial (or total) replacement of metakaolin, as matrix, silicon and whipped protein as pore forming. The foamed systems were hardened at defined temperature and time and then characterized by mechanical point of view through compression tests and by functional point of view through fire reaction and acoustic tests. The experimental findings highlighted that the replacement of diatomite in the formulation affected the morphological structure of the foams and consequently their mechanical properties. In particular, the consolidation mechanism in the diatomite based-hybrid foams changed from geopolymerization to a silicate polycondensation mechanism. Therefore, mechanical performances enhanced with increasing of the diatomite content. Fire reaction tests, such as non-combustibility and cone calorimeter tests, showed positive thermal inertia of samples regardless of the content of diatomite.

The Influence of Diatomite on the Strength and Microstructure of Portland Cement

OpenAIRE

Liu Jun; Shao Peng; Wang Shihao

2016-01-01

To study the influence of the types and mixing amount of diatomite on the Portland cement, we prepared the cement specimen doped with the calcined first-grade, first-grade and second-grade diatomite ,tested the 3d, 7d, 14d compressive strength, and studied and discussed phase, structure and morphology of diatomite in the binary system by the method of XRD, SEM . Experimental results show that with the addition of diatomite, the strength of cement paste increase; the optimal contents of calcin...

Diagenesis of diatomite from the Kolubara Coal Basin, Barosevac, Serbia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obradovic, J; Hein, J R; Djurdjevic, J [University of Belgrade, Belgrade (Yugoslavia). Faculty of Mining and Geology

1994-09-01

Diatomite associated with the Kolubara Coal Basin was studied to better understand early stage silica diagenesis of shallow water deposits. The Kolubara Basin consists of Neogene siliciclastic rocks, diatomite, marlstone and rare carbonates. Palaeozoic metamorphic and Mesozoic sedimentary and igneous basement rocks are transgressively overlain by Upper Miocene sandstone, siltstone, shale and mudstone. This Upper Miocene section is transgressively overlain by the Pontian section, which contains diatomite and coal beds. White and grey diatomite form beds 0.7-2.2 m thick that are continuous over an area of about 2 km[sup 2]. Siliceous rocks vary in composition from diatomite (81-89% SiO[sub 2]) to diatom-bearing shale (58-60% SiO[sub 2]). Siliceous deposits are laminated in places, with the laminae defined by variations in clay minerals, organic matter and diatoms. Diatomite shows only incipient diagenesis characterized by the fragmentation of diatom frustules, the minor to moderate corrosion of frustules and the formation of minor amounts of opal-A (X-ray amorphous inorganic opal) cement. The low degree of diagenesis results from the young age of the deposits, low burial temperatures and possibly also from the presence of abundant organic matter and the dissolution of kaolinite. The presence of only weak diagenesis is also reflected by the characteristically poor consolidation of the rocks and low rank of the associated coal.

Sorption of Th(IV) onto ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite. Kinetics, mechanism and activation parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yusan, Sabriye; Aslani, Mahmut A.A.; Aytas, Sule [Ege Univ., Izmir (Turkey). Inst. of Nuclear Sciences; Bampaiti, Anastasia; Noli, Fotini [Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). Dept. of Chemistry; Erenturk, Sema [Istanbul Technical Univ., Ayazaga Campus, Maslak-Istanbul (Turkey). Energy Inst.

2016-11-01

In this study, for the first time ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite have been utilized as adsorbent for the removal of Th(IV) ions from aqueous solutions under different experimental conditions. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin- Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms were used to analyze the equilibrium data. The sorption equilibrium data were fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm with maximum sorption capacities values was found to be 1.105 mmol/g and 0.320 mmol/g for ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite supported ZnO nanocomposite, respectively. Pseudo-first and pseudo-second order equations, Intraparticle diffusion and Bangham's models were considered to evaluate the rate parameters and sorption mechanism. Sorption kinetics were better reproduced by the pseudo-second order model (R{sup 2} > 0.999), with an activation energy (E{sub a}) of +99.74 kJ/mol and +62.95 kJ/mol for ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite, respectively. In order to specify the type of sorption reaction, thermodynamic parameters were also determined. The evaluated ΔG* and ΔH* indicate the non-spontaneous and endothermic nature of the reactions. The results of this work suggest that both of the used materials are fast and effective adsorbents for removing Th(IV) from aqueous solutions and chemical sorption plays a role in controlling the sorption rate.

Mechanical properties of dental resin composites by co-filling diatomite and nanosized silica particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hua; Zhu Meifang; Li Yaogang; Zhang Qinghong; Wang Hongzhi

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical property effects of co-filling dental resin composites with porous diatomite and nanosized silica particles (OX-50). The purification of raw diatomite by acid-leaching was conducted in a hot 5 M HCl solution at 80 deg. C for 12 h. Both diatomite and nanosized SiO 2 were silanized with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The silanized inorganic particles were mixed into a dimethacrylate resin. Purified diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and an N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherm. Silanized inorganic particles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a thermogravimetric analysis. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested by three-point bending, compression and Vicker's microhardness. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show the cross-section morphologies of the composites. Silanization of diatomite and nanosized silica positively reinforced interactions between the resin matrix and the inorganic particles. The mechanical properties of the resin composites gradually increased with the addition of modified diatomite (m-diatomite). The fracture surfaces of the composites exhibited large fracture steps with the addition of m-diatomite. However, when the mass fraction of m-diatomite was greater than 21 wt.% with respect to modified nanosized silica (mOX-50) and constituted 70% of the resin composite by weight, the mechanical properties of the resin composites started to decline. Thus, the porous structure of diatomite appears to be a crucial factor to improve mechanical properties of resin composites.

Characterization and improved solar light activity of vanadium doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite hybrid catalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bin, E-mail: b.wang6@uq.edu.au [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Zhang, Guangxin, E-mail: z111@163.com [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Leng, Xue, E-mail: xue.leng@uq.net.au [School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Sun, Zhiming, E-mail: zhiming.baxia@163.com [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Zheng, Shuilin, E-mail: shuilinzheng8@gmail.com [School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing 100083 (China)

2015-03-21

Highlights: • V-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • The physiochemical property and solar light photoactivity were characterized. • The presence and influence of V ions in TiO{sub 2} matrix was systematically analyzed. • The photocatalysis for Rhodamine B were studied under solar light illumination. - Abstract: V-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite photocatalysts with different vanadium concentrations were synthesized by a modified sol–gel method. The diatomite was responsible for the well dispersion of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles on the matrix and consequently inhibited the agglomeration. V-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite hybrids showed red shift in TiO{sub 2} absorption edge with enhanced absorption intensity. Most importantly, the dopant energy levels were formed in the TiO{sub 2} bandgap due to V{sup 4+} ions substituted to Ti{sup 4+} sites. The 0.5% V-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite photocatalyst displayed narrower bandgap (2.95 eV) compared to undoped sample (3.13 eV) and other doped samples (3.05 eV) with higher doping concentration. The photocatalytic activities of V doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite samples for the degradation of Rhodamine B under stimulated solar light illumination were significantly improved compared with the undoped sample. In our case, V{sup 4+} ions incorporated in TiO{sub 2} lattice were responsible for increased visible-light absorption and electron transfer to oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of TiO{sub 2} to produce superoxide radicals ·O{sub 2}{sup –}, while V{sup 5+} species presented on the surface of TiO{sub 2} particles in the form of V{sub 2}O{sub 5} contributed to e{sup –}–h{sup +} separation. In addition, due to the combination of diatomite as support, this hybrid photocatalyst could be separated from solution quickly by natural settlement and exhibited good reusability.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of ytterbium-doped titania/diatomite composite photocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Wenjian; Qiu, Kehui; Zhang, Peicong; Yuan, Xiqiang

2016-01-01

Ytterbium-doped titanium dioxide (Yb-TiO2)/diatomite composite materials with different Yb concentrations were prepared by sol-gel method. The phase structure, morphology, and chemical composition of the as-prepared composites were well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis indicated that the TiO2 existed in the form of pure anatase in the composites. The SEM images exhibited the well deposition and dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles with little agglomeration on the surfaces of diatoms. The UV-vis diffuse reflection spectra showed that the band gap of TiO2 could be narrowed by the introduction of Yb species, which was further affected by doping concentration of Yb. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized samples was investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. It was observed that the photocatalytic degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. Compared to TiO2 and TiO2/diatomite, the Yb-TiO2/diatomite composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity toward degradation of MB using UV light irradiation.

Adsorption behaviour of methylene blue onto Jordanian diatomite: a kinetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ghouti, Mohammad A; Khraisheh, Majeda A M; Ahmad, Mohammad N M; Allen, Stephen

2009-06-15

The effect of initial concentration, particle size, mass of the adsorbent, pH and agitation speed on adsorption behaviour of methylene blue (MB) onto Jordanian diatomite has been investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity, q, increased from 75 to 105 mg/g when pH of the dye solution increased from 4 to 11. It is clear that the ionisable charge sites on the diatomite surface increased when pH increased from 4 to 11. When the solution pH was above the pH(ZPC), the diatomite surface had a negative charge, while at low pH (pHdiatomite did not follow the pseudo-first order model and had low correlation coefficients (R(2)diatomite when the particle size distribution is less than 250-500 microm. While at larger particle size 250-500 microm, the maximum uptake capacity was dependent on the particle size. It would imply that the MB adsorption is limited by the external surface and that intraparticle diffusion is reduced. The effect of the agitation speeds on the removal of MB from aqueous solution using the diatomite is quite low. The MB removal increased from 43 to 100% when mass of the diatomite increased from 0.3 to 1.7 g.

The natural diatomite from caldiran-van (Turkey): electroanalytical application to antimigraine compound naratriptan at modified carbon paste electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Calışkan, Necla; Sögüt, Eda; Saka, Cafer; Yardım, Yavuz; Sentürk, Zuhre

2010-09-01

This paper is the first report describing the characterization of local diatomite of Caldiran-Van region (Eastern Anatolia, Turkey). Special attention was paid to the ability of its electroanalytical performance at modified electrodes and to the potential application of diatomite-modified electrode. For this purpose, the determination of Naratriptan which is a novel oral triptan (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonist) in migraine treatment, by means of a carbon paste electrode modified with 10% (w/w) of diatomite was studied using cyclic and square-wave voltammetry. The experimental conditions that affect the electrode reaction process were studied in terms of pH of the supporting electrolyte, scan rate, accumulation variables, modifier composition and square-wave parameters. Using square-wave stripping mode, the drug yielded a well-defined voltammetric response in Britton-Robinson buffer, pH 4.0 at 0.84 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (a pre-concentration step being carried out with an open circuit at 120 s). The process could be used to determine Naratriptan concentrations in the range 5x10(-7)-9x10(-7) M, with a detection limit of 1.25x10(-7) M (46.5 mug L(-1)). The applicability of the method to spiked human urine samples was illustrated.

Mechanical properties of dental resin composites by co-filling diatomite and nanosized silica particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Hua; Zhu Meifang [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Li Yaogang [Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, MOE, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Zhang Qinghong, E-mail: zhangqh@dhu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center of Advanced Glasses Manufacturing Technology, MOE, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Wang Hongzhi, E-mail: wanghz@dhu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China)

2011-04-08

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical property effects of co-filling dental resin composites with porous diatomite and nanosized silica particles (OX-50). The purification of raw diatomite by acid-leaching was conducted in a hot 5 M HCl solution at 80 deg. C for 12 h. Both diatomite and nanosized SiO{sub 2} were silanized with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The silanized inorganic particles were mixed into a dimethacrylate resin. Purified diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and an N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherm. Silanized inorganic particles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and a thermogravimetric analysis. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested by three-point bending, compression and Vicker's microhardness. Scanning electron microscopy was used to show the cross-section morphologies of the composites. Silanization of diatomite and nanosized silica positively reinforced interactions between the resin matrix and the inorganic particles. The mechanical properties of the resin composites gradually increased with the addition of modified diatomite (m-diatomite). The fracture surfaces of the composites exhibited large fracture steps with the addition of m-diatomite. However, when the mass fraction of m-diatomite was greater than 21 wt.% with respect to modified nanosized silica (mOX-50) and constituted 70% of the resin composite by weight, the mechanical properties of the resin composites started to decline. Thus, the porous structure of diatomite appears to be a crucial factor to improve mechanical properties of resin composites.

Thermal conductivity of wood ash diatomite composites using the transient hot strip method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muia, L.M.; Gaitho, F.

2003-08-01

The transient Hot Strip method (THS) was used to determine the thermal conductivities of pure Wood Ash (WA), two kinds of diatomite i.e., DB and DF, and their composites. The effects of grain size and temperature on the thermal conductivities of the three systems and their composites were also determined. The lowest thermal conductivities of 0.02x10 -2 Wm -1 K -1 for wood ash and ∼ 3x10 -2 Wm -1 K -1 for the diatomites are found in the particle size range 60 -80μm. The thermal conductivities of the various composites range between 1.3x10 -3 and 6.8x10 -2 Wm -1 K -1 . These values are a factor of 10 lower than those of the pure materials. The thermal conductivity of the three composites is independent of temperature in the range 26-350 deg. C, in contrast to those pure materials which increase with temperature. Generally, the thermal conductivites of the pure materials which increase as their porosity or moisture contents are increased. (author)

Plasmonic nanoparticles-decorated diatomite biosilica: extending the horizon of on-chip chromatography and label-free biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xianming; Li, Erwen; Squire, Kenny; Liu, Ye; Wu, Bo; Cheng, Li-Jing; Wang, Alan X

2017-11-01

Diatomite consists of fossilized remains of ancient diatoms and is a type of naturally abundant photonic crystal biosilica with multiple unique physical and chemical functionalities. In this paper, we explored the fluidic properties of diatomite as the matrix for on-chip chromatography and, simultaneously, the photonic crystal effects to enhance the plasmonic resonances of metallic nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensing. The plasmonic nanoparticle-decorated diatomite biosilica provides a lab-on-a-chip capability to separate and detect small molecules from mixture samples with ultra-high detection sensitivity down to 1 ppm. We demonstrate the significant potential for biomedical applications by screening toxins in real biofluid, achieving simultaneous label-free biosensing of phenethylamine and miR21cDNA in human plasma with unprecedented sensitivity and specificity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time demonstration to detect target molecules from real biofluids by on-chip chromatography-SERS techniques. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane Modified Diatomite: Preparation and Application for Voltammetric Determination of Lead (II) and Cadmium (II)

OpenAIRE

Quang Khieu, Dinh; Dang Son, Bui Hai; Thi Thanh Chau, Vo; Dinh Du, Pham; Hai Phong, Nguyen; Thi Diem Chau, Nguyen

2017-01-01

In this study, functionalized diatomite was prepared by grafting of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) to diatomite (MPTMS-diatomite). The diatomite with thermal treatment from 100 to 700°C was functionalized by MPTMS under dry and humid conditions. The obtained MPTMS-diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravity-differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC), and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR). The results showed that an increase in treatment temperature ...

Colloidal diatomite, radionickel, and humic substance interaction: a combined batch, XPS, and EXAFS investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Guodong; Shen, Runpu; Dong, Huaping; Li, Yimin

2013-06-01

This work determined the influence of humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) on the interaction mechanism and microstructure of Ni(II) onto diatomite by using batch experiments, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) methods. Macroscopic and spectroscopic experiments have been combined to see the evolution of the interaction mechanism and microstructure of Ni(II) in the presence of HA/FA as compared with that in the absence of HA/FA. The results indicated that the interaction of Ni(II) with diatomite presents the expected solution pH edge at 7.0, which is modified by addition of HA/FA. In the presence of HA/FA, the interaction of Ni(II) with diatomite increased below solution pH 7.0, while Ni(II) interaction decreased above solution pH 7.0. XPS analysis suggested that the enrichment of Ni(II) onto diatomite may be due to the formation of (≡SO)2Ni. EXAFS results showed that binary surface complexes and ternary surface complexes of Ni(II) can be simultaneously formed in the presence of HA/FA, whereas only binary surface complexes of Ni(II) are formed in the absence of HA/FA, which contribute to the enhanced Ni(II) uptake at low pH values. The results observed in this work are important for the evaluation of Ni(II) and related radionuclide physicochemical behavior in the natural soil and water environment.

40 CFR 436.240 - Applicability; description of the diatomite subcategory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Applicability; description of the diatomite subcategory. 436.240 Section 436.240 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS MINERAL MINING AND PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Diatomite Subcategory § 436.240 Applicability;...

Wastewater treatment from heavy metal ions using nanoactivated complexes of natural zeolite and diatomite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malkin Polad

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Despite the wide practical use of sorption methods and complexones in treatment of industrial wastewater, some problems are still to be solved in this field. These are the most significant: insufficient sorption capacity of materials, lack of reliable methods for regenerating sorbents and resource-saving ecology friendly treatment technologies with the use of sorbents as well as methods of utilization of heavy metals from waste by complex formation. An important factor affecting the behavior of heavy metals in the soil is the medium acidity. With a neutral and slightly alkaline reaction of the medium, hardly soluble compounds are formed: hydroxides, sulphides, phosphates, carbonates, and oxalates of heavy metals. When acidity increases the reverse process runs in the soil: hardly soluble compounds become more mobile, while mobility of many heavy metals increases. However, the effect of soil acidity on mobility of heavy metals is ambiguous. Although mobility of many heavy metals decreases with increasing pH of the medium (for example, Fe, Mn, Zn, Co, etc., there are a number of metals whose mobility increases with soil neutralization. These include molybdenum and chromium, which are able to form soluble salts in a weak ly acidic and alkaline medium. In addition, heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium are able to maintain mobility in an alkaline medium through formation of complex compounds with organic matter in soils. Heavy metals interact with a solid phase of the soil by mechanisms of specific and nonspecific adsorption. In this article, a technique of wastewater treatment from heavy metal ions using nanoactivated complexes of natural zeolite and diatomite is proposed. This technique can reduce significant costs in preparation of raw materials and subsequent chemical modification of them. Technological solutions aimed at disposal and recycling of industrial wastewater have been proposed. These solutions make it possible to obtain the water

SORPTION OF Cu2+ IONS ONTO DIATOMITE CONSTITUENTS

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Vasile Rusu

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Studies of the sorption capacity towards Cu2+ ions of diatomite from the Ghidirim location of RM, as well as of the extracted clay phase are presented. Separated clay fraction from diatomic material is clean enough, and especially is rich in montmorillonite. Maximum sorption capacity for studied clay fraction is achieved by rising the temperature of calcination treatment up to 200oC. At higher temperatures the lattice of montmorillonite is contracted and its sorption capacity towards Cu2+ ions decreases strongly.

Effect of preparation conditions on the characteristics and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/purified diatomite composite photocatalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Zhiming; Hu, Zhibo; Yan, Yang; Zheng, Shuilin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • TiO 2 /purified diatomite composites were synthesized under different conditions. • The optimum preparation conditions of composites were obtained. • The obtained photocatalyst showed good photocatalytic activity. • The dispersity and grain size of loaded TiO 2 NPs are the critical factors. - Abstract: TiO 2 /purified diatomite composite materials were prepared through a modified hydrolysis-deposition method under low temperature using titanium tetrachloride as precursor combined with a calcination crystallization process. The microstructure and crystalline phases of the obtained composites prepared under different preparation conditions were characterized by high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 /purified diatomite composites was evaluated by Rhodamine B as the target pollutant under UV irradiation, and the optimum preparation conditions of composites were obtained. The TiO 2 crystal form in composites prepared under optimum conditions was anatase, the grain size of which was 34.12 nm. The relationships between structure and property of composite materials were analyzed and discussed. It is indicated that the TiO 2 nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on the surface of diatoms, and the photocatalytic performance of the composite materials was mainly determined by the dispersity and grain size of loaded TiO 2 nanoparticles

Fe-Mn binary oxide incorporated into diatomite as an adsorbent for arsenite removal: preparation and evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Fangfang; Qu, Jiuhui; Liu, Huijuan; Liu, Ruiping; Zhao, Xu

2009-10-15

Fe-Mn binary oxide incorporated into diatomite (FMBO-diatomite) was prepared by a simple coating method, and exhibited high oxidation and adsorption ability for arsenite [As(III)]. After being incorporated by Fe-Mn binary oxide, the surface area of diatomite increased 36%, and the pore volume increased five times. The pHzpc of FMBO-diatomite was determined to be 8.1. These characteristics are responsible for the increased As(III) adsorption efficiency. The adsorption equilibria of As(III) on FMBO-diatomite were described well by a Langmuir isotherm model due to the homogeneous distribution of Fe-Mn binary oxide on a diatomite surface. As(III) was oxidized into As(V), and then adsorbed by FMBO-diatomite. The oxidation and adsorption efficiencies for As(III) depended deeply on the pH of solution. When the pH was raised to 8.1, the As(III) adsorption efficiency of FMBO-diatomite was almost equal to the As(III) oxidation efficiency. Silicate and phosphate had negative effects on As(III) adsorption. Also the influence of silicate and phosphate with the pH variation was different.

Microwave absorption property of the diatomite coated by Fe-CoNiP films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Zhenqiang; Cai, Jun; Xu, Yonggang; Zhang, Deyuan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The bio-absorbent coated Fe-CoNiP was fabricated by electroless and CVD. • The EM parameters were enlarged as Fe coated on the diatomite. • The coating CIPs play a key role in the enhancement mechanism. • The Fe-CoNiP diatomite had a better absorbing and shielding properties. - Abstract: A bio-absorbent of Fe-CoNiP coated on the diatomite was fabricated by way of electroless plating of CoNiP and subsequent chemical vapor deposition of Fe. The surface morphology and composition of the above-mentioned diatomite particles at different stage were characterized with the scanning electron microscopy and the energy spectrum analysis respectively, and the results showed that the diatomite was successfully coated with CoNoP and Fe (carbony iron). The complex permittivity and permeability of composites filled with the bio-absorbent and paraffin was measured in frequency range of 2–18 GHz, and then the microwave reflection loss (RL) and the shielding effectiveness (SE) were calculated. The results showed that the permittivity and the permeability were both enlarged as Fe films were coated onto the CoNiP-coated diatomite, which was attributed to the excellent electromagnetic property of carbonyl irons. The composites made with the Fe-CoNiP diatomite had a better absorbing property (minimum RL −11.0 dB) as well as the shielding property (maximum SE 5.6 dB) at thickness 2 mm. It indicated the absorption property was mainly due to the attenuation on the microwave, and the Fe-CoNiP diatomite could be an effective absorbent with low-density

Microwave absorption property of the diatomite coated by Fe-CoNiP films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Zhenqiang; Cai, Jun; Xu, Yonggang, E-mail: xuyonggang221@163.com; Zhang, Deyuan

2015-08-15

Highlights: • The bio-absorbent coated Fe-CoNiP was fabricated by electroless and CVD. • The EM parameters were enlarged as Fe coated on the diatomite. • The coating CIPs play a key role in the enhancement mechanism. • The Fe-CoNiP diatomite had a better absorbing and shielding properties. - Abstract: A bio-absorbent of Fe-CoNiP coated on the diatomite was fabricated by way of electroless plating of CoNiP and subsequent chemical vapor deposition of Fe. The surface morphology and composition of the above-mentioned diatomite particles at different stage were characterized with the scanning electron microscopy and the energy spectrum analysis respectively, and the results showed that the diatomite was successfully coated with CoNoP and Fe (carbony iron). The complex permittivity and permeability of composites filled with the bio-absorbent and paraffin was measured in frequency range of 2–18 GHz, and then the microwave reflection loss (RL) and the shielding effectiveness (SE) were calculated. The results showed that the permittivity and the permeability were both enlarged as Fe films were coated onto the CoNiP-coated diatomite, which was attributed to the excellent electromagnetic property of carbonyl irons. The composites made with the Fe-CoNiP diatomite had a better absorbing property (minimum RL −11.0 dB) as well as the shielding property (maximum SE 5.6 dB) at thickness 2 mm. It indicated the absorption property was mainly due to the attenuation on the microwave, and the Fe-CoNiP diatomite could be an effective absorbent with low-density.

Cyanide Containing Wastewater Treatment by Ozone Enhanced Catalytic Oxidation over Diatomite Catalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Mingguo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Cyanide containing wastewater that discharged from gold mining process creates environmental problems due to the toxicity of cyanide. As one of the promising advanced oxidation process, catalytic oxidation with ozone is considered to be effective on the purification of cyanide. Diatomite, a natural mineral, was used as catalyst in this study. The effect of O3 dosage, salinity, initial cyanide concentration and initial pH condition were investigated. It was observed that the removal rate of cyanide was much higher in the catalytic oxidation with ozone process than the one in zone alone process. Alkaline condition was especially favorable for cyanide in catalytic oxidation with ozone. The ozone and catalytic oxidation with ozone were simulated by pseudo-first-order kinetics model. The apparent first-order rate constant contribution of the diatomite catalyst was 0.0757 min-1, and the contribution percentage was 65.77%.

INVESTIGATION OF THERMO‐PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF DIATOMITE/WATER NANOFLUID

OpenAIRE

ÖZTAŞ, Sinan; KARAKAYA, Uğur; İSKENDER, Ümit

2016-01-01

In this study, the thermo physical properties of the nanofluid obtained with prepared solution by adding as basic fluid 1.3% the diatomite nanoparticles into water were determined. Many researchers are working to improve the performance of heat transfer fluids. One of the methods used, if we want to increase the overall thermal conductivity of the fluid, the high thermal conductive materials such as metal oxides, metals and carbon should be added to heat transfer fluids as nano‐sized particle...

Fabrication and characterization of flaky core-shell particles by magnetron sputtering silver onto diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Deyuan; Cai, Jun

2016-02-01

Diatomite has delicate porous structures and various shapes, making them ideal templates for microscopic core-shell particles fabrication. In this study, a new process of magnetron sputtering assisted with photoresist positioning was proposed to fabricate lightweight silver coated porous diatomite with superior coating quality and performance. The diatomite has been treated with different sputtering time to investigate the silver film growing process on the surface. The morphologies, constituents, phase structures and surface roughness of the silver coated diatomite were analyzed with SEM, EDS, XRD and AFM respectively. The results showed that the optimized magnetron sputtering time was 8-16 min, under which the diatomite templates were successfully coated with uniform silver film, which exhibits face centered cubic (fcc) structure, and the initial porous structures were kept. Moreover, this silver coating has lower surface roughness (RMS 4.513 ± 0.2 nm) than that obtained by electroless plating (RMS 15.692 ± 0.5 nm). And the infrared emissivity of coatings made with magnetron sputtering and electroless plating silver coated diatomite can reach to the lowest value of 0.528 and 0.716 respectively.

Influence of diatomite addition on membrane fouling and performance in a submerged membrane bioreactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiao-Li; Song, Hai-Liang; Lu, Ji-Lai; Fu, Da-Fang; Cheng, Bing

2010-12-01

This paper examined the effect of diatomite addition on membrane fouling and process performance in an anoxic/oxic submerged membrane bioreactor (A/O MBR). Particle size distribution, molecular weight distribution and microbial activity have been investigated to characterize the sludge mixed liquor. Results show that diatomite addition is a reliable and effective approach in terms of both membrane fouling mitigation and pollutants removal improvement. The MBR system with diatomite addition of 50 mg/L enhanced the removal of COD, TN and TP by 0.9%, 6.9% and 31.2%, respectively, as compared to the control MBR (without diatomite addition). The NH(4)-N removal always maintained at a high level of over 98% irrespective of diatomite addition. Due to the hybrid effect of adsorption and co-precipitation on fine colloids and dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the addition of diatomite, a reduction in foulants amount, an increase in microbial floc size and an improvement in sludge settleability have been achieved simultaneously. As a result, the membrane fouling rate was mitigated successfully. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study on Astrazon Black AFDL Dye Adsorption onto Vietnamese Diatomite

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Bui Hai Dang Son

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, the adsorption of Astrazon Black AFDL dye onto Vietnamese diatomite has been demonstrated. The diatomite was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. The results show that diatomite mainly constituted centric type frustules characterized by pores as discs or as cylindrical shapes. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of dye onto Vietnam diatomite were investigated. The experimental data were fitted well to both Freundlich and Langmuir in the initial concentration range of 400–1400 mg L−1. The average value of maximum adsorption capacity, qm, calculated from Freundlich equation is statistically similar to the average value of maximum monolayer adsorption capacity calculated from Langmuir equation. The thermodynamic parameters evaluated from the temperature dependent on adsorption isotherms in the range of 303–343 K show that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The Webber and pseudo-first/second-order kinetic models were used to analyze the mechanism of adsorption. The piecewise linear regression and Akaike’s Information Criterion were used to analyze experimental data. The results show that the dye adsorption onto diatomite was film diffusion controlled and the goodness of fit of experimental data for kinetics modes was dependent on the initial concentration.

Prediction of Splitting Tensile Strength of Concrete Containing Zeolite and Diatomite by ANN

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E. Gülbandılar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study was designed to investigate with two different artificial neural network (ANN prediction model for the behavior of concrete containing zeolite and diatomite. For purpose of constructing this model, 7 different mixes with 63 specimens of the 28, 56 and 90 days splitting tensile strength experimental results of concrete containing zeolite, diatomite, both zeolite and diatomite used in training and testing for ANN systems was gathered from the tests. The data used in the ANN models are arranged in a format of seven input parameters that cover the age of samples, Portland cement, zeolite, diatomite, aggregate, water and hyper plasticizer and an output parameter which is splitting tensile strength of concrete. In the model, the training and testing results have shown that two different ANN systems have strong potential as a feasible tool for predicting 28, 56 and 90 days the splitting tensile strength of concrete containing zeolite and diatomite.

Microwave absorption property of the diatomite coated by Fe-CoNiP films

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Yan, Zhenqiang; Cai, Jun; Xu, Yonggang; Zhang, Deyuan

2015-08-01

A bio-absorbent of Fe-CoNiP coated on the diatomite was fabricated by way of electroless plating of CoNiP and subsequent chemical vapor deposition of Fe. The surface morphology and composition of the above-mentioned diatomite particles at different stage were characterized with the scanning electron microscopy and the energy spectrum analysis respectively, and the results showed that the diatomite was successfully coated with CoNoP and Fe (carbony iron). The complex permittivity and permeability of composites filled with the bio-absorbent and paraffin was measured in frequency range of 2-18 GHz, and then the microwave reflection loss (RL) and the shielding effectiveness (SE) were calculated. The results showed that the permittivity and the permeability were both enlarged as Fe films were coated onto the CoNiP-coated diatomite, which was attributed to the excellent electromagnetic property of carbonyl irons. The composites made with the Fe-CoNiP diatomite had a better absorbing property (minimum RL -11.0 dB) as well as the shielding property (maximum SE 5.6 dB) at thickness 2 mm. It indicated the absorption property was mainly due to the attenuation on the microwave, and the Fe-CoNiP diatomite could be an effective absorbent with low-density.

Synthesis of nano-TiO2/diatomite composite and its photocatalytic degradation of gaseous formaldehyde

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Zhang, Guangxin; Sun, Zhiming; Duan, Yongwei; Ma, Ruixin; Zheng, Shuilin

2017-08-01

The TiO2/diatomite composite was synthesized through a mild hydrolysis of titanyl sulfate. The prepared composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the anatase TiO2 nanopartilces anchored on the surface of diatomite with Ti-O-Si bonds between diatomite and TiO2. The photodegradation of gaseous formaldehyde under UV irradiation by the TiO2/diatomite composite was studied under various operating conditions, including relative humidity, illumination intensity and catalyst amount, which have significant influence on the degradation process. The TiO2/diatomite composite exhibited better photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2, which could be attributed to the favorable nanoparticles dispersibility and strong formaldehyde adsorption capacity. In addition, the composite exhibited outstanding reusability over five cycles. The TiO2/diatomite composite shows great promising application foreground in formaldehyde degradation.

Facile decolorization of methylene blue by morphology-dependence δ-MnO2 nanosheets -modified diatomite

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Yu, Ting Ting; Li, Kai Lin; Guo, Xiao Long; Li, Fei; Huang, Jia Mu; Zhang, Yu Xin

2015-12-01

In this work, coscinodiscus-diatomite and melosira-diatomite have been decorated by ultrathin birnessite MnO2 (δ-MnO2) nanosheets through a one-pot hydrothermal method without using any surfactants. The δ-MnO2 nanosheets are observed to grow vertically on the purified melosira-diatomite as well as coscinodiscus-diatomite. Moreover, the two composites exhibit high efficiency for decomposing methylene blue (MB) in the presence of H2O2. The coscinodiscus-diatmite@MnO2 achieves a removal rate of 81.8% (2 h), and yet melosira-diatomite@MnO2 reaches a higher degradation rate of 91.3% in 2 h. Additionally, the effects of catalyst amount, catalysis reaction temperature, preparing time have also been investigated. In principle, the diverse diatomite@MnO2 nanostructures not only present an environmentally friendly and low cost with a good cycling stability, but also offer a simple way for the catalytic degradation of dye waste water in practical applications.

Surface complexation modeling calculation of Pb(II) adsorption onto the calcined diatomite

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Ma, Shu-Cui; Zhang, Ji-Lin; Sun, De-Hui; Liu, Gui-Xia

2015-12-01

Removal of noxious heavy metal ions (e.g. Pb(II)) by surface adsorption of minerals (e.g. diatomite) is an important means in the environmental aqueous pollution control. Thus, it is very essential to understand the surface adsorptive behavior and mechanism. In this work, the Pb(II) apparent surface complexation reaction equilibrium constants on the calcined diatomite and distributions of Pb(II) surface species were investigated through modeling calculations of Pb(II) based on diffuse double layer model (DLM) with three amphoteric sites. Batch experiments were used to study the adsorption of Pb(II) onto the calcined diatomite as a function of pH (3.0-7.0) and different ionic strengths (0.05 and 0.1 mol L-1 NaCl) under ambient atmosphere. Adsorption of Pb(II) can be well described by Freundlich isotherm models. The apparent surface complexation equilibrium constants (log K) were obtained by fitting the batch experimental data using the PEST 13.0 together with PHREEQC 3.1.2 codes and there is good agreement between measured and predicted data. Distribution of Pb(II) surface species on the diatomite calculated by PHREEQC 3.1.2 program indicates that the impurity cations (e.g. Al3+, Fe3+, etc.) in the diatomite play a leading role in the Pb(II) adsorption and dominant formation of complexes and additional electrostatic interaction are the main adsorption mechanism of Pb(II) on the diatomite under weak acidic conditions.

Removal of Azo Dye from Synthetic Wastewater Using Immobilized Nano-Diatomite Within Calcium Alginate

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AA Khodabandelou

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The presence of organic dyes, discharged by textile industries, in aqueous environments can cause detrimental effects on aquatic life and subsequently human health. Therefore, the decolorization of aquatic environments is mandatory to protect the environment. For this reason, in the present study, nano-sized diatomite was immobilized within calcium alginate as a nanocomposite adsorbent for removing organic azo dye (Direct blue 15 from aqueous solutions.  Methods: First of all, Iranian diatomite was grinded in a planetary ball mill equipped with tungsten carbide cup for 20 h to achieve nanoparticles of the diatomite. For the immobilization of nanostructured diatomite, a 2% sodium alginate solution was used. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD and Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR spectroscopy were used to characterize immobilized nano-diatomite. Fifty milliliter Erlenmeyer flasks were used as batch flow mode experimental reactors. Working solutions were prepared by the dilution of stock solution (1 g/L to desired concentrations. The effect of different operational parameters including contact time, initial pH, adsorbent dosage and initial dye concentration along with kinetic and isotherm of the adsorption were evaluated. After each experiment, the residual concentration of the dyes was measured spectrophotometrically. Results: As results, the adsorption of organic dye increased with increasing contact time and adsorbent dosage, while increasing initial dye concentrations resulted in decreasing the adsorption. The adsorption of DB-15 was favored at basic PH. The immobilization of diatomite led to enhancing the adsorption of  DB-15 compared to diatomite alone. According to the obtained correlation coefficient, the adsorption of DB-15 obeyed pseudo-second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of diatomite/alginate nanocomposite for the adsorption of DB-15 were found

Egyptian diatomite as high fluid loss squeeze slurry in sealing fractures and

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A.M. Al-Sabagh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Lost circulation is the most costly mud related drilling problem, and induced fracture. Water slurry of diatomite is used as the high fluid loss squeeze slurry in the treatment of lost circulation and in decreasing fluid loss. Egypt has diatomite deposits, especially in El-Fayuom Depression. Fourteen samples were collected from Qasr El-Sagha at the northern shore of Birket Qarun. Samples were examined to identify the diatom species then subjected to X-ray fluorescence, XRD and grain size distribution tests. A total of 38 species related to 13 diatom genera were identified. Cocconeis, Epithemia and Rhopalodia were the predominant genera. The diatomaceous earth which acts as a filter aid material was tested with different additives; bentonite, lime, finely divided paper, polymer, barite and different concentrations with different types of lost circulation materials (LCM to form a high fluid loss squeeze slurry. As a result the required time for collecting the filtrate was decreased to be in the range of 50 s to 1 min and 49 s comparing with the international standard which recommended the filtrate should be collected maximum within 2–3 min.

Influence of Diatomite and Mineral Powder on Thermal Oxidative Ageing Properties of Asphalt

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Yongchun Cheng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Ageing of asphalt affects the performances of asphalt pavement significantly. Therefore, effects of diatomite and mineral powder on ageing properties of asphalt were investigated systematically in order to improve the antiageing property of mixture. Thin film oven test (TFOT was used to conduct the short term ageing in laboratory. Softening points, penetrations, force ductility, low temperature creep properties, and viscosities of asphalt mastics were tested before and after TFOT, respectively. Results indicated that percent retained penetration (PRP increased with the increasing of fillers. Increment of softening point (ΔT, ductility retention rate (DRR, deformation energy ageing index (JAI, and viscosity ageing index (VAI of asphalt mastics nonlinearly decreased with the increasing of fillers. Ageing of asphalt was reduced by diatomite and mineral powder. And the antiageing effect of diatomite was better than that of mineral powder as a result of its porous structure. It is suggested that the mineral powder could be reasonably replaced by diatomite in order to reduce thermal oxidative ageing of asphalt mixture. The optimal content of diatomite 12.8% is also suggested for engineering.

Direct Evidence of Reduction of Cloud Water after Spreading Diatomite Particles in Stratus Clouds in Beijing, China

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Qiang Zhang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Artificial weather modification experiments have been intensively practiced in many years over China, and some progresses have been made, including more methodologies and advanced instruments. However, a challenge question still remains for providing convincing scientific evidence during these practices and experiments. This is a very difficult scientific issue, which is related to complicated cloud physical science, such as to accurately predict the large natural variability of cloud formation and precipitation. In this study, we report a clear evidence that the cloud water is reduced after spreading diatomite particles in stratus clouds during a field experiment in Beijing, China. The analysis shows that the diatomite particles (15–20 μm in radius are large and have strong hygroscopic property (absorbing cloud water. As a result, during the experiment, spreading large diatomite particles lead to downward motion (producing more stable atmospheric condition and reduction of cloud water. It is noted that due to lacks of instruments, this designed experiment only can provide a qualitative result (such as photo evidence, and no quantitative result can be drawn from this experiment.

Synthesis of nano-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite and its photocatalytic degradation of gaseous formaldehyde

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Guangxin; Sun, Zhiming, E-mail: zhimingsun@cumtb.edu.cn; Duan, Yongwei; Ma, Ruixin; Zheng, Shuilin, E-mail: shuilinzheng8@gmail.com

2017-08-01

Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite was synthesized by hydrolysis deposition method. • The composite displayed higher photocatalytic performance for formaldehyde. • The dispersion effect of diatomite was a key factor for high photoactivity. • The composite is a promising photocatalyst for the indoor air purification. - Abstract: The TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite was synthesized through a mild hydrolysis of titanyl sulfate. The prepared composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the anatase TiO{sub 2} nanopartilces anchored on the surface of diatomite with Ti–O–Si bonds between diatomite and TiO{sub 2}. The photodegradation of gaseous formaldehyde under UV irradiation by the TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite was studied under various operating conditions, including relative humidity, illumination intensity and catalyst amount, which have significant influence on the degradation process. The TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite exhibited better photocatalytic activity than pure TiO{sub 2}, which could be attributed to the favorable nanoparticles dispersibility and strong formaldehyde adsorption capacity. In addition, the composite exhibited outstanding reusability over five cycles. The TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composite shows great promising application foreground in formaldehyde degradation.

Surface bioengineering of diatomite based nanovectors for efficient intracellular uptake and drug delivery

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Terracciano, Monica; Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Correia, Alexandra; Rea, Ilaria; Lamberti, Annalisa; de Stefano, Luca; Santos, Hélder A.

2015-11-01

Diatomite is a natural porous silica material of sedimentary origin. Due to its peculiar properties, it can be considered as a valid surrogate of synthetic porous silica for nano-based drug delivery. In this work, we exploit the potential of diatomite nanoparticles (DNPs) for drug delivery with the aim of developing a successful dual-biofunctionalization method by polyethylene glycol (PEG) coverage and cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) bioconjugation, to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of the particles, to enhance the intracellular uptake in cancer cells, and to increase the biocompatibility of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APT) modified-DNPs. DNPs-APT-PEG-CPP showed hemocompatibility for up to 200 μg mL-1 after 48 h of incubation with erythrocytes, with a hemolysis value of only 1.3%. The cytotoxicity of the modified-DNPs with a concentration up to 200 μg mL-1 and incubation with MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells for 24 h, demonstrated that PEGylation and CPP-bioconjugation can strongly reduce the cytotoxicity of DNPs-APT. The cellular uptake of the modified-DNPs was also evaluated using the above mentioned cancer cell lines, showing that the CPP-bioconjugation can considerably increase the DNP cellular uptake. Moreover, the dual surface modification of DNPs improved both the loading of a poorly water-soluble anticancer drug, sorafenib, with a loading degree up to 22 wt%, and also enhanced the drug release profiles in aqueous solutions. Overall, this work demonstrates that the biofunctionalization of DNPs is a promising platform for drug delivery applications in cancer therapy as a result of its enhanced stability, biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and drug release profiles.Diatomite is a natural porous silica material of sedimentary origin. Due to its peculiar properties, it can be considered as a valid surrogate of synthetic porous silica for nano-based drug delivery. In this work, we exploit the potential of diatomite nanoparticles

Adsorption characteristics of Cs"+ onto artificial zeolites synthesized from coal fly ash and diatomite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johan, Erni; Yoshida, Kohei; Itagaki, Yoshiteru; Aono, Hiromichi; Munthali, Moses Wazingwa; Matsue, Naoto

2015-01-01

The radioactive decontamination of water, soil and other materials requires cheap and effective adsorbents. Artificial zeolites synthesized from an industrial waste (coal fly ash: Na-P1 type zeolite) and a natural material (diatomite: mordenite type zeolite) have a high Cs"+ adsorptivity in the adsorption experiments using 0.1 g of the zeolite and 50 mL of up to 7.5 mM CsCl. The coexisting cation suppressed the Cs"+ adsorption onto the zeolites, and the effect of the suppression was in the order, K"+ > Na"+ > Ca"2"+ > Mg"2"+. A thermodynamic analysis proved that the Cs"+ adsorption onto the two zeolites was exothermic favoring a lower temperature. The artificial mordenite showed a greater Cs"+ adsorption strength, higher distribution coefficient and lower ΔG°, especially at low Cs"+ concentrations. Adsorption isotherm analysis by the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich models showed a greater Cs"+ adsorption selectivity for the artificial mordenite even at a low pH. (author)

The Use of Infrared Spectroscopy to Determine the Quality of Carbonate-Rich Diatomite Ores

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Adriana Guatame-Garcia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Diatomite, a rock formed by the accumulation of opaline diatom frustules, is a preferred raw material for the manufacturing of filters. Its uniqueness relies on the high porosity and inertness of the frustules. The presence of carbonates in some diatomite ores hinders these properties. The purpose of this study was to identify the type of carbonates and their association with the ore in a diatomite deposit, and to assess the suitability of determining the quality of the ore using techniques with potential for in-pit implementation. For this, run-of-mine samples were analysed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM and infrared spectroscopy. The ESEM images showed that carbonate is present as cement and laminae. The infrared data revealed that the carbonate minerals correspond to aragonite and calcite, and that their occurrence is linked to the total amount of carbonate in the sample. By using a portable spectral instrument that uses diffuse reflectance, it was possible to classify the spectra of the ore samples based on the carbonate content. These results indicate that infrared technology could be used on-site for determining the quality of the ore, thus providing relevant information to assist the optimisation of mining and beneficiation activities.

Effect of preparation conditions on the characteristics and photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2}/purified diatomite composite photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Zhiming, E-mail: szmcumtb@hotmail.com; Hu, Zhibo; Yan, Yang; Zheng, Shuilin, E-mail: shuilinzh@sina.com

2014-09-30

Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}/purified diatomite composites were synthesized under different conditions. • The optimum preparation conditions of composites were obtained. • The obtained photocatalyst showed good photocatalytic activity. • The dispersity and grain size of loaded TiO{sub 2} NPs are the critical factors. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2}/purified diatomite composite materials were prepared through a modified hydrolysis-deposition method under low temperature using titanium tetrachloride as precursor combined with a calcination crystallization process. The microstructure and crystalline phases of the obtained composites prepared under different preparation conditions were characterized by high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The photocatalytic performance of TiO{sub 2}/purified diatomite composites was evaluated by Rhodamine B as the target pollutant under UV irradiation, and the optimum preparation conditions of composites were obtained. The TiO{sub 2} crystal form in composites prepared under optimum conditions was anatase, the grain size of which was 34.12 nm. The relationships between structure and property of composite materials were analyzed and discussed. It is indicated that the TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on the surface of diatoms, and the photocatalytic performance of the composite materials was mainly determined by the dispersity and grain size of loaded TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles.

Effect of Mesoporous Diatomite Particles on the Kinetics of SR&NI ATRP of Styrene and Butyl Acrylate

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Khezri, Khezrollah; Ghasemi, Moosa; Fazli, Yousef

2018-05-01

Mesoporous diatomite particles were employed to prepare different poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate)/diatomite nanocomposites. Diatomite nanoplatelets were used for in situ copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate by SR&NI ATRP to synthesize well-defined poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) nanocomposites. Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm is applied to examine surface area and structural characteristics of the diatomite nanoplatelets. Evaluation of pore size distribution and morphological studies were also performed by SEM and TEM. Conversion and molecular weight determinations were carried out using gas and size exclusion chromatography respectively. Addition of 3 wt% pristine mesoporous diatomite nanoplatelets leads to increase of conversion from 73 to 89%. Molecular weight of poly(styrene-co-butyl acrylate) chains increases from 17,115 to 20,343 g·mol-1 by addition of 3 wt% pristine mesoporous diatomite; however, polydispersity index values increases from 1.14 to 1.37. Increasing thermal stability of the nanocomposites is demonstrated by TGA. Differential scanning calorimetry shows an increase in glass transition temperature from 35.26 to 39.61°C by adding 3 wt% of mesoporous diatomite nanoplatelets.

Formation of siliceous sediments in brandy after diatomite filtration.

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Gómez, J; Gil, M L A; de la Rosa-Fox, N; Alguacil, M

2015-03-01

Brandy is quite a stable spirit but sometimes light sediment appears. This sediment was separated and analysed by IR and SEM-EDX. It was revealed that the sediment is composed mostly of silica and residual organic matter. Silica was present as an amorphous phase and as microparticles. In an attempt to reproduce the formation of the sediment, a diatomite extract was prepared with an ethanol/water mixture (36% vol.) and a calcined diatomite similar to that used in brandy filtration. This extract was added to unfiltered brandy in different amounts. After 1 month, the Si concentration decreased in all samples and sediments with similar compositions and features to those found in the unstable brandy appeared. The amounts of sediment obtained were directly related to the decrease in Si concentration in solution. Consequently, it can be concluded that siliceous sediment in brandy originates from Si released during diatomite filtration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of preparation conditions on the characteristics and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/purified diatomite composite photocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhiming; Hu, Zhibo; Yan, Yang; Zheng, Shuilin

2014-09-01

TiO2/purified diatomite composite materials were prepared through a modified hydrolysis-deposition method under low temperature using titanium tetrachloride as precursor combined with a calcination crystallization process. The microstructure and crystalline phases of the obtained composites prepared under different preparation conditions were characterized by high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The photocatalytic performance of TiO2/purified diatomite composites was evaluated by Rhodamine B as the target pollutant under UV irradiation, and the optimum preparation conditions of composites were obtained. The TiO2 crystal form in composites prepared under optimum conditions was anatase, the grain size of which was 34.12 nm. The relationships between structure and property of composite materials were analyzed and discussed. It is indicated that the TiO2 nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on the surface of diatoms, and the photocatalytic performance of the composite materials was mainly determined by the dispersity and grain size of loaded TiO2 nanoparticles.

Comparative research on tillable properties of diatomite-improved soils in the Yangtze River Delta region, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Ji-Li; Zhao, Dong-Xue

2016-10-15

To improve soil texture and structure, techniques associated with physical, biological or chemical aspects are generally adopted, among which diatomite is an important soil conditioner. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the physical, hydraulic and tillage performance of diatomite-improved soils. Consistency limits and compaction properties were investigated in this study, and several performance indicators were compared, such as the liquid limit, plastic limit and compactability, of silt, silt loam and silty-clay loam soils to which diatomite was added at volumetric ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. The results showed that diatomite significantly (pdiatomite lowered the maximum dry bulk density (MBD) of the classified soils, the optimum moisture content (OMC) was increased overall. The trend was consistent with the proportion of diatomite, and MBD decreased by 8.7%, 10.3%, and 13.2% in the silt, silt loam and silty-clay loam soils when 30% diatomite was mixed, whereas OMC increased by 28.7%, 22.4%, and 25.3%, respectively. Additionally, aggregate stability was negatively correlated with MBD but positively correlated with OMC. Diatomite exerts positive effects on soil mechanical strength, suggesting that soils from sludge farms are more tillable with a larger stabilized and workable matrix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chapter E: History and Overview of the U.S. Diatomite Mining Industry, with Emphasis on the Western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Moyle, Phillip R.; Dolley, Thomas P.

2003-01-01

The United States is the largest producer and consumer of diatomite in the world. In 2001, the United States produced about a third of the estimated global production of 1.95 million metric tons (Mt) of diatomite (Dolley, 2003). In any given year, the United States accounts for at least 50 percent of all the diatomite exported in the world (Roskill, 1994). Seven diatomite companies operating in the United States produce diatomite in various grades for a range of applications, including filtration, absorbents, fillers, insulation, and cement manufacture. Economic deposits of diatomite within the United States depend on variations in the physical and chemical properties between and within deposits, potential end uses, and proximity to suitable markets. On the basis of historical production figures, estimated U.S. diatomite-production capacity is currently about 800,000 metric tons per year (t/yr).

Chapter F: Preliminary Bibliography of Lacustrine Diatomite Deposits in the Western United States and Related Topics

Science.gov (United States)

Bolm, Karen S.; Wallace, Alan R.; Moyle, Phillip R.; Bliss, James D.; Orris, Greta J.

2003-01-01

Introduction As part of the assessment of lacustrine diatomite resources in the Western United States (fig. 1), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project members conducted a review of literature relating to the formation, location, and nature of deposits in the study area. This preliminary bibliography consists of selected publications to identify, locate, and describe the deposits to be studied, to characterize common geologic factors about the deposits, and to better understand the factors that control their formation, preservation, or destruction. The bibliography also serves as a resource for other workers to research the topic. References included in the preliminary bibliography were gathered by searching existing bibliographic data bases and library collections. Project researchers also contributed references that they found during the course of their work. This bibliography should be considered a working document that will grow as research and literature searches continue. Clearly, many significant publications may be missing from this preliminary list; therefore, USGS staff members intend to issue a revised bibliography as project work progresses. To assure completeness, input from other researchers and industry is welcome. Although the focus of this bibliography is lacustrine diatomite deposits of the Western United States, additional references that provide a foundation of knowledge for the study of diatomites, diatoms, and diatom-related processes (ecology, geology, geochemistry) and for the uses and behavior of diatomite have also been included. An index of keywords has been added to this bibliography, designed to help the user locate reports by topic or by geographic location. The letter 'A' following a number indicates that the report referenced is an abstract.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron incorporated with nanomagnetic diatomite for catalytic degradation of methylene blue in heterogeneous Fenton system.

Science.gov (United States)

Zha, Yiming; Zhou, Ziqing; He, Haibo; Wang, Tianlin; Luo, Liqiang

2016-01-01

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) incorporated with nanomagnetic diatomite (DE) composite material was prepared for catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in heterogeneous Fenton system. The material was constructed by two facile steps: Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were supported on DE by chemical co-precipitation method, after which nZVI was incorporated into magnetic DE by liquid-phase chemical reduction strategy. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, magnetic properties measurement and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm measurement. The novel nZVI@Fe3O4-diatomite nanocomposites showed a distinct catalytic activity and a desirable effect for degradation of MB. MB could be completely decolorized within 8 min and the removal efficiency of total organic carbon could reach to 90% after reaction for 1 h.

Microporous nano-MgO/diatomite ceramic membrane with high positive surface charge for tetracycline removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Xian; Liu, Zhimeng; Deng, Cheng; Zhu, Mengfu; Wang, Deyin; Li, Kui; Deng, Yu; Jiang, Mingming

2016-12-15

A novel microporous nano-MgO/diatomite ceramic membrane with high positive surface charge was prepared, including synthesis of precursor colloid, dip-coating and thermal decomposition. Combined SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS studies show the nano-MgO is irregularly distributed on the membrane surface or pore walls and forms a positively charged nano coating. And the nano-MgO coating is firmly attached to the diatomite membrane via SiO chemical bond. Thus the nano-MgO/diatomite membrane behaves strong electropositivity with the isoelectric point of 10.8. Preliminary filtration tests indicate that the as-prepared nano-MgO/diatomite membrane could remove approximately 99.7% of tetracycline in water through electrostatic adsorption effect. The desirable electrostatic property enables the nano-MgO/diatomite membrane to be a candidate for removal of organic pollutants from water. And it is convinced that there will be a great application prospect of charged ceramic membrane in water treatment field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of diatomite and its application for the retention of radiocobalt: role of environmental parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Guodong; Dong, Huaping; Li, Yimin

2012-11-01

Clay minerals have been extensively studied because of their strong sorption and complexation ability. In this work, diatomite was characterized by using acid-base titration. Retention of radionuclide (60)Co(II) from aqueous solution by sorption onto diatomite was investigated by using batch technique under various environmental conditions such as pH, ionic strength, humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA), and temperature. The results indicated that the sorption of Co(II) onto diatomite was strongly dependent on pH. At low pH value, the sorption of Co(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation and ion exchange with Na(+)/H(+) on diatomite surfaces, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH value. The D-R model fitted the sorption isotherms better than the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH(0), ΔS(0) and ΔG(0)) calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms suggested that the sorption of Co(II) was an endothermic and spontaneous process. In addition, diatomite showed higher sorption capacity than that of lots of the sorbents reported in the literatures we surveyed. From the results of Co(II) removal by diatomite, the optimum reaction conditions can be obtained for the maximum removal of Co(II) from water. It is clear that the best pH values of the system to remove Co(II) from solution by using diatomite are 7-8. Considering the low cost and effective disposal of Co(II)-contaminated wastewaters, the best condition for Co(II) removal is at room temperature and solid content of 0.5 g/L. The results might be important for assessing the potential of practical application of diatomite in Co(II) and related radionuclide pollution management. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizations of nano-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite composites and their photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr (VI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Qing; Li, Hui; Zheng, Shuilin, E-mail: shuilinzh@sina.com; Sun, Zhiming, E-mail: szmcumtb@hotmail.com

2014-08-30

Graphical abstract: Nano-TiO{sub 2}/diatomite (DIA) composites were successfully synthesized by a typical hydrolysis precipitation method. The composites show good photocatalytic activity and stability for aqueous Cr (VI) removal. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles/diatomite composite was synthesized and characterized. • The composite exhibited a good photocatalytic performance in Cr (VI) reduction. • The photocatalyst showed good photocatalytic stability. • The composite is a promising material for Cr (VI) photocatalytic reduction. - Abstract: In this paper, the TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were immobilized on diatomite (DIA) via a typical hydrolysis precipitation process using TiCl{sub 4} as precursor. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with the average grain size of around 7–14 nm were well deposited on the surface of diatomite. The photocatalytic activity toward the reduction of aqueous Cr (VI) was demonstrated under UV light. The influence of initial pH values, catalyst amount, illumination intensity and initial concentration of Cr (VI) on photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) were investigated. Compared with the commercial TiO{sub 2} (P25, Degussa), the TiO{sub 2}/DIA composites had better reactive activity because of their relatively higher adsorption capacity. Furthermore, the prepared photocatalyst exhibited relatively good photocatalytic stability depending on the reusability tests.

Diatomite Type Filters for Swimming Pools. Standard No. 9, Revised October, 1966.

Science.gov (United States)

National Sanitation Foundation, Ann Arbor, MI.

Pressure and vacuum diatomite type filters are covered in this standard. The filters herein described are intended to be designed and used specifically for swimming pool water filtration, both public and residential. Included are the basic components which are a necessary part of the diatomite type filter such as filter housing, element supports,…

Diatomite as a novel composite ingredient for chitosan film with enhanced physicochemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Akyuz, Lalehan; Kaya, Murat; Koc, Behlul; Mujtaba, Muhammad; Ilk, Sedef; Labidi, Jalel; Salaberria, Asier M; Cakmak, Yavuz Selim; Yildiz, Aysegul

2017-12-01

Practical applications of biopolymers in different industries are gaining considerable increase day by day. But still, these biopolymers lack important properties in order to meet the industrial demands. In the same regard, in the current study, chitosan composite films are produced by incorporating diatomite soil at two different concentrations. In order to obtain a homogeneous film, glutaraldehyde was supplemented to chitosan solution as a cross-linker. Compositing diatomaceous earth to chitosan film resulted in improvement of various important physicochemical properties compared to control such as; enhanced film wettability, increase elongation at break and improved thermal stability (264-277°C). The microstructure of the film was observed to haveconsisted of homogeneously distributed blister-shaped structures arised due to the incorporation of diatomite. The incorporation of diatomite did not influence the overall antioxidant activity of the composite films, which can be ascribe to the difficulty radicals formation. Chitosan film incorporated with increasing fraction of diatomite revealed a notable enhancement in the antimicrobial activity. Additionally with the present study, for the first time possible interactions between chitosan/diatomite were determined via quantum chemical calculations. Current study will be helpful in giving a new biotechnological perspective to diatom in terms of its successful application in hydrophobic composite film production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Possible mechanism of structural incorporation of Al into diatomite during the deposition process I. Via a condensation reaction of hydroxyl groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Yu, Wenbin; Deng, Liangliang; Yuan, Weiwei; Ma, Lingya; Yuan, Peng; Du, Peixin; He, Hongping

2016-01-01

The structural incorporation of aluminium (Al) into diatomite is investigated by preparing several Al-diatomite composites by loading an Al precursor, hydroxyl aluminum polymer (Al13), onto the surface of diatomite and heating at various temperatures. The results indicate that Al was incorporated and implanted into the structure of diatomite by the condensation reaction of the hydroxyl groups of Al13 and diatomite, and the Si-O-Al(OH) groups were formed during the condensation reaction. Al incorporation by the condensation reaction of hydroxyl groups of Al13 with single silanols of diatomite occurred more readily than that with geminal silanols. The Al incorporation increased solid acidity of diatomite after Al incorporation. The acidity improvement was various for different types of acid sites, depending on the preparation temperature of the Al-incorporated diatomite. Both Brønsted and Lewis acid sites increased greatly after heating at 250 and 350 °C, but only L acid sites significantly improved after heating at 500 °C. These results demonstrate that the structural incorporation of Al(3+) ions into diatomite can occur by the condensation reaction of the hydroxyl groups of the Al precursors and diatomite. Moreover, the rich solid acid sites of Al-incorporated diatomite show its promising application as a solid acid catalyst. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sorption of Cr(III) ion from aqueous solution by two kinds of modified diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Er; Zeng, Xiangying

2012-01-01

Raw diatomite modified by microemulsion (DMM) and manganese oxide (MnD) were used for the removal of Cr(III) ions from aqueous solution. The characteristics and performance of these two types of modified diatomite on Cr(III) ion adsorption were compared. The results indicate that the Cr(III) ion adsorption capacities of diatomite were considerably improved after modifications by manganese oxide (MnO) and microemulsion. The surface area of MnD was increased because of the formation of MnO on the diatomite surface, and that of DMM was promoted owing to the existence of the hydrolyzed aromatic acid. Because of the stronger surface ionized function, the adsorption performance of Cr(III) ions in DMM was better than that in MnD. Within the experimental range of pH (i.e. 2.2-6.3), the Cr(III) ion removal of DMM (35-70%) was higher than that of MnD (33-59%) owing to the different electrostatic forces between the Cr(III) ion and the surface of the modified diatomite. The Cr(III) ion removal in MnD and DMM was improved with the increase of synthetic solution concentration in volumes from 0 to 2,500 mL.

Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chong; Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min; Chen, Jianfeng; Cai, Dongqing; Wu, Zhengyan

2014-08-01

High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite.

Properties of auxiliary filtering materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rudenko, L.I.; Sklyar, V.T.

1981-01-01

The authors have studied the physicochemical and filtering properties of the perlites FP-1 and FP-2, kieselguhr, diatomite, asbestos, wood pulp, and the diatomite powders Spidplace and Saperaid. They propose a classification for filtering materials according to their properties when mechanical impurities are being removed from the additives.

Thermal Properties of Algerian Diatomite, Study of the Possibility to Its Use in the Thermal Insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdi, Boualem; Hamdi, Safia

The chemical and physical properties of a Algerian diatomite were given before and after heat treatment and chemical with an aim of a use in the heat insulation of constructions. The preliminary results obtained showed that this material is extremely porous (porosity >70 %), characterized of a low density and a very low thermal conductivity. These promising properties support the use of this local material in the thermal insulation.

Characterization of diatomite and its application for the retention of radiocobalt: role of environmental parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng, Guodong; Dong, Huaping; Li, Yimin

2012-01-01

Clay minerals have been extensively studied because of their strong sorption and complexation ability. In this work, diatomite was characterized by using acid–base titration. Retention of radionuclide 60 Co(II) from aqueous solution by sorption onto diatomite was investigated by using batch technique under various environmental conditions such as pH, ionic strength, humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA), and temperature. The results indicated that the sorption of Co(II) onto diatomite was strongly dependent on pH. At low pH value, the sorption of Co(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation and ion exchange with Na + /H + on diatomite surfaces, whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH value. The D–R model fitted the sorption isotherms better than the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH 0 , ΔS 0 and ΔG 0 ) calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms suggested that the sorption of Co(II) was an endothermic and spontaneous process. In addition, diatomite showed higher sorption capacity than that of lots of the sorbents reported in the literatures we surveyed. From the results of Co(II) removal by diatomite, the optimum reaction conditions can be obtained for the maximum removal of Co(II) from water. It is clear that the best pH values of the system to remove Co(II) from solution by using diatomite are 7–8. Considering the low cost and effective disposal of Co(II)-contaminated wastewaters, the best condition for Co(II) removal is at room temperature and solid content of 0.5 g/L. The results might be important for assessing the potential of practical application of diatomite in Co(II) and related radionuclide pollution management. - Highlights: ► The sorption of Co(II) was strongly dependent on ionic strength at low pH, but independent of ionic strength at high pH. ► A positive effect of HA/FA on Co(II) sorption was found at low pH, whereas a negative effect

Experimental study on the effect of calcination on the volcanic ash activity of diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Liguang; Pang, Bo

2017-09-01

The volcanic ash activity of diatomite was studied under the conditions of aerobic calcination and vacuum calcination by the combined water rate method, it was characterized by XRD, BET and SEM. The results showed that the volcanic ash activity of diatomite under vacuum conditions was higher than that of aerobic calcination, 600°C vacuum calcination 2h, the combined water rate of diatomite-Ca(OH)2-H2O system was increased from 6.24% to 71.43%, the volcanic ash activity reached the maximum value, the specific surface

Facile Preparation of Nano-Bi₂MoO₆/Diatomite Composite for Enhancing Photocatalytic Performance under Visible Light Irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Lu; Gong, Jiuyan; Liu, Jianshe; Zhang, Hailong; Song, Wendong; Ji, Lili

2018-02-09

In this work, a new nano-Bi₂MoO₆/diatomite composite photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS) were employed to investigate the morphology, crystal structure, and optical properties. It was shown that nanometer-scaled Bi₂MoO₆ crystals were well-deposited on the surface of Bi₂MoO₆/diatomite. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under the visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. Moreover, trapping experiments were performed to investigate the possible photocatalytic reaction mechanism. The results showed that the nano-Bi₂MoO₆/diatomite composite with the mass ratio of Bi₂MoO₆ to diatomaceous earth of 70% exhibited the highest activity, and the RhB degradation efficiency reached 97.6% within 60 min. The main active species were revealed to be h⁺ and•O 2- . As a photocatalytic reactor, its recycling performance showed a good stability and reusability. This new composite photocatalyst material holds great promise in the engineering field for the environmental remediation.

Electromagnetic properties of core–shell particles by way of electroless Ni–Fe–P alloy plating on flake-shaped diatomite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Deyuan [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Yuan, Liming, E-mail: lming_y@163.com [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Lan, Mingming; Hu, Yanyan; Cai, Jun [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Zhang, Wenqiang [College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083 (China); Li, Haiyang [China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Beijing 100854 (China)

2013-11-15

Flake-shaped diatomite particles coated by Ni–Fe–P alloy were prepared by electroless plating technique and processed by heat treatment. The samples were characterized by SEM, EDS and XRD. The results indicated that the magnetic diatomite particles had continuous and homogeneous Ni–Fe–P coating, and the phase constitution of the Ni–Fe–P coating was transformed from an amorphous structure to a crystalline structure during heat treatment. The measured electromagnetic parameters and the calculated reflection loss suggested that heat treatment was able to enhance the microwave absorption performance of the paraffin wax based composites. In a word, the Ni–Fe–P coated diatomite particle obtained in this paper is a promising candidate for lightweight microwave absorbing inclusions. - Highlights: • We used the flake-shaped diatomite particles as forming template to fabricate the core–shell ferromagnetic particles. • The diatomite particles were deposited Ni–Fe–P alloy by way of electroless plating methods. • The coated diatomite particles were lightweight ferromagnetic fillers. • The composites containing coated diatomite particles with heat treatment exhibited great potential in the field of electromagnetic absorbing.

Electromagnetic properties of core–shell particles by way of electroless Ni–Fe–P alloy plating on flake-shaped diatomite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Deyuan; Yuan, Liming; Lan, Mingming; Hu, Yanyan; Cai, Jun; Zhang, Wenqiang; Li, Haiyang

2013-01-01

Flake-shaped diatomite particles coated by Ni–Fe–P alloy were prepared by electroless plating technique and processed by heat treatment. The samples were characterized by SEM, EDS and XRD. The results indicated that the magnetic diatomite particles had continuous and homogeneous Ni–Fe–P coating, and the phase constitution of the Ni–Fe–P coating was transformed from an amorphous structure to a crystalline structure during heat treatment. The measured electromagnetic parameters and the calculated reflection loss suggested that heat treatment was able to enhance the microwave absorption performance of the paraffin wax based composites. In a word, the Ni–Fe–P coated diatomite particle obtained in this paper is a promising candidate for lightweight microwave absorbing inclusions. - Highlights: • We used the flake-shaped diatomite particles as forming template to fabricate the core–shell ferromagnetic particles. • The diatomite particles were deposited Ni–Fe–P alloy by way of electroless plating methods. • The coated diatomite particles were lightweight ferromagnetic fillers. • The composites containing coated diatomite particles with heat treatment exhibited great potential in the field of electromagnetic absorbing

AgBr/diatomite for the efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Jing; Zhao, Huamei; Liu, Qinglei; Zhang, Wang; Gu, Jiajun; Su, Yishi; Abbas, Waseem; Su, Huilan; You, Zhengwei; Zhang, Di

2018-03-01

The treatment of organic pollution via photocatalysis has been investigated for a few decades. However, earth-abundant, cheap, stable, and efficient substrates are still to be developed. Here, we prepare an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst via the deposition of Ag nanoparticles (light intensity. For comparison, AgBr/SiO2 ( κ = 0.04 min-1) and commercial AgBr nanoparticles ( κ = 0.05 min-1) were measured as well. The experimental results reveal that diatomite acted more than a substrate benefiting the dispersion of AgBr nanoparticles, as well as a cooperator to help harvest visible light and adsorb dye molecules, leading to the efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance of AgBr/diatomite. Considering the low cost (10 per ton) and large-scale availability of diatomite, our study provides the possibility to prepare other types of diatomite-based efficient photocatalytic composites with low-cost but excellent photocatalytic performance.

Surface bioengineering of diatomite based nanovectors for efficient intracellular uptake and drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Terracciano, Monica; Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Correia, Alexandra; Rea, Ilaria; Lamberti, Annalisa; De Stefano, Luca; Santos, Hélder A

2015-12-21

Diatomite is a natural porous silica material of sedimentary origin. Due to its peculiar properties, it can be considered as a valid surrogate of synthetic porous silica for nano-based drug delivery. In this work, we exploit the potential of diatomite nanoparticles (DNPs) for drug delivery with the aim of developing a successful dual-biofunctionalization method by polyethylene glycol (PEG) coverage and cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) bioconjugation, to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of the particles, to enhance the intracellular uptake in cancer cells, and to increase the biocompatibility of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APT) modified-DNPs. DNPs-APT-PEG-CPP showed hemocompatibility for up to 200 μg mL(-1) after 48 h of incubation with erythrocytes, with a hemolysis value of only 1.3%. The cytotoxicity of the modified-DNPs with a concentration up to 200 μg mL(-1) and incubation with MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells for 24 h, demonstrated that PEGylation and CPP-bioconjugation can strongly reduce the cytotoxicity of DNPs-APT. The cellular uptake of the modified-DNPs was also evaluated using the above mentioned cancer cell lines, showing that the CPP-bioconjugation can considerably increase the DNP cellular uptake. Moreover, the dual surface modification of DNPs improved both the loading of a poorly water-soluble anticancer drug, sorafenib, with a loading degree up to 22 wt%, and also enhanced the drug release profiles in aqueous solutions. Overall, this work demonstrates that the biofunctionalization of DNPs is a promising platform for drug delivery applications in cancer therapy as a result of its enhanced stability, biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and drug release profiles.

Laboratory Study on Properties of Diatomite and Basalt Fiber Compound Modified Asphalt Mastic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongchun Cheng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the performance of asphalt mastic, some researchers have added diatomite or basalt fiber as a modifier to the asphalt mastic, and the results show that some properties of the asphalt mastic were improved. For the simultaneous addition of diatomite and basalt fiber, two kinds of modifier, compound modified asphalt mastic had not been reported; in this paper, thirteen groups of diatomite and basalt fiber (DBFCMAM compound modified asphalt mastic with different content were prepared to study the performance. Softening point, cone penetration, viscosity, and DSR tests were conducted, for the high temperature performance evaluation of DBFCMAM, whereas force ductility and BBR tests were used in the low temperature performance study of the DBFCMAM. The results demonstrated that the high temperature performance of DBFCMAM was increased; moreover, the low temperature performance of DBFCMAM improved by diatomite and basalt fiber according to the results of the force ductility test; however, the conclusion of the BBR test data was inconsistent with the force ductility test. In summary, the high temperature and low temperature properties of DBFCMAM had been improved.

Chapter B: Regional Geologic Setting of Late Cenozoic Lacustrine Diatomite Deposits, Great Basin and Surrounding Region: Overview and Plans for Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Alan R.

2003-01-01

Freshwater diatomite deposits are present in all of the Western United States, including the Great Basin and surrounding regions. These deposits are important domestic sources of diatomite, and a better understanding of their formation and geologic settings may aid diatomite exploration and land-use management. Diatomite deposits in the Great Basin are the products of two stages: (1) formation in Late Cenozoic lacustrine basins and (2) preservation after formation. Processes that favored long-lived diatom activity and diatomite formation range in decreasing scale from global to local. The most important global process was climate, which became increasingly cool and dry from 15 Ma to the present. Regional processes included tectonic setting and volcanism, which varied considerably both spatially and temporally in the Great Basin region. Local processes included basin formation, sedimentation, hydrology, and rates of processes, including diatom growth and accumulation; basin morphology and nutrient and silica sources were important for robust activity of different diatom genera. Only optimum combinations of these processes led to the formation of large diatomite deposits, and less than optimum combinations resulted in lakebeds that contained little to no diatomite. Postdepositional processes can destroy, conceal, or preserve a diatomite deposit. These processes, which most commonly are local in scale, include uplift, with related erosion and changes in hydrology; burial beneath sedimentary deposits or volcanic flows and tuffs; and alteration during diagenesis and hydrothermal activity. Some sedimentary basins that may have contained diatomite deposits have largely been destroyed or significantly modified, whereas others, such as those in western Nevada, have been sufficiently preserved along with their contained diatomite deposits. Future research on freshwater diatomite deposits in the Western United States and Great Basin region should concentrate on the regional

MODELLING OF KINETICS OF FLUORINE ADSORPTION ONTO MODIFIED DIATOMITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VEACESLAV ZELENTSOV

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents kinetics modelling of adsorption of fluorine onto modified diatomite, its fundamental characteristics and mathematical derivations. Three models of defluoridation kinetics were used to fit the experimental results on adsorption fluorine onto diatomite: the pseudo-first order model Lagergren, the pseudo-second order model G. McKay and H.S. Ho and intraparticle diffusion model of W.J. Weber and J.C. Morris. Kinetics studies revealed that the adsorption of fluorine followed second-order rate model, complimented by intraparticle diffusion kinetics. The adsorption mechanism of fluorine involved three stages – external surface adsorption, intraparticle diffusion and the stage of equilibrium.

Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chong; Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min; Chen, Jianfeng; Cai, Dongqing; Wu, Zhengyan

2014-01-01

Highlights: • High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment were used. • HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose. • Hydrothermal treatment (HT) could remove these impurities from the pores. • They could effectively improve pore size distribution and decrease the bulk density. • Catalytic performance of the corresponding catalyst was significantly improved. - Abstract: High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite

Pore structure modification of diatomite as sulfuric acid catalyst support by high energy electron beam irradiation and hydrothermal treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Chong [Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang, Guilong; Wang, Min [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Chen, Jianfeng [Research Center of the Ministry of Education for High Gravity Engineering and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Cai, Dongqing, E-mail: dqcai@ipp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Wu, Zhengyan, E-mail: zywu@ipp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

2014-08-15

Highlights: • High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment were used. • HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose. • Hydrothermal treatment (HT) could remove these impurities from the pores. • They could effectively improve pore size distribution and decrease the bulk density. • Catalytic performance of the corresponding catalyst was significantly improved. - Abstract: High energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation and hydrothermal treatment (HT), were applied in order to remove the impurities and enlarge the pore size of diatomite, making diatomite more suitable to be a catalyst support. The results demonstrated that, through thermal, charge, impact and etching effects, HEEB irradiation could make the impurities in the pores of diatomite loose and remove some of them. Then HT could remove rest of them from the pores and contribute significantly to the modification of the pore size distribution of diatomite due to thermal expansion, water swelling and thermolysis effects. Moreover, the pore structure modification improved the properties (BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) specific surface area, bulk density and pore volume) of diatomite and the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst prepared from the treated diatomite.

Interaction of radionickel with diatomite as a function of pH, ionic strength and temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Wang

2013-01-01

Sequestration of Ni(II) on diatomite as a function of reaction time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions and temperature were investigated by batch sorption technique. The results indicated that the sorption of Ni(II) on diatomite was quickly in the first contact time of 2 h and then slowly with increasing contact time. The interaction of Ni(II) with diatomite was strongly pH- and ionic strength-dependent at low pH values (i.e., which was dominated by ion exchange or outer-sphere surface complexation), while the pH-dependent and ionic strength-independent sorption at high pH suggested that inner-sphere or multinuclear surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism. With increasing temperature, the sorption of Ni(II) on diatomite increased and the experimental data were well fitted by Langmuir model. The sorption samples at pH 6.8 and 10.0 were also characterized by XPS spectroscopy, and the results suggested that Si atoms also participated in Ni(II) sorption on diatomite. The results are important to evaluate the physicochemical behavior of Ni(II) and other similar radionuclides and heavy metal ions in the environment. (author)

Prussian blue caged in spongiform adsorbents using diatomite and carbon nanotubes for elimination of cesium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Baiyang [Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan); Fugetsu, Bunshi, E-mail: hu@ees.hokudai.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan); Yu, Hongwen [Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan); Abe, Yoshiteru [Kyoei Engineering Corporation, Niigata 959-1961 (Japan)

2012-05-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Prussian blue was sealed in cavities of diatomite using carbon nanotubes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The caged Prussian blue after being permanently immobilized in polyurethane spongy showed a 167 mg/g capability for absorbing cesium. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cesium elimination was accomplished by simply adding the Prussian-blue based spongiform adsorbent to radioactive water. - Abstract: We developed a spongiform adsorbent that contains Prussian blue, which showed a high capacity for eliminating cesium. An in situ synthesizing approach was used to synthesize Prussian blue inside diatomite cavities. Highly dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used to form CNT networks that coated the diatomite to seal in the Prussian blue particles. These ternary (CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue) composites were mixed with polyurethane (PU) prepolymers to produce a quaternary (PU/CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue), spongiform adsorbent with an in situ foaming procedure. Prussian blue was permanently immobilized in the cell walls of the spongiform matrix and preferentially adsorbed cesium with a theoretical capacity of 167 mg/g cesium. Cesium was absorbed primarily by an ion-exchange mechanism, and the absorption was accomplished by self-uptake of radioactive water by the quaternary spongiform adsorbent.

Diatomite-Templated Synthesis of Freestanding 3D Graphdiyne for Energy Storage and Catalysis Application.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiaqiang; Xu, Jing; Xie, Ziqian; Gao, Xin; Zhou, Jingyuan; Xiong, Yan; Chen, Changguo; Zhang, Jin; Liu, Zhongfan

2018-05-01

Graphdiyne (GDY), a new kind of two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotropes, has extraordinary electrical, mechanical, and optical properties, leading to advanced applications in the fields of energy storage, photocatalysis, electrochemical catalysis, and sensors. However, almost all reported methods require metallic copper as a substrate, which severely limits their large-scale application because of the high cost and low specific surface area (SSA) of copper substrate. Here, freestanding three-dimensional GDY (3DGDY) is successfully prepared using naturally abundant and inexpensive diatomite as template. In addition to the intrinsic properties of GDY, the fabricated 3DGDY exhibits a porous structure and high SSA that enable it to be directly used as a lithium-ion battery anode material and a 3D scaffold to create Rh@3DGDY composites, which would hold great potential applications in energy storage and catalysts, respectively. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Prussian blue caged in spongiform adsorbents using diatomite and carbon nanotubes for elimination of cesium.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Baiyang; Fugetsu, Bunshi; Yu, Hongwen; Abe, Yoshiteru

2012-05-30

We developed a spongiform adsorbent that contains Prussian blue, which showed a high capacity for eliminating cesium. An in situ synthesizing approach was used to synthesize Prussian blue inside diatomite cavities. Highly dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used to form CNT networks that coated the diatomite to seal in the Prussian blue particles. These ternary (CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue) composites were mixed with polyurethane (PU) prepolymers to produce a quaternary (PU/CNT/diatomite/Prussian-blue), spongiform adsorbent with an in situ foaming procedure. Prussian blue was permanently immobilized in the cell walls of the spongiform matrix and preferentially adsorbed cesium with a theoretical capacity of 167 mg/g cesium. Cesium was absorbed primarily by an ion-exchange mechanism, and the absorption was accomplished by self-uptake of radioactive water by the quaternary spongiform adsorbent. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced oxidation of naphthalene using plasma activation of TiO2/diatomite catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zuliang; Zhu, Zhoubin; Hao, Xiaodong; Zhou, Weili; Han, Jingyi; Tang, Xiujuan; Yao, Shuiliang; Zhang, Xuming

2018-04-05

Non-thermal plasma technology has great potential in reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission. But in plasma-alone process, various undesired by-products are produced, which causes secondary pollutions. Here, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor has been developed for the oxidation of naphthalene over a TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst at low temperature. In comparison to plasma-alone process, the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst significantly enhanced naphthalene conversion (up to 40%) and CO x selectivity (up to 92%), and substantially reduced the formation of aerosol (up to 90%) and secondary volatile organic compounds (up to near 100%). The mechanistic study suggested that the presence of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst intensified the electron energy in the DBD. Meantime, the energized electrons generated in the discharge activated TiO 2 , while the presence of ozone enhanced the activity of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst. This plasma-catalyst interaction led to the synergetic effect resulting from the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst, consequently enhanced the oxidation of naphthalene. Importantly, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of plasma to activate the photocatalyst for the deep oxidation of PAH without external heating, which is potentially valuable in the development of cost-effective gas cleaning process for the removal of PAHs in vehicle applications during cold start conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sorption of nonpolar aromatic contaminants by chlorosilane surface modified natural minerals.

Science.gov (United States)

Huttenloch, P; Roehl, K E; Czurda, K

2001-11-01

The efficacy of the surface modification of natural diatomite and zeolite material by chlorosilanes is demonstrated. Chlorosilanes used were trimethylchlorosilane (TMSCI), tert-butyldimethylchlorosilane (TBDMSCI), dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane (DMODSCI), and diphenyldichlorosilane (DPDSCI) possessing different headgroups and chemical properties. Silanol groups of the diatomite and zeolite were modified by chemical reaction with the chlorosilanes resulting in a stable covalent attachment of the organosilanes to the mineral surface. The alteration of surface properties of the modified material was proved by measurements of water adsorption capacity, total organic carbon (TOC) content, and thermoanalytical data. The surface modified material showed great stability even when exposed to extremes in ionic strength, pH, and to pure organic solvents. Sorption of toluene, o-xylene, and naphthalene from water was greatly enhanced by the surface modification compared to the untreated materials which showed no measurable sorption of these compounds. The enhanced sorption was dependent on the organic carbon content as well as on chemical characteristics of the chlorosilanes used. Batch sorption experiments showed that the phenyl headgroups of DPDSCI have the best affinity for aromatic compounds. Removal from an aqueous solution of 10 mg/L of naphthalene, o-xylene, and toluene was 71%, 60%, and 30% for surface modified diatomite and 51%, 30%, and 16% for modified clinoptilolite, respectively. Sorption data were well described by the Freundlich isotherm equation, which indicated physical adsorption onto the lipophilic surface rather than partitioning into the surface organic phase. The chlorosilane modified materials have an apparent potential for application in environmental technologies such as permeable reactive barriers (PRB) or wastewater treatment.

Evaluation of an up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor containing diatomite and maifanite for the improved treatment of petroleum wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chunmao; Liang, Jiahao; Yoza, Brandon A; Li, Qing X; Zhan, Yali; Wang, Qinghong

2017-11-01

Novel diatomite (R1) and maifanite (R2) were utilized as support materials in an up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor for the treatment of recalcitrant petroleum wastewater. At high organic loadings (11kg-COD/m 3 ·d), these materials were efficient at reducing COD (92.7% and 93.0%) in comparison with controls (R0) (88.4%). Higher percentages of large granular sludge (0.6mm or larger) were observed for R1 (30.3%) and R2 (24.6%) compared with controls (22.6%). The larger portion of granular sludge provided a favorable habitat that resulted in greater microorganism diversity. Increased filamentous bacterial communities are believed to have promoted granular sludge formation promoting a conductive environment for stimulation methanogenic Archaea. These communities had enhanced pH tolerance and produced more methane. This study illustrates a new potential use of diatomite and maifanite as support materials in UASB reactors for increased efficiency when treating refractory wastewaters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Potential Protect Effect of HSCAS, Diatomite and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mdenli

bentonite (Rosa et al., 2001), zeolite (Miazzo et al., 2000), hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate. (HSCAS) ... Due to these properties diatomite was selected for use in this experiment to compare ..... Aflatoxins in animal and human health.

Effects of Diatomite Organic Fertilizer on Cd and Zn Forms and Availability of Cd-Zn Polluted Soil

OpenAIRE

LIN Ji; CHENG Chen; HAN Ming-qiang; LI Song-xing; MA Xiao-rui; LI Yan

2014-01-01

An indoor soil cultivation experiment was carried out to study the effects of diatomite organic fertilizer on the forms and the avail-ability of Cd, Zn in soil. The results showed that the soil pH increased, the soil available Cd and Zn reduced after diatomite organic fertilizer application in contaminated soil. Diatomite organic fertilizer application decreased the contents of exchangeable form and weakly-bound-to organic form of Cd and Zn significantly, but increased the contents of strongl...

BTEX and MTBE adsorption onto raw and thermally modified diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Aivalioti, Maria; Vamvasakis, Ioannis; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2010-06-15

The removal of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylenes) and MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) from aqueous solution by raw (D(R)) and thermally modified diatomite at 550, 750 and 950 degrees C (D(550), D(750) and D(950) respectively) was studied. Physical characteristics of both raw and modified diatomite such as specific surface, pore volume distribution, porosity and pH(solution) were determined, indicating important structural changes in the modified diatomite, due to exposure to high temperatures. Both adsorption kinetic and isotherm experiments were carried out. The kinetics data proved a closer fit to the pseudo-second order model. Maximum values for the rate constant, k(2), were obtained for MTBE and benzene (48.9326 and 18.0996 g mg(-1)h(-1), respectively) in sample D(550). The isotherm data proved to fit the Freundlich model more closely, which produced values of the isotherm constant 1/n higher than one, indicating unfavorable adsorption. The highest adsorption capacity, calculated through the values of the isotherm constant k(F), was obtained for MTBE (48.42 mg kg(-1) (mg/L)(n)) in sample D(950). Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Properties of silica fume procured from natural diatomite and its usage in the production of vacuum insulation panels

OpenAIRE

V.P. Selyaev; V.A. Neverov; O.G. Mashtaev; A.V. Kolotushkin

2013-01-01

The article shows the results of the research of silica fume particles procured from diatomite from Atemar deposit by means of separating silicic acid from colloidal dissolved state into the sediment. The objective of the work was to define thermal-physical and structural characteristics of the silica fume. The research included IR-spectrometry, granulometry, thermal gravimetric analysis, X-ray structural analysis, optical microscopy, and small angle X-Ray scattering. As a result of the resea...

[Preparation and applications of a supported liquid-liquid extraction column with a composite diatomite material].

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Jianmin; Ma, Zhishuang; Sun, Ying; Wang, Yongzun; Li, Youxin

2012-08-01

A rapid and special supported liquid-liquid extraction (SLE) column was developed with a composite diatomite material. The SLE column was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with acidic, neutral and alkaline compounds dissolved in water. Furthermore, some real complex samples were also analyzed by HPLC with the SLE method. The recoveries of benzoic acid (acidic), p-nitroaniline (alkaline) and 4-hydroxy-benzoic methyl ester (neutral) treated by the SLE column were 90.6%, 98.1% and 97.7%. However, the recoveries of the three compounds treated by traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method were 71.9%, 81.9% and 83.9%. The results showed that the SLE technique had higher recoveries than the traditional LLE method. The spiked recoveries of the complex samples, such as benzoic acid in Sprite and dexamethasone acetate, chlorphenamine maleate, indomethacin in bovine serum, were between 80% and 110% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 15%. For biological specimen, the results could be accepted. Meantime, many disadvantages associated with traditional LLE method, such as emulsion formation, didn't occur using SLE column. The SLE column technique is a good sample preparation method with many advantages, such as rapid, simple, robust, easily automated, high recovery and high-throughput, which would be widely used in the future.

Facile preparation of hierarchically porous carbon using diatomite as both template and catalyst and methylene blue adsorption of carbon products.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Yuan, Peng; Tan, Daoyong; Liu, Hongmei; Wang, Tong; Fan, Mingde; Zhu, Jianxi; He, Hongping

2012-12-15

Hierarchically porous carbons were prepared using a facile preparation method in which diatomite was utilized as both template and catalyst. The porous structures of the carbon products and their formation mechanisms were investigated. The macroporosity and microporosity of the diatomite-templated carbons were derived from replication of diatom shell and structure-reconfiguration of the carbon film, respectively. The macroporosity of carbons was strongly dependent on the original morphology of the diatomite template. The macroporous structure composed of carbon plates connected by the pillar- and tube-like macropores resulted from the replication of the central and edge pores of the diatom shells with disk-shaped morphology, respectively. And another macroporous carbon tubes were also replicated from canoe-shaped diatom shells. The acidity of diatomite dramatically affected the porosity of the carbons, more acid sites of diatomite template resulted in higher surface area and pore volume of the carbon products. The diatomite-templated carbons exhibited higher adsorption capacity for methylene blue than the commercial activated carbon (CAC), although the specific surface area was much smaller than that of CAC, due to the hierarchical porosity of diatomite-templated carbons. And the carbons were readily reclaimed and regenerated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of cathode vibration and heat treatment on electromagnetic properties of flake-shaped diatomite coated with Ni–Fe alloy by electroplating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lan, Mingming, E-mail: lan_mingming@163.com; Li, Huiqin; Huang, Weihua; Xu, Guangyin; Li, Yan

2015-03-01

In this paper, flake-shaped diatomite particles were used as forming templates for the fabrication of the ferromagnetic functional fillers by way of electroplating Ni–Fe alloy method. The effects of cathode vibration frequency on the content of Ni–Fe alloy in the coating and the surface morphologies of the coatings were evaluated. The electromagnetic properties of the coated diatomite particles before and after heat treatment were also investigated in detail. The results show that the core-shell flake-shaped diatomite particles with high content of Ni–Fe alloy and good surface qualities of the coatings can be obtained by adjusting cathode vibration frequency. The coated diatomite particles with heat treatment filled paraffin wax composites exhibit a superior microwave absorbing and electromagnetic properties compared to the non-heat treated samples. Additionally, the peaks of reflection loss are found to be able to shift to lower frequency by the heat treatment process, which indicates the heat treatment can adjust microwave absorbing frequency band. - Highlights: • We used the diatomite particles as template to fabricate the flake-shaped ferromagnetic fillers. • The diatomite particles were deposited pure magnetic Ni–Fe alloy by electroplating methods. • The coated diatomite particles were lightweight ferromagnetic fillers. • The composites containing coated diatomite particles with heat treatment exhibited great potential in the field of electromagnetic absorbing.

Effect of cathode vibration and heat treatment on electromagnetic properties of flake-shaped diatomite coated with Ni–Fe alloy by electroplating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lan, Mingming; Li, Huiqin; Huang, Weihua; Xu, Guangyin; Li, Yan

2015-01-01

In this paper, flake-shaped diatomite particles were used as forming templates for the fabrication of the ferromagnetic functional fillers by way of electroplating Ni–Fe alloy method. The effects of cathode vibration frequency on the content of Ni–Fe alloy in the coating and the surface morphologies of the coatings were evaluated. The electromagnetic properties of the coated diatomite particles before and after heat treatment were also investigated in detail. The results show that the core-shell flake-shaped diatomite particles with high content of Ni–Fe alloy and good surface qualities of the coatings can be obtained by adjusting cathode vibration frequency. The coated diatomite particles with heat treatment filled paraffin wax composites exhibit a superior microwave absorbing and electromagnetic properties compared to the non-heat treated samples. Additionally, the peaks of reflection loss are found to be able to shift to lower frequency by the heat treatment process, which indicates the heat treatment can adjust microwave absorbing frequency band. - Highlights: • We used the diatomite particles as template to fabricate the flake-shaped ferromagnetic fillers. • The diatomite particles were deposited pure magnetic Ni–Fe alloy by electroplating methods. • The coated diatomite particles were lightweight ferromagnetic fillers. • The composites containing coated diatomite particles with heat treatment exhibited great potential in the field of electromagnetic absorbing

[Differential Effect and Mechanism of in situ Immobilization of Cadmium Contamination in Soil Using Diatomite Produced from Different Areas].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jian; Wang, Ping; Lin, Yan; Lei, Ming-jing; Chen, Yang

2016-02-15

In order to understand the difference of in situ immobilization effect and mechanism of Cd contamination in soil using diatomite produced from different areas, the test was conducted using diatomite produced from Yunnan Tengchong, Jilin Linjiang, Zhejiang Shengzhou and Henan Xinyang of China as modifiers to immobilize cadmium contamination in simulated soil. The results indicated that the diatomite from all the four producing areas could effectively immobilize available Cd in soil, decreasing the available Cd content in soil by 27.7%, 28.5%, 30.1% and 57.2%, respectively when the adding concentration was 30 g x kg(-1). Their ability for immobilizing available Cd in soil followed the sequence of Henan Xinyang > Zhejiang Shengzhou > Jilin Linjiang > Yunnan Tengchong. It was also found that the physical and chemical properties of diatomite played a main role in soil cadmium immobilization, lower bulk density, larger specific surface area, more micro pores and wider distribution range of aperture were more favorable for available Cd immobilization. The results also showed that, the diatomite could control Cd contamination by changing soil physical and chemical properties, among these properties, pH and organic matter content were the key factors, increasing soil pH value and organic matter content was favorable for available cadmium immobilization, while the soil water content had little effect on available cadmium immobilization. The control of soil cadmium contamination by using diatomite to change cation exchange capacity was limited by time in some degree. The diatomite produced from Henan Xinyang, Zhejiang Shengzhou and Yunnan Tengchong increased the soil pH value and organic matter content, and was favorable for available Cd immobilization, while the diatomite from Jilin Linjiang showed converse effect.

Macroscopic and microscopic investigation of Ni(II) sequestration on diatomite by batch, XPS, and EXAFS techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Guodong; Yang, Shitong; Sheng, Jiang; Hu, Jun; Tan, Xiaoli; Wang, Xiangke

2011-09-15

Sequestration of Ni(II) on diatomite as a function of time, pH, and temperature was investigated by batch, XPS, and EXAFS techniques. The ionic strength-dependent sorption at pH < 7.0 was consistent with outer-sphere surface complexation, while the ionic strength-independent sorption at pH = 7.0-8.6 was indicative of inner-sphere surface complexation. EXAFS results indicated that the adsorbed Ni(II) consisted of ∼6 O at R(Ni-O) ≈ 2.05 Å. EXAFS analysis from the second shell suggested that three phenomena occurred at the diatomite/water interface: (1) outer-sphere and/or inner-sphere complexation; (2) dissolution of Si which is the rate limiting step during Ni uptake; and (3) extensive growth of surface (co)precipitates. Under acidic conditions, outer-sphere complexation is the main mechanism controlling Ni uptake, which is in good agreement with the macroscopic results. At contact time of 1 h or 1 day or pH = 7.0-8.0, surface coprecipitates occur concurrently with inner-sphere complexes on diatomite surface, whereas at contact time of 1 month or pH = 10.0, surface (co)precipitates dominate Ni uptake. Furthermore, surface loading increases with temperature increasing, and surface coprecipitates become the dominant mechanism at elevated temperature. The results are important to understand Ni interaction with minerals at the solid-water interface, which is helpful to evaluate the mobility of Ni(II) in the natural environment.

Preparation and investigation of structural properties of magnetic diatomite nanocomposites formed with different iron content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yusan, Sabriye, E-mail: sabriye.doyurum@ege.edu.tr [Ege University, Institute of Nuclear Sciences, 35100 Bornova, Izmir (Turkey); Korzhynbayeva, Kuralay [Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 050040 Almaty (Kazakhstan); Aytas, Sule [Ege University, Institute of Nuclear Sciences, 35100 Bornova, Izmir (Turkey); Tazhibayeva, Sagdat; Musabekov, Kuanyshbek [Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, 050040 Almaty (Kazakhstan)

2014-09-01

Highlights: • Magnetic diatomite nanocomposites were generated by partial reduction co-precipitation method. • VSM results showed that nanocomposites have superparamagnetic behaviour. • The nanocomposites were also characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, DTA/TGA and BET. - Abstract: Magnetic diatomite nanocomposites (MDNC) were synthesized successfully by partial reduction co-precipitation method from iron salt solution at different concentrations and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analyses (DTA/TGA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and surface area measurements (BET). The XRD pattern of magnetic diatomite nanocomposites is face centered cubic with an average diameter of 4.67, 4.11 and 4. 82 nm as MDNC-1, MDNC-2 and MDNC-3, respectively. The saturation magnetization values for magnetic diatomite composites (diatomite/Fe ratio 1:1.5, 1:2.0 and 1:3.0) were found to be 13.81, 13.37 and 16.42 emu/g, respectively. By FT-IR spectra it was found that the main features of the silica framework were maintained after magnetite incorporation and some peak intensities were increased with magnetite loading. The cell parameter increase and the surface area decrease with increase in Fe content, observed by N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption technique, were considered as evidence of metal concentration effect in the synthesis procedure.

Fast degradation of dyes in water using manganese-oxide-coated diatomite for environmental remediation

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Trung-Dung; Banerjee, Arghya Narayan; Tran, Quang-Tung; Roy, Sudipta

2016-11-01

By a simple wet-chemical procedure using a permanganate in the acidic medium, diatomite coated with amorphous manganese oxide nanoparticles was synthesized. The structural, microstructural and morphological characterizations of the as-synthesized catalysts confirmed the nanostructure of MnO2 and its stabilization on the support - diatomite. The highly efficient and rapid degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange over synthesized MnO2 coated Diatomite has been carried out. The results revealed considerably faster degradation of the dyes against the previously reported data. The proposed mechanism of the dye-degradation is considered to be a combinatorial effect of chemical, physicochemical and physical processes. Therefore, the fabricated catalysts have potential application in waste water treatment, and pollution degradation for environmental remediation.

Diatomite based ceramics macro- and microscopic characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Aderdour, H.; Bentayeb, A.; Nadiri, A.; Ouammou, A.; Sangleboeuf, J.-C.; Lucas-Girot, A.; Carel, C.

2005-03-01

A Moroccan diatomite is characterized chemically and physically. Mechanical properties of ceramics prepared by sintering at different temperatures ranging from 1050 to 1350° C are studied. Compressive strength and Young modulus are determined by compression tests. Densification and evolution of the microstructure are followed by SEM and other tests.

Adsorption of arsenic(V) by iron-oxide-coated diatomite (IOCD).

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yi-Fong; Chiou, Cary T; Lin, Tsair-Fuh

2010-09-01

PURPOSES AND AIMS: Economically efficient methods for removing arsenic from the drinking water supply are urgently needed in many parts of the world. Iron oxides are known to have a strong affinity for arsenic in water. However, they are commonly present in the forms of fine powder or floc, which limits their utility in water treatment. In this study, a novel granular adsorbent, iron-oxide-coated diatomite (IOCD), was developed and examined for its adsorption of arsenic from water. An industrial-grade diatomite was used as the iron oxide support. The diatomite was first acidified and dried and then coated with iron oxide up to five times. The prepared IOCD samples were characterized for their morphology, composition, elemental content, and crystal properties by various instruments. Experiments of equilibrium and kinetic adsorption of As(V) on IOCD were conducted using 0.1- and 2-L polyethylene bottles, respectively, at different pH and temperatures. Iron oxide (alpha-Fe(2)O(3) hematite) coated onto diatomite greatly improves (by about 30 times) the adsorption of As(V) from water by IOCD as compared to using raw diatomite. This improvement was attributed to increases in both surface affinity and surface area of the IOCD. The surface area of IOCD increased to an optimal value. However, as the IOCD surface area (93 m(2)/g) was only 45% higher than that of raw diatomite (51 m(2)/g), the enhanced As(V) adsorption resulted primarily from the enhanced association of negatively charged As(V) ions with the partial positive surface charge of the iron oxide. The As(V) adsorption decreased when the solution pH was increased from 3.5 to 9.5, as expected from the partial charge interaction between As(V) and IOCD. The adsorption data at pH 5.5 and 7.5 could be well fitted to the Freundlich equation. A moderately high exothermic heat was observed for the As(V) adsorption, with the calculated molar isosteric heat ranging from -4 to -9 kcal/mol. The observed heats fall between those

Preparation and characterization of silica aerogels from diatomite via ambient pressure drying

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Baomin; Ma, Hainan; Song, Kai

2014-07-01

The silica aerogels were successfully fabricated under ambient pressure from diatomite. The influence of different dilution ratios of diatomite filtrate on physical properties of aerogels were studied. The microstructure, surface functional groups, thermal stability, morphology and mechanical properties of silica aerogels based on diatomite were investigated by BET adsorption, FT-IR, DTA-TG, FESEM, TEM, and nanoindentation methods. The results indicate that the filtrate diluted with distilled water in a proportion of 1: 2 could give silica aerogels in the largest size with highest transparency. The obtained aerogels with density of 0.122-0.203 g/m3 and specific surface area of 655.5-790.7 m2/g are crack free amorphous solids and exhibited a sponge-like structure. Moreover, the peak pore size resided at 9 nm. The initial aerogels were hydrophobic, when being heat-treated around 400°C, the aerogels were transformed into hydrophilic ones. The obtained aerogel has good mechanical properties.

Porous Diatomite-Immobilized Cu–Ni Bimetallic Nanocatalysts for Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Chen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A series of diatomite-immobilized Cu–Ni bimetallic nanocatalysts was prepared under ultrasonication and evaluated for the direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate under various conditions. Upon being fully characterized by TPR, TPD, BET, SEM, XRD, and XPS methodologies, it is found that the bimetallic composite is effectively alloyed and well immobilized inside or outside the pore of diatomite. Under the optimal conditions of 1.2 MPa and 120∘C, the prepared catalyst with loading of 15% exhibited the highest methanol conversion of 6.50% with DMC selectivity of 91.2% as well as more than 10-hour lifetime. The possible reaction mechanism was proposed and discussed in detail. To our knowledge, this is the first report to use diatomite as a catalyst support for direct DMC synthesis from methanol and CO2.

Caracterização de argilas bentonitas e diatomitas e sua aplicação como adsorventes Bentonites and diatomites clays characterization and aplication in adsorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enéderson Rossetto

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Five samples of natural clays denominated: diatomite, CN-20, CN-29, CN-40 and CN-45 from Aliança Latina LTDA were characterized by differents supplementary techniques such as: XRD, chemical analysis, adsorption N2 measurements, infrared spectroscopy analysis, thermogravimetric analysis. Clays were tested in adsorption of blue methylene. All of isotherms adjust in a model of physics adsorption with formation of multilayers, however in the case of diatomite was a favorable adsorption (type II and the CNs were a not favorable adsorption (type III. In the case of CNs had flocculation of clay in high concentration of coloring.

Enhanced coagulation for improving coagulation performance and reducing residual aluminum combining polyaluminum chloride with diatomite.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wenchao; Wu, Chunde

2016-01-01

The feasibility of using enhanced coagulation, which combined polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with diatomite for improving coagulation performance and reducing the residual aluminum (Al), was discussed. The effects of PAC and diatomite dosage on the coagulation performance and residual Al were mainly investigated. Results demonstrated that the removal efficiencies of turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254 were significantly improved by the enhanced coagulation, compared with PAC coagulation alone. Meaningfully, the five forms of residual Al (total Al (TAl), total dissolved Al (TDAl), dissolved organic Al (DOAl), dissolved monomeric Al (DMAl), and dissolved organic monomeric Al (DOMAl)) all had different degrees of reduction in the presence of diatomite and achieved the lowest concentrations (0.185, 0.06, 0.053, 0.014, and 0 mg L(-1), respectively) at a PAC dose of 15 mg L(-1) and diatomite dose of 40 mg L(-1). In addition, when PAC was used as coagulant, the majority of residual Al existed in dissolved form (about 31.14-70.16%), and the content of DOMAl was small in the DMAl.

Effects of inherent/enhanced solid acidity and morphology of diatomite templates on the synthesis and porosity of hierarchically porous carbon.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Yuan, Peng; Tan, Daoyong; Liu, Hongmei; Fan, Mingde; Yuan, Aihua; Zhu, Jianxi; He, Hongping

2010-12-21

The inherent or enhanced solid acidity of raw or activated diatomite is found to have significant effects on the synthesis of hierarchically porous diatomite-templated carbon with high surface area and special porous structure. The solid acidity makes raw/activated diatomite a catalyst for the generation of porous carbon, and the porous parameters of the carbon products are strongly dependent on the solid acidity of diatomite templates. The morphology of diatomite also dramatically affects the textural structure of porous carbon. Two types of macroporous structures in the carbon product, the partially solid pillars and the ordered hollow tubes, derive from the replication of the central and the edge pores of diatom shell, respectively. The hierarchically porous carbon shows good capability for the adsorption of solvent naphtha and H(2), enabling potential applications in adsorption and gas storage.

Facile Preparation of Nano-Bi2MoO6/Diatomite Composite for Enhancing Photocatalytic Performance under Visible Light Irradiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Cai

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this work, a new nano-Bi2MoO6/diatomite composite photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS were employed to investigate the morphology, crystal structure, and optical properties. It was shown that nanometer-scaled Bi2MoO6 crystals were well-deposited on the surface of Bi2MoO6/diatomite. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB under the visible light (λ > 420 nm irradiation. Moreover, trapping experiments were performed to investigate the possible photocatalytic reaction mechanism. The results showed that the nano-Bi2MoO6/diatomite composite with the mass ratio of Bi2MoO6 to diatomaceous earth of 70% exhibited the highest activity, and the RhB degradation efficiency reached 97.6% within 60 min. The main active species were revealed to be h+ and•O2−. As a photocatalytic reactor, its recycling performance showed a good stability and reusability. This new composite photocatalyst material holds great promise in the engineering field for the environmental remediation.

Facile Preparation of Nano-Bi2MoO6/Diatomite Composite for Enhancing Photocatalytic Performance under Visible Light Irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Jiuyan; Liu, Jianshe; Song, Wendong; Ji, Lili

2018-01-01

In this work, a new nano-Bi2MoO6/diatomite composite photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS) were employed to investigate the morphology, crystal structure, and optical properties. It was shown that nanometer-scaled Bi2MoO6 crystals were well-deposited on the surface of Bi2MoO6/diatomite. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under the visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. Moreover, trapping experiments were performed to investigate the possible photocatalytic reaction mechanism. The results showed that the nano-Bi2MoO6/diatomite composite with the mass ratio of Bi2MoO6 to diatomaceous earth of 70% exhibited the highest activity, and the RhB degradation efficiency reached 97.6% within 60 min. The main active species were revealed to be h+ and•O2−. As a photocatalytic reactor, its recycling performance showed a good stability and reusability. This new composite photocatalyst material holds great promise in the engineering field for the environmental remediation. PMID:29425138

Preparation of porous diatomite-templated carbons with large adsorption capacity and mesoporous zeolite K-H as a byproduct.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Yuan, Weiwei; Deng, Liangliang; Yu, Wenbin; Sun, Hongjuan; Yuan, Peng

2014-06-15

In this study, KOH activation was performed to enhance the porosity of the diatomite-templated carbon and to increase its adsorption capacity of methylene blue (MB). In addition to serving as the activation agent, KOH was also used as the etchant to remove the diatomite templates. Zeolite K-H was synthesized as a byproduct via utilization of the resultant silicon- and potassium-containing solutions created from the KOH etching of the diatomite templates. The obtained diatomite-based carbons were composed of macroporous carbon pillars and tubes, which were derived from the replication of the diatomite templates and were well preserved after KOH activation. The abundant micropores in the walls of the carbon pillars and tubes were derived from the break and reconfiguration of carbon films during both the removal of the diatomite templates and KOH activation. Compared with the original diatomite-templated carbons and CO2-activated carbons, the KOH-activated carbons had much higher specific surface areas (988 m(2)/g) and pore volumes (0.675 cm(3)/g). Moreover, the KOH-activated carbons possessed larger MB adsorption capacity (the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity: 645.2 mg/g) than those of the original carbons and CO2-activated carbons. These results showed that KOH activation was a high effective activation method. The zeolite K-H byproduct was obtained by utilizing the silicon- and potassium-containing solution as the silicon and potassium sources. The zeolite exhibited a stick-like morphology and possessed nanosized particles with a mesopore-predominant porous structure which was observed by TEM for the first time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND USES OF KARACAÖREN AREA (NEVŞEHİR DIATOMITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayşegül YILDIZ

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, physicochemical properties and the area of use of diatomites that occur in association with Central Anatolian volcanism in the Karacaören region (Ürgüp country, Nevşehir are investigated. In the investigated area two stratigraphic sections were measured, one is in Quaternary lake units (K1 and another section is in the lacustrine sediments of Bayramhacılı Member within Ürgüp Formation of late Miocene-Pliocene age (K2. In order to specify physicochemical properties and the area of use of diato- mites, various analyses were carried out at the Laboratories of General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration including loss on ignition (at 1050 °C, XRD, amount of acid and water-insoluble matter, thermal conductivity (in the range of 101; 150 °C and ± 10 °C, XRF, pH, total porosity, specific gravity, specific surface area, pore volume, pore size, whiteness, particle size and SEM analysis. The evaluation of the analyses results showed that the studied diatomites have a commercial value and can be used directly in percolator, as filler and structuring agents and in silicate manufacturing. In addition, once processed, they can also be used as mild abrasive and cleaner in production of isolation material.

Eco-sustainable systems based on poly(lactic acid), diatomite and coffee grounds extract for food packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Cacciotti, Ilaria; Mori, Stefano; Cherubini, Valeria; Nanni, Francesca

2018-06-01

In the food packaging sector many efforts have been (and are) devoted to the development of new materials in order to reply to an urgent market demand for green and eco-sustainable products. Particularly a lot of attention is currently devoted both to the use of compostable and biobased polymers as innovative and promising alternative to the currently used petrochemical derived polymers, and to the re-use of waste materials coming from agriculture and food industry. In this work, multifunctional eco-sustainable systems, based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as biopolymeric matrix, diatomaceous earth as reinforcing filler and spent coffee grounds extract as oxygen scavenger, were produced for the first time, in order to provide a simultaneous improvement of mechanical and gas barrier properties. The influence of the diatomite and the spent coffee grounds extract on the microstructural, mechanical and oxygen barrier properties of the produced films was deeply investigated by means of X-Ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, ATR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), uniaxial tensile tests, O 2 permeabilimetry measurements. An improvement of both mechanical and oxygen barrier properties was recorded for systems characterised by the co-presence of diatomite and coffee grounds extract, suggesting a possible synergic effect of the two additives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation of new diatomite-chitosan composite materials and their adsorption properties and mechanism of Hg(II).

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yong; Xu, Xiaoxu; Huang, Yue; Hu, Jianshe; Chen, Qifan; Wu, Yaoqing

2017-12-01

A new composite absorbent with multifunctional and environmental-friendly structures was prepared using chitosan, diatomite and polyvinyl alcohol as the raw materials, and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. The structure and morphology of the composite absorbent, and its adsorption properties of Hg(II) in water were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) measurements and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra. The effect of the pH value and contact time on the removal rate and absorbance of Hg(II) was discussed. The adsorption kinetic model and static adsorption isotherm and regeneration of the obtained composite absorbent were investigated. The results indicated that the removal of Hg(II) on the composite absorbent followed a rapid adsorption for 50 min, and was close to the adsorption saturation after 1 h, which is in accord with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. When the pH value, contact time and the mass of the composite absorbent was 3, 1 h and 100 mg, respectively, the removal rate of Hg(II) on the composite absorbent reached 77%, and the maximum adsorption capacity of Hg(II) reached 195.7 mg g -1 .

Diatomite Photonic Crystals for Facile On-Chip Chromatography and Sensing of Harmful Ingredients from Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xianming; Yu, Qian; Li, Erwen; Wang, Rui; Liu, Qing; Wang, Alan X

2018-03-31

Diatomaceous earth-otherwise called diatomite-is essentially composed of hydrated biosilica with periodic nanopores. Diatomite is derived from fossilized remains of diatom frustules and possesses photonic-crystal features. In this paper, diatomite simultaneously functions as the matrix of the chromatography plate and the substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), by which the photonic crystal-features could enhance the optical field intensity. The on-chip separation performance of the device was confirmed by separating and detecting industrial dye (Sudan I) in an artificial aqueous mixture containing 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA), where concentrated plasmonic Au colloid was casted onto the analyte spot for SERS measurement. The plasmonic-photonic hybrid mode between the Au nanoparticles (NP) and the diatomite layer could supply nearly 10 times the increment of SERS signal (MBA) intensity compared to the common silica gel chromatography plate. Furthermore, this lab-on-a-chip photonic crystal device was employed for food safety sensing in real samples and successfully monitored histamine in salmon and tuna. This on-chip food sensor can be used as a cheap, robust, and portable sensing platform for monitoring for histamine or other harmful ingredients at trace levels in food products.

Development of a dielectric ceramic based on diatomite-titania part two: dielectric properties characterization

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Medeiros Jamilson Pinto

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Dielectric properties of sintered diatomite-titania ceramics are presented. Specific capacitance, dissipation factor, quality factor and dielectric constant were determined as a function of sintering temperature, titania content and frequency; the temperature coefficient of capacitance was measured as a function of frequency. Besides leakage current, the dependence of the insulation resistance and the dielectric strength on the applied dc voltage were studied. The results show that diatomite-titania compositions can be used as an alternative dielectric.

Diatom community and palaeoenvironmental properties of Karacaören diatomite deposits (Nevşehir, Central Anatolia, Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Yıldız, Ayşegül; Gürel, Ali; Dursun, Yusuf Gökhan

2017-10-01

The diatom community and palaeoenvironmental properties of volcano genetic diatomite deposits that outcrop in the Karacaören (Nevşehir) area are described. Two stratigraphic sections were measured in the study area. One of these sections was measured in Quaternary lake units (K1), and the other in lacustrine sediments of the late Miocene-Pliocene Ürgüp Formation's Bayramhacılı Member (K2). According to stratigraphic and chemical characteristics of the sections, two distinct paleogeographic domains were determined in the study area. One of these, the shallow lacustrine to fluvial area (Quaternary) which is represented by an alternating sequence of diatomite, silt/mud, and tuffite. The other was the deeper lacustrine stage (late Miocene) which is represented by diatomites with some interbedded mud facies, chert and volcanics. From the diatomite samples of these sections, twenty-five species of 10 different diatom genera were identified. When evaluated together, the ecological properties and the distribution of numerical values of the determined diatom genera and species, showed that the study area's diatomite was generally deposited in shallow, high temperature, nutrient-rich water, where nitrogen and phosphorus were abundant and which was an alkaline (pH > 7) freshwater lake environment. Over time the pH value of the environment decreased (pH < 7), and the environment became acidic.

Fabrication and electromagnetic properties of flake ferrite particles based on diatomite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Deyuan; Zhang Wenqiang; Cai Jun

2011-01-01

Hexagonal ferrite BaZn 1.1 Co 0.9 Fe 16 O 27 coated surfaces of diatomite flakes of low density were synthesized by a sol-gel method. The phase structures, morphologies, particle size and chemical compositions of the composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that hexagonal ferrite coated diatomite flakes can be achieved, and that the coating consisted of BaZn 1.1 Co 0.9 Fe 16 O 27 nanoparticles. The vibranting sample magnetometer results reveal that the flake ferrite particles have static magnetic properties. The complex permeability and permittivity of the composites were measured in the frequency range of 1-18 GHz. The microwave absorption properties of these ferrite particles are discussed. The results indicate that the flake ferrites have the potential to be used as a lightweight broad band microwave absorber. - Highlights: → We synthesize the flake ferrite particles using diatomite as a template. → Flake ferrite particles' coating layers are constituted by BaZn 1.1 Co 0.9 Fe 16 O 27 nanoparticles. → Flake ferrite particles have good static magnetic properties.→ Flake ferrites are a kind lightweight broad band microwave absorber.

Fabrication and electromagnetic properties of flake ferrite particles based on diatomite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Deyuan [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Zhang Wenqiang, E-mail: zwqzwqzwqzwq@126.com [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Cai Jun, E-mail: jun_cai@buaa.edu.cn [Bionic and Micro/Nano/Bio Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China)

2011-09-15

Hexagonal ferrite BaZn{sub 1.1}Co{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 16}O{sub 27} coated surfaces of diatomite flakes of low density were synthesized by a sol-gel method. The phase structures, morphologies, particle size and chemical compositions of the composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that hexagonal ferrite coated diatomite flakes can be achieved, and that the coating consisted of BaZn{sub 1.1}Co{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 16}O{sub 27} nanoparticles. The vibranting sample magnetometer results reveal that the flake ferrite particles have static magnetic properties. The complex permeability and permittivity of the composites were measured in the frequency range of 1-18 GHz. The microwave absorption properties of these ferrite particles are discussed. The results indicate that the flake ferrites have the potential to be used as a lightweight broad band microwave absorber. - Highlights: > We synthesize the flake ferrite particles using diatomite as a template. > Flake ferrite particles' coating layers are constituted by BaZn{sub 1.1}Co{sub 0.9}Fe{sub 16}O{sub 27} nanoparticles. > Flake ferrite particles have good static magnetic properties. > Flake ferrites are a kind lightweight broad band microwave absorber.

[Removal Kinetics and Mechanism of Aniline by Manganese-oxide-modified Diatomite].

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Shao-dan; Liu, Lu; Jiang, Li-ying; Chen, Jian-meng

2015-06-01

A novel rapid green one-step method was developed for the preparation of manganese modified diatomite (Mn-D) by treating roasted diatomite with an acidic permanganate solution. The effects of calcination temperature and mass ratio of KMnO4 and diatomite (p) on aniline removal efficiency of Mn-D were investigated. The removal kinetics and mechanism of aniline by Mn-D were also discussed. The results showed that when the optimal calcination temperature was 450 degrees C, p was 1.6, and the loading amounts of δ-MnO2 was 0.82 g x g(-1), Mn-D had a great performance for aniline removal, and more than 80% of aniline was adsorbed within 10 minutes, accompanied with the release of Mn2+. In acidic conditions, the adsorption process on Mn-D followed pseudo-second-order and was mainly controlled by intra-particle diffusion. The best fitting of the experimental adsorption data was given by the Freundlich equation. Gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer was applied to identify the reaction intermediates at different times, and azobenzene was found to be the main reaction intermediate in the degradation system. Based on the above observations, the possible degradation pathway of aniline by Mn-D was proposed.

Adsorption of methyl orange from aqueous solution using chitosan/diatomite composite.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Peng; Zhang, Runhu; Wang, Jianglin

2017-04-01

A novel chitosan/diatomite composite was prepared by a simple mixture in the mass ratio to remove methyl orange (MO) from aqueous media in this study. The composite adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis. The parameters to influence the adsorption of MO were studied under such conditions as kinetics, adsorption isotherm, pH effect, and thermodynamics. The results revealed that adsorption of MO was initially rapid and the equilibrium time was reached after 40 min. The optimal value of the pH was 5.0 for better adsorption. The equilibrium data were well fitted to the Langmuir isotherm compared to the Freundlich isotherm, and exhibited the highest capacity and a removal rate of 88.37% under an initial dye concentration of 50 mg/L. The kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second order model. The thermodynamic calculations revealed that the sorption was viable, spontaneous, and exothermic under the conditions studied. In addition, the chitosan/diatomite composite had good adsorption and desorption performance with respect to reusability after six cycles. These results showed that the chitosan/diatomite could be considered as a potential adsorbent for the removal of MO in aqueous solution.

Diatomite-supported Pd-M (M=Cu, Co, Ni) bimetal nanocatalysts for selective hydrogenation of long-chain aliphatic esters.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Changliang; Zhang, Hongye; Zhao, Yanfei; Chen, Sha; Liu, Zhimin

2012-11-15

Diatomite supported Pd-M (M=Cu, Co, Ni) bimetal nanocatalysts with various metal compositions were prepared and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the metal nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the support, and their size was centered around 8 nm with a relatively narrow size distribution. The catalysts were used to catalyze hydrogenation of long-chain aliphatic esters, including methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, and methyl laurate. It was indicated that the all diatomite-supported Pd-based bimetal catalysts were active to the selective hydrogenation of long-chain esters to corresponding alcohols at 270°C, originated from the synergistic effect between the metal particles and the diatomite support. For the selective hydrogenation of methyl palmitate, Pd-Cu/diatomite with metal loading of 1% and Pd/Cu=3 displayed the highest performance, giving a 1-hexadecanol yield of 82.9% at the substrate conversion of 98.8%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Diatomite Properties from Ankara-Kızılcahamam and Çankırı-Çerkeş Regions

OpenAIRE

ARUNTAŞ, H. Yılmaz

1998-01-01

The physical properties, chemical and mineralogical compositions and microscopic structures of diatomites collected from Ankara-Kızılcahamam and Çankırı-Çerkeş regions were examined in this study. The diatomites were found to be pure, amorphous, usually soft and easily friable with particle size of 5-50 mm. It was determined that the diatomites were highly with a high water absorption capacity and contained plagioclase, smectite, and quartz minerals. The specific gravity was less th...

Effect of sulfate ions on the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jinjun; Wang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Jimei; Wang, Jing; Ji, Zhijiang

2016-01-01

TiO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on diatomite by hydrolysis-deposition method using titanium tetrachloride as precursor. The effect of sulfate ions on the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalyst was characterized by TG-DSC, XRD, BET surface area, SEM, FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The results indicate that addition of a small amount of sulfate ions promotes the formation of anatase phase and inhibits the transformation from anatase to rutile. On the other hand, sulfate ions immobilized on the surface of TiO2/diatomite have strong affinity for electrons, capturing the photo-generated electrons, which hinders the recombination of electrons and holes.

Development of a dielectric ceramic based on diatomite-titania. Part one: powder preparation and sintering study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tavares Elcio Correia de Souza

1997-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents powder preparation and sintering experiments of a mixture diatomite-titania. X-ray diffraction, DTA, TGA as well as chemical and microstructural analyses were made. The sintering process was investigated as a function of sintering temperature and time, mass variation, linear shrinkage and activation energy. The results show that sintering of diatomite-titania could be described by a viscous flow mechanism.

Diatomite and re-use coal waste as promising alternative for fertilizer to environmental improvement

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Hassan Sayyari-Zahan; AbdolHamid Gholami; Somayeh Rezaeepour

2015-01-01

Application of conventional fertilizers has been contributing much pollutant to the environment. This study aimed to assess the potential of diatomite and re-use coal waste as a non chemical fertilizer to environmental improvement. The experiments were evaluated in 2kg pots under greenhouse conditions at 4 levels of diatomite powder including 0, 10, 20, 40 g/kg soil as well as 5 levels of coal waste powder including 0, 20, 40, 80, 160 g/kg soil based on completely randomized design with three...

Aggregation and transport of rutile titanium dioxide nanoparticles with montmorillonite and diatomite in the presence of phosphate in porous sand.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Peng; Xu, Nan; Li, Duo; Huangfu, Xinxing; Li, Zuling

2018-08-01

Crop soil is inevitably contaminated by the excess of phosphate (P) fertilizers. A large amount of nanoparticle titanium dioxide (nTiO 2 ) entered soils as well due to the wide use of engineered nanomaterials. It is of great urgency and a high priority to investigate the mechanisms of nTiO 2 deposition with the presence of P in crop soils. This study investigated the transport behavior of (1.0 g L -1 ) rutile nTiO 2 with two representative clay particles (montmorillonite or diatomite) in the presence of P through the saturated quartz sand. In 10 mM NaCl electrolyte solution at pH 6.0, the recovery percentage of nTiO 2 was 36.3% from sand column. Nevertheless, it was reduced to 18.6% and 11.1% while montmorillonite and diatomite present in suspensions, respectively. Obviously, the improvement of nTiO 2 retention in sand was more pronounced by diatomite than montmorillonite. The likely mechanism for this result was that large aggregates were formed due to the attachment of nTiO 2 to montmorillonite and diatomite. Moreover, the surface of diatomite with the larger hydrodynamic radius was less negatively charged by comparison with montmorillonite. However, this phenomenon disappeared with the addition of P. P adsorption increases the repulsive force between particles and sand and the fast release of attached nTiO 2 -montmorillonite and diatomite from sand. The two-site kinetic retention model and the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory suggested that the combination of k 1/ k 1d , k 2 and secondary minimum energy can be used to accurately describe the attachment of nTiO 2 -montmorillonite and diatomite to sand in the presence of P. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of diatomite on the slightly polluted algae-containing raw water treatment process using ozone oxidation coupled with polyaluminum chloride coagulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wenchao; Wu, Chunde; Jia, Aiyin; Zhang, Zhilin; Chen, Fang

2014-01-01

The impact of adding diatomite on the treatment performance of slightly polluted algae-containing raw water using ozone pre-oxidation and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) coagulation was investigated. Results demonstrated that the addition of diatomite is advantageous due to reduction of the PAC dose (58.33%) and improvement of the removal efficiency of algae, turbidity, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in raw water. When the ozone concentration was 1.0 mg L⁻¹ and the PAC dosage was 2.5 mg L⁻¹, the removal rates of algae, turbidity, UV254, and TOC were improved by 6.39%, 7.06%, 6.76%, and 4.03%, respectively, with the addition of 0.4 g L⁻¹ diatomite. It has been found that the DOM presented in the Pearl River raw water mainly consisted of small molecules ( 50 kDa). After adding diatomite (0.4 g L⁻¹), the additional removal of 5.77% TOC and 14.82% UV254 for small molecules (50 kDa) could be achieved, respectively, at an ozone concentration of 1.0 mg L⁻¹ and a PAC dose of 2.5 mg L⁻¹. The growth of anabaena flos-aquae (A.F.) was observed by an atomic force microscope (AFM) before and after adding diatomite. AFM images demonstrate that diatomite may have a certain adsorption on A.F.

Diatoms - nature materials with great potential for bioapplications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medarević Đorđe P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Diatoms are widespread unicellular photosynthetic algae that produce unique highly ordered siliceous cell wall, called frustule. Micro- to nanoporous structure with high surface area that can be easily modified, high mechanical resistance, unique optical features (light focusing and luminescence and biocompatibility make diatom frustule as a suitable raw material for the development of devices such as bio- and gas sensors, microfluidic particle sorting devices, supercapacitors, batteries, solar cells, electroluminescent devices and drug delivery systems. Their wide availability in the form of fossil remains (diatomite or diatomaceous earth as well as easy cultivation in the artificial conditions further supports use of diatoms in many different fields of application. This review focused on the recent achievements in the diatom bioapplications such as drug delivery, biomolecules immobilization, bio- and gas sensing, since great progress was made in this field over the last several years.

Effects of Diatomite Organic Fertilizer on Cd and Zn Forms and Availability of Cd-Zn Polluted Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LIN Ji

2014-08-01

Full Text Available An indoor soil cultivation experiment was carried out to study the effects of diatomite organic fertilizer on the forms and the avail-ability of Cd, Zn in soil. The results showed that the soil pH increased, the soil available Cd and Zn reduced after diatomite organic fertilizer application in contaminated soil. Diatomite organic fertilizer application decreased the contents of exchangeable form and weakly-bound-to organic form of Cd and Zn significantly, but increased the contents of strongly-bound-to organic form and residual form of Cd and Zn in con-taminated soil. Statistics analysis showed that the contents of exchangeable and weakly-bound-to organic form of Cd and Zn had highly sig-nificant relation to the content of soil available Cd and Zn(P<0.01. The contents of Mn oxide-occluded Cd had significant relation to the con-tent of soil available Cd(P<0.05. Comparing the treatments of diatomite organic fertilizer with the rate of 5%and 10%soil weight, there was no significant difference in soil pH, the contents of soil available Cd, Zn and the forms of Cd, Zn.

Comparison of a novel TiO₂/diatomite composite and pure TiO₂ for the purification of phosvitin phosphopeptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Li, Junhua; Niu, Fuge; Sun, Jun; Dou, Yuan; Liu, Yuntao; Su, Yujie; Zhou, Bei; Xu, Qinqin; Yang, Yanjun

2014-06-01

A novel TiO2/diatomite composite (TD) was prepared and then characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The results of SEM showed that after modification, the porous surface of diatomite was covered with TiO2. Both diatomite and TD had clear disc-shaped structures with average grain diameters of around 25 μm. Then TD and pure TiO2 were applied in the purification of phosvitin phosphopeptides (PPPs) from the digest of egg yolk protein, and a comparative study of adsorption properties of PPPs on TD and TiO2 was performed. In the study of adsorption kinetics, the adsorption equilibrium of PPPs on TD and TiO2 fitted well with the Langmuir model, and the time needed to reach adsorption equilibrium were both around 10 min. The maximum dynamic adsorption capacity of TD (8.15 mg/g) was higher than that of TiO2 (4.96 mg/g). The results of repeated use showed that TD and TiO2 were very stable after being subjected to ten repeated adsorption-elution cycles, and TD could easily be separated from aqueous solution by filtration. On the other hand, the present synthetic technology of TD was very simple, cost-effective, organic solvent-free and available for large-scale preparation. Thus, this separation method not only brings great advantages in the purification of PPPs from egg yolk protein but also provides a promising purification material for the enrichment of phosphopeptides in proteomic researches. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

USE OF LOCAL NATURAL SILICEOUS RAW MATERIAL AND WASTES FOR PRODUCTION OF HEAT-INSULATING FOAMCONCRETE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. U. Matsapulin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the resource base, reserves and the use of siliceous rocks, their economic feasibility of the use for production of building materials of new generation with low-energy and other costs. Presented are the results of laboratory research and testing technology of production of insulating foam from a composition based on an aqueous solution of sodium silicate obtained from the local siliceous rocks (diatomite and the liquid alkali component - soapstock, hardener from ferrochrome slag and waste carbonate rock able to harden at a low temperature processing ( 100-110 ° C.

[The effect of core veneer thickness ratio on the flexural strength of diatomite-based dental ceramic].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jie; Zhang, Xin; Gao, Mei-qin; Zhang, Fei-min; Lu, Xiao-li

2015-06-01

To evaluate the effect of different core veneer thickness ratios on the flexural strength and failure mode of bilayered diatomite-based dental ceramics. Diatomite-based dental ceramics blocks (16 mm×5.4 mm×1 mm) were sintered with different thickness of veneer porcelains: 0 mm (group A), 0.6 mm (group B), 0.8 mm (group C) and 1.0 mm (group D). Flexural strength was detected and scanning electron microscope was used to observe the interface microstructure. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software package. With the increase of the thickness of the veneer porcelain, flexural strength of group C showed highest flexural strength up to (277.24±5.47) MPa. Different core veneer thickness ratios can significantly influence the flexural strength of bilayered diatomite-based dental ceramics. Supported by Science and Technology Projects of Nantong City (HS2013010).

Performance and enhanced mechanism of a novel bio-diatomite biofilm pretreatment process treating polluted raw water.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang-feng; Feng, Li-juan; Wang, Sha-fei; Yang, Qi; Xu, Xiang-yang; Zhu, Liang

2015-09-01

A lab-scale novel bio-diatomite biofilm process (BDBP) was established for the polluted raw water pretreatment in this study. Results showed that a shorter startup period of BDBP system was achieved under the completely circulated operation mode, and the removal efficiencies of nitrogen and disinfection by-product precursor were effective at low hydraulic retention time of 2-4 h due to high biomass attached to the carrier and diatomite. A maximum NH4(+)-N oxidation potential predicted by modified Stover-Kincannon model was 333.3 mg L(-1) d(-1) in the BDBP system, which was 4.7 times of that in the control reactor. Results demonstrated that the present of bio-diatomite favors the accumulation of functional microbes in the oligotrophic niche, and the pollutants removal performance of this novel process was enhanced for polluted raw water pretreatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thorium and Uranium in the Rock Raw Materials Used For the Production of Building Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Pękala, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

Thorium and uranium are constant components of all soils and most minerals thereby rock raw materials. They belong to the particularly dangerous elements because of their natural radioactivity. Evaluation of the content of the radioactive elements in the rock raw materials seems to be necessary in the early stage of the raw material evaluation. The rock formations operated from deposits often are accumulated in landfills and slag heaps where the concentration of the radioactive elements can be many times higher than under natural conditions. In addition, this phenomenon may refer to buildings where rock raw materials are often the main components of the construction materials. The global control system of construction products draws particular attention to the elimination of used construction products containing excessive quantities of the natural radioactive elements. In the presented study were determined the content of thorium and uranium in rock raw materials coming from the Bełachatów lignite deposit. The Bełchatów lignite deposit extracts mainly lignite and secondary numerous accompanying minerals with the raw material importance. In the course of the field works within the framework of the carried out work has been tested 92 samples of rocks of varied petrographic composition. There were carried out analyses of the content of the radioactive elements for 50 samples of limestone of the Jurassic age, 18 samples of kaolinite clays, and 24 samples of siliceous raw materials, represented by opoka-rocks, diatomites, gaizes and clastic rocks. The measurement of content of the natural radioactive elements thorium and uranium based on measuring the frequency counts of gamma quantum, recorded separately in measuring channels. At the same time performed measurements on volume patterns radioactive: thorium and uranium. The studies were carried out in Mazar spectrometer on the powdered material. Standardly performed ten measuring cycles, after which were calculated

Bioinspired Diatomite Membrane with Selective Superwettability for Oil/Water Separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Yu-Hsiang; Yang, Ching-Yu; Chang, Haw-Kai; Hung, Wei-Chen; Chen, Po-Yu

2017-05-03

Membranes with selective superwettability for oil/water separation have received significant attention during the past decades. Hierarchical structures and surface roughness are believed to improve the oil repellency and the stability of Cassie-Baxter state. Diatoms, unicellular photosynthetic algae, possess sophisticated skeletal shells (called frustules) which are made of hydrated silica. Motivated by the hierarchical micro- and nanoscale features of diatom, we fabricate a hierarchical diatomite membrane which consists of aligned micro-sized channels by the freeze casting process. The fine nano-porous structures of frustules are well preserved after the post sintering process. The bioinspired diatomite membrane performs both underwater superoleophobicity and superhydrophobicity under various oils. Additionally, we demonstrate the highly efficient oil/water separation capabililty of the membranes in various harsh environments. The water flux can be further adjusted by tuning the cooling rates. The eco-friendly and robust bioinspired membranes produced by the simple, cost-effective freeze casting method can be potentially applied for large scale and efficient oil/water separation.

The earth grind or ''diatomite'' as the removal of chemicals in the laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro Vargas, Ariel

2007-01-01

Experiments were carried out to determine the capability of diatomite for the disposal of laboratory residues. Experimentation with different organic solvents (ethyl ether, acetone, ethyl acetate, hexane and ethanol) verified that there is no solvent absorption in the mineral material. Experiments were also carried out with heavy metal cations, in order to quantify their absorption or adsorption in the porous mineral. Ion sequestration was determined and the following order resulted: Cr 3+ > Pb 2+ > Ag + > Ni 2+ > Zn 2+ > Cr 2 O 7 2- . The effect of pH was also studied with nickel, 99,5% removal was observed at pH 7, SO 4 2- was 98% removed, followed by Cl - and NO 3 - . The ideal cation concentration was 4 ppm with a removal efficiency of 99,5%. It is possible to conclude that the absorption material can be used as effusion containment system, rather than a material to eliminate laboratory residues. (author) [es

Sorption of DNA by diatomite-Zn(II) embedded supermacroporous monolithic p(HEMA) cryogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Tozak, Kabil Özcan; Erzengin, Mahmut; Sargin, Idris; Ünlü, Nuri

2013-01-01

In this study, the DNA sorption performance of diatomite-Zn(II) embedded supermacroporous monolithic p(HEMA) cryogels were investigated for the purpose of designing a novel adsorbent that can be utilized for DNA purification, separation and immunoadsorption studies such as removal of anti-dsDNA antibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patient plasma. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [p(HEMA)]-based monolithic cryogel column embedded with Zn(2+)-diatomite particles was prepared by free radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm). The polymerization reaction was initiated by N,N,N',N'-tetramethylene diamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) pair in an ice bath. After thawing, the monolithic composite cryogels were used for affinity sorption and then subsequent desorption of DNA molecules from aqueous solutions. Diatomite (DA) particles were characterized by XRF and BET method. The characterization of composite cryogel was done through SEM imaging. The effects of pH of the solution, initial DNA concentration, ionic strength, temperature and flow rates on adsorption were investigated to determine the optimum conditions for adsorption/desorption experiments. The particle embedding procedure was shown to yield significantly enhanced adsorption of DNA on the adsorbent. Furthermore, considering its excellent bio-compatibility, p(HEMA) cryogels are promising a candidate for further DNA sorption studies.

Effect of cathode vibration and heat treatment on electromagnetic properties of flake-shaped diatomite coated with Ni-Fe alloy by electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Mingming; Li, Huiqin; Huang, Weihua; Xu, Guangyin; Li, Yan

2015-03-01

In this paper, flake-shaped diatomite particles were used as forming templates for the fabrication of the ferromagnetic functional fillers by way of electroplating Ni-Fe alloy method. The effects of cathode vibration frequency on the content of Ni-Fe alloy in the coating and the surface morphologies of the coatings were evaluated. The electromagnetic properties of the coated diatomite particles before and after heat treatment were also investigated in detail. The results show that the core-shell flake-shaped diatomite particles with high content of Ni-Fe alloy and good surface qualities of the coatings can be obtained by adjusting cathode vibration frequency. The coated diatomite particles with heat treatment filled paraffin wax composites exhibit a superior microwave absorbing and electromagnetic properties compared to the non-heat treated samples. Additionally, the peaks of reflection loss are found to be able to shift to lower frequency by the heat treatment process, which indicates the heat treatment can adjust microwave absorbing frequency band.

Chapter D: With or Without Salt-a Comparison of Marine and Continental-Lacustrine Diatomite Deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Moyle, Phillip R.; Dolley, Thomas P.

2003-01-01

Diatoms in sedimentary deposits of marine and continental, especially lacustrine, origin have similar nutrient (for example, phosphate, nitrate, and silica) and light requirements; however, their geologic ranges and physiographic environments vary. Marine diatoms range in age from Early Cretaceous to Holocene, and continental diatoms range in age from Eocene to Holocene; however, most commercial diatomites, both marine and lacustrine, were deposited during the Miocene. Marine deposits of commercial value generally accumulated along continental margins with submerged coastal basins and shelves where wind-driven boundary currents provided the nutrient-rich upwelling conditions capable of supporting a productive diatom habitat. Commercial freshwater diatomite deposits occur in volcanic terrains associated with events that formed sediment-starved drainage basins, such as the Basin and Range Province, particularly in Nevada. Marine habitats generally are characterized by stable conditions of temperature, salinity, pH, nutrients, and water currents, in contrast to lacustrine habitats, which are characterized by wide variations in these conditions. Marine deposits generally are of higher quality and contain larger resources, owing to their greater areal extent and thickness, whereas most of the world's known diatomites are of lacustrine origin. Both types of deposit are commonly mined by open-pit methods and subjected to processing designed to remove organic matter, CO2, pore water, and inorganic contaminants in order to produce purified products. The highest quality diatomites, predominantly from marine sources, are used in filtration, although both types of deposit produce filter grades, and additional end uses include fillers, additives, absorbents, and abrasives.

Radioecological implementation of 'environmental friendly' materials alumosilicate origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stojanovic, M.; Milojkovic, J.; Grubisic, M.; Iles, D.

2009-01-01

The problem of modern civilization is radionuclide contamination of soil, especially in Serbia.There was NATO aggression when were used munitions with depleted uranium, and after that waste material was deposed on the inhabited and mostly fertile soil. Having in mind that not all activities have been taken that would permanently eliminate the consequences of this radionuclide, means that entering depleted uranium in the food chain is a real danger now. Solving this problem requires a holistic approach including the application of safe and effective 'environmental friendly' materials that are economical, locally available and easily applicable. Our investigations have included testing the efficiency of natural and modified with domestic origin aluminosilicate materials, zeolite, phosphate, bentonite and diatomite for in situ remediation of soil. (author) [sr

Study on The Application of Composed TiO2-diatomite in The Removal of Phenol in Water

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Liu, S.; Li, J.

2017-10-01

As an environmentally friendly pollution control technology, TiO2 photocatalytic technology has a broad prospect in the field of environmental protection. In this paper, composed nano-TiO2-diatomite were prepared by depositing TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of diatomite microparticles. The nano-TiO2/diatomite composed photocatalyst is used to remove phenol in water in a specific designed reaction box under 4 different operation factors such as different reaction time, different pollutant concentration, different UV light powers and different amount of catalytic powder. The experimental results indicate that the phenol removal percentages are influenced by the reaction time most significantly, the second is the phenol concentration, the next one is the photocatalyst amount and the UV light powers’ effect is quite limited. Tthe degradation of phenol typically slows down at the reaction time about 30 or 60 minutes. Besides that, the phenol removal kinetic removal rates were also investigated.

Biological marker distribution in coexisting kerogen, bitumen and asphaltenes in Monterey Formation diatomite, California

Science.gov (United States)

Tannenbaum, E.; Ruth, E.; Huizinga, B. J.; Kaplan, I. R.

1986-01-01

Organic-rich (18.2%) Monterey Formation diatomite from California was studied. The organic matter consist of 94% bitumen and 6% kerogen. Biological markers from the bitumen and from pyrolysates of the coexisting asphaltenes and kerogen were analyzed in order to elucidate the relationship between the various fractions of the organic matter. While 17 alpha(H), 18 alpha(H), 21 alpha(H)-28,30-bisnorhopane was present in the bitumen and in the pryolysate of the asphaltenes, it was not detected in the pyrolysates of the kerogen. A C40-isoprenoid with "head to head" linkage, however, was present in pyrolysates of both kerogen and asphaltenes, but not in the bitumen from the diatomite. The maturation level of the bitumen, based on the extent of isomerization of steranes and hopanes, was that of a mature oil, whereas the pyrolysate from the kerogen showed a considerably lower maturation level. These relationships indicate that the bitumen may not be indigenous to the diatomite and that it is a mature oil that migrated into the rock. We consider the possibility, however, that some of the 28,30-bisnorhopane-rich Monterey Formation oils have not been generated through thermal degradation of kerogen, but have been expelled from the source rock at an early stage of diagenesis.

Diatomite Photonic Crystals for Facile On-Chip Chromatography and Sensing of Harmful Ingredients from Food

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Xianming Kong

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Diatomaceous earth—otherwise called diatomite—is essentially composed of hydrated biosilica with periodic nanopores. Diatomite is derived from fossilized remains of diatom frustules and possesses photonic-crystal features. In this paper, diatomite simultaneously functions as the matrix of the chromatography plate and the substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS, by which the photonic crystal-features could enhance the optical field intensity. The on-chip separation performance of the device was confirmed by separating and detecting industrial dye (Sudan I in an artificial aqueous mixture containing 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA, where concentrated plasmonic Au colloid was casted onto the analyte spot for SERS measurement. The plasmonic-photonic hybrid mode between the Au nanoparticles (NP and the diatomite layer could supply nearly 10 times the increment of SERS signal (MBA intensity compared to the common silica gel chromatography plate. Furthermore, this lab-on-a-chip photonic crystal device was employed for food safety sensing in real samples and successfully monitored histamine in salmon and tuna. This on-chip food sensor can be used as a cheap, robust, and portable sensing platform for monitoring for histamine or other harmful ingredients at trace levels in food products.

Dewatering of Chlorella pyrenoidosa using diatomite dynamic membrane: filtration performance, membrane fouling and cake behavior.

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Zhang, Yalei; Zhao, Yangying; Chu, Huaqiang; Zhou, Xuefei; Dong, Bingzhi

2014-01-01

The diatomite dynamic membrane (DDM) was utilized to dewater Chlorella pyrenoidosa of 2 g dry weight/L under continuous-flow mode, whose ultimate algae concentration ranged from 43 g to 22 g dry weight/L of different culture time. The stable flux of DDM could reach 30 L/m(2) h over a 24 h operation time without backwash. Influences of extracellular organic matters (EOM) on filtration behavior and membrane fouling were studied. The DDM was divided into three sub-layers, the slime layer, the algae layer and the diatomite layer from the outside to the inside of the cake layer based on components and morphologies. It was found that EOM caused membrane fouling by accumulating in the slime and algae layers. The DDM intercepted polysaccharides, protein-like substances, humic-like substances and some low-MW organics. Proteins were indicated the major membrane foulants with increased protein/polysaccharide ratio from the slime layer to the diatomite layer as culture time increased. This method could be applied to subsequent treatment of microalgae coupling technology of wastewater treatment or microalgae harvesting for producing biofuel. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect Factors of Benzene Adsorption and Degradation by Nano-TiO2 Immobilized on Diatomite

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Lijun Cheng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Difference between adsorption of benzene by diatomite and nano-TiO2 immobilized on diatomite was investigated. And effects of temperature, light intensity, relative humidity, and initial benzene concentration on adsorption and degradation of benzene by nano-TiO2 immobilized on diatomite were also studied. The experimental results showed that when initial benzene concentration was 2.2×10−3 mg L−1, it could be degraded to below safe concentration (1.1×10−4 mg L−1 after 50 h when temperature was 20°C, but it just needed 30 h at 35°C. When light intensity was 6750 Lx, it needed 30 h for benzene to be degraded to below safe concentration, but benzene could barely be degraded without light. When relative humidity was 50%, benzene could be degraded to 1.0×10−4 mg L−1 after 30 h, while its concentration could be reduced to 7.0×10−5 mg L−1 at the relative humidity of 80%.

Detection analysis of surface hydroxyl active sites and simulation calculation of the surface dissociation constants of aqueous diatomite suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Shu-Cui; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Ji-Lin; Sun, De-Hui; Liu, Gui-Xia

2015-01-01

Highlights: • To examine surface hydroxyl functional groups of the calcined diatomite by TGA-DSC, FTIR, and XPS. • To calculate the optimized log K 1 , log K 2 and log C values and the surface species distribution of each surface reactive site using ProtoFit and PHREEQC, respectively. - Abstract: The surface properties of the diatomite were investigated using nitrogen adsorption/deadsorption isotherms, TG-DSC, FTIR, and XPS, and surface protonation–deprotonation behavior was determined by continuous acid–base potentiometric titration technique. The diatomite sample with porous honeycomb structure has a BET specific surface area of 10.21 m 2 /g and large numbers of surface hydroxyl functional groups (i.e. ≡Si-OH, ≡Fe-OH, and ≡Al-OH). These surface hydroxyls can be protonated or deprotonated depending on the pH of the suspension. The experimental potentiometric data in two different ionic strength solutions (0.1 and 0.05 mol/L NaCl) were fitted using ProtoFit GUI V2.1 program by applying diffuse double layer model (DLM) with three amphoteric sites and minimizing the sum of squares between a dataset derivative function and a model derivative function. The optimized surface parameters (i.e. surface dissociation constants (log K 1 , log K 2 ) and surface site concentrations (log C)) of the sample were obtained. Based on the optimized surface parameters, the surface species distribution was calculated using Program-free PHREEQC 3.1.2. Thus, this work reveals considerable new information about surface protonation–deprotonation processes and surface adsorptive behaviors of the diatomite, which helps us to effectively use the cheap and cheerful diatomite clay adsorbent

Detection analysis of surface hydroxyl active sites and simulation calculation of the surface dissociation constants of aqueous diatomite suspensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Shu-Cui [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry and Nanotechnology at Universities of Jilin Province, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022 (China); Wang, Zhi-Gang [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Zhang, Ji-Lin, E-mail: zjl@ciac.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Sun, De-Hui [Changchun Institute Technology, Changchun 130012 (China); Liu, Gui-Xia, E-mail: liuguixia22@163.com [Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry and Nanotechnology at Universities of Jilin Province, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022 (China)

2015-02-01

Highlights: • To examine surface hydroxyl functional groups of the calcined diatomite by TGA-DSC, FTIR, and XPS. • To calculate the optimized log K{sub 1}, log K{sub 2} and log C values and the surface species distribution of each surface reactive site using ProtoFit and PHREEQC, respectively. - Abstract: The surface properties of the diatomite were investigated using nitrogen adsorption/deadsorption isotherms, TG-DSC, FTIR, and XPS, and surface protonation–deprotonation behavior was determined by continuous acid–base potentiometric titration technique. The diatomite sample with porous honeycomb structure has a BET specific surface area of 10.21 m{sup 2}/g and large numbers of surface hydroxyl functional groups (i.e. ≡Si-OH, ≡Fe-OH, and ≡Al-OH). These surface hydroxyls can be protonated or deprotonated depending on the pH of the suspension. The experimental potentiometric data in two different ionic strength solutions (0.1 and 0.05 mol/L NaCl) were fitted using ProtoFit GUI V2.1 program by applying diffuse double layer model (DLM) with three amphoteric sites and minimizing the sum of squares between a dataset derivative function and a model derivative function. The optimized surface parameters (i.e. surface dissociation constants (log K{sub 1}, log K{sub 2}) and surface site concentrations (log C)) of the sample were obtained. Based on the optimized surface parameters, the surface species distribution was calculated using Program-free PHREEQC 3.1.2. Thus, this work reveals considerable new information about surface protonation–deprotonation processes and surface adsorptive behaviors of the diatomite, which helps us to effectively use the cheap and cheerful diatomite clay adsorbent.

Use of natural aluminosilicates and porous ceramic materials for the inclusion of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarev, L.N.; Shashukov, E.A.; Kuznetsov, Yu.V.; Lyubtsev, R.I.

1979-01-01

Data on using the porous inorganic materials, such as diatomite and shamote, for the incorporation of radioactive wastes are presented. In laboratory-scale experiments on simulated liquid wastes it has been shown that the operations of solution absorption by porous materials, drying and calcination of salts in pores, and the subsequent conversion into glassy phosphate-silicate products seem to be promising from a technological point of view. This product is characterized by a sodium leaching rate of the order of 10 -5 g/cm 2 . d and good resistance to crystallization. The content of various oxides in the wastes can attain 15 to 20 wt %. The data on the dependence of plasticity and open porosity of the clay-like products on Na 2 O, SrO, ZrO 2 , and MnO 2 content are also given. 3 figures, 3 tables

Depth Filters Containing Diatomite Achieve More Efficient Particle Retention than Filters Solely Containing Cellulose Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Buyel, Johannes F; Gruchow, Hannah M; Fischer, Rainer

2015-01-01

The clarification of biological feed stocks during the production of biopharmaceutical proteins is challenging when large quantities of particles must be removed, e.g., when processing crude plant extracts. Single-use depth filters are often preferred for clarification because they are simple to integrate and have a good safety profile. However, the combination of filter layers must be optimized in terms of nominal retention ratings to account for the unique particle size distribution in each feed stock. We have recently shown that predictive models can facilitate filter screening and the selection of appropriate filter layers. Here we expand our previous study by testing several filters with different retention ratings. The filters typically contain diatomite to facilitate the removal of fine particles. However, diatomite can interfere with the recovery of large biopharmaceutical molecules such as virus-like particles and aggregated proteins. Therefore, we also tested filtration devices composed solely of cellulose fibers and cohesive resin. The capacities of both filter types varied from 10 to 50 L m(-2) when challenged with tobacco leaf extracts, but the filtrate turbidity was ~500-fold lower (~3.5 NTU) when diatomite filters were used. We also tested pre-coat filtration with dispersed diatomite, which achieved capacities of up to 120 L m(-2) with turbidities of ~100 NTU using bulk plant extracts, and in contrast to the other depth filters did not require an upstream bag filter. Single pre-coat filtration devices can thus replace combinations of bag and depth filters to simplify the processing of plant extracts, potentially saving on time, labor and consumables. The protein concentrations of TSP, DsRed and antibody 2G12 were not affected by pre-coat filtration, indicating its general applicability during the manufacture of plant-derived biopharmaceutical proteins.

Depth filters containing diatomite achieve more efficient particle retention than filters solely containing cellulose fibers

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Johannes Felix Buyel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The clarification of biological feed stocks during the production of biopharmaceutical proteins is challenging when large quantities of particles must be removed, e.g. when processing crude plant extracts. Single-use depth filters are often preferred for clarification because they are simple to integrate and have a good safety profile. However, the combination of filter layers must be optimized in terms of nominal retention ratings to account for the unique particle size distribution in each feed stock. We have recently shown that predictive models can facilitate filter screening and the selection of appropriate filter layers. Here we expand our previous study by testing several filters with different retention ratings. The filters typically contain diatomite to facilitate the removal of fine particles. However, diatomite can interfere with the recovery of large biopharmaceutical molecules such as virus-like particles and aggregated proteins. Therefore, we also tested filtration devices composed solely of cellulose fibers and cohesive resin. The capacities of both filter types varied from 10 to 50 L m-2 when challenged with tobacco leaf extracts, but the filtrate turbidity was ~500-fold lower (~3.5 NTU when diatomite filters were used. We also tested pre coat filtration with dispersed diatomite, which achieved capacities of up to 120 L m-2 with turbidities of ~100 NTU using bulk plant extracts, and in contrast to the other depth filters did not require an upstream bag filter. Single pre-coat filtration devices can thus replace combinations of bag and depth filters to simplify the processing of plant extracts, potentially saving on time, labor and consumables. The protein concentrations of TSP, DsRed and antibody 2G12 were not affected by pre-coat filtration, indicating its general applicability during the manufacture of plant-derived biopharmaceutical proteins.

Experimental Study on Purification of Low Grade Diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Liguang; Pang, Bo

2017-04-01

This paper presented an innovation for purification of low grade diatomite(DE) by grinding, ultrasonic pretreatment, acid leaching of closed stirring and calcination. The optimum process parameters of DE purification were obtained, the characterizations of original and purified DE were determined by SEM and BET. The results showed that the specific surface area of DE increased from 12.65m2/g to 23.23m2/g, which increased by 45.54%. SEM analysis revealed that the pore structure of purified DE was dredged highly.

Preparation Parameter Analysis and Optimization of Sustainable Asphalt Binder Modified by Waste Rubber and Diatomite

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Hanbing Liu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, crumb rubber and diatomite were used to modify asphalt binder. Wet process was adopted as a preparation method, and the corresponding preparation process was determined firstly. The effects of six preparation parameters (crumb rubber concentration, diatomite concentration, shear time, shear speed, shear temperature, and storing time on properties of modified asphalt binder (penetration at 25°C, softening point, ductility, viscosity at 135°C, elastic recovery, and penetration index were investigated, and multiresponse optimization was conducted using the response surface method. The results revealed that softening points, viscosity, elastic recovery, and penetration index increase, while penetration and ductility decrease with the increase of crumb rubber concentration. Softening points, viscosity, and penetration index increase, while penetration and ductility decrease with the increase of diatomite concentration, which presents little influence on elastic recovery of binder. Shear temperature presented significant effects on penetration, softening point, viscosity, and ductility. Shear speed, shear time, and storing time have similar effects on binder properties because of their similar mechanism of action. Based on the model obtained from the response surface method, optimized preparation parameters corresponding to specific criteria can be determined, which possess favorable accuracy compared with experimental results.

[Determination of Heavy Metal Elements in Diatomite Filter Aid by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry].

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Xi-du; Fu, Liang

2015-11-01

This study established a method for determining Be, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Sb, Sn, Tl, Hg and Pb, total 10 heavy metals in diatomite filter aid. The diatomite filter aid was digested by using the mixture acid of HNO₃ + HF+ H₃PO₄ in microwave system, 10 heavy metals elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The interferences of mass spectrometry caused by the high silicon substrate were optimized, first the equipment parameters and isotopes of test metals were selected to eliminate these interferences, the methane was selected as reactant gas, and the mass spectral interferences were eliminated by dynamic reaction cell (DRC). Li, Sc, Y, In and Bi were selected as the internal standard elements to correct the interferences caused by matrix and the drift of sensitivity. The results show that the detection limits for analyte is in the range of 3.29-15.68 ng · L⁻¹, relative standard deviations (RSD) is less than 4.62%, and the recovery is in the range of 90.71%-107.22%. The current method has some advantages such as, high sensitivity, accurate, and precision, which can be used in diatomite filter aid quality control and safety estimations.

High-temperature adsorption layers based on fluoridated polyimide and diatomite carrier

Science.gov (United States)

Yakovleva, E. Yu.; Shundrina, I. K.; Gerasimov, E. Yu.

2017-09-01

A way of preparing separation layers by the pyrolysis of fluorinated polyimide obtained from 2,4,6-trimethyl- m-phenylenediamine (2,4,6-TM mPDA) and 2,2-bis(3',4'-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane (6FDA) applied onto a diatomite carrier is described. Thermogravimetry, elemental analysis, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, high-resolution electron microscopy, and gas chromatography are used to study changes in the texture and chromatographic characteristics of these layers. It is found that changes in the structure and the effectivity of separation characteristic of the layers depend on the temperature of pyrolysis, which ranges from 250 to 1100°C. It is established that a layer of separation is formed at 250-350°C, and the order of elution of hydrocarbons is similar to their chromatographic behavior on such stationary phases as OV-101. Layers of amorphous carbon formed on the surfaces of individual particles on a diatomite surface at 500-700°C. These layers ensure highly stable and selective separation of permanent gases and hydrocarbons when they are present together.

Detection analysis of surface hydroxyl active sites and simulation calculation of the surface dissociation constants of aqueous diatomite suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Shu-Cui; Wang, Zhi-Gang; Zhang, Ji-Lin; Sun, De-Hui; Liu, Gui-Xia

2015-02-01

The surface properties of the diatomite were investigated using nitrogen adsorption/deadsorption isotherms, TG-DSC, FTIR, and XPS, and surface protonation-deprotonation behavior was determined by continuous acid-base potentiometric titration technique. The diatomite sample with porous honeycomb structure has a BET specific surface area of 10.21 m2/g and large numbers of surface hydroxyl functional groups (i.e. tbnd Si-OH, tbnd Fe-OH, and tbnd Al-OH). These surface hydroxyls can be protonated or deprotonated depending on the pH of the suspension. The experimental potentiometric data in two different ionic strength solutions (0.1 and 0.05 mol/L NaCl) were fitted using ProtoFit GUI V2.1 program by applying diffuse double layer model (DLM) with three amphoteric sites and minimizing the sum of squares between a dataset derivative function and a model derivative function. The optimized surface parameters (i.e. surface dissociation constants (log K1, log K2) and surface site concentrations (log C)) of the sample were obtained. Based on the optimized surface parameters, the surface species distribution was calculated using Program-free PHREEQC 3.1.2. Thus, this work reveals considerable new information about surface protonation-deprotonation processes and surface adsorptive behaviors of the diatomite, which helps us to effectively use the cheap and cheerful diatomite clay adsorbent.

Response surface modeling of acid activation of raw diatomite using in sunflower oil bleaching by: Box-Behnken experimental design.

Science.gov (United States)

Larouci, M; Safa, M; Meddah, B; Aoues, A; Sonnet, P

2015-03-01

The optimum conditions for acid activation of diatomite for maximizing bleaching efficiency of the diatomite in sun flower oil treatment were studied. Box-Behnken experimental design combining with response surface modeling (RSM) and quadratic programming (QP) was employed to obtain the optimum conditions of three independent variables (acid concentration, activation time and solid to liquid) for acid activation of diatomite. The significance of independent variables and their interactions were tested by means of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) with 95 % confidence limits (α = 0.05). The optimum values of the selected variables were obtained by solving the quadratic regression model, as well as by analyzing the response surface contour plots. The experimental conditions at this global point were determined to be acid concentration = 8.963 N, activation time = 11.9878 h, and solid to liquid ratio = 221.2113 g/l, the corresponding bleaching efficiency was found to be about 99 %.

Characterization of the diatomite binding domain in the ribosomal protein L2 from E. coli and functions as an affinity tag.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Junhua; Zhang, Yang; Yang, Yanjun

2013-03-01

The ribosomal protein L2, a constituent protein of the 50S large ribosomal subunit, can be used as Si-tag using silica particles for the immobilization and purification of recombinant proteins (Ikeda et al. (Protein Expr Purif 71:91-95, 2010); Taniguchi et al. (Biotechnol Bioeng 96:1023-1029, 2007)). We applied a diatomite powder, a sedimentary rock mainly composed with diatoms silica, as an affinity solid phase and small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) technology to release a target protein from the solid phase. The L2 (203-273) was the sufficient region for the adsorption of ribosomal protein L2 on diatomite. We comparatively analyzed the different adsorption properties of the two deleted proteins of L2 (L2 (1-60, 203-273) and L2 (203-273)) on diatomite. The time required to reach adsorption equilibrium of L2 (203-273) fusion protein on diatomite was shorter than that of L2 (1-60, 203-273) fusion protein. The maximum adsorption capacity of L2 (203-273) fusion protein was larger than that of L2 (1-60, 203-273) fusion protein. In order to study whether the L2 (203-273) can function as an affinity purification tag, SUMO was introduced as one specific protease cleavage site between the target protein and the purification tags. The L2 (203-273) and SUMO fusion protein purification method was tested using enhanced green fluorescent protein as a model protein; the result shows that the purification performance of this affinity purification method was good. The strong adsorption characteristic of L2 (203-273) on diatomite also provides a potential protein fusion tag for the immobilization of enzyme.

Regioselective oxyalkylation of vinylarenes catalyzed by diatomite-supported manganese oxide nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Huayin; Zhang, Yonghui; Guo, Fengfeng; Zha, Zhenggen; Wang, Zhiyong

2012-04-06

A regioselective oxyalkylation reaction of vinylarenes with cyclic ethers was developed under the catalysis of a new heterogeneous catalyst, the diatomite-supported Mn(3)O(4) nanoparticles (SMONP-1). The use of this heterogeneous catalyst provided a novel approach for the synthesis of α-carbonyled β-alkylated aryl derivatives via a sp(3) C-H bond functionalization under mild aerobic conditions.

Effects of Diatomite and SBS on Freeze-Thaw Resistance of Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt Mixture

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Haibin Wei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Asphalt mixture is susceptible to moisture damage under the effect of freeze-thaw (F-T cycles. In this paper, crumb rubber (CR was used to modify stone mastic asphalt (SMA and the effects of diatomite and styrene butadiene styrene (SBS on antifreezing performances of crumb rubber modified SMA (CRSMA were investigated. Regression analysis and modified grey model (MGM were used to construct the prediction models for properties of modified mixtures. CRSMA, CR and diatomite modified SMA (CRDSMA, and CR and SBS modified SMA (CRSSMA were prepared in laboratory, respectively. Process of F-T cycles was designed. Air void, indirect tensile strength (ITS, and indirect tensile stiffness modulus (ITSM were measured to evaluate the antifreezing performances of CRSMA, CRDSMA, and CRSSMA. Results indicate that air voids increase with the increasing of F-T cycles. ITS and ITSM all decrease with the increasing of F-T cycles. The addition of diatomite and SBS can reduce the air void and improve the ITS and ITSM of CRSMA. CRSSMA presents the lowest air void, highest tensile strength, and largest stiffness modulus, which reveals that CRSSMA has the best F-T resistance among three different kinds of mixtures. Moreover, MGM (1, 2 models present more favorable accuracy in prediction of air void and ITS compared with regression ones.

Removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from aqueous solutions by the diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan Peng, E-mail: yuanpeng@gig.ac.cn [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Liu Dong; Fan Mingde; Yang Dan [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Zhu Runliang; Ge Fei [College of Chemical Engineering, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105 (China); Zhu Jianxi; He Hongping [Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2010-01-15

Diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation and hydrosol methods, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The average sizes of the unsupported and supported magnetite nanoparticles are around 25 and 15 nm, respectively. The supported magnetite nanoparticles exist on the surface or inside the pores of diatom shells, with better dispersing and less coaggregation than the unsupported ones. The uptake of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] on the synthesized magnetite nanoparticles was mainly governed by a physico-chemical process, which included an electrostatic attraction followed by a redox process in which Cr(VI) was reduced into trivalent chromium [Cr(III)]. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was highly pH-dependent and the kinetics of the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption data of diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite fit well with the Langmuir isotherm equation. The supported magnetite showed a better adsorption capacity per unit mass of magnetite than unsupported magnetite, and was more thermally stable than their unsupported counterparts. These results indicate that the diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles are readily prepared, enabling promising applications for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

Removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from aqueous solutions by the diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Peng; Liu, Dong; Fan, Mingde; Yang, Dan; Zhu, Runliang; Ge, Fei; Zhu, JianXi; He, Hongping

2010-01-15

Diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation and hydrosol methods, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, elemental analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The average sizes of the unsupported and supported magnetite nanoparticles are around 25 and 15 nm, respectively. The supported magnetite nanoparticles exist on the surface or inside the pores of diatom shells, with better dispersing and less coaggregation than the unsupported ones. The uptake of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] on the synthesized magnetite nanoparticles was mainly governed by a physico-chemical process, which included an electrostatic attraction followed by a redox process in which Cr(VI) was reduced into trivalent chromium [Cr(III)]. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was highly pH-dependent and the kinetics of the adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption data of diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite fit well with the Langmuir isotherm equation. The supported magnetite showed a better adsorption capacity per unit mass of magnetite than unsupported magnetite, and was more thermally stable than their unsupported counterparts. These results indicate that the diatomite-supported/unsupported magnetite nanoparticles are readily prepared, enabling promising applications for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

Preliminary geological investigation of the Bir Hayzan diatomite deposit, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a section on selected physical properties and implications for future geophysical exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Whitney, J.W.; Gettings, M.E.

1982-01-01

A 2.2-m-thick lake bed composed entirely of diatomite was found in the southwestern arm of the Nafud sand sea, about 67 km east of Tayma in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Its stratigraphic position above eolian sand and below a large barchanoid dune indicates deposition during an exceptional period of pluvial climate in an otherwise arid sand desert. Radiocarbon-dated carbonate lake beds found in similar stratigraphic settings in other parts of the Nafud suggest that the diatomite was deposited in the late Pleistocene epoch sometime between 32,000 and 20,000 years ago. Diatomite of the same pluvial episode has also been found in the Afar region of Ethiopia. Four samples of the diatomite were analyzed for major chemical components and 32 minor and trace elements. Two of the samples appeared to be representative of the lake bed. These samples contained about 85 percent SiO2, 2.34 percent Fe2O3, 1 4 percent Al2O3, and 8.27 percent ignition loss, with only traces of CaO, P2O5, MgO, Na2O, and TiO2. The high content of silica and low contents of alumina, iron oxide, lime, and other constituents indicate low contamination. Analyses of samples from the two atypical units indicate a small amount of contamination, probably clay or mica, in the basal unit and addition of iron oxide and carbonate by ground water in an isolated green-colored unit. Chemically the Bi'r Hayzan diatomite compares favorably with commercial deposits from other parts of the world. Low bulk densities of 0.64 g/cm3 (30-40 lbs/ft3) and an average porosity of 63 percent for five samples also suggest the deposit is of industrial grade. Further studies are recommended to determine: (1) the size and extent of the deposit and (2) the suitability of the diatomite for commercial applications. As means to these ends, electrical-resistivity surveys following winter rains are suggested to determine both the extent and thickness of the lake bed beneath the overlying sand dunes. A complete species identification of the

The effect of zeolite and diatomite on the corrosion of reinforcement steel in 1 M HCl solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Husnu Gerengi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The greatest disadvantage of reinforced concrete structures is the corrosion occurring in the reinforcement which, over time, causes a reduction in the reinforcement-concrete adherence and eventual sectional loss. The purpose of this study was to reveal the corrosion mechanism of ribbed reinforcement inside additive-free (reference, 20% zeolite-doped and 20% diatomite-doped concrete samples after exposure to 1 M HCl over 240 days. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS measurements were made every 10 days. Consequently, it was determined that the 20% zeolite-doped concrete samples had higher concrete and reinforcement resistance compared to the 20% diatomite-doped and the reference concrete, i.e. they exhibited less corrosion.

The sorption of lead, cadmium, copper and zinc ions from aqueous solutions on a raw diatomite from Algeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Safa, Messaouda; Larouci, Mohammed; Meddah, Boumediene; Valemens, Pierre

2012-01-01

The adsorption of Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) ions from aqueous solution by Algerian raw diatomite was studied. The influences of different sorption parameters such as contact pH solution, contact time and initial metal ions concentration were studied to optimize the reaction conditions. The metals ions adsorption was strictly pH dependent. The maximum adsorption capacities towards Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) were 0.319, 0.311, 0.18 and 0.096 mmol g(-1), respectively. The kinetic data were modelled using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations. Among the kinetic models studied, the pseudo-second-order equation was the best applicable model to describe the sorption process. Equilibrium isotherm data were analysed using the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherms; the results showed that the adsorption equilibrium was well described by both model isotherms. The negative value of free energy change ΔG indicates feasible and spontaneous adsorption of four metal ions on raw diatomite. According to these results, the high exchange capacities of different metal ions at high and low concentration levels, and given the low cost of the investigated adsorbent in this work, Algerian diatomite was considered to be an excellent adsorbent.

Performance of diatomite/iron oxide modified nonwoven membrane used in membrane bioreactor process for wastewater reclamation.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yueling; Zhang, Wenqi; Rao, Pinhua; Jin, Peng

2014-01-01

This study describes an approach for surface modification of a nonwoven membrane by diatomite/iron oxide to examine its filterability. Analysis results showed that nonwoven hydrophilicity is enhanced. Static contact angle decreases dramatically from 122.66° to 39.33°. Scanning electron micrograph images show that diatomite/iron oxide is attached on nonwoven fiber. X-ray diffraction analysis further proves that the compound is mostly magnetite. Fourier transformed infrared spectra results reveal that two new absorption peaks might be attributed to Si-O and Fe-O, respectively. Modified and original membranes were used in double nonwoven membrane bioreactors (MBRs) for synthetic wastewater treatment. High critical flux, long filtration time, slow trans-membrane pressure rise and stable sludge volume index confirmed the advantages of modified nonwoven. Comparing with original nonwoven, similar effluent qualities are achieved, meeting the requirements for wastewater reclamation.

Gravity filtration performances of the bio-diatomite dynamic membrane reactor for slightly polluted surface water purification.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Huaqiang; Dong, Bingzhi; Zhang, Yalei; Zhou, Xuefei

2012-01-01

A bio-diatomite dynamic membrane (BDDM) reactor for surface water treatment under a water head of 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 cm, respectively, was investigated, which was very effective for pollutants removal. The water head exerted strong influences on filtration flux of BDDM during the precoating process, as well as on the formation of BDDM and turbidity variations. A high filtration flux (approximately 200-300 L/m2 h) could be achieved in the long filtration times of BDDM with a stable effluent turbidity of approximately 0.11-0.25 NTU. The BDDM could remove particles larger than 25 μm completely. The adopted sintered diatomite mainly consisted of macro pores, which were beneficial for improving the filtration flux of BDDM. During the backwash stage, the BDDM could be removed completely by the air backwash.

Elaboration of high-temperature friction polymer material and study of its wear aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gventsadze, L.

2009-01-01

High-temperature friction composite material is elaborated and its physical, mechanical and tribologic features are studied. It is shown, that addition to the friction material composition of filling material having nanopores -diatomite-and its modification with polyethilensilan leads to friction materials friction coefficient stability and wear resistance increase at high temperatures (400-600 ℃). (author)

Preparation of diatomite/Ca(OH){sub 2} sorbents and modelling their sulphation reaction Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul (Turkey). Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering Faculty

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nilgun Karatepe; Nilufer Erdoan; Aysegul Ersoy-Mericboyu; Sadriye Kucukbayrak

2004-09-01

Mixtures of Ca(OH){sub 2} and diatomite were hydrated at different conditions to produce reactive SO{sub 2} sorbents. Two different hydration techniques were used; namely, atmospheric and pressure hydration. The effect of the hydration temperature, time and diatomite/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio on the physical properties of the activated sorbents were investigated. In atmospheric hydration, it was found that increasing the temperature and hydration time caused an increase in the total surface area of the sorbents. However, surface area values of the sorbents prepared from mixtures which have different diatomite/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio were generally not changed significantly. In pressure hydration, the surface area of the activated sorbents was positively affected from the hydration temperature and pressure. Finally, Ca(OH){sub 2} and two diatomite/Ca(OH){sub 2} sorbents were sulphated at constant temperature (338 K) using a synthetic gaseous mixture consisting of 5% O{sub 2}, 10% CO{sub 2}, 5000 ppm SO{sub 2} and the balance of nitrogen with a 55% relative humidity. The sulphation reaction of these sorbents were investigated and modelled. The unreacted shrinking core model was chosen to describe this non-catalytic solid/gas (hydrated sorbent/SO{sub 2}) reaction mechanism. The experimental results were found to be correlated successfully by this model.

The hydroxyl species and acid sites on diatomite surface: a combined IR and Raman study

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, P.; Wu, D. Q.; He, H. P.; Lin, Z. Y.

2004-04-01

Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT), Raman spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine molecules (Py-Raman) and in situ Py-IR have been used to investigate the hydroxyl species and acid sites on diatomite surfaces. The Lewis (L) and Brønsted (B) acid sites, and various hydroxyl species, including isolated hydroxyl groups, H-bonded hydroxyl groups and physically adsorbed water, are identified. The L acid sites in diatomite samples are resulted from the clay impurities, and the B acid sites are resulted from some moderate strength H-bonded hydroxyl groups. At room temperature, both of the isolated and H-bonded silanols associate with the physically adsorbed water by hydrogen bond. After calcination treatment, physically adsorbed water will be desorbed from the silanols, and the silanols will condense with the increase of temperature. Generally, the H-bonded silanols condense more easily than the isolated ones. The properties of surface hydroxyl species of diatomaceous silica are more similar to precipitated silica rather than fumed silica.

Adsorption of Streptococcus faecalis on diatomite carriers for use in biotransformations.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, W A; Bay, P; Legge, R L; Moo-Young, M

1990-01-01

Adsorption of cells on particulate carriers is potentially one of the most cost-effective immobilization techniques available. Diatomite carriers, such as Celite, have desirable physical properties, are inexpensive, and are suitable for both mycelial and bacterial systems. This work investigated the use of diatomite carriers as a biocatalyst support in a packed-bed reactor where L-tyrosine was enzymatically decarboxylated using adsorbed, non-growing cells of Streptococcus faecalis. Composition of microbial adsorption on different Celite types, with mean pore sizes ranging from 0.55 to 22 microns, showed there was no significant difference in biomass loading capacity under the conditions used. Using Celite 560, biomass loadings in a packed-bed reactor varied from 10 to 30 g dm-3 of reactor volume, which compares favourably with other adsorption methods. When used to decarboxylate L-tyrosine, the reactor was found to have a half-life of 15-20 h. A combination of enzyme activity loss and slow leakage of biomass from the packed-bed reactor was responsible for the decline in conversion. Treatment of the S. faecalis cells with glutaraldehyde significantly reduced the enzyme activity loss and extended the reactor half-life to 65 h, but had little effect on the rate of cell leakage from the reactor. Further work on reduction of cell leakage rate seems necessary for evaluation of the system's practicality.

Basic research on the development of 'intelligent-type' humidity control materials; Intelligent gata choshitsu zairyo no kaihatsu ni kansuru kiso kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomura, S.; Maeda, M.; Inukai, K.; Ohashi, F.; Suzuki, M.; Suzuki, K.; Shibasaki, Y. [National Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya,Nagoya (Japan)

2000-10-25

The water vapor adsorption desorption isotherms of purified and/or synthesized sepiolite, allophane, diatomite, selectively leached kaolin and mesoporous silica were measured to develop humidity control materials in living environments. Based on Kelvin's capillary condensation theory, suitable pore diameters for controlling relative humidity at 40 and 70% were calculated to be 3.2 and 7.4 nm, respectively. Wakkanai diatomite, purified allophane, selectively leached kaolin and mesoporous silica have suitable pore diameters and high water adsorptivity, and were considered as candidates for humidity self-control materials. Among these materials, mesoporous silica formed as a tile showed the best performance as a humidity control material in desiccator and model house levels. (author)

Microfluidic Diatomite Analytical Devices for Illicit Drug Sensing with ppb-Level Sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xianming; Chong, Xinyuan; Squire, Kenny; Wang, Alan X

2018-04-15

The escalating research interests in porous media microfluidics, such as microfluidic paper-based analytical devices, have fostered a new spectrum of biomedical devices for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis and biosensing. In this paper, we report microfluidic diatomite analytical devices (μDADs), which consist of highly porous photonic crystal biosilica channels, as an innovative lab-on-a-chip platform to detect illicit drugs. The μDADs in this work are fabricated by spin-coating and tape-stripping diatomaceous earth on regular glass slides with cross section of 400×30µm 2 . As the most unique feature, our μDADs can simultaneously perform on-chip chromatography to separate small molecules from complex biofluidic samples and acquire the surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of the target chemicals with high specificity. Owing to the ultra-small dimension of the diatomite microfluidic channels and the photonic crystal effect from the fossilized diatom frustules, we demonstrate unprecedented sensitivity down to part-per-billion (ppb) level when detecting pyrene (1ppb) from mixed sample with Raman dye and cocaine (10 ppb) from human plasma. This pioneering work proves the exclusive advantage of μDADs as emerging microfluidic devices for chemical and biomedical sensing, especially for POC drug screening.

Natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mrnustik, J.

1988-01-01

Within a study of the natural radioactivity of building materials, coefficients were determined of the emanation from selected materials and raw materials, such as porous concrete, bricks, marlite, quartzite, etc. Measurements were made of ground samples using Lucas scintillation chambers which give an accuracy of determination of the coefficient of about 10%. Specific radium activity was also determined for the samples. Tabulated is a comparison of the average specific activity of radium in concrete, power plant ash and porous concrete in Czechoslovakia and abroad. It is stated that monitoring the content of natural radionuclides in building materials is an indispensable part of the production process in the building industry, this with regard to the radiation protection of the population. This will be enhanced by the new Czechoslovak standard determining methods of measuring the content of natural radionuclides and the coefficient of radon emanation, and the subsequent evaluation of the properties of building materials. (Z.M.) 3 figs., 3 tabs

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, P.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses the broad problems presented by Naturally Occuring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Technologically Enhanced naturally occuring radioactive material includes any radionuclides whose physical, chemical, radiological properties or radionuclide concentration have been altered from their natural state. With regard to NORM in particular, radioactive contamination is radioactive material in an undesired location. This is a concern in a range of industries: petroleum; uranium mining; phosphorus and phosphates; fertilizers; fossil fuels; forestry products; water treatment; metal mining and processing; geothermal energy. The author discusses in more detail the problem in the petroleum industry, including the isotopes of concern, the hazards they present, the contamination which they cause, ways to dispose of contaminated materials, and regulatory issues. He points out there are three key programs to reduce legal exposure and problems due to these contaminants: waste minimization; NORM assesment (surveys); NORM compliance (training)

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gray, P. [ed.

1997-02-01

This paper discusses the broad problems presented by Naturally Occuring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Technologically Enhanced naturally occuring radioactive material includes any radionuclides whose physical, chemical, radiological properties or radionuclide concentration have been altered from their natural state. With regard to NORM in particular, radioactive contamination is radioactive material in an undesired location. This is a concern in a range of industries: petroleum; uranium mining; phosphorus and phosphates; fertilizers; fossil fuels; forestry products; water treatment; metal mining and processing; geothermal energy. The author discusses in more detail the problem in the petroleum industry, including the isotopes of concern, the hazards they present, the contamination which they cause, ways to dispose of contaminated materials, and regulatory issues. He points out there are three key programs to reduce legal exposure and problems due to these contaminants: waste minimization; NORM assesment (surveys); NORM compliance (training).

Natural Origin Materials for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonani, Walter; Singhatanadgige, Weerasak; Pornanong, Aramwit; Motta, Antonella

2018-01-01

Materials selection is a critical aspect for the production of scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering. Synthetic materials are the result of man-made operations and have been investigated for a variety of tissue engineering applications. Instead, the products of physiological processes and the metabolic activity of living organisms are identified as natural materials. Over the recent decades, a number of natural materials, namely, biopolymers and bioceramics, have been proposed as the main constituent of osteochondral scaffolds, but also as cell carriers and signaling molecules. Overall, natural materials have been investigated both in the bone and in the cartilage compartment, sometimes alone, but often in combination with other biopolymers or synthetic materials. Biopolymers and bioceramics possess unique advantages over their synthetic counterparts due similarity with natural extracellular matrix, the presence of cell recognition sites and tunable chemistry. However, the characteristics of natural origin materials can vary considerably depending on the specific source and extraction process. A deeper understanding of the relationship between material variability and biological activity and the definition of standardized manufacturing procedures will be crucial for the future of natural materials in tissue engineering.

Characterizations of nano-TiO2/diatomite composites and their photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr (VI)

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Qing; Li, Hui; Zheng, Shuilin; Sun, Zhiming

2014-08-01

In this paper, the TiO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on diatomite (DIA) via a typical hydrolysis precipitation process using TiCl4 as precursor. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). TiO2 nanoparticles with the average grain size of around 7-14 nm were well deposited on the surface of diatomite. The photocatalytic activity toward the reduction of aqueous Cr (VI) was demonstrated under UV light. The influence of initial pH values, catalyst amount, illumination intensity and initial concentration of Cr (VI) on photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) were investigated. Compared with the commercial TiO2 (P25, Degussa), the TiO2/DIA composites had better reactive activity because of their relatively higher adsorption capacity. Furthermore, the prepared photocatalyst exhibited relatively good photocatalytic stability depending on the reusability tests.

Fabrication of Ce/N co-doped TiO_2/diatomite granule catalyst and its improved visible-light-driven photoactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yan; Liu, Kuiren

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Ce/N co-doped TiO_2/diatomite granule (CNTD-G) was prepared via sol-gel method. • The optimal doping amount of Ce was determined. • The effects of impurity ions on photodegradation process were studied. • The intermediates generated during photodegradation process were deduced. • The mechanism of photodegradation process was proposed. - Abstract: Eliminating antibiotic remnants in aquatic environment has become one of the hottest topics among current research works. Thus, we prepared Ce, N co-doped TiO_2/diatomite granule (CNTD-G) catalyst to provide a new method. As one typical antibiotics, oxytetracycline (OTC) was selected as the target pollutant to be degradated under visible light irradiation. The carrier diatomite helped the spread of TiO_2 nanoparticles onto its surface, and inhibited their agglomeration. The synergy of Ce and N dopants highly improved the visible-light-driven photoactivity of TiO_2. The optimal doping amount and degradation conditions were determined. Besides, the effects of impurity ions were also investigated, including cations: Ca"2"+, Mg"2"+; or anions: NO_3"−, SO_4"2"− and PO_4"3"−. The intermediates generated during degradation process were studied, and the mechanism of the photodegradation process was proposed. CNTD-G could be easily collected from the reactor, and showed excellent recyclability.

Effect of Rice Husk and Diatomite on the Insulating Properties of Kaolin - Clay Firebricks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Ogo ONCHE

2007-09-01

Full Text Available This work was carried out to investigate the effect of rice husk and diatomite on the insulating properties of kaolin-clay firebrick. Five firebrick samples of different compositions were fired at 900°C, 1000°C, 1100°C, and 1200°C. Samples A-E are all insulating firebricks that can withstand temperatures ranging from 900°C to 1200°C since none of the samples crumbled during firing. The results showed that they all had good insulating characteristics with their highly porous structure making them suitable for backup insulation. Mixing ratios of 3:2:4:1 representing weight in grams of kaolin, plastic clay, rice husk and diatomite respectively for sample D gave the optimum performance values in terms of modulus of rupture, apparent porosity, apparent density, bulk density, and thermal conductivity at all temperatures. At 1200°C, the values are 22.57kgf/cm2 for modulus of rupture, 98.25% for apparent porosity, 2.38g/cm3 for apparent density, 1.11g/cm3 for bulk density, and 0.038w/mK for thermal conductivity.

Preparation and solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 composites: TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; Li, S. G.; Wang, J.; Li, Y.; Ma, C. H.; Zhang, L.

2014-12-01

Three TiO2 loaded composites, TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite, were prepared in order to improve the solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity could obviously be enhanced by loading appropriate amount of inorganic mineral materials. Meanwhile, TiO2 content, heat-treatment temperature and heat-treatment time on the photocatalytic activity were reviewed. Otherwise, the effect of solar light irradiation time and dye concentration on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red B was investigated. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism and adsorption process were also discussed.

Diatomite Modified Immobilized Delftia sp. for the Bio-Abiotic Removal of Antibiotics Amoxicillin in the Aqueous System

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Lijuan; Sun, Jing; Guan, Kai; Shen, Tingting; Wang, Xikui

2017-05-01

Diatomite modified sodium alginate (Si/SA) immobilized Delftia sp. A2(2011) (STT01) was applied to degrade amoxicillin. The immobilized pellets provided a direct and visual probe for the degradation process due to their intrinsic bright colour. The results demonstrated that 100% of amoxicillin and 68.5% of CODcr removal were achieved after 72 h, comparing with the cases of sodium alginate (SA) system (81.2%, 46.9%) and the free cells system (60.5%, 35.5%). The degradation kinetics was in good agreement with Michaelis-Menten equation. The maximum rate (Vm ) and Michaelis constant (Km ) were calculated as 9.09 mg L-1 h-1 and 228 mg L-1, respectively. The results further revealed that diatomite not only acted as immobilization support to improve the mechanical strength and lifetime of the pellets but also as absorbent to promote the treatment efficiency. Therefore, both enzymatic catalysis and chemisorption were responsible for the removal of amoxicillin.

Fabrication of Ce/N co-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite granule catalyst and its improved visible-light-driven photoactivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yan; Liu, Kuiren, E-mail: liukr@smm.neu.edu.cn

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Ce/N co-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite granule (CNTD-G) was prepared via sol-gel method. • The optimal doping amount of Ce was determined. • The effects of impurity ions on photodegradation process were studied. • The intermediates generated during photodegradation process were deduced. • The mechanism of photodegradation process was proposed. - Abstract: Eliminating antibiotic remnants in aquatic environment has become one of the hottest topics among current research works. Thus, we prepared Ce, N co-doped TiO{sub 2}/diatomite granule (CNTD-G) catalyst to provide a new method. As one typical antibiotics, oxytetracycline (OTC) was selected as the target pollutant to be degradated under visible light irradiation. The carrier diatomite helped the spread of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles onto its surface, and inhibited their agglomeration. The synergy of Ce and N dopants highly improved the visible-light-driven photoactivity of TiO{sub 2}. The optimal doping amount and degradation conditions were determined. Besides, the effects of impurity ions were also investigated, including cations: Ca{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}; or anions: NO{sub 3}{sup −}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2−} and PO{sub 4}{sup 3−}. The intermediates generated during degradation process were studied, and the mechanism of the photodegradation process was proposed. CNTD-G could be easily collected from the reactor, and showed excellent recyclability.

In situ hydrothermal synthesis of a novel hierarchically porous TS-1/modified-diatomite composite for methylene blue (MB) removal by the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Weiwei; Yuan, Peng; Liu, Dong; Yu, Wenbin; Laipan, Minwang; Deng, Liangliang; Chen, Fanrong

2016-01-15

Hierarchically porous TS-1/modified-diatomite composites with high removal efficiency for methylene blue (MB) were prepared via a facile in situ hydrothermal route. The surface charge state of the diatomite was modified to enhance the electrostatic interactions, followed by in situ hydrothermal coating with TS-1 nanoparticles. The zeolite loading amount in the composites could be adjusted by changing the hydrothermal time. The highest specific surface area and micropore volume of the obtained composites were 521.3m(2)/g and 0.254cm(3)/g, respectively, with an optimized zeolite loading amount of 96.8%. Based on the synergistic effect of efficient adsorption and photocatalysis resulting from the newly formed hierarchically porous structure and improved dispersion of TS-1 nanoparticles onto diatomite, the composites' removal efficiency for MB reached 99.1% after 2h of photocatalytic reaction, even higher than that observed using pure TS-1 nanoparticles. Moreover, the superior MB removal kinetics of the composites were well represented by a pseudo-first-order model, with a rate constant (5.28×10(-2)min(-1)) more than twice as high as that of pure TS-1 nanoparticles (2.43×10(-2)min(-1)). The significant dye removal performance of this novel TS-1/modified-diatomite composite indicates that it is a promising candidate for use in waste water treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetic diatomite(Kieselguhr)/Fe2O3/TiO2 composite as an efficient photo-Fenton system for dye degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Barbosa, Isaltino A.; Zanatta, Lucas D.; Espimpolo, Daniela M.; da Silva, Douglas L.; Nascimento, Leandro F.; Zanardi, Fabrício B.; de Sousa Filho, Paulo C.; Serra, Osvaldo A.; Iamamoto, Yassuko

2017-10-01

We explored the potential use of diatomite/Fe2O3/TiO2 composites as catalysts for heterogeneous photo-Fenton degradation of methylene blue under neutral pH. Such system consists in magnetic solids synthesized by co-precipitation with Fe2+/Fe3+ in the presence of diatomite, followed by impregnation of TiO2. The results showed that the optimal amount of the catalyst was 2.0 g L-1, since aggregation phenomena become significant above this concentration, which decreases the photodegradation activity. The catalyst is highly efficient in the degradation of methylene blue and shows an easy recovery by an external magnetic field. This allows for an effective catalyst reuse without significant loss of activity in catalytic cycles, which is a highly interesting prospect for recyclable dye degradation systems.

Fractal nature of humic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, J.A.

1992-01-01

Fractals are geometric representatives of strongly disordered systems whose structure is described by nonintegral dimensions. A fundamental tenet of fractal geometry is that disorder persists at any characterization scale-length used to describe the system. The nonintegral nature of these fractal dimensions is the result of the realization that a disordered system must possess more structural detail than an ordered system with classical dimensions of 1, 2, or 3 in order to accommodate this ''disorder within disorder.'' Thus from a fractal perspective, disorder is seen as an inherent characteristic of the system rather than as a perturbative phenomena forced upon it. Humic materials are organic substances that are formed by the profound alteration of organic matter in a natural environment. They can be operationally divided into 3 fractions; humic acid (soluble in base), fulvic acid (soluble in acid or base), and humin (insoluble in acid or base). Each of these fraction has been shown to be an extremely heterogeneous mixture. These mixtures have proven so intractable that they may represent the ultimate in molecular disorder. In fact, based on the characteristics that humic materials must possess in order to perform their functions in natural systems, it has been proposed that the fundamental chemical characteristic of a humic material is not a discrete chemical structure but a pronounced lack of order on a molecular level. If the fundamental chemical characteristic of a humic material is a strongly disordered nature, as has been proposed, then humic materials should be amenable to characterization by fractal geometry. The purpose of this paper is to test this hypothesis

Determination of Three Organochlorine Pesticides in Aqueous Samples by Solid-Phase Extraction Based on Natural Nano Diatomite in Packed Syringe Coupled to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Taghani, Abdollah; Goudarzi, Nasser; Bagherian, Ghadamali; Chamjangali, Mansour Arab

2017-01-01

A rapid, simple, and sensitive technique is proposed based on a miniaturized solid-phase extraction method named mictroextraction in a packed syringe coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the preconcentration and determination of three organochlorine pesticides. These include hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor and aldrine in aqueous samples. For the first time, the natural nano diatomite is used a sorbent. Based on this technique, 6.0 mg of the nano sorbent is inserted in a syringe between two polypropylene frits. The analytes would be adsorbed on the solid phase, and would subsequently be eluted using organic solvents. The influence of some important parameters, such as the solution pH, type and volume of the organic desorption solvent, and amount of sorbent on the extraction efficiency of the selected pesticides, is investigated. The proposed method shows good linearity in the range of 0.1 - 40.0 μg L -1 , and at low limits of detection in the range of 0.02 - 0.13 μg L -1 using the selected ion-monitoring mode. The reproducibility of this method was found to be in the range of 3.5 - 11.1% for the understudied pesticides. In order to evaluate the matrix effect, the developed method is also applied to the preconcentration and determination of the selected pesticides in different water samples.

Effect of different materials of all-ceramic crowns on viability of fibroblasts and preliminary exploration of possible molecular mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ju Li

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of different materials of all-ceramic crowns on viability of fibroblasts and the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods: Fibroblast cell lines L929 were cultured, extracting solution of diatomite ceramic, casting ceramic, heat-pressed ceramic, infiltrated ceramic and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain was prepared and used to process L929 cells, and then cell apoptosis, percentages of cell cycle as well as expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 were detected. Results: Cell apoptosis indexes, number of early apoptosis, number of aponecrosis, percentages of G1 phase, S phase and G2 phase cells as well as expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 of diatomite ceramic group, casting ceramic group, heat-pressed ceramic group and infiltrated ceramic group had no differences from those of control group; cell apoptosis indexes, number of early apoptosis, number of aponecrosis, percentages of G2 phase cells as well as expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 of diatomite ceramic group, casting ceramic group, heat-pressed ceramic group and infiltrated ceramic group were lower than those of Ni-Cr alloy porcelain group, and percentages of G1 phase and S phase cells as well as expression levels of Bcl-2 were significantly higher than those of Ni-Cr alloy porcelain group. Conclusion: The effect of different materials of all-ceramic crowns on viability of fibroblasts has no differences and is weaker than that of Ni-Cr alloy porcelain crown, and biocompatibility of diatomite ceramic is equivalent to that of casting ceramic, heat-pressed ceramic, infiltrated ceramic and Ni-Cr alloy porcelain; mechanisms of different materials of all-ceramic crowns to regulate cell viability include Bcl-2/Bax pathway and Caspase pathway.

Elimination of nitrate in secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants by Fe0 and Pd-Cu/diatomite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yupan Yun

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Because total nitrogen (TN, in which nitrate (NO3– is dominant in the effluent of most wastewater treatment plants, cannot meet the requirement of Chinese wastewater discharge standard (<15 mg/L, NO3– elimination has attracted considerable attention. In this research, the novel diatomite-supported palladium-copper catalyst (Pd-Cu/diatomite with zero-valent iron (Fe0 was tried to use for catalytic reduction of nitrate in wastewater. Firstly, specific operational conditions (such as mass ratio of Pd:Cu, catalyst amounts, reaction time and pH of solution were optimized for nitrate reduction in artificial solution. Secondly, the selected optimal conditions were further employed for nitrate elimination of real effluent of a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China. Results showed that 67% of nitrate removal and 62% of N2 selectivity could be obtained under the following conditions: 5 g/L Fe0, 3:1 mass ratio (Pd:Cu, 4 g/L catalyst, 2 h reaction time and pH 4.3. Finally, the mechanism of catalytic nitrate reduction was also proposed.

Production of a calcium silicate cement material from alginate impression material.

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Washizawa, Norimasa; Narusawa, Hideaki; Tamaki, Yukimichi; Miyazaki, Takashi

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biomaterials from daily dental waste. Since alginate impression material contains silica and calcium salts, we aimed to synthesize calcium silicate cement from alginate impression material. Gypsum-based investment material was also investigated as control. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that although firing the set gypsum-based and modified investment materials at 1,200°C produced calcium silicates, firing the set alginate impression material did not. However, we succeeded when firing the set blend of pre-fired set alginate impression material and gypsum at 1,200°C. SEM observations of the powder revealed that the featured porous structures of diatomite as an alginate impression material component appeared useful for synthesizing calcium silicates. Experimentally fabricated calcium silicate powder was successfully mixed with phosphoric acid solution and set by depositing the brushite. Therefore, we conclude that the production of calcium silicate cement material is possible from waste alginate impression material.

Measurement of naturally occurring radioactive materials in commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balbudhe, A.Y.; Vishwa Prasad, K.; Vidya Sagar, D.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2018-01-01

Building materials can cause significant gamma dose indoors, due to their natural radioactivity content. The knowledge of the natural radioactivity level of building materials is important for determination of population exposure, as most people spend 80-90% of their time indoors furthermore, it is useful in setting the standards and national guidelines for the use and management of these materials. The concentrations of natural radionuclides in building materials vary depending on the local geological and geographical conditions as well as geochemical characteristics of those materials. The aim of the study is to determine levels of natural radionuclide in the commonly used building materials in Hyderabad, India

Fabrication of Ce/N co-doped TiO2/diatomite granule catalyst and its improved visible-light-driven photoactivity.

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Chen, Yan; Liu, Kuiren

2017-02-15

Eliminating antibiotic remnants in aquatic environment has become one of the hottest topics among current research works. Thus, we prepared Ce, N co-doped TiO 2 /diatomite granule (CNTD-G) catalyst to provide a new method. As one typical antibiotics, oxytetracycline (OTC) was selected as the target pollutant to be degradated under visible light irradiation. The carrier diatomite helped the spread of TiO 2 nanoparticles onto its surface, and inhibited their agglomeration. The synergy of Ce and N dopants highly improved the visible-light-driven photoactivity of TiO 2 . The optimal doping amount and degradation conditions were determined. Besides, the effects of impurity ions were also investigated, including cations: Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ ; or anions: NO 3 - , SO 4 2- and PO 4 3- . The intermediates generated during degradation process were studied, and the mechanism of the photodegradation process was proposed. CNTD-G could be easily collected from the reactor, and showed excellent recyclability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Processing and characterization of diatom nanoparticles and microparticles as potential source of silicon for bone tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le, Thi Duy Hanh [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); BIOtech Research Center and European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Trento (Italy); Bonani, Walter [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); BIOtech Research Center and European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Trento (Italy); Interuniversity Consortium for Science and Technology of Materials, Trento Research Unit, Trento (Italy); Speranza, Giorgio [Center for Materials and Microsystems, PAM-SE, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento (Italy); Sglavo, Vincenzo; Ceccato, Riccardo [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); Maniglio, Devid; Motta, Antonella [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); BIOtech Research Center and European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Trento (Italy); Interuniversity Consortium for Science and Technology of Materials, Trento Research Unit, Trento (Italy); Migliaresi, Claudio, E-mail: claudio.migliaresi@unitn.it [Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); BIOtech Research Center and European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Trento (Italy); Interuniversity Consortium for Science and Technology of Materials, Trento Research Unit, Trento (Italy)

2016-02-01

Silicon plays an important role in bone formation and maintenance, improving osteoblast cell function and inducing mineralization. Often, bone deformation and long bone abnormalities have been associated with silica/silicon deficiency. Diatomite, a natural deposit of diatom skeleton, is a cheap and abundant source of biogenic silica. The aim of the present study is to validate the potential of diatom particles derived from diatom skeletons as silicon-donor materials for bone tissue engineering applications. Raw diatomite (RD) and calcined diatomite (CD) powders were purified by acid treatments, and diatom microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) were produced by fragmentation of purified diatoms under alkaline conditions. The influence of processing on the surface chemical composition of purified diatomites was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Diatoms NPs were also characterized in terms of morphology and size distribution by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Dynamic light scattering (DLS), while diatom MPs morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface area and microporosity of the diatom particles were evaluated by nitrogen physisorption methods. Release of silicon ions from diatom-derived particles was demonstrated using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OES); furthermore, silicon release kinetic was found to be influenced by diatomite purification method and particle size. Diatom-derived microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) showed limited or no cytotoxic effect in vitro depending on the administration conditions. - Highlights: • Diatomite is a natural source of silica and has a potential as silicon-donor for bone regenerative applications. • Diatom particles derived from purified diatom skeletons were prepared by fragmentation under extreme alkaline condition. • Dissolution of diatom particles derived from diatom skeletons in DI water depend on purification method

Stabilization of heavy metals in municipal sewage sludge by freeze-thaw treatment with a blend of diatomite, FeSO4, and Ca(OH)2.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing; Fu, Rongbing; Xu, Zhen

2017-08-01

In this work, the effects of diatomite with 15% FeSO 4 •7H 2 O and 7.5% Ca(OH) 2 on sludge stabilization were investigated using batch leaching tests. The influence of cell rupture caused by freezing and thawing on stabilization was also evaluated. The results indicated that the optimal diatomite percentage was 2%. Cell rupture by freezing and thawing reduced heavy metal leachability, followed by cell death and decrease of organic groups. The concentration of heavy metals in sludge leachate increased after cell rupture, indicating that the heavy metal leachability was reduced after freezing and thawings. Moreover, the stabilization effects were generally improved after freezing and thawing. As compared with the stabilization of the original sludge, the unstable fractions decreased and the residual fractions of the heavy metals increased in the stabilized sludge after cell rupture. This study developed a method to stabilize heavy metals in municipal sewage sludge. Diatomite combined with FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O and Ca(OH) 2 improved the treatment of sewage sludge contaminated by heavy metals. Cell lysis by freeze-thaw treatment reduced the risk of leaching heavy metals caused by cell death and decreased major organic groups in the sludge.

Natural and technologic hazardous material releases during and after natural disasters: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Stacy; Balluz, Lina; Malilay, Josephine

2004-04-25

Natural disasters may be powerful and prominent mechanisms of direct and indirect hazardous material (hazmat) releases. Hazardous materials that are released as the result of a technologic malfunction precipitated by a natural event are referred to as natural-technologic or na-tech events. Na-tech events pose unique environmental and human hazards. Disaster-associated hazardous material releases are of concern, given increases in population density and accelerating industrial development in areas subject to natural disasters. These trends increase the probability of catastrophic future disasters and the potential for mass human exposure to hazardous materials released during disasters. This systematic review summarizes direct and indirect disaster-associated releases, as well as environmental contamination and adverse human health effects that have resulted from natural disaster-related hazmat incidents. Thorough examination of historic disaster-related hazmat releases can be used to identify future threats and improve mitigation and prevention efforts.

Removal of zearalenone toxin from synthetics gastric and body fluids using talc and diatomite: a batch kinetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sprynskyy, Myroslav; Gadzała-Kopciuch, Renata; Nowak, Karolina; Buszewski, Bogusław

2012-06-01

Adsorption kinetics of zearalenone (ZEA) toxin from synthetic gastric fluid (SGF) and synthetic body fluid (SBF) by talc and diatomite was studied in the batch experiments. Chemical composition, morphology and structure of the used adsorbents were examined by scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption method. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used for ZEA determining. The study results showed that ZEA is more effectively adsorbed on the talc (73% and 54% from SGF and SBF respectively). The efficiency on the diatomite was lower (53% and 42% from SGF and SBF respectively). The first order kinetics model was applied to describe the adsorption process. Rate of the ZEA adsorption from SGF is very rapid initially with about 95% of amount of the toxin adsorbed during first 5 min, while ZEA is adsorbed from SBF in two steps. The values of determined Gibbs free energy of adsorption (from -13 to -17 kJ/mol) indicated that adsorption of ZEA toxin by the both adsorbents are spontaneous and exothermic. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nature-Inspired Structural Materials for Flexible Electronic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaqing; He, Ke; Chen, Geng; Leow, Wan Ru; Chen, Xiaodong

2017-10-25

Exciting advancements have been made in the field of flexible electronic devices in the last two decades and will certainly lead to a revolution in peoples' lives in the future. However, because of the poor sustainability of the active materials in complex stress environments, new requirements have been adopted for the construction of flexible devices. Thus, hierarchical architectures in natural materials, which have developed various environment-adapted structures and materials through natural selection, can serve as guides to solve the limitations of materials and engineering techniques. This review covers the smart designs of structural materials inspired by natural materials and their utility in the construction of flexible devices. First, we summarize structural materials that accommodate mechanical deformations, which is the fundamental requirement for flexible devices to work properly in complex environments. Second, we discuss the functionalities of flexible devices induced by nature-inspired structural materials, including mechanical sensing, energy harvesting, physically interacting, and so on. Finally, we provide a perspective on newly developed structural materials and their potential applications in future flexible devices, as well as frontier strategies for biomimetic functions. These analyses and summaries are valuable for a systematic understanding of structural materials in electronic devices and will serve as inspirations for smart designs in flexible electronics.

Choosing mineral carrier of nanoscale additives for asphalt concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inozemtsev Sergey Sergeevich

2014-03-01

Full Text Available At present time the operation life of the majority of roads is essentially shorter than required. The reason for it is the increase in traffic intensity and axle loads of automobile transport. The obvious reasons for early wear of roads are the low quality of the components used and low industrial standards while producing asphalt pavement. In this paper the mineral material was selected as a carrier of nanoscale additives for asphalt. The optimal modes for grinding mineral materials were identified, which provide correspondence of their structure parameters with the developed model. The influence of different mineral nanomodifier carriers on the structure formation processes was estimated. It is shown that among a number of mineral materials diatomite has high activity in relation to the bitumen, because it has a highly porous structure. It is also shown that as a result of lighter fractions of bitumen adsorption on the border of phase interface, diatomite and bitumen changes from the free state to the film, and solvate shell of bitumen is saturated with asphaltenes. With the help of IR spectroscopy the authors defined the nature of the diatomite and bitumen interaction and proved that in the process of their interaction there occurs physical adsorption with additional absorption of bitumen components into the pore space of diatomite grains.

Facile preparation of hierarchically porous diatomite/MFI-type zeolite composites and their performance of benzene adsorption: the effects of NaOH etching pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Wenbin; Yuan, Peng; Liu, Dong; Deng, Liangliang; Yuan, Weiwei; Tao, Bo; Cheng, Hefa; Chen, Fanrong

2015-03-21

Hierarchically porous diatomite/MFI-type zeolite (Dt/Z) composites with excellent benzene adsorption performance were prepared. The hierarchical porosity was generated from the microporous zeolite coated at the surface of diatom frustules and from the macroporous diatomite support. A facile NaOH etching method was employed for the first time to treat the frustule support, followed by hydrothermal growth of MFI-type zeolite at the surface of frustules previously seeded with nanocrystalline silicalite-1 (Sil-1). NaOH etching enlarged the pores on diatom frustules and further increased the coated zeolite contents (W(z)). The central macropore size of the diatom frustules increased from approximately 200-500 nm to 400-1000 nm after NaOH etching. The W(z) could reach 61.2%, while the macroporosity of the composites was largely preserved due to more voids for zeolite coating being formed by NaOH etching. The Dt/Z composites exhibited higher benzene adsorption capacity per unit mass of zeolite and less mass transfer resistance than Sil-1, evaluated via a method of breakthrough curves. These results demonstrate that etching of a diatomite support is a facile but crucial process for the preparation of Dt/Z composites, enabling the resulting composites to become promising candidates for uses in volatile organic compounds emission control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Separation of aflatoxin B1 from synthetic physiological fluids using talc and diatomite: Kinetic and isotherm aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Sprynskyy, Myroslav; Krzemień-Konieczka, Iwona; Gadzała-Kopciuch, Renata; Buszewski, Bogusław

2018-01-01

The objective of the study was to examine adsorption of the aflatoxin B1 from synthetic gastric fluid and synthetic intestinal fluid by talc, raw and calcined diatomite. The kinetic and equilibrium adsorption processes were studied in the batch adsorption experiments applying high performance liquid chromatography for the aflatoxin B1 determination. The kinetic study showed a very fast adsorption of the aflatoxin B1 onto the selected adsorbents from the both physiological fluids with reaching equilibrium within 1-15min. The aflatoxin B1 was almost completely adsorbed in initial linear step of the kinetic process that can be described well by the zero-order kinetics model. The experimental data of the equilibrium adsorption were characterized using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The high adsorption effectiveness was found in a range of 90%-100% and 60%-100% for the diatomite samples and the talc respectively at the initial concentrations of the aflatoxin B1 as 31-300ng/mL. The possible mechanisms of the aflatoxin adsorption onto the used mineral adsorbents are also discussed in the work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fixed-bed column studies of total organic carbon removal from industrial wastewater by use of diatomite decorated with polyethylenimine-functionalized pyroxene nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hethnawi, Afif; Manasrah, Abdallah D; Vitale, Gerardo; Nassar, Nashaat N

2018-03-01

In this study, a fixed-bed column adsorption process was employed to remove organic pollutants from a real industrial wastewater effluent using polyethylenimine-functionalized pyroxene nanoparticles (PEI-PY) embedded into Diatomite at very low mass percentage. Various dynamic parameters (e.g., inlet concentration, inlet flow rate, bed height, and PEI-nanoparticle concentration in Diatomite, (%nps)) were investigated to determine the breakthrough behavior. The obtained breakthrough curves were fit with a convection-dispersion model to determine the characteristic parameters based on mass transfer phenomena. The axial dispersion coefficient (D L ) and group of dimensionless numbers; including Renold number (Re), Schmidt number (Sc), and Sherwood number (Sh) were all determined and correlated by Wilson-Geankoplis correlation that was used to estimate the external film diffusion coefficients (Kc) at 0.0015 < Re<55. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The behavior of biogenic silica-rich rocks and volcanic tuffs as pozzolanic additives in cement

Science.gov (United States)

Fragoulis, Dimitris; Stamatakis, Michael; Anastasatou, Marianthi

2015-04-01

Cements currently produced, include a variety of pozzolanic materials, aiming for lower clinker addition and utilization of vast deposits of certain raw materials and/or mining wastes and byproducts. The major naturally occurring pozzolanic materials include glassy tuffs, zeolitic tuffs, diatomites and volcanic lavas rich in glassy phase, such as perlites. Therefore, based on the available raw materials in different locations, the cement composition might vary according to the accessibility of efficient pozzolanic materials. In the present investigation, the behavior of pozzolanic cements produced with representative samples of the aforementioned materials was studied, following the characterization of the implemented pozzolanas with respect to their chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Laboratory cements were produced by co-grinding 75% clinker, 5% gypsum and 20% pozzolana, for the same period of time (45 min). Regarding pozzolanic materials, four different types of pozzolanas were utilized namely, diatomite, perlite, zeolite tuff and glassy tuff. More specifically, two diatomite samples originated from Australia and Greece, with high and low reactive silica content respectively, two perlite samples originated from Turkey and from Milos Island, Greece, with different reactive silica contents, a zeolite tuff sample originated from Turkey and a glassy tuff sample originated from Milos Island, Greece. The above pozzolana samples, which were ground in the laboratory ball mill for cement production performed differently during grinding and that was reflected upon the specific surface area (cm2/gr) values. The perlites and the glassy tuff were the hardest to grind, whereas, the zeolite tuff and the Australian diatomite were the easiest ones. However, the exceedingly high specific surface area of the Australian diatomite renders cement difficult to transport and tricky to use for concrete manufacturing, due to the high water demand of the cement mixture. Regarding

On the Materials Science of Nature's Arms Race.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zengqian; Zhang, Zhefeng; Ritchie, Robert O

2018-06-05

Biological material systems have evolved unique combinations of mechanical properties to fulfill their specific function through a series of ingenious designs. Seeking lessons from Nature by replicating the underlying principles of such biological materials offers new promise for creating unique combinations of properties in man-made systems. One case in point is Nature's means of attack and defense. During the long-term evolutionary "arms race," naturally evolved weapons have achieved exceptional mechanical efficiency with a synergy of effective offense and persistence-two characteristics that often tend to be mutually exclusive in many synthetic systems-which may present a notable source of new materials science knowledge and inspiration. This review categorizes Nature's weapons into ten distinct groups, and discusses the unique structural and mechanical designs of each group by taking representative systems as examples. The approach described is to extract the common principles underlying such designs that could be translated into man-made materials. Further, recent advances in replicating the design principles of natural weapons at differing lengthscales in artificial materials, devices and tools to tackle practical problems are revisited, and the challenges associated with biological and bioinspired materials research in terms of both processing and properties are discussed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Natural radioactivity of Turkish natural stones as building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaprak, Guenseli; Yasar, Oezden

2008-01-01

Full text: The Turkey has very important natural stones potential with over 5 billion m 3 marble reserves. According to 2002 giving data the number of Turkish stones export is 303 million US Dollars. In this regards, the present study deals with 90 Turkish natural stones. The studied samples were analyzed and the concentrations in Bq/kg dry weight of radioisotopes were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry using HPGe detector. The radon exhalation rates of natural stones were also measured by using solid state nuclear track detectors (LR-115 ). The radium equivalent activity varied from 183 Bq/kg to 522 Bq/kg for granite samples and from 1 Bq/kg to 37 Bq/kg for marble samples. The value of radon exhalation rate ranged from 0.003 Bq/m 2 h -1 to 0.768 Bq/m 2 h -1 for granite samples and from 0.001 Bq/m 2 h -1 to 0.02 Bq/m 2 h -1 for marble samples. The total absorbed dose rates in air ranged from 22 to 61 n Gy h -1 for one quarter utilization of granite samples. The annual effective dose rates per person indoors were determined to be between 108 and 298 μSv y -1 for of for one quarter utilization of the materials. Applying the dose criteria recently recommended by UNSCEAR for building materials, the natural stones meet the upper dose limit of 1mSvy -1 . So, there are not restrictions for use of any Turkish commercial marble as covering materials, including Turkish granites. (author)

Optimized adhesives for strong, lightweight, damage-resistant, nanocomposite materials: new insights from natural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansma, P K; Turner, P J; Ruoff, R S

2007-01-01

From our investigations of natural composite materials such as abalone shell and bone we have learned the following. (1) Nature is frugal with resources: it uses just a few per cent glue, by weight, to glue together composite materials. (2) Nature does not avoid voids. (3) Nature makes optimized glues with sacrificial bonds and hidden length. We discuss how optimized adhesives combined with high specific stiffness/strength structures such as carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets could yield remarkably strong, lightweight, and damage-resistant materials

Optimized adhesives for strong, lightweight, damage-resistant, nanocomposite materials: new insights from natural materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansma, P K [Physics Department, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Turner, P J [Physics Department, Broida Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Ruoff, R S [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-3111 (United States)

2007-01-31

From our investigations of natural composite materials such as abalone shell and bone we have learned the following. (1) Nature is frugal with resources: it uses just a few per cent glue, by weight, to glue together composite materials. (2) Nature does not avoid voids. (3) Nature makes optimized glues with sacrificial bonds and hidden length. We discuss how optimized adhesives combined with high specific stiffness/strength structures such as carbon nanotubes or graphene sheets could yield remarkably strong, lightweight, and damage-resistant materials.

Reuse of Material Containing Natural Radionuclides - 12444

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metlyaev, E.G.; Novikova, N.J. [Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Centre, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2012-07-01

Disposal of and use of wastes containing natural radioactive material (NORM) or technologically enhanced natural radioactive material (TENORM) with excessive natural background as a building material is very important in the supervision body activity. At the present time, the residents of Octyabrsky village are under resettlement. This village is located just near the Priargunsky mining and chemical combine (Ltd. 'PPGHO'), one of the oldest uranium mines in our country. The vacated wooden houses in the village are demolished and partly used as a building material. To address the issue of potential radiation hazard of the wooden beams originating from demolition of houses in Octyabrsky village, the contents of the natural radionuclides (K-40, Th-232, Ra-226, U- 238) are being determined in samples of the wooden beams of houses. The NORM contents in the wooden house samples are higher, on average, than their content in the reference sample of the fresh wood shavings, but the range of values is rather large. According to the classification of waste containing the natural radionuclides, its evaluation is based on the effective specific activity. At the effective specific activity lower 1.5 kBq/kg and gamma dose rate lower 70 μR/h, the material is not considered as waste and can be used in building by 1 - 3 classes depending upon A{sub eff} value. At 1.5 kBq/kg < A{sub eff} ≤ 4 kBq/kg (4 class), the wooden beams might be used for the purpose of the industrial building, if sum of ratios between the radionuclide specific activity and its specific activity of minimum significance is lower than unit. The material classified as the waste containing the natural radionuclides has A{sub eff} higher 1.5 kBq /kg, and its usage for the purpose of house-building and road construction is forbidden. As for the ash classification and its future usage, such usage is unreasonable, because, according to the provided material, more than 50% of ash samples are considered as

Natural radioactivity for some Egyptian building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, M. F.; Mostafa, R. M.; Shahin, F.; Hassan, K. F.; Saleh, Z. A.; Yahia, A.

2007-01-01

Study of the radiation hazards for the building materials is interested in most international countries. Measurements of natural radioactivity was verified for some egyptian building materials to assess any possible radiological hazard to man by the use of such materials. The measurements for the level of natural radioactivity in the materials was determined by γ-ray spectrum using HP Ge detector. A track detector Cr-39 was used to measure the radon exhalation rate from these materials. The radon exhalation rates were found to vary from 2.83±0.86 to 41.57 ± 8.38 mBqm -2 h -1 for egyptian alabaster. The absorbed dose rate in air is lower than the international recommended value (55 n Gy h -1 ) for all test samples

Fatty acid esters-based composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage in buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarı, Ahmet; Karaipekli, Ali

2012-01-01

In this study, fatty acid esters-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage were prepared by blending erythritol tetrapalmitate (ETP) and erythritol tetrastearate (ETS) with diatomite and expanded perlite (EP). The maximum incorporation percentage for ETP and ETS into diatomite and EP was found to be 57 wt% and 62 wt%, respectively without melted PCM seepage from the composites. The morphologies and compatibilities of the composite PCMs were structurally characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FT–IR) analysis techniques. Thermal energy storage properties of the composite PCMs were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The DSC analyses results indicated that the composite PCMs were good candidates for building applications in terms of their large latent heat values and suitable phase change temperatures. The thermal cycling test including 1000 melting and freezing cycling showed that composite PCMs had good thermal reliability and chemical stability. TG analysis revealed that the composite PCMs had good thermal durability above their working temperature ranges. Moreover, in order to improve the thermal conductivity of the composite PCMs, the expanded graphite (EG) was added to them at different mass fractions (2%, 5%, and 10%). The best results were obtained for the composite PCMs including 5wt% EG content in terms of the increase in thermal conductivity values and the decrease amount in latent heat capacity. The improvement in thermal conductivity values of ETP/Diatomite, ETS/Diatomite, ETP/EP and ETS/EP were found to be about 68%, 57%, 73% and 75%, respectively. Highlights: ► Fatty acid esters-based composite PCMs were prepared by blending ETP and ETS with diatomite and expanded perlite. ► The composite PCMs were characterized by using SEM, FT–IR, DSC and TG analysis methods. ► The DSC results indicated that the composites PCMs had good thermal

Natural radioactivity of building materials in Austria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorantin, H.; Steger, F.

1984-03-01

About 120 samples of natural and manufactured building materials have been analyzed by gamma-spectrometry for their Thorium 232-, Radium 226- and Potassium 40 - content. Granites showed generally the greatest amounts of the above mentioned radionuclides, whereas other natural products like sand, gravels, marbles and gypsum contained only traces of radionuclides. As regards the manufactured building materials only some types of bricks and chemical gypsum showed relatively high concentrations of radionuclides, while the rest of the bricks, tiles, plaster and accessory materials fulfilled the criteria set up in the OECD-NEA report 1979. (Author)

Bio-mimetic mechanisms of natural hierarchical materials: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Qiang; Pugno, Nicola M

2013-03-01

Natural selection and evolution develop a huge amount of biological materials in different environments (e.g. lotus in water and opuntia in desert). These biological materials possess many inspiring properties, which hint scientists and engineers to find some useful clues to create new materials or update the existing ones. In this review, we highlight some well-studied (e.g. nacre shell) and newly-studied (e.g. turtle shell) natural materials, and summarize their hierarchical structures and mechanisms behind their mechanical properties, from animals to plants. These fascinating mechanisms suggest to researchers to investigate natural materials deeply and broadly, and to design or fabricate new bio-inspired materials to serve our life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PERSPECTIVE NONMETALLIC RAW MATERIALS AND THEIR UTILIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Havelka Jaroslav

1997-10-01

Full Text Available It is the existence of the domestic base of raw materials and stable or growing markets that are a precondition for the prospectiveness industrial minerals. Traditional and non-traditional prospective nonmetal-liferous raw materials can be distinguished. The main trends in new industrial applications of industrial minerals are being stated. In the Czech Republic, the following may be ranked among the traditional prospective nonme-talliferous raw materials: kaoline, refractory clays, ceramic and expandable clays, glass and foundry sands, li-mestones, building stones, gypsum, cast basalt, bentonite, diatomite, feldspars, graphite. Alkali rocks, industrial garnets, flaky mica, wollastonite and yet unmined staurolite, minerals of the sillimanite group and others belong to the non-traditional prospective industrial minerals.

Regulation of naturally occurring radioactive materials in non-nuclear industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, L.M.

1997-01-01

The volume and concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive material is large across a variety of industries commonly thought not to involve radioactive material. The regulation of naturally occurring radioactive material in the United States is in a state of flux. Inventory of naturally occurring radioactive materials is given, along with a range of concentrations. Current and proposed regulatory limits are presented. (author)

Discrimination of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material in Plastic Scintillator Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ely, James H.; Kouzes, Richard T.; Geelhood, Bruce D.; Schweppe, John E.; Warner, Ray A.

2003-01-01

Plastic scintillator material is used in many applications for the detection of gamma-rays from radioactive material, primarily due to the sensitivity per unit cost compared to other detection materials. However, the resolution and lack of full-energy peaks in the plastic scintillator material prohibits detailed spectroscopy. Therefore, other materials such as doped sodium iodide are used for spectroscopic applications. The limited spectroscopic information can however be exploited in plastic scintillator materials to provide some discrimination. The discrimination between man-made and naturally occurring sources would be useful in reducing alarm screening for radiation detection applications which target man-made sources. The results of applying the limited energy information from plastic scintillator material for radiation portal monitors are discussed.

Destabilization of emulsions by natural minerals.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Songhu; Tong, Man; Wu, Gaoming

2011-09-15

This study developed a novel method to destabilize emulsions and recycle oils, particularly for emulsified wastewater treatment. Natural minerals were used as demulsifying agents, two kinds of emulsions collected from medical and steel industry were treated. The addition of natural minerals, including artificial zeolite, natural zeolite, diatomite, bentonite and natural soil, could effectively destabilize both emulsions at pH 1 and 60 °C. Over 90% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be removed after treatment. Medical emulsion can be even destabilized by artificial zeolite at ambient temperature. The mechanism for emulsion destabilization by minerals was suggested as the decreased electrostatic repulsion at low pH, the enhanced gathering of oil microdroplets at elevated temperature, and the further decreased surface potential by the addition of minerals. Both flocculation and coalescence were enhanced by the addition of minerals at low pH and elevated temperature. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photocatalytic Degradation Property of NANO-TiO2/DIATOMITE for Rodamine B Dye Wastewater

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yue; Zheng, Shuilin; Du, Gaoxiang; Shu, Feng; Chen, Juntao

The Nano-TiO2/Diatomite compound photocatalyst is used to degrade rhodamine B dye wastewater in photochemical reactor. The test result indicates that the rate of photodegradation of rhodamine B is influenced by reactive conditions. The best technical conditions are concentration of rhodamine B solution 10mg/L, ultraviolet light 300W, the compound photocatalyst amount used 1g/L, the pH 5.8, reaction time 20min. Under these conditions the rate of photodegradation of rhodamine B may reach as high as 97.80%. And the efficiency of photodegradation of catalyst only has a little changed in recycling.

Fluoride removal studies in water using natural materials : technical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Excess fluoride in water causes health hazards to the natural environment. The removal of fluoride was attempted using natural materials such as red soil, charcoal, brick, fly-ash and serpentine. Each material was set up in a column for a known volume and the defluoridation capacities of these materials were studied with ...

Natural Radioactivity in Ceramic Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu Khadra, S.A.; Kamel, N.H.

2005-01-01

Ceramics are one of the most important types of the industrial building materials. The raw materials of the ceramic are made of a mixture of clay, feldspar, silica, talc kaolin minerals together with zirconium silicates (ZrSiO4).The ceramic raw materials and the final products contain naturally occurring radionuclide mainly U-238 and, Th-232 series, and the radioactive isotope of potassium K-40. Six raw ceramic samples were obtained from the Aracemco Company at Egypt together with a floor tile sample (final product) for measuring radioactive concentration levels., The activity of the naturally U-238, Th-232, and K-40 were determined as (Bq/kg) using gamma spectroscopy (Hyperactive pure germanium detector). Concentration of U and Th were determined in (ppm) using spectrophotometer technique by Arsenazo 111 and Piridy l-Azo -Resorcinol (PAR) indicators. Sequential extraction tests were carried out in order to determine the quantity of the radionuclide associated with various fractions as exchangeable, carbonate, acid soluble and in the residue. The results evaluated were compared to the associated activity indices (AI) that were defined by former USSR and West Germany

Analysis of the Toxic Element Concentrations in the Mesozoic Siliceous Rocks in Terms of the Raw Material Importance

Science.gov (United States)

Pękala, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

As part of an integrated system of environmental protection at every stage of the product life cycle such as: raw material extraction, its transportation and processing as well the subsequent use and development is required to carry out actions towards reducing or completely eliminating products that contain harmful substances to the environment. The purpose of the presented paper is an analysis of the toxic element concentrations in the extracted siliceous minerals at the initial stage of the raw material recognition. The research material is constituted by rocks collected from the Mesozoic bedrock from the Bełchatów lignite deposit. A group of the studied rocks is represented by diatomites, gaizes, opoka-rocks and light opoka-rocks, enriched with minerals from the group of SiO2. Most of the recognized petrographic sediments have a real possibility of potential applications in the building material industry, but it needs to carry out a detailed and thorough research. The studies of the chemical composition were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) using Philips PU 9100Xi Camera SX-100 spectrometer and an atomic emission spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma (ICP AES) using PLASMA 40 spectrometer. There were carried out a chemical analyses and determined the content of some toxic elements: Pb, Cr, Cd, Ni, Zn, Cu, Co, As, Sr, Ba, Zr. in the studied sedimentary rocks. The analysis of the results draws attention to the high content of cadmium in the case of the studied sediments. The concentration of this element in the described rocks is an average of 0.22 mg/kg -the diatomites, 0.05 mg/kg -the gaizes, 0.4 mg/kg -the opoka-rocks, 2.23 mg/kg -the light opoka-rocks. It was moreover registered varied concentration of arsenic in diatomites, that is formed in the range of 0.05 - 9.6 mg/kg, an average of 6.3 mg/kg. The content of the other designated elements with toxic properties in the analysed groups of rocks does not exceed the limit values. An

Biomimetic water-collecting materials inspired by nature.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hai; Guo, Zhiguang; Liu, Weimin

2016-03-11

Nowadays, water shortage is a severe issue all over the world, especially in some arid and undeveloped areas. Interestingly, a variety of natural creatures can collect water from fog, which can provide a source of inspiration to develop novel and functional water-collecting materials. Recently, as an increasingly hot research topic, bioinspired materials with the water collection ability have captured vast scientific attention in both practical applications and fundamental research studies. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of water collection in various natural creatures and present the fabrications, functions, applications, and new developments of bioinspired materials in recent years. The theoretical basis related to the phenomenon of water collection containing wetting behaviors and water droplet transportations is described in the beginning, i.e., the Young's equation, Wenzel model, Cassie model, surface energy gradient model and Laplace pressure equation. Then, the water collection mechanisms of three typical and widely researched natural animals and plants are discussed and their corresponding bioinspired materials are simultaneously detailed, which are cactus, spider, and desert beetles, respectively. This is followed by introducing another eight animals and plants (butterfly, shore birds, wheat awns, green bristlegrass, the Cotula fallax plant, Namib grass, green tree frogs and Australian desert lizards) that are rarely reported, exhibiting water collection properties or similar water droplet transportation. Finally, conclusions and outlook concerning the future development of bioinspired fog-collecting materials are presented.

Production of candidate natural matrix reference materials for micro-analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeisler, R.; Fajgelj, A.; Zeiller, E.

2002-01-01

Homogeneity is considered to be the most vital prerequisite for a certified reference material (CRM); more stringent requirements exist for the analysis of small subsamples. Many of the natural matrix CRMs are prepared from bulk samples by grinding and milling them to a certain particle size, which is expected to provide a more homogenous material; however recommended sample sizes for biological and environmental reference materials are found to be more than 100 mg. Since the milling of materials is costly and has some drawbacks, natural materials that already occur as small particles such as air particulate matter, certain sediments, and cellular biological materials may form the basis of the required reference materials. The nature of these materials, i.e. naturally occurring particles, may provide ideal model reference material. We describe here the production of the materials and preliminary tests, the evaluation for the micro-analytical techniques

Determining the nature of transported material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wykes, J.S.; Surzyn, P.M.; Croke, G.M.; Adsley, I.

1980-01-01

An improved method is described of determining the nature of a coal/stone mixture, transported on a conveyor, by measuring the relative transmission of two different energy x-ray beams. Details are given of the collimation, scintillation counters and shielding required to obtain the necessary accuracy to obtain information on the mass and the nature of the material being monitored. Compensation is provided for background radioactivity. (U.K.)

Natural gas as raw material for industrial development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kvisle, Steinar

2006-01-01

Industrial development based on natural gas has broad, industrial implications. Norway has a vital industry based on natural gas as raw material, here under Ormen Lange, Snoehvit LNG, Tjeldbergodden and Petrochemical Grenland. The petrochemical industry has challenges, e.g. the cost of raw materials and energy, localization related to the markets, and recruitment, but considerable investments are made in the sector. The Northern areas in Norway may have special challenges related to bringing the product to the market. Solutions to this challenge are in LNG (liquid natural gas), GTL (gas to liquids), and GTO (gas to olefins)

Nanoporous Materials for the Onboard Storage of Natural Gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, K Vasanth; Preuss, Kathrin; Titirici, Maria-Magdalena; Rodríguez-Reinoso, Francisco

2017-02-08

Climate change, global warming, urban air pollution, energy supply uncertainty and depletion, and rising costs of conventional energy sources are, among others, potential socioeconomic threats that our community faces today. Transportation is one of the primary sectors contributing to oil consumption and global warming, and natural gas (NG) is considered to be a relatively clean transportation fuel that can significantly improve local air quality, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and decrease the energy dependency on oil sources. Internal combustion engines (ignited or compression) require only slight modifications for use with natural gas; rather, the main problem is the relatively short driving distance of natural-gas-powered vehicles due to the lack of an appropriate storage method for the gas, which has a low energy density. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set some targets for NG storage capacity to obtain a reasonable driving range in automotive applications, ruling out the option of storing methane at cryogenic temperatures. In recent years, both academia and industry have foreseen the storage of natural gas by adsorption (ANG) in porous materials, at relatively low pressures and ambient temperatures, as a solution to this difficult problem. This review presents recent developments in the search for novel porous materials with high methane storage capacities. Within this scenario, both carbon-based materials and metal-organic frameworks are considered to be the most promising materials for natural gas storage, as they exhibit properties such as large surface areas and micropore volumes, that favor a high adsorption capacity for natural gas. Recent advancements, technological issues, advantages, and drawbacks involved in natural gas storage in these two classes of materials are also summarized. Further, an overview of the recent developments and technical challenges in storing natural gas as hydrates in wetted porous carbon materials is also included

Bioinspired self-healing materials: lessons from nature

Science.gov (United States)

Cremaldi, Joseph C

2018-01-01

Healing is an intrinsic ability in the incredibly biodiverse populations of the plant and animal kingdoms created through evolution. Plants and animals approach healing in similar ways but with unique pathways, such as damage containment in plants or clotting in animals. After analyzing the examples of healing and defense mechanisms found in living nature, eight prevalent mechanisms were identified: reversible muscle control, clotting, cellular response, layering, protective surfaces, vascular networks or capsules, exposure, and replenishable functional coatings. Then the relationship between these mechanisms, nature’s best (evolutionary) methods of mitigating and healing damage, and existing technology in self-healing materials are described. The goals of this top-level overview are to provide a framework for relating the behavior seen in living nature to bioinspired materials, act as a resource to addressing the limitations/problems with existing materials, and open up new avenues of insight and research into self-healing materials. PMID:29600152

Studies on natural radioactivity of some egyptian building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, E. A.; El-Khayat, A.; Ashmawy, L.; Hassan, A.M.

2005-01-01

Using high-resolution y-rays spectrometry, the natural radioactivity of 14 samples of natural and o manufactured Egyptian building materials have been investigated. The samples were collected from local market and construction sites. From the measured gamma-ray spectra, specific activities were determined. The radium equivalent activity in each sample was estimated. Radiological evaluations of these materials indicate that all materials meet the external gamma-ray dose limitation. Calculation of concentration indices by assuming a Markkanen room model is constructed from these materials, to find the excess gamma-ray dose taken over that received from the outdoors. The Austrian Standard ONORM S 5200 is used in testing the building materials

Late Pliocene diatoms in a diatomite from Prydz Bay, East Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Mahood, A.D.; Barron, J.A.

1996-01-01

Very well-preserved Pliocene diatoms from a diatomite unit interbedded within glacial sediments at Ocean Drilling Program Site 742 in Prydz Bay, Antarctica are documented and illustrated. The presence of Thalassiosira kolbei, T. torokina, Actinocyclus actinochilus, A. karstenii and the absence of Nitzschia interfrigidaria. T. insigna and T. vulnifica in Sample 119-742A-15R-4, 44-46cm constrain its age to ca. 2.2-1.8 Ma (late Pliocene). Diatoms associated with sea ice constitute 35% of the Pliocene diatom assemblage, compared with 71% of the modern sediment assemblage at the site, suggesting that sea ice was present during the late Pliocene period of deposition of the sample, although it probably was not the significant feature it is today. Thalassiosira ellitipora (Donahue) Fenner is described and illustrated in detail and is validly published. An expanded description and numerous illustrations are also presented for T. torokina Brady.

Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maringer, F.J.; Baumgartner, A.; Rechberger, F.; Seidel, C.; Stietka, M.

2013-01-01

In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. - Highlights: • Dose models for indoor radiation exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials. • Strategies and methods in radionuclide metrology, activity measurement and dose modelling. • Selection of appropriate parameters in radiation protection standards for building materials. • Scientific-based limitations of indoor exposure due to natural radionuclides in building materials

Development of natural matrix reference materials for monitoring environmental radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holmes, A.S.; Houlgate, P.R.; Pang, S.; Brookman, B.

1992-01-01

The Department of the Environment commissioned the Laboratory of the Government Chemist to carry out a contract on natural matrix reference materials. A survey of current availability of such materials in the western world, along with the UK's need, was conducted. Four suitable matrices were identified for production and validation. Due to a number of unforeseen problems with the collection, processing and validation of the materials, the production of the four identified reference materials was not completed in the allocated period of time. In the future production of natural matrix reference materials the time required, the cost and the problems encountered should not be underestimated. Certified natural matrix reference materials are a vital part of traceability in analytical science and without them there is no absolute method of checking the validity of measurement in the field of radiochemical analysis. (author)

Hydraulic Fracturing of 403 Shallow Diatomite Wells in South Belridge Oil Field, Kern County, California, in 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Wynne, D. B.; Agusiegbe, V.

2015-12-01

We examine all 403 Hydraulic Fracture (HF) jobs performed by Aera Energy, LLC, in the South Belridge oil field, Kern County, CA in 2014. HFs in the South Belridge oil field are atypical amongst North American plays because the reservoir is shallow and produced via vertical wells. Our data set constitutes 88% of all HF jobs performed in CA oil fields in calendar-2014. The South Belridge field produces 11% of California's oil and the shallow HFs performed here differ from most HFs performed elsewhere. We discuss fracture modeling and methods and summary statistics, and modelled dimensions of fractures and their relationships to depth and reservoir properties. The 403 HFs were made in the diatomite-dominated Reef Ridge member of the Monterey Formation. The HFs began at an average depth of 1047 feet below ground (ft TVD) and extended an average of 626 ft vertically downward. The deepest initiation of HF was at 2380 ft and the shallowest cessation was at 639 ft TVD. The average HF was performed using 1488 BBL (62,496 gallons) of water. The HFs were performed in no more than 6 stages and nearly all were completed within one day. We (1) compare metrics of the South Belridge sample group with recent, larger "all-CA" and nationwide samples; and (2) conclude that if relationships of reservoir properties, well completion and HF are well understood, shallow diatomite HF may be optimized to enhance production while minimizing environmental impact.

Natural radioactivity measurements of building materials in Baotou, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Caifeng; Lu, Xinwei; Li, Nan; Yang, Guang

2012-12-01

Natural radioactivity due to (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the common building materials collected from Baotou city of Inner Mongolia, China was measured using gamma-ray spectrometry. The radiation hazard of the studied building materials was estimated by the radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), internal hazard index (H(in)) and annual effective dose (AED). The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and Ra(eq) in the studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of other countries. The Ra(eq) values of the building materials are below the internationally accepted values (370 Bq kg(-1)). The values of H(in) in all studied building materials are less than unity. The AEDs of all measured building materials are at an acceptable level.

The removal of arsenate from water using iron-modified diatomite (D-Fe): isotherm and column experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantoja, M L; Jones, H; Garelick, H; Mohamedbakr, H G; Burkitbayev, M

2014-01-01

Iron hydroxide supported onto porous diatomite (D-Fe) is a low-cost material with potential to remove arsenic from contaminated water due to its affinity for the arsenate ion. This affinity was tested under varying conditions of pH, contact time, iron content in D-Fe and the presence of competitive ions, silicate and phosphate. Batch and column experiments were conducted to derive adsorption isotherms and breakthrough behaviours (50 μg L(-1)) for an initial concentration of 1,000 μg L(-1). Maximum capacity at pH 4 and 17% iron was 18.12-40.82 mg of arsenic/g of D-Fe and at pH 4 and 10% iron was 18.48-29.07 mg of arsenic/g of D-Fe. Adsorption decreased in the presence of phosphate and silicate ions. The difference in column adsorption behaviour between 10% and 17% iron was very pronounced, outweighing the impact of all other measured parameters. There was insufficient evidence of a correlation between iron content and arsenic content in isotherm experiments, suggesting that ion exchange is a negligible process occurring in arsenate adsorption using D-Fe nor is there co-precipitation of arsenate by rising iron content of the solute above saturation.

Natural radioactivity of building materials used in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omar, M. [Malaysian Inst. for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT), Bangi, Kajang, Selangor D.E. (Malaysia)

2002-03-01

A study has been carried out to determine the natural radioactive content of building materials used in Malaysia. The materials analysed include both old and new clay bricks, cement bricks, mortar, cement, sands, ceramic tiles and gypsum. Samples of the first three materials were collected from the 12 states of the Malay Peninsula. Radium-226 (from the U-238 series) and Ra-228 (from the Th-232 series), these both representing naturally occurring radionuclides, were analysed using high-resolution HpGe gamma spectrometers. The results of our investigations showed that some old clay bricks contain high levels (at more than 5 times the normal soil concentration) of natural radionuclides, with maximum concentrations of 590 Bq/kg and 480 Bq/kg for respectively Ra-226 and Ra-228. The reasons behind this finding were not clearly understood. As there are people living in old buildings, i.e. built using old clay bricks, there is a possibility that they are being exposed to significant radiation doses. However, there proved to be no significant overall difference between old and new clay bricks in terms of the natural radioactivity levels determined, at a 95% confidence level. The overall mean concentrations of Ra-226 and Ra-228 observed in Malaysian clay bricks were respectively 118 {+-} 58 Bq/kg and 120 {+-} 42 Bq/kg. The radioactive content of other materials was found to be not much different from that to be determined in normal soil from Malaysia. The data obtained can be used as a basis for reaching decisions on the regulatory limits for radioactivity levels in building materials in Malaysia. (orig.)

Facile detection of toxic ingredients in seafood using biologically enabled photonic crystal materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Xianming; Squire, Kenneth; Wang, Alan X.

2018-02-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has attracted considerable attention recently as a powerful detection platform in biosensing because of the wealth of inherent information ascertained about the chemical and molecular composition of a sample. However, real-world samples are often composed of many components, which renders the detection of constitutes of mixed samples very challenging for SERS sensing. Accordingly, separation techniques are needed before SERS measurements. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a simple, fast and costeffective technique for analyte separation and can a play pivotal role for on-site sensing. However, combining TLC with SERS is only successful to detect a limited number of analytes that have large Raman scattering cross sections. As a kind of biogenic amine, histamine (2-(4-imidazolyl)-ethylamine) has a relationship with many health problems resulting from seafood consumption occurring worldwide. Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. As a kind of natural photonic biosilica from geological deposits, it has a variety of unique properties including highly porous structure, excellent adsorption capacity, and low cost. In addition, the two dimensional periodic pores on diatomite earth with hierarchical nanoscale photonic crystal features can enhance the localized optical field. Herein, we fabricate TLC plates from diatomite as the stationary phase combining with SERS to separate and detect histamine from seafood samples. We have proved that the diatomite on the TLC plate not only functions as stationary phase, but also provides additional Raman enhancement, in which the detection limit of 2 ppm was achieved for pyrene in mixture.

Anthropogenic materials and products containing natural radionuclides. Pt. 1a. Radiation properties of raw materials and waste materials. A literature study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichelt, A.; Roehrer, J.; Lehmann, K.H.

1995-12-01

Cased on the literature study, the publication presents relevant data on raw materials and wastes containing natural radionuclides. The study is part 1a of the project on ''Anthropogenic materials and waste materials containing natural radionuclides''. Part 1 of the project gives data and information on about 100 different materials and wastes or products for household or industrial applications which contain significant amounts of natural radioactivity. In addition, part 1 presents for some of these materials information on their applications, consumption, radioactivity and resulting radiation doses. The raw materials and waste materials on the list in part 1 are characterised in this 1a report. Wherever appropriate, two or more materials are dealt with in one chapter, as e.g. felspar and felspar sands (pegmatite), talcum, and soapstone. The wastes are dealt with in the chapters discussing the relevant raw materials. The information given is as derived from the literature and does not include comments or evaluation by the authors of this report. Whenever the literature study did not yield information on radiological aspects of a material on the list, an appropriate notice is given. (Orig./DG) [de

Properties of cement based composites modified using diatomaceous earth

Science.gov (United States)

Pokorný, Jaroslav; Pavlíková, Milena; Záleská, Martina; Pavlík, Zbyšek

2017-07-01

Diatomite belongs among natural materials rich on amorphous silica (a-SiO2). When finely milled, it can potentially substitute part of cement binder and positively support formation of more dense composite structure. In this connection, two types of diatomaceous earth applied as a partial substitution of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mass% of Portland cement in the composition of cement paste were studied. In the tested mixtures with cement blends, the amount of batch water remained same, with water/binder ratio 0.5. For fresh paste mixtures, initial and final setting times were measured. First, hardened pastes cured 28 days in water were characterized by their physical properties such as bulk density, matrix density and open porosity. Then, their mechanical and thermophysical parameters were assessed. Obtained results gave clear evidence of setting time shortening for pastes with diatomite what brought negative effect with respect to the impaired workability of fresh mixtures. On the other hand, there was observed strength improvement for mixtures containing diatomite with higher amount of SiO2. Here, the increase in mechanical resistivity was distinct up to 15 mass% of cement replacement. Higher cement substitution by diatomite resulted in an increase in porosity and thus improvement of thermal insulation properties.

Modeling Natural Space Ionizing Radiation Effects on External Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Alstatt, Richard L.; Edwards, David L.; Parker, Nelson C. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Predicting the effective life of materials for space applications has become increasingly critical with the drive to reduce mission cost. Programs have considered many solutions to reduce launch costs including novel, low mass materials and thin thermal blankets to reduce spacecraft mass. Determining the long-term survivability of these materials before launch is critical for mission success. This presentation will describe an analysis performed on the outer layer of the passive thermal control blanket of the Hubble Space Telescope. This layer had degraded for unknown reasons during the mission, however ionizing radiation (IR) induced embrittlement was suspected. A methodology was developed which allowed direct comparison between the energy deposition of the natural environment and that of the laboratory generated environment. Commercial codes were used to predict the natural space IR environment model energy deposition in the material from both natural and laboratory IR sources, and design the most efficient test. Results were optimized for total and local energy deposition with an iterative spreadsheet. This method has been used successfully for several laboratory tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The study showed that the natural space IR environment, by itself, did not cause the premature degradation observed in the thermal blanket.

The carbonaceous sorbent based on the secondary silica-containing material from oil extraction industry

Science.gov (United States)

Starostina, I. V.; Stolyarov, D. V.; Anichina, Ya N.; Porozhnyuk, E. V.

2018-01-01

The object of research in this work is the silica-containing waste of oil extraction industry - the waste kieselghur (diatomite) sludge from precoat filtering units, used for the purification of vegetable oils from organic impurities. As a result of the thermal modification of the sludge, which contains up to 70% of organic impurities, a finely-dispersed low-porous carbonaceous mineral sorption material is formed. The modification of the sludge particles surface causes the substantial alteration of its physical, chemical, adsorption and structural properties - the organic matter is charred, the particle size is reduced, and on the surface of diatomite particles a carbon layer is formed, which deposits in macropores and partially occludes them. The amount of mesopores is increased, along with the specific surface of the obtained product. The optimal temperature of sludge modification is 500°C. The synthesized carbonaceous material can be used as an adsorbing agent for the purification of wastewater from heavy metal ions. The sorption capacity of Cu2+ ions amounted to 14.2 mg·g-1 and for Ni2+ ions - 17.0 mg·g-1. The obtained values exceed the sorption capacity values of the initial kieselghur, used as a filtering charge, for the researched metal ions.

Naturally radioactivity in common building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city, Tamilnadu, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Suganya, M.; Sivakumar, S.; Senthilkumar, G.; Chandramohan, J.; Vijayagopal, P.; Venkatraman, B.

2012-01-01

The radioactivity of some building materials used in Thiruvannamalai city has been measured using a NaI(Tl) detector based gamma ray spectrometer. The distribution of natural occurring radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in the building materials was studied. The radium equivalent activity (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) internal radiation hazard index (H in ) and the activity utilization index (I) associated with the natural radionuclide are calculated to assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in the building materials. The present work shows that the natural radioactivity levels in the building construction materials used in Thiruvannamalai city is well below the acceptable limits. From the analysis, it was found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. (author)

Naturally occurring radioactive materials in construction integrating radiation protection in Reuse

CERN Document Server

Schroeyers, Wouter

2017-01-01

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Construction (COST Action NORM4Building) discusses the depletion of energy resources and raw materials and its huge impact not only on the building market, but also in the development of new synthetic building materials, whereby the reuse of various (waste) residue streams becomes a necessity. It is based on the outcome of COST Action TU 1301, where scientists, regulators, and representatives from industry have come together to present new findings, sharing knowledge, experiences, and technologies to stimulate research on the reuse of residues containing enhanced concentrates of natural radionuclides (NORM) in tailor-made building materials. Chapters address legislative issues, measurement, and assessment of building materials, physical and chemical aspects, from raw materials, to residues with enhanced concentrations of natural radionuclides (NORM), processes, building products containing NORM, and end-of-life and reuse requirements. Presents a holistic app...

Radiological dose assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials in concrete building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amran AB Majid; Aznan Fazli Ismail; Muhamad Samudi Yasir; Redzuwan Yahaya; Ismail Bahari

2013-01-01

Previous studies have shown that the natural radioactivity contained in building materials have significantly influenced the dose rates in dwelling. Exposure to natural radiation in building has been of concerned since almost 80 % of our daily live are spend indoor. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the radiological risk associated by natural radioactivity in soil based building materials to dwellers. A total of 13 Portland cement, 46 sand and 43 gravel samples obtained from manufacturers or bought directly from local hardware stores in Peninsular of Malaysia were analysed for their radioactivity concentrations. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials samples were found to be in the range of 3.7-359.3, 2.0-370.8 and 10.3-1,949.5 Bq kg -1 respectively. The annual radiation dose rates (μSv year -1 ) received by dwellers were evaluated for 1 to 50 years of exposure using Resrad-Build Computer Code based on the activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K found in the studied building material samples. The rooms modelling were based on the changing parameters of concrete wall thickness and the room dimensions. The annual radiation dose rates to dwellers were found to increase annually over a period of 50 years. The concrete thicknesses were found to have significantly influenced the dose rates in building. The self-absorption occurred when the concrete thickness was thicker than 0.4 m. Results of this study shows that the dose rates received by the dwellers of the building are proportional to the size of the room. In general the study concludes that concrete building materials; Portland cements, sands, and gravels in Peninsular of Malaysia does not pose radiological hazard to the building dwellers. (author)

Natural radioactivity in granite stones and their radiological aspects as building material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumaravel, S.; Sunil, C.N.; Narashimha Nath, V.; Raghunath, T.; Prashanth Kumar, M.; Ramakrishna, V.; Nair, B.S.K.; Purohit, R.G.; Tripati, R.M.

2014-01-01

Natural radioactivity in building and building decorating materials comes mainly from natural radioactive series like 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K. India is one of the leading users of granite stones as it is preferred by decorators and architects. The knowledge of presence of natural radioactivity in these materials is required for the assessment of radiation exposure due to them. The objective of this study is to determine the natural radioactivity and radiological aspects of granite stones as building material

Measurement of natural radioactivity and radiation hazards for some natural and artificial building materials available in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muntean, L.E.; Moldovan, D.V.

2014-01-01

As building materials are known to be the second source regarding high radon concentrations, it is very important to determine the amounts of natural radionuclides from every building material in use. In the present study the most frequently used Romanian natural (sand, gypsum, limestone) and artificial (portland cement, lime, clinker, electrofilter powder, fly ash, cement-lime plaster mortar, cement plaster mortar) building materials were analyzed. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose equivalent rate for people living in dwelling buildings made of these building materials under investigation were also calculated. The analysis was performed with gamma-ray spectrometry, with two hyper-pure germanium detectors. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides were in the ranges: 5.2-511.8 Bq kg - 21 for 226 Ra; 0.6-92.6 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and -1 for 40 K, respectively. The radium equivalent activity in the fifty-one (51) samples varied from 9 to 603 Bq kg -1 . By calculating all the radioactivity indices (R aeq , H ext , I α , I yr ) it was found that all the building materials under investigation can be used to erect dwelling buildings. Except for sample SA6, SA7 and SA11 among the natural building materials and sample SG1, SG2, FAH1, CLM1, CM1 among the artificial building materials that are considered hazardous materials when are used in large quantities. (author)

Activity measurement and effective dose modelling of natural radionuclides in building material.

Science.gov (United States)

Maringer, F J; Baumgartner, A; Rechberger, F; Seidel, C; Stietka, M

2013-11-01

In this paper the assessment of natural radionuclides' activity concentration in building materials, calibration requirements and related indoor exposure dose models is presented. Particular attention is turned to specific improvements in low-level gamma-ray spectrometry to determine the activity concentration of necessary natural radionuclides in building materials with adequate measurement uncertainties. Different approaches for the modelling of the effective dose indoor due to external radiation resulted from natural radionuclides in building material and results of actual building material assessments are shown. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metodologias para reutilização do resíduo de terra diatomácea, proveniente da filtração e clarificação da cerveja

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Roberto Goulart

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The earth diatomite is a material used by the industries in the filtration process and clarification of the beer. This material presents a reduced useful life due to the blockages of their pores during the filtration process. The objective of this work was to reactivate the properties of filtration of the earth diatomite, saturated with organic matter during the filtration stage, starting from a controlled thermal treatment. The obtained results demonstrated that the earth diatomite saturated with organic matter submitted to a controlled thermal treatment has their filtration properties reactivated, could be reused in the beer production process.

Production of mycotoxins on artificially and naturally infested building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kristian Fog; Gravesen, S.; Nielsen, P.A.

1999-01-01

, especially Asp. ustus and Asp. niger produced many unknown secondary metabolites on the building materials. Analyses of wallpaper and glass-fibre wallpaper naturally infested with Asp. versicolor revealed sterigmatocystin and 5-methoxysterigmatocystin. Analyses of naturally infested wallpaper showed that C......In this study, the ability to produce mycotoxins during growth on artificially infested building materials was investigated for Penicillium chrysogenum, Pen. polonicum, Pen. brevicompactum, Chaetomium spp., Aspergillus ustus, Asp. niger, Ulocladium spp., Alternaria spp., and Paecilomyces spp., all...... isolated from water-damaged building materials. Spores from the different isolates of the above mentioned species were inoculated on gypsum board with and without wallpaper and on chipboard with and without wallpaper. Fungal material was scraped off the materials, extracted, and analyzed using high...

Biogas Filter Based on Local Natural Zeolite Materials

OpenAIRE

Krido Wahono, Satriyo; Anggo Rizal, Wahyu

2014-01-01

UPT BPPTK LIPI has created a biogas filter tool to improve the purity of methane in the biogas. The device shaped cylindrical tube containing absorbent materials which based on local natural zeolite of Indonesia. The absorbent has been activated and modified with other materials. This absorbtion material has multi-adsorption capacity for almost impurities gas of biogas. The biogas  filter increase methane content of biogas for 5-20%. The biogas filter improve the biogas’s performance such as ...

Investigation on Suitability of Natural Fibre as Replacement Material for Table Tennis Blade

Science.gov (United States)

Arifin, A. M. T.; Fahrul Hassan, M.; Ismail, A. E.; Zulafif Rahim, M.; Rasidi Ibrahim, M.; Haq, R. H. Abdul; Rahman, M. N. A.; Yunos, M. Z.; Amin, M. H. M.

2017-08-01

This paper presents an investigation of suitability natural fibre as replacement material for table tennis blade, due to low cost, lightweight and apparently environmentally. Nowadays, natural fibre are one of the materials often used in replaced the main material on manufacturing sector, such as automotive, and construction. The objective of this study is to investigate and evaluate the suitability natural fiber materials to replace wood as a structure on table tennis blade. The mechanical properties of the different natural fibre material were examined, and correlated with characteristic of table tennis blade. The natural fibre selected for the study are kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus), jute, hemp, sisal (Agave Sisalana) and ramie. A further comparison was made with the corresponding properties of each type of natural fiber using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). TRIZ has been used to determine the most appropriate solution in producing table tennis blade. The results showed the most appropriate solution in producing table tennis blade using natural fibre is kenaf natural fibre. The selected on suitability natural fibre used as main structure on table tennis blade are based on the characteristics need for good performance of table tennis blade, such as energy absorption, lightweight, strength and hardness. Therefore, it shows an opportunity for replacing existing materials with a higher strength, lower cost alternative that is environmentally friendly.

Processing bulk natural wood into a high-performance structural material

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jianwei; Chen, Chaoji; Zhu, Shuze; Zhu, Mingwei; Dai, Jiaqi; Ray, Upamanyu; Li, Yiju; Kuang, Yudi; Li, Yongfeng; Quispe, Nelson; Yao, Yonggang; Gong, Amy; Leiste, Ulrich H.; Bruck, Hugh A.; Zhu, J. Y.; Vellore, Azhar; Li, Heng; Minus, Marilyn L.; Jia, Zheng; Martini, Ashlie; Li, Teng; Hu, Liangbing

2018-02-01

Synthetic structural materials with exceptional mechanical performance suffer from either large weight and adverse environmental impact (for example, steels and alloys) or complex manufacturing processes and thus high cost (for example, polymer-based and biomimetic composites). Natural wood is a low-cost and abundant material and has been used for millennia as a structural material for building and furniture construction. However, the mechanical performance of natural wood (its strength and toughness) is unsatisfactory for many advanced engineering structures and applications. Pre-treatment with steam, heat, ammonia or cold rolling followed by densification has led to the enhanced mechanical performance of natural wood. However, the existing methods result in incomplete densification and lack dimensional stability, particularly in response to humid environments, and wood treated in these ways can expand and weaken. Here we report a simple and effective strategy to transform bulk natural wood directly into a high-performance structural material with a more than tenfold increase in strength, toughness and ballistic resistance and with greater dimensional stability. Our two-step process involves the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the natural wood via a boiling process in an aqueous mixture of NaOH and Na2SO3 followed by hot-pressing, leading to the total collapse of cell walls and the complete densification of the natural wood with highly aligned cellulose nanofibres. This strategy is shown to be universally effective for various species of wood. Our processed wood has a specific strength higher than that of most structural metals and alloys, making it a low-cost, high-performance, lightweight alternative.

Characterization of a Material Based on Short Natural Fique Fibers

OpenAIRE

Navacerrada Saturio, Maria Angeles; Diaz Sanchidrian, Cesar; Fernández, Patricia

2014-01-01

Fique is a biodegradable natural fiber derived from the Colombian Agavaceae family, originating in tropical America and traditionally used for the manufacture of packaging and cordages. Today, however, new uses are being developed. To meet the need for new good-quality, sustainable, low-cost construction materials for social housing, construction materials have been produced that combine different kinds of natural fibers, including fique, to improve their strength and physical properties. To ...

Determination of dose rates from natural radionuclides in dental materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veronese, I.; Guzzi, G.; Giussani, A.; Cantone, M.C.; Ripamonti, D.

2006-01-01

Different types of materials used for dental prosthetics restoration, including feldspathic ceramics, glass ceramics, zirconia-based ceramics, alumina-based ceramics, and resin-based materials, were investigated with regard to content of natural radionuclides by means of thermoluminescence beta dosimetry and gamma spectrometry. The gross beta dose rate from feldspathic and glass ceramics was about ten times higher than the background measurement, whereas resin-based materials generated negligible beta dose rate, similarly to natural tooth samples. The specific activity of uranium and thorium was significantly below the levels found in the period when addition of uranium to dental porcelain materials was still permitted. The high-beta dose levels observed in feldspathic porcelains and glass ceramics are thus mainly ascribable to 4 K, naturally present in these specimens. Although the measured values are below the recommended limits, results indicate that patients with prostheses are subject to higher dose levels than other members of the population. Alumina- and zirconia-based ceramics might be a promising alternative, as they have generally lower beta dose rates than the conventional porcelain materials. However, the dosimetry results, which imply the presence of inhomogeneously distributed clusters of radionuclides in the sample matrix, and the still unsuitable structural properties call for further optimization of these materials

A novel adsorbent obtained by inserting carbon nanotubes into cavities of diatomite and applications for organic dye elimination from contaminated water.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hongwen; Fugetsu, Bunshi

2010-05-15

A novel approach is described for establishing adsorbents for elimination of water-soluble organic dyes by using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the adsorptive sites. Agglomerates of MWCNTs were dispersed into individual tubes (dispersed-MWCNTs) using sodium n-dodecyl itaconate mixed with 3-(N,N-dimethylmyristylammonio)-propanesulfonate as the dispersants. The resultant dispersed-MWCNTs were inserted into cavities of diatomite to form composites of diatomite/MWCNTs. These composites were finally immobilized onto the cell walls of flexible polyurethane foams (PUF) through an in situ PUF formation process to produce the foam-like CNT-based adsorbent. Ethidium bromide, acridine orange, methylene blue, eosin B, and eosin Y were chosen to represent typical water-soluble organic dyes for studying the adsorptive capabilities of the foam-like CNT-based adsorbent. For comparisons, adsorptive experiments were also carried out by using agglomerates of the sole MWCNTs as adsorbents. The foam-like CNT-based adsorbents were found to have higher adsorptive capacities than the CNT agglomerates for all five dyes; in addition, they are macro-sized, durable, flexible, hydrophilic and easy to use. Adsorption isotherms plotted based on the Langmuir equation gave linear results, suggesting that the foam-like CNT-based adsorbent functioned in the Langmuir adsorption manner. The foam-like CNT-based adsorbents are reusable after regeneration with aqueous ethanol solution. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon-Coated, Diatomite-Derived Nanosilicon as a High Rate Capable Li-ion Battery Anode

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Brennan; Ionescu, Robert; Tolchin, Maxwell; Ahmed, Kazi; Favors, Zachary; Bozhilov, Krassimir N.; Ozkan, Cengiz S.; Ozkan, Mihrimah

2016-10-01

Silicon is produced in a variety of ways as an ultra-high capacity lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode material. The traditional carbothermic reduction process required is expensive and energy-intensive; in this work, we use an efficient magnesiothermic reduction to convert the silica-based frustules within diatomaceous earth (diatomite, DE) to nanosilicon (nanoSi) for use as LIB anodes. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a binder for the DE-based nanoSi anodes for the first time, being attributed for the high silicon utilization under high current densities (up to 4C). The resulting nanoSi exhibited a high BET specific surface area of 162.6 cm2 g-1, compared to a value of 7.3 cm2 g-1 for the original DE. DE contains SiO2 architectures that make ideal bio-derived templates for nanoscaled silicon. The DE-based nanoSi anodes exhibit good cyclability, with a specific discharge capacity of 1102.1 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles at a C-rate of C/5 (0.7 A gSi-1) and high areal loading (2 mg cm-2). This work also demonstrates the fist rate capability testing for a DE-based Si anode; C-rates of C/30 - 4C were tested. At 4C (14.3 A gSi-1), the anode maintained a specific capacity of 654.3 mAh g-1 - nearly 2x higher than graphite’s theoretical value (372 mAh g-1).

Carbon-Coated, Diatomite-Derived Nanosilicon as a High Rate Capable Li-ion Battery Anode

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Brennan; Ionescu, Robert; Tolchin, Maxwell; Ahmed, Kazi; Favors, Zachary; Bozhilov, Krassimir N.; Ozkan, Cengiz S.; Ozkan, Mihrimah

2016-01-01

Silicon is produced in a variety of ways as an ultra-high capacity lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode material. The traditional carbothermic reduction process required is expensive and energy-intensive; in this work, we use an efficient magnesiothermic reduction to convert the silica-based frustules within diatomaceous earth (diatomite, DE) to nanosilicon (nanoSi) for use as LIB anodes. Polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a binder for the DE-based nanoSi anodes for the first time, being attributed for the high silicon utilization under high current densities (up to 4C). The resulting nanoSi exhibited a high BET specific surface area of 162.6 cm2 g−1, compared to a value of 7.3 cm2 g−1 for the original DE. DE contains SiO2 architectures that make ideal bio-derived templates for nanoscaled silicon. The DE-based nanoSi anodes exhibit good cyclability, with a specific discharge capacity of 1102.1 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at a C-rate of C/5 (0.7 A gSi−1) and high areal loading (2 mg cm−2). This work also demonstrates the fist rate capability testing for a DE-based Si anode; C-rates of C/30 - 4C were tested. At 4C (14.3 A gSi−1), the anode maintained a specific capacity of 654.3 mAh g−1 – nearly 2x higher than graphite’s theoretical value (372 mAh g−1). PMID:27713474

Investigation of protein adsorption performance of Ni2+-attached diatomite particles embedded in composite monolithic cryogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Ünlü, Nuri; Ceylan, Şeyda; Erzengin, Mahmut; Odabaşı, Mehmet

2011-08-01

As a low-cost natural adsorbent, diatomite (DA) (2 μm) has several advantages including high surface area, chemical reactivity, hydrophilicity and lack of toxicity. In this study, the protein adsorption performance of supermacroporous composite cryogels embedded with Ni(2+)-attached DA particles (Ni(2+)-ADAPs) was investigated. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic composite cryogel column embedded with Ni(2+)-ADAPs was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe for affinity purification of human serum albumin (HSA) both from aqueous solutions and human serum. The chemical composition and surface area of DA was determined by XRF and BET method, respectively. The characterization of composite cryogel was investigated by SEM. The effect of pH, and embedded Ni(2+)-ADAPs amount, initial HSA concentration, temperature and flow rate on adsorption were studied. The maximum amount of HSA adsorption from aqueous solution at pH 8.0 phosphate buffer was very high (485.15 mg/g DA). It was observed that HSA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed to the embedded Ni(2+)-ADAPs in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) composite cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity. The efficiency of albumin adsorption from human serum before and after albumin adsorption was also investigated with SDS-PAGE analyses. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Natural radioactivity in construction materials; Natuerliche Radioaktivitaet in Bauprodukten

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffmann, Bernd [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Berlin (Germany)

2017-04-01

Rocks and soils contain traces of uranium and thorium and their daughter products, also the primordial nuclide K-40. Most construction materials are produced from mineral raw materials and residuals from industrial processes, thus natural radionuclides can be detected. The radionuclide concentrations are relevant with respect to radiation protection. Radionuclides in construction materials can cause indoor radiation exposure due to their gamma radiation and due to inhalation of radon a gaseous nuclide that can diffuse out of the materials. Based on new legal developments in the European Union the Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz is now again concerned with radiation protection issues of building materials.

Clarification of sodium silicate solutions derived from diatomites, to improve their industrial expectations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar Cantillano, Eduardo

2000-01-01

solutions of soluble silicates synthesized have been clarified in Costa Rica from diatomite in almost 50% of their initial coloration. Clarification and removal of iron oxides have been achieved in a higher order of 50% m/m expressed as Fe 2 O 3 . Activated carbon treatment has clarified the scope of [31-57]%, but not significantly decreases the iron content. The application of NaClO to 3% m/m clarifies the scope of [28-51]%, and reduced iron by 48% m/m. The land alone has been shown that is not very effective filter to clarify, [0-14]%, but is effective for the stripping of iron by 68% m/m. Other procedures are effective in clarifying the scope of [42-51]% and reduced the amount of iron in the field of [48-66]%. The synthesis of soluble glasses is possible to clarify for conditioning with commercial purposes diverse, treatment methodologies and analytical control, simple and economical. (author) [es

Natural radioactivity in some building materials of Xi'an, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei

2005-01-01

Eight kinds of building materials collected from Xi'an, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the selected building materials ranges from 19.5 to 68.3Bqkg -1 , 13.4 to 51.7Bqkg -1 and 63.2 to 713.9Bqkg -1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these natural radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the world average activity of soil. The radium equivalent activities (Ra eq ), external hazard index (H ex ) and the internal radiation hazard index (H in ) associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. The Ra eq values of all building materials are lower than the limit of 370Bqkg -1 , equivalent to a γ-dose of 1.5mSvyr -1 . The values of H ex and H in are less than unity

Biogas Filter Based on Local Natural Zeolite Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satriyo Krido Wahono

2014-02-01

Full Text Available UPT BPPTK LIPI has created a biogas filter tool to improve the purity of methane in the biogas. The device shaped cylindrical tube containing absorbent materials which based on local natural zeolite of Indonesia. The absorbent has been activated and modified with other materials. This absorbtion material has multi-adsorption capacity for almost impurities gas of biogas. The biogas  filter increase methane content of biogas for 5-20%. The biogas filter improve the biogas’s performance such as increasing methane contents, increasing heating value, reduction of odors, reduction of corrosion potential, increasing the efficiency and stability of the generator.

Natural minerals and synthetic materials for sorption of radioactive anions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Mun Ja; Chun, Kwan Sik; Kim, Seung Soo

1998-07-01

Technetium-99 and iodine-129 are fission products with long half-lives, and exist as highly soluble anionic species. Studies on natural and synthetic materials sorbing TcO{sub 4} and/or I have been performed by several researchers. The application of these materials as an additive in the high-level waste disposal has been considered. The iron- or sulfide-containing minerals such as metal iron, iron powder, stibnite and pyrrhotite show a high capacity for TcO{sub 4} sorption. And the small amounts of activated carbon are reported to have high distribution coefficients recently. In the iodine sorption studies, sulfide-, copper-, lead- or mercury-containing minerals can be a candidate. Pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, Cu{sub 2}S and CuS reveal a high capacity for I sorption. The synthetic materials were found to have high sorption capacity and compensate the defects of natural minerals, which contain hydrous oxides such as zirconium oxide, aluminium oxide and mercarbide. The mercarbide has the high distribution coefficients for the sorption of TcO{sub 4} and I. Recently it was proposed that the synthetic clay, hydrotalcite, could be useful for the fixation of anion. However, to determine the applicability of those natural and synthetic materials as an additive to a buffer or backfill material for sorption of TcO{sub 4} and/or I, the sorption behavior of the anions on those materials under the repository conditions should be identified. (author). 32 refs., 21 tabs., 10 figs

Food and Natural Materials Target Mechanisms to Effectively Regulate Allergic Responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Hee Soon; Shon, Dong-Hwa

2015-01-01

An immune hypersensitivity disorder called allergy is caused by diverse allergens entering the body via skin contact, injection, ingestion, and/or inhalation. These allergic responses may develop into allergic disorders, including inflammations such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, anaphylaxis, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis. Several drugs have been developed to treat these allergic disorders; however, long-term intake of these drugs could have adverse effects. As an alternative to these medicines, food and natural materials that ameliorate allergic disorder symptoms without producing any side effects can be consumed. Food and natural materials can effectively regulate successive allergic responses in an allergic chain-reaction mechanism in the following ways: [1] Inhibition of allergen permeation via paracellular diffusion into epithelial cells, [2] suppression of type 2 T-helper (Th) cell-related cytokine production by regulating Th1/Th2 balance, [3] inhibition of pathogenic effector CD4(+) T cell differentiation by inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), and [4] inhibition of degranulation in mast cells. The immunomodulatory effects of food and natural materials on each target mechanism were scientifically verified and shown to alleviate allergic disorder symptoms. Furthermore, consumption of certain food and natural materials such as fenugreek, skullcap, chitin/chitosan, and cheonggukjang as anti-allergics have merits such as safety (no adverse side effects), multiple suppressive effects (as a mixture would contain various components that are active against allergic responses), and ease of consumption when required. These merits and anti-allergic properties of food and natural materials help control various allergic disorders.

Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials

Science.gov (United States)

T. G. Grubb

1995-01-01

A technique for using natural materials to build artificial nests for bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and other raptors is detailed. Properly constructed nests are as permanently secured to the nest tree or cliff substrate as any eagle-built nest or human-made platform. Construction normally requires about three hours and at least two people. This technique is...

Preparation of Si3N4 Form Diatomite via a Carbothermal Reduction-Nitridation Process

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Bin; Huang, Zhaohui; Mei, Lefu; Fang, Minghao; Liu, Yangai; Wu, Xiaowen; Hu, Xiaozhi

2016-05-01

Si3N4 was produced using diatomite and sucrose as silicon and carbon sources, respectively. The effect of the C/SiO2 molar ratio, heating temperature and soaking time on the morphology and phase compositions of the final products was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The phase equilibrium relationships of the system at different heating temperatures were also investigated based on the thermodynamic analysis. The results indicate that the phase compositions depended on the C/SiO2 molar ratio, heating temperature and soaking time. Fabrication of Si3N4 from the precursor via carbothermal reduction nitridation was achieved at 1550°C for 1-8 h using a C/SiO2 molar ratio of 3.0. The as-prepared Si3N4 contained a low amount of Fe3Si (<1 wt.%).

Amyloid Fibrils as Building Blocks for Natural and Artificial Functional Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowles, Tuomas P J; Mezzenga, Raffaele

2016-08-01

Proteinaceous materials based on the amyloid core structure have recently been discovered at the origin of biological functionality in a remarkably diverse set of roles, and attention is increasingly turning towards such structures as the basis of artificial self-assembling materials. These roles contrast markedly with the original picture of amyloid fibrils as inherently pathological structures. Here we outline the salient features of this class of functional materials, both in the context of the functional roles that have been revealed for amyloid fibrils in nature, as well as in relation to their potential as artificial materials. We discuss how amyloid materials exemplify the emergence of function from protein self-assembly at multiple length scales. We focus on the connections between mesoscale structure and material function, and demonstrate how the natural examples of functional amyloids illuminate the potential applications for future artificial protein based materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Radioactivity distribution measurement of various natural material surfaces with imaging plate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, C.; Suzuki, T.; Koido, S.; Uritani, A.; Yanagida, K.; Wu, Y.; Nishizawa, K.

1996-01-01

Distribution images of natural radioactivity in natural materials such as vegetables were obtained by using Imaging Platc. In ssuch cases, it is necessary to reduce background radiation intensity by one order or more. Graded shielding is very important. Espacially, the innermost surface of a shielding box sshould be covered with acrylic rein plate. We obtained natural radioactivity distribution images of vegetable, sea food, mea etc. Most β-rays emitted from 40 K print the radioactivity distribution image. Comparison between γ-ray intensity of KCL solution measured with HPGe detector and that of natural material specimen gave the radioactivity around 0.06- 0.04Bq/g depending on the kind and the part of specimens. (author). 6 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

The Natural Hospital Environment: a Socio-Technical-Material perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, Juanita; Dawson, Linda

2014-02-01

This paper introduces two concepts into analyses of information security and hospital-based information systems-- a Socio-Technical-Material theoretical framework and the Natural Hospital Environment. The research is grounded in a review of pertinent literature with previously published Australian (Victoria) case study data to analyse the way clinicians work with privacy and security in their work. The analysis was sorted into thematic categories, providing the basis for the Natural Hospital Environment and Socio-Technical-Material framework theories discussed here. Natural Hospital Environments feature inadequate yet pervasive computer use, aural privacy shortcomings, shared workspace, meagre budgets, complex regulation that hinders training outcomes and out-dated infrastructure and are highly interruptive. Working collaboratively in many cases, participants found ways to avoid or misuse security tools, such as passwords or screensavers for patient care. Workgroup infrastructure was old, architecturally limited, haphazard in some instances, and was less useful than paper handover sheets to ensure the quality of patient care outcomes. Despite valiant efforts by some participants, they were unable to control factors influencing the privacy of patient health information in public hospital settings. Future improvements to hospital-based organisational frameworks for e-health can only be made when there is an improved understanding of the Socio-Technical-Material theoretical framework and Natural Hospital Environment contexts. Aspects within control of clinicians and administrators can be addressed directly although some others are beyond their control. An understanding and acknowledgement of these issues will benefit the management and planning of improved and secure hospital settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exposure to radiation from the natural radioactivity in building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

Radiation exposure of members of the public can be increased appreciably by the use of building materials containing above-normal levels of natural radioactivity. This phenomenon has attracted attention in recent years, and in this review, an attempt is made to the quantify exposures incurred under various circumstances. The second section of the review is a general survey of those building materials, mostly industrial wastes, that have aroused interest in Member countries. The probability that environmental pressures may cause such wastes to be used more and more by building industries may lead to similar situations in the future. Other review material of a relevant nature is described in the third section. Primordial radionuclides only are considered here. They are: potassium-40 (K-40); radium-226 (Ra-226) and its decay products; the series headed by thorium-232 (Th-232). The important radiological consequences of the natural radioactivity in building materials are two-fold, irradiation of the body by gamma rays and irradiation of the lung tissues by radon-222 (Rn-222) decay products or daughters. These consequences cannot be explored quantitatively except in relation to the specific activities of the nuclides of interest, and the approach adopted in this review is to assess the consequences in terms of the incremental radiation exposures that would be incurred by occupants of substantial dwellings entirely constructed of materials with various specific activities or combinations thereof. Gamma rays are dealt with in the fourth section and radon daughters in the fifth

Natural radioactivity level of main building materials in Baotou, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Caifeng; Lu Xinwei; Li Nan; Yang Guang

2012-01-01

A survey was done on natural radioactivity level and annual effective dose rate of main building materials in Baotou, China. The natural radionuclides of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in main building materials collected from Baotou were measured using NaI γ-ray spectrometry and the measured data were analyzed according to the national standards and radiological protection principles of the European Commission. The specific activities of 40 K, 232 Th and 226 Ra in the building materials samples were 218.82-1145.92, 19.75-1.32.50 and 11.46-82.66 Bq/kg, respectively. The internal and external exposure indexes of building materials were 0.06-0.41 and 0.28-0.70, respectively. The annual effective dose equivalent was 0.41-0.97 mSv/y. This justifies the production and sale of the main building materials, as both the internal and external exposure indexes of building materials are less than 1. The effective dose rate of ash brick is 0.97 mSv/y, while the maximum acceptable value is 1 mSv/y. Therefore, it is necessary to control the amount of industrial waste residue in building materials to avoid unnecessary radioactive exposure to residents. (authors)

Development of insulating substrates for multilayer thermoelectric devices; Elaboration d'elements de support dans des dispositifs thermoelectriques multicouches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadiebu Kandolo, St

2005-10-15

The design and fabrication of a high performance thermoelectric generator based on ceramic technology is envisaged. The system consists of n and p-type semi-conducting layers deposited on a thermally insulating dielectric substrate. The present work is devoted to the choice and preparation of the material for the substrate. The desired characteristics for a low thermal conductivity are an amorphous solid with a porous microstructure. Two raw materials were selected as candidates. The first is a clay, made of layered minerals for which de-hydroxylation at 600 deg. C leads to a disordered structure and the second is diatomite, a material constituted of amorphous silica with and inherent natural porosity inside plate like grains. Sintering the clay at 800 deg. C yields a material with thermal conductivity of 0.21 W/m.K at room temperature increasing to 0.26 W/m.K at 600 deg. C. In an attempt to decrease the thermal conductivity, the clay was mixed with fine amorphous silica or zircon. The zircon based mixture was the most effective giving a thermal conductivity of 0.19 W/m.K which remains constant with temperature. In addition to a low thermal conductivity, diatomite presents another interesting advantage. First, tape casting was used to obtain porous layers yielding a thermal conductivity as low as 0.08 W/m.K at room temperature. Then it was found that under certain preparation conditions, the tape cast diatomite formed with a thin dense layer at the surface. This facilitates deposition of the active semi-conductor layer by avoiding loss from penetration through the open porosity of the substrate. (author)

Development of insulating substrates for multilayer thermoelectric devices; Elaboration d'elements de support dans des dispositifs thermoelectriques multicouches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadiebu Kandolo, St.

2005-10-15

The design and fabrication of a high performance thermoelectric generator based on ceramic technology is envisaged. The system consists of n and p-type semi-conducting layers deposited on a thermally insulating dielectric substrate. The present work is devoted to the choice and preparation of the material for the substrate. The desired characteristics for a low thermal conductivity are an amorphous solid with a porous microstructure. Two raw materials were selected as candidates. The first is a clay, made of layered minerals for which de-hydroxylation at 600 deg. C leads to a disordered structure and the second is diatomite, a material constituted of amorphous silica with and inherent natural porosity inside plate like grains. Sintering the clay at 800 deg. C yields a material with thermal conductivity of 0.21 W/m.K at room temperature increasing to 0.26 W/m.K at 600 deg. C. In an attempt to decrease the thermal conductivity, the clay was mixed with fine amorphous silica or zircon. The zircon based mixture was the most effective giving a thermal conductivity of 0.19 W/m.K which remains constant with temperature. In addition to a low thermal conductivity, diatomite presents another interesting advantage. First, tape casting was used to obtain porous layers yielding a thermal conductivity as low as 0.08 W/m.K at room temperature. Then it was found that under certain preparation conditions, the tape cast diatomite formed with a thin dense layer at the surface. This facilitates deposition of the active semi-conductor layer by avoiding loss from penetration through the open porosity of the substrate. (author)

Rheological analysis of fine-grained natural debris-flow material

Science.gov (United States)

Major, Jon J.; Pierson, Thomas C.; ,

1990-01-01

Experiments were conducted on large samples of fine-grained material (???2mm) from a natural debris flow using a wide-gap concentric-cylinder viscometer. The rheological behavior of this material is compatible with a Bingham model at shear rates in excess of 5 sec. At lesser shear rates, rheological behavior of the material deviates from the Bingham model, and when sand concentration of the slurry exceeds 20 percent by volume, particle interaction between sand grains dominates the mechanical behavior. Yield strength and plastic viscosity are extremely sensitive to sediment concentration.

Overview of naturally occurring Earth materials and human health concerns

Science.gov (United States)

Ernst, W. G.

2012-10-01

The biosphere and the Earth's critical zone have maintained a dynamic equilibrium for more than 3.5 billion years. Except for solar energy, almost all terrestrial substances necessary for life have been derived from near-surface portions of the land, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. If aggregate biological activities are less than the rate of nutrient supply and/or resource renewal, sustained population growth is possible. Where the replenishment rate of a life-sustaining Earth material is finite, usage may reach a condition of dynamic equilibrium in which biological consumption equals but on average cannot exceed the overall supply. Although large, most natural resources are present in finite abundances; for such commodities, excessive present-day human utilization reduces future availability, and thus the ultimate planetary carrying capacity for civilization. Intensive use of Earth materials has enhanced the quality of life, especially in the developed nations. Still, natural background levels, and Earth processes such as volcanic eruptions, as well as human activities involving agriculture, construction, and the extraction, refining, and transformation of mineral resources have led to harmful side effects involving environmental degradation and public health hazards. Among naturally and anthropogenically induced risks are bioaccessible airborne dusts and gases, soluble pollutants in agricultural, industrial, and residential waters, and toxic chemical species in foods and manufactured products. At appropriate levels of ingestion, many Earth materials are necessary for existence, but underdoses and overdoses have mild to serious consequences for human health and longevity. This overview briefly sketches several natural resource health hazards. Included are volcanic ash + aerosols + gases, mineral dusts, non-volcanic aerosols + nanoparticles, asbestos + fibrous zeolites, arsenic, fluorine, iodine, uranium + thorium + radium + radon + polonium, selenium, mercury, copper

Preparation of chitosan/amine modified diatomite composites and adsorption properties of Hg(II) ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yong; Huang, Yue; Hu, Jianshe; Zhang, Zhengjie

2018-03-01

A green functional adsorbent (CAD) was prepared by Schiff base reaction of chitosan and amino-modified diatomite. The morphology, structure and adsorption properties of the CAD were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer Emmett Teller measurements. The effect of pH value, contact time and temperature on the adsorption of Hg(II) ions for the CAD is discussed in detail. The experimental results showed that the CAD had a large specific surface area and multifunctional groups such as amino, hydroxyl and Schiff base. The optimum adsorption effect was obtained when the pH value, temperature and contact time were 4, 25 °C and 120 min, respectively, and the corresponding maximum adsorption capacity of Hg(II) ions reached 102 mg/g. Moreover, the adsorption behavior of Hg(II) ions for the CAD followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model. The negative ΔG 0 and ΔH 0 suggested that the adsorption was a spontaneous exothermic process.

Human nature: neither material nor spiritually being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Alba Martínez Amorós

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The idea of «human nature» defended by Ortega y Gasset is as original as opposite to what is usually understood. We are making a mistake if the starting point is to conceive Man as one living being among others. Neither science nor philosophy, while remaining in the Eleatic tradition, can give a clear explanation. Science, because if we look at Man, as he is presented to us, it is impossible to distinguish in him materially from spiritually; his body and his psyche. Philosophy, because the concept of «human nature» is an invention of our reason, a fantasy. That nature doesn’t exist because the being of man is so strange and different from other beings that its consistency is just going to be what it never manages to be. Therefore, it is what happens, a journey, a history that is running within a circumstance. This is my life, and that of everyone.

Radioactivity of natural and artificial building materials - a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Szabó, Zs; Völgyesi, P; Nagy, H É; Szabó, Cs; Kis, Z; Csorba, O

2013-04-01

Building materials and their additives contain radioactive isotopes, which can increase both external and internal radioactive exposures of humans. In this study Hungarian natural (adobe) and artificial (brick, concrete, coal slag, coal slag concrete and gas silicate) building materials were examined. We qualified 40 samples based on their radium equivalent, activity concentration, external hazard and internal hazard indices and the determined threshold values of these parameters. Absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose for inhabitants living in buildings made of these building materials were also evaluated. The calculations are based on (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K activity concentrations determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Measured radionuclide concentrations and hence, calculated indices and doses of artificial building materials show a rather disparate distribution compared to adobes. The studied coal slag samples among the artificial building materials have elevated (226)Ra content. Natural, i.e. adobe and also brick samples contain higher amount of (40)K compared to other artificial building materials. Correlation coefficients among radionuclide concentrations are consistent with the values in the literature and connected to the natural geochemical behavior of U, Th and K elements. Seven samples (coal slag and coal slag concrete) exceed any of the threshold values of the calculated hazard indices, however only three of them are considered to be risky to use according to the fact that the building material was used in bulk amount or in restricted usage. It is shown, that using different indices can lead to different conclusions; hence we recommend considering more of the indices at the same time when building materials are studied. Additionally, adding two times their statistical uncertainties to their values before comparing to thresholds should be considered for providing a more conservative qualification. We have defined radon hazard portion to point

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM IV). Proceedings of an international conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-10-01

Radionuclides of natural origin are ubiquitous in both working and public environments, although their activity concentrations vary considerably. Exposures to natural sources are in most cases not a matter for regulatory concern. However, there are situations where exposures to natural sources may warrant consideration as to whether controls should be applied. One such situation is where the conditions are conducive to the buildup of elevated concentrations of radon in air. Another situation is the mining and/or processing of material where the activity concentrations of radionuclides of natural origin in the material itself, or in any material arising from the process, are significantly elevated - such material has come to be referred to as Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). In the past, regulatory attention has been focused mostly on exposures arising from the mining and processing of uranium ores because such activities are part of the nuclear fuel cycle. More recently, attention has been broadened to include exposures from other industrial activities involving NORM, in recognition of the potential for such activities to also give rise to significant exposures of workers and members of the public if not adequately controlled. More and more countries are now including provisions in their national legislation and regulations for the control of exposures to natural sources, and the body of radiological data on such exposures is growing rapidly. This international conference, NORM IV, follows three previous conferences dealing with radon and NORM. The first was held in Amsterdam in 1997, the second in Krefeld, Germany in 1998 (NORM II), and the third in Brussels in 2001 (NORM III). In addition, an International Symposium on Technologically Enhanced Natural Radiation was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1999 - the IAEA was involved in the organization of that symposium, and published the proceedings as IAEA-TECDOC-1271. The main topic addressed at NORM IV was

Gamma spectrometric method for measuring natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, A.; Feher, I.

1976-11-01

The natural 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K concentrations of building materials were determined by gamma spectrometry. Altogether 121 samples from all over Hungary, one from each factory producing building materials, were examined. The presented data had preliminary character. The results were compared to the relating ones from abroad. (Sz.N.Z.)

Influences of air pollutants on polymeric materials. Natural weathering of polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reichert, T.F.R. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Chemische Technologie, Pfinztal-Berghausen (Germany)

1995-12-31

Polymeric materials are affected during their entire service life by a number of environmental influences. These originate from both man made and natural sources. Such environmental influences include solar radiation, temperature, humidity and air pollutant effects. They all act together, some independently and some synergistically, to influence material properties, as well as functionality, service life, quality and reliability of the poly materials and systems. The main degradation process is chain scission with loss of molecular weight and oxidation, followed by fading of colours and loss of gloss and mechanical strength. Due to the large number of different types of polymers there are many types of degradation processes and it is difficult to generalise about the effects of the environment on organic materials. Materials, as opposed to organisms, have no self-repair mechanism which allows them to tolerate a certain level of stress. In principle, therefore, it is not possible to define critical levels for the effects of pollutants on materials below which no deterioration occurs. Material deterioration by weathering is normally a very slow process lasting some or more years. Therefore attempts have been made to produce deterioration in short-term experiments by using high stress levels. The limits for the high stress levels are given by the comparability of the obtained damage from artificially accelerated weathering with these from real natural weathering. To investigate the damage caused by air pollutants on polymeric materials, samples were natural weathered with some light exposed and some dark stored samples in different climatic and polluted areas of Germany. The weathering stations are closed to the continuously measuring stations for air quality

Influences of air pollutants on polymeric materials. Natural weathering of polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reichert, T F.R. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Chemische Technologie, Pfinztal-Berghausen (Germany)

1996-12-31

Polymeric materials are affected during their entire service life by a number of environmental influences. These originate from both man made and natural sources. Such environmental influences include solar radiation, temperature, humidity and air pollutant effects. They all act together, some independently and some synergistically, to influence material properties, as well as functionality, service life, quality and reliability of the poly materials and systems. The main degradation process is chain scission with loss of molecular weight and oxidation, followed by fading of colours and loss of gloss and mechanical strength. Due to the large number of different types of polymers there are many types of degradation processes and it is difficult to generalise about the effects of the environment on organic materials. Materials, as opposed to organisms, have no self-repair mechanism which allows them to tolerate a certain level of stress. In principle, therefore, it is not possible to define critical levels for the effects of pollutants on materials below which no deterioration occurs. Material deterioration by weathering is normally a very slow process lasting some or more years. Therefore attempts have been made to produce deterioration in short-term experiments by using high stress levels. The limits for the high stress levels are given by the comparability of the obtained damage from artificially accelerated weathering with these from real natural weathering. To investigate the damage caused by air pollutants on polymeric materials, samples were natural weathered with some light exposed and some dark stored samples in different climatic and polluted areas of Germany. The weathering stations are closed to the continuously measuring stations for air quality

Thermoluminescence study of materials (natural minerals) used in ceramic tiles industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murthy, K V R, E-mail: drmurthykvr@yahoo.com [Display Materials Laboratory Applied Physics Department Faculty of Technology and Engineering M.S. University of Baroda, Baroda-390 001 (India)

2009-07-15

Mother earth is giving many materials in the natural form as well as in mineral form. Among them the marbles, granites and other variety of slabs for house hold flooring purposes. The people demand for variety of flooring materials leads to develop various types of ceramic tile. In India ceramic tiles industry is one of the fast growing one. More than two hundred units are manufacturing the ceramic tiles situated around Morbi, Rajkot, Gujarat, India. The basic raw materials required for manufacturing the various types of ceramic tiles are natural minerals. The following are the minerals used to manufacture the ceramic tiles i.e. quartz, feldspar, zircon, china clay, talc, grok, Aluminum oxide etc.,

Thermoluminescence study of materials (natural minerals) used in ceramic tiles industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murthy, K V R

2009-01-01

Mother earth is giving many materials in the natural form as well as in mineral form. Among them the marbles, granites and other variety of slabs for house hold flooring purposes. The people demand for variety of flooring materials leads to develop various types of ceramic tile. In India ceramic tiles industry is one of the fast growing one. More than two hundred units are manufacturing the ceramic tiles situated around Morbi, Rajkot, Gujarat, India. The basic raw materials required for manufacturing the various types of ceramic tiles are natural minerals. The following are the minerals used to manufacture the ceramic tiles i.e. quartz, feldspar, zircon, china clay, talc, grok, Aluminum oxide etc.,

Natural radioactivity and radiological hazards of building materials in Xianyang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei; Yang Guang; Ren Chunhui

2012-01-01

Common building materials collected from Xianyang, China were analyzed for the natural radioactivity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K using γ-ray spectroscopy. The average activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the studied building materials ranges from 13.4 to 69.9, 13.1–99.1 and 124.7–915.1 Bq kg −1 , respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide average activity of soil. To assess the radiation hazard of the natural radioactivity in all samples to the people, the radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, internal hazard index, indoor absorbed dose rate and total annual effective dose were estimated. The radium equivalent activities of the studied samples are below the internationally accepted values. The external hazard index and internal hazard index of all analyzed building materials are less than unity. The mean values of indoor absorbed dose rate for all building materials except for lime are higher than the world population-weighted average of 84 nGy h −1 and the total annual effective dose values of building materials are lower than 1 mSv y −1 except for some cyan brick samples. The study shows the measured building materials do not pose significant source of radiation hazard and are safe for use in the construction of dwellings. - Highlights: ► Natural radioactivity in building materials was determined by gamma ray spectrometry. ► The radiological hazard of studied building materials is within the recommended safety limit. ► Most of the studied building materials do not pose significant radiation risk to residents.

Modeling Permeability Alteration in Diatomite Reservoirs During Steam Drive, SUPRI TR-113

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhat, Suniti Kumar; Kovscek, Anthony R.

1999-08-09

There is an estimated 10 billion barrels of original oil in place (OOIP) in diatomaceous reservoirs in Kern County, California. These reservoirs have low permeability ranging from 0.1 to 10 mD. Injection pressure controlled steam drive has been found to be an effective way to recover oil from these reservoir. However, steam drive in these reservoirs has its own complications. The rock matrix is primarily silica (SiO2). It is a known fact that silica is soluble in hot water and its solubility varies with temperature and pH. Due to this fact, the rock matrix in diatomite may dissolve into the aqueous phase as the temperature at a location increases or it may precipitate from the aqueous phase onto the rock grains as the temperature decreases. Thus, during steam drive silica redistribution will occur in the reservoir along with oil recovery. This silica redistribution causes the permeability and porosity of the reservoir to change. Understanding and quantifying these silica redistribution effects on the reservoir permeability might prove to be a key aspect of designing a steam drive project in these formations.

Theories and Conflict: The Origins of Natural Gas. Instructional Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Susan

This unit explores a recent and controversial theory of the origin of much of the Earth's natural gas and oil. The materials provided will give students the opportunity to: (1) gain an understanding of science and what is involved in the acceptance or rejection of theories; (2) learn about fossil fuels, especially natural gas; (3) learn the…

Processing bulk natural wood into a high-performance structural material

Science.gov (United States)

Jianwei Song; Chaoji Chen; Shuze Zhu; Mingwei Zhu; Jiaqi Dai; Upamanyu Ray; Yiju Li; Yudi Kuang; Yongfeng Li; Nelson Quispe; Yonggang Yao; Amy Gong; Ulrich H. Leiste; Hugh A. Bruck; J. Y. Zhu; Azhar Vellore; Heng Li; Marilyn L. Minus; Zheng Jia; Ashlie Martini; Teng Li; Liangbing Hu

2018-01-01

Synthetic structural materials with exceptional mechanical performance suffer from either large weight and adverse environmental impact (for example, steels and alloys) or complex manufacturing processes and thus high cost (for example, polymer-based and biomimetic composites)1–8. Natural wood is a low-cost and abundant material and has been used...

Leachability of naturally occurring radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desideri, D.; Feduzi, L.; Meli, M.A.; Roselli, C.

2006-01-01

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) are present in the environment and can be concentrated by technical activities, particularly those involving natural resources. These NORM deposits are highly stable and very insoluble under environmental conditions at the earth's surface. However, reducing or oxidant conditions or pH changes may enable a fraction of naturally occurring radionuclides to eventually be released to the environment. Leachability of 210 Pb and 210 Po was determined in three samples coming from a refractories production plant (dust, sludge, finished product), in one dust sample from a steelwork and in one ash sample coming from an electric power station. A sequential extraction method consisting of five operationally-defined fractions was used. The average leaching potential observed in the samples from the refractory industry is very low (mean values: 5.8% for 210 Pb and 1.7% for 210 Po). The 210 Pb and 210 Po leachability increases for the ash sample coming from an electric power plant using carbon (17.8% for 210 Pb and 10.0% for 210 Po); for the dust sample coming from a steelwork, the percent soluble fraction is 41.1% for 210 Pb and 8.5% for 210 Po. For all samples the results obtained show that 210 Pb is slightly more soluble than 210 Po. (author)

Use of anthocyanin extracted from natural plant materials to develop ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this work was to study the optimal conditions for anthocyanin extraction from natural plant materials in order to develop a pH test kit. The plant materials used were butterfly pea flower (BPF), roselle red flower (RRF) and dragon fruit peel (DFP). The solvents used in this study were distilled water, 1% HCl/95% ...

Měkkýši Národní přírodní rezervace Soos Molluscs (Mollusca of the Soos National Nature Reserve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jitka Horáčková

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The Soos National Nature Reserve nearby Františkovy Lázně Town (Western Bohemia, Czech Republic is a spectacular peatbog site with the occurrence of fens on numerous mineral spring effluents, emanations of pure carbon dioxide in mofettes (i.e. false mud volcanoes, parts with saltwater wetlands, and diatomite mantel in its central part. These natural conditions affect general character of all habitats, vegetation and malacocoenoses in the reserve. Altogether, 31 mollusc species were found there, but only two of them are considered as near threatened (Pisidium obtusale and Vertigo substriata. The majority of recorded assemblage was composed of common and generalist mollusc species.

Synergistic effect of manganese dioxide and diatomite for fast decolorization and high removal capacity of methyl orange.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Hui Hua; Chen, Jie; Jiang, De Yi; Li, Min; Feng, Li; Losic, Dusan; Dong, Fan; Zhang, Yu Xin

2016-12-15

MnO 2 nanostructures with two different morphologies (nanowires and nanosheets) were uniformly deposited on diatomite via a one-pot hydrothermal method. The fast decolorization and high removal capacity for anionic dye-MO over synthesized composites had been clarified. The results revealed that the equilibrium time was shortened to as low as 10-30min, and the maximum adsorption capacities were 325mgg -1 and 420mgg -1 for nanowires and nanosheets composites, respectively, under the condition of initial pH 3 and ambient temperature. Indeed, the proposed decolorization mechanism was considered to be simultaneous multi-processes during the dye removal, including physical, physicochemical and chemical process. In principle, well-controlled cost-effective composites have promising ability to remove anionic dye pollutants for environmental remediation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Weichselian biostratigraphy and vegetational development at Horonkylä, Pohjanmaa, Western Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grönlund, T.

1996-06-01

Full Text Available A diatomite layer covered by two till units was found at Horonkylä, Teuva, Pohjanmaa, western Finland. The diatomite layer represents infill sediment in a freshwater lake formed within a dead ice hollow in a glaciofluvial formation interpreted as an esker. The deposition of diatomite was terminated by advancing ice, which deformed underlying sediments and deposited the first till unit (Horonkylä till in the sequence. During the ice retreat a silty clay layer was formed in the basin close to the ice front. A renewed glacal advance deposited the upper till unit (Horonpää till. According to the diatom flora the diatomite was deposited in a shallow, freshwater basin in which at least slight water level changes occurred during the sedimentation. On the basis of biostratigraphy the diatomite was deposited during Brörup interstadial. The pollen flora indicates a forest succession from an initial birch forest to a denser pine forest. Dating of the diatomite layer is based exclusively on the biostratigraphy. The silty clay layer was deposited in a basin close to the ice front and the initial stages of sedimentation were interrupted by a short pulse of secondary Eemian material.

Preliminary mineralogical and paleoenvironmental study of the diatomites from Adamclisi, South Dobrogea, Romania

Science.gov (United States)

Dumitras, Delia-Georgeta; Sebe-Radoi, Oana-Gabriela; Marincea, Stefan; Costea, Constantin

2017-04-01

Diatomite samples taken from the Urluia - Adamclisi localities, South Dobrogea region (Romania) have been studied by X-ray fluorescence, wet-chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR and X-ray powder diffraction. The diatomaceous earth from Adamclisi occurs as beds and lenses in alternance with bentonitic clays and limestones. The diatomite levels are chalk-like, soft, friable, earthy, very fine-grained, and have a white - yellow color. The mineralogy of all but one sample is characterized by the presence of quartz, amorphous silica, feldspars and clay minerals. Based on the broad hump registered between 15 and 20° 2 theta on XRD patterns and on the characters and intensities of the bands centered around 3350 and 1630 cm-1 in the FTIR spectra, the amorphous silica from the diagenesis-affected diatom frustules was identified as opal-A. The associated mineral species are quartz (up to 5 wt.%), opal-Ct (up to 15 wt%), clay minerals (up to 60 wt.%), and minor feldspar (up to 20 wt.%). The micro-paleontological study shows that benthic pennate diatoms prevail (more than 60%), with a low rate of species diversity. Large chain-forming centric diatoms also occur together with other microfossils (dinoflagellates, phytolites, sponge spicules, different types of fish teeth) assemblages common for the Sarmatian (middle Miocene) marine deposits of Eastern Paratethys. The diatomaceous formation afforded exceptional fossilization. The diatom assemblages characterize a shallow marine basin environment, with littoral or freshwater contributions. Both at the basis and on the top of the profile, the marine diatoms prevail. At the basis of profile, the marine species (e.g., Actinocyclus ehrenbergii, Amphora crassa, Amphora crassa-punctata, Caloneis liber, Camylodiscus kutzingii, Grammatophora stricta, etc.) form up to 80 % of the rock volume, being associated with marine-brackish species such as Achnanthes brevipes and Cocconeis scutelum (up to 25 %) and with

Reference Material IAEA 434: Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in Phosphogypsum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Phosphogypsum is generated as a by-product of the phosphoric acid based fertilizer industry. The discharge of phosphogypsum on earth surface deposits is a potential source of enhanced natural radiation and heavy metals, and the resulting environmental impact should be considered carefully to ensure safety and compliance with environmental regulations. In addition, phosphogypsum can be used to make several building materials and it is used in agriculture as a conditioner to maintain soil productivity in areas where soils are poor and erode easily. A reliable determination of naturally occurring radionuclides in phosphogypsum is necessary to comply with the radiation protection and environmental regulations. The IAEA-434 will assist laboratories in the IAEA Member States in validating their analytical methods for the determination of naturally occurring radionuclides in phosphogypsum and to control the quality of the produced analytical results. Reference values for the massic activities and associated standard uncertainties were established for: Pb-210, Ra-226, Th-230, U-234 and U-238. During sample production and certification, the requirements for reference material production and certification as stated in ISO guides 34 and 35 were taken into account. This report summarizes the preparation and certification process

Preparation and characterization of hybrid materials from natural chrysotile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraldelli, M.G.; Silva, M.L.C.P.

2010-01-01

Special attention has been given to the development of new materials from natural chrysotile. This fiber has about 40% silicon oxide in its structure with an outer layer of brucite (MgOH 2 ). With the aim of obtaining a material with a more uniform structure, acid leaching was performed to remove the outer layer of brucite, resulting in a silicon oxide hydrate. This material was used as support for the deposition of Nb 2 O 5 .nH 2 O. The Nb 2 O 5 .nH 2 O was prepared by conventional precipitation using as starting material niobium metallic. In this study, we performed the synthesis and characterization of the material SiO 2 .nH 2 O / Nb 2 O 5 .nH 2 O 1:1. Both chrysotile as niobium are widely available national resources, which confirms the economic viability of resource use. The materials studied were characterized by XRD, SEM and TG/DTG. (author)

Adsorption of crystal violet with diatomite earth&carbon by a modification of hydrothermal carbonization process.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanzhuo; Li, Jun; Chen, Guanghui; Bian, Wei; Lu, Yun; Li, Wenjing; Zheng, Zhaoming; Cheng, Xiaojie

2016-01-01

The high colority and difficulty of decolorization are the most important tasks on printing and dyeing wastewater. This study investigates the ability of diatomite earth&carbon (DE&C) as an adsorbent to removal crystal violet (CV) from aqueous solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results indicate the importance of functional groups during the adsorption of CV. The obtained N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm values accord with well IUPAC type II. Our calculations determined a surface area of 73.15 m(2) g(-1) for DE&C and an average pore diameter of 10.56 nm. Equilibrium data of the adsorption process fitted very well to the Langmuir model (R(2) > 0.99). The results of kinetics study showed that the pseudo-second-order model fitted to the experimental data well. The thermodynamic parameters were also evaluated. ΔH° 0 and ΔG° < 0 demonstrated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic for dye. Furthermore the positive value of ΔS° reflected good affinity of the CV dye.

Natural analogue studies of engineered barrier materials at PNC Tokai, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamei, G.; Yusa, Y.; Yamagata, J.; Inoue, K.

1991-01-01

Long-term extrapolations concerning the safety of a nuclear waste repository cannot be satisfactorily made on the sole basis of short-term laboratory tests. Natural analogues, which are the only means by which very slow mechanisms can be identified and by which long-term predictions of models can be tested for pertinence. Our natural analogue studies for the assessment of long-term durability of engineered barrier materials are outlined. Materials of young age and with simple history are the most suitable for the studies as: 1) properties of the materials tend to deteriorate over the longer term; and 2) detailed quantitative data on the term and on the environmental conditions can be obtained. The framework of our studies includes: 1) clarification of alteration phenomena, 2) examination of the environmental conditions, and 3) support experiments. (author)

Updated database on natural radioactivity in building materials in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Trevisi, R; Leonardi, F; Risica, S; Nuccetelli, C

2018-07-01

The paper presents the latest collection of activity concentration data of natural radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 4  K) in building materials. This database contains about 24200 samples of both bulk materials and their constituents (bricks, concrete, cement, aggregates) and superficial materials used in most European Union Member States and some European countries. This collection also includes radiological information about some NORM residues and by-products (by-product gypsum, metallurgical slags, fly and bottom ashes and red mud) which can be of radiological concern if recycled in building materials as secondary raw materials. Moreover, radon emanation and radon exhalation rate data are reported for bricks and concrete. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanism and materialism British natural philosophy in the age of reason

CERN Document Server

Schofield, Robert E

1970-01-01

Robert Schofield explores the rational elements of British experimental natural philosophy in the 18th century by tracing the influence of two opposing concepts of the nature of matter and its action-mechanism and materialism. Both concepts rested on the Newtonian interpretation of their proponents, although each developed more or less independently. By integrating the developments in all the areas of experimental natural philosophy, describing their connections and the influences of Continental science, natural theology, and to a lesser degree social and institutional changes, the author dem

Radiation exposure by man-modified materials containing natural radionuclides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, D.E. [Technical Inspection Agency of Bavaria, Munich (Germany); Eder, E. [Government of Bavaria, Ministry for State Development and Environmental Affairs Development, Munich (Germany); Reichelt, A. [Technical Inspection Agency of Bavaria, Munich (Germany)

1992-07-01

More than one hundred materials, containing natural radioactive nuclides, are being investigated due to radiation exposure to people. This paper deals with thoriated gas mantles and shows that the radiation exposure by inhalation of radionuclides released while burning and exchange is not negligible. (author)

Authentic ESL Spoken Materials: Soap Opera and Sitcom versus Natural Conversation

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Surmi, Mansoor Ali

2012-01-01

TV shows, especially soap operas and sitcoms, are usually considered by ESL practitioners as a source of authentic spoken conversational materials presumably because they reflect the linguistic features of natural conversation. However, practitioners might be faced with the dilemma of how to evaluate whether such conversational materials reflect…

Effect of natural organic materials on cadmium and neptunium sorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kung, K.S.; Triay, I.R.

1994-01-01

In a batch sorption study of the effect of naturally occurring organic materials on the sorption of cadmium and neptunium on oxides and tuff surfaces, the model sorbents were synthetic goethite, boehmite, amorphous silicon oxides, and a crushed tuff material from Yucca Mountain, Nevada. An amino acid, 3-(3,4-dihydroxypheny)-DL-alanine (DOPA), and an aquatic-originated fulvic material, Nordic aquatic fulvic acid (NAFA), were used as model organic chemicals. Sorption isotherm results showed that DOPA sorption followed the order aluminum oxide > iron oxide > silicon oxide and that the amount of DOAP sorption for a given sorbent increased as the solution pH was raised. The sorption of cadmium and neptunium on the iron oxide was about ten times higher than that on the aluminum oxide. The sorption of cadmium and neptunium on natural tuff material was much lower than that on aluminum and iron oxides. The sorption of cadmium on iron and aluminum oxides was found to be influenced by the presence of DOPA, and increasing the amount of DOPA coating resulted in higher cadmium sorption on aluminum oxide. However, for iron oxide, cadmium sorption decreased with increasing DOPA concentration. The presence of the model organic materials DOPA and NAFA did not affect the sorption of neptunium on tuff material or on the iron and aluminum oxides. Spectroscopic results indicate that cadmium complexes strongly with DOPA. Therefore, the effect of the organic material, DOPA, on the cadmium sorption is readily observed. However, neptunium is possibly complexed weakly with organic material. Thus, DOPA and NAFA have little effect on neptunium sorption on all sorbents selected for study

Annual mean effective dose of Slovak population due to natural radioactivity of building materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabanekova, H.

2006-01-01

Natural radiation is the main source of exposure to humans. The basic raw materials, generally used in the construction industry, contain natural radionuclides which reflects their natural origin and the geological conditions at the site of production. In the last time, most building materials are manufactured from secondary raw materials with higher concentration of natural radionuclides. The estimation of the 226 Ra content as well as the 232 Th and 40 K concentration in building materials and products is essential for the evaluation of the external x-ray contribution to the exposure. The building materials with high value of 226 Ra coupled with pronounced porosity of the final products make them potential indoor Rn sources. It means that external exposure and part of inhalation dose from radon and its progeny inside of building is caused to the radiation from the primordial radionuclides pres ent in building materials and products and can increase the indoor natural radiation exposure. For keeping the population exposure as low as reasonably achievable is in the Slovak legislation the radioactive content of primordial radionuclides in building materials and products regulated and the maximum of specific activity is 370 Bq.kg-1 of radium equivalent activity and 120 Bq.kg-1 of 226 Ra. The Health ministry and Slovak metrological institute nominated the department of Radiation Hygiene of Slovak medical university to investigate regularly the content of natural radionuclides and also the radon emanation in samples of raw and secondary building materials and products used in Slovak building industry. In the framework of the screening of building materials and products there were analyzed over 3 000 samples. The natural radionuclides are assessed through their progeny photo peaks. The specific activity of nuclides is determined as weighted average of their photo peaks. The obtained results are corrected to the background distribution and to the self absorption in the

A novel poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/diatomite composite flocculant with outstanding flocculation performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Kun; Liu, Yao; Wang, Yang; Tan, Ying; Liang, Xuecheng; Lu, Cuige; Wang, Haiwei; Liu, Xiusheng; Wang, Pixin

2015-01-01

Series of anionic flocculants with outstanding flocculation performance, poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/diatomite composite flocculants (PAAD) were successfully prepared through aqueous solution copolymerization and applied to flocculate from oil-field fracturing waste-water. The structure of PAAD was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray diffraction tests, and its properties were systematically evaluated by viscometer, thermogravimetry analysis and flocculation measurements. Furthermore, the influences of various reaction parameters on the apparent viscosity of flocculant solution were studied, and the optimum synthesis condition was determined. The novel composite flocculants exhibited outstanding flocculation properties. Specifically, the dosage of composite flocculants that could make the transmittance of treated wastewater exceed 90% was only approximately 12-35 ppm, which was far lower than that of conventional flocculants. Meanwhile, the settling time was lower than 5 s, which was similar to that of conventional flocculants. This was because PAAD flocculants had a higher absorption capacity, and larger chain extending space than conventional linear flocculants, which could refrain from the entanglement of linear polymer chains and significantly improve flocculation capacity.

Nano-Tomography of Porous Geological Materials Using Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Liu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Tomographic analysis using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM provides three-dimensional information about solid materials with a resolution of a few nanometres and thus bridges the gap between X-ray and transmission electron microscopic tomography techniques. This contribution serves as an introduction and overview of FIB-SEM tomography applied to porous materials. Using two different porous Earth materials, a diatomite specimen, and an experimentally produced amorphous silica layer on olivine, we discuss the experimental setup of FIB-SEM tomography. We then focus on image processing procedures, including image alignment, correction, and segmentation to finally result in a three-dimensional, quantified pore network representation of the two example materials. To each image processing step we consider potential issues, such as imaging the back of pore walls, and the generation of image artefacts through the application of processing algorithms. We conclude that there is no single image processing recipe; processing steps need to be decided on a case-by-case study.

Regulation of naturally occurring radioactive materials in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffries, C.; Akber, R.; Johnston, A.; Cassels, B.

2011-01-01

In order to promote uniformity between jurisdictions, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) has developed the National Directory for Radiation Protection, which is a regulatory framework that all Australian governments have agreed to adopt. There is a large and diverse range of industries involved in mining or mineral processing, and the production of fossil fuels in Australia. Enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides can be associated with mineral extraction and processing, other industries (e.g. metal recycling) and some products (e.g. plasterboard). ARPANSA, in conjunction with industry and State regulators, has undertaken a review and assessment of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) management in Australian industries. This review has resulted in guidance on the management of NORM that will be included in the National Directory for Radiation Protection. The first NORM safety guide provides the framework for NORM management and addresses specific NORM issues in oil and gas production, bauxite, aluminium and phosphate industries. Over time further guidance material for other NORM-related industries will be developed. This presentation will provide an overview of the regulatory approach to managing NORM industries in Australia. (authors)

Regulation of naturally occurring radioactive materials in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, Cameron; Akber, Riaz; Johnston, Andrew; Cassels, Brad

2011-07-01

In order to promote uniformity between jurisdictions, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) has developed the National Directory for Radiation Protection, which is a regulatory framework that all Australian governments have agreed to adopt. There is a large and diverse range of industries involved in mining or mineral processing, and the production of fossil fuels in Australia. Enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides can be associated with mineral extraction and processing, other industries (e.g. metal recycling) and some products (e.g. plasterboard). ARPANSA, in conjunction with industry and State regulators, has undertaken a review and assessment of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) management in Australian industries. This review has resulted in guidance on the management of NORM that will be included in the National Directory for Radiation Protection. The first NORM safety guide provides the framework for NORM management and addresses specific NORM issues in oil and gas production, bauxite, aluminium and phosphate industries. Over time further guidance material for other NORM-related industries will be developed. This presentation will provide an overview of the regulatory approach to managing NORM industries in Australia.

Production and Evaluation of 236gNp and Reference Materials for Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Larijani, Cyrus Kouroush

This thesis is based on the development of a radiochemical separation scheme capable of separating both 236gNp and 236Pu from a uranium target of natural isotopic composition ( 1 g uranium) and 200 MBq of fission decay products. The isobaric distribution of fission residues produced following the bombardment of a natural uranium target with a beam of 25 MeV protons has been evaluated. Decay analysis of thirteen isobarically distinct fission residues were carried out using high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry at the UK National Physical Laboratory. Stoichiometric abundances were calculated via the determination of absolute activity concentrations associated with the longest-lived members of each isobaric chain. This technique was validated by computational modelling of likely sequential decay processes through an isobaric decay chain. The results were largely in agreement with previously published values for neutron bombardments on natural uranium at energies of 14 MeV. Higher relative yields of products with mass numbers A 110-130 were found, consistent with the increasing yield of these radionuclides as the bombarding energy is increased. Using literature values for the production cross-section for fusion of protons with uranium targets, it is estimated that an upper limit of approximately 250 Bq of activity from the 236Np ground state was produced in this experiment. Using a radiochemical separation scheme, Np and Pu fractions were separated from the produced fission decay products, with analyses of the target-based final reaction products made using Inductively Couple Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and high-resolution alpha and gamma-ray spectrometry. In a separate research theme, reliable measurement of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials is of significance in order to comply with environmental regulations and for radiological protection purposes. The thesis describes the standardisation of three reference materials, namely Sand, Tuff and TiO2 which

Adsorption of fluoride ions onto naturally occurring earth materials ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Batch sorption system using two naturally occurring earth materials (EM) as adsorbents was investigated to remove fluoride ions from aqueous solution. The system variables studied include initial concentration of the sorbate, agitation time, adsorbent dose, pH, co-ions and temperature. The experimental data fitted well to ...

Material awareness on natural feeding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Plagens-Rotman

2014-06-01

Full Text Available introduction. Natural breastfeeding is the only proper way to feed newborns and infants because it ensures their proper development. Breastfeeding enhances health and protects against the development of many diseases in childhood and adulthood. The primary benefits of breastfeeding include reduced incidences of infection in the respiratory system as well as a reduction in gastrointestinal and systemic infections. The benefits of breastfeeding also include decreased inflammation and improved immunity to disease in the infant. Further benefits of breastfeeding are reduced incidences of type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. objective. The aim of the study was to assess the degree of knowledge on maternal breastfeeding among current expecting mothers. materials and method. The study comprtisded 147 mothers hospitalized in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Hospital University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Poland, during late July – August 2012. results. For 139 (93.88% of the surveyed women, breastfeeding was a priority regarding the health of the child. Respondents most often used professional literature in order to gain knowledge about breastfeeding (63.27%. The least popular way of acquiring knowledge was through the media (27.21%. conclusions. Analysis of the collected material on the surveyed women showed that women have a diverse range of knowledge about breastfeeding. Currently, breastfeeding is required to be promoted and supported by midwives, paediatricians and other health professionals.

Natural Kenaf Fiber Reinforced Composites as Engineered Structural Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Dittenber, David B.

The objective of this work was to provide a comprehensive evaluation of natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP)'s ability to act as a structural material. As a chemical treatment, aligned kenaf fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide (alkalization) in different concentrations and durations and then manufactured into kenaf fiber / vinyl ester composite plates. Single fiber tensile properties and composite flexural properties, both in dry and saturated environments, were assessed. Based on ASTM standard testing, a comparison of flexural, tensile, compressive, and shear mechanical properties was also made between an untreated kenaf fiber reinforced composite, a chemically treated kenaf fiber reinforced composite, a glass fiber reinforced composite, and oriented strand board (OSB). The mechanical properties were evaluated for dry samples, samples immersed in water for 50 hours, and samples immersed in water until saturation (~2700 hours). Since NFRPs are more vulnerable to environmental effects than synthetic fiber composites, a series of weathering and environmental tests were conducted on the kenaf fiber composites. The environmental conditions studied include real-time outdoor weathering, elevated temperatures, immersion in different pH solutions, and UV exposure. In all of these tests, degradation was found to be more pronounced in the NFRPs than in the glass FRPs; however, in nearly every case the degradation was less than 50% of the flexural strength or stiffness. Using a method of overlapping and meshing discontinuous fiber ends, large mats of fiber bundles were manufactured into composite facesheets for structural insulated panels (SIPs). The polyisocyanurate foam cores proved to be poorly matched to the strength and stiffness of the NFRP facesheets, leading to premature core shear or delamination failures in both flexure and compressive testing. The NFRPs were found to match well with the theoretical stiffness prediction methods of classical lamination

Numerical investigation of porous materials composites reinforced with natural fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Chikhi, M.; Metidji, N.; Mokhtari, F.; Merzouk, N. k.

2018-05-01

The present article tends to predict the effective thermal properties of porous biocomposites materials. The composites matrix consists on porous materials namely gypsum and the reinforcement is a natural fiber as date palm fibers. The numerical study is done using Comsol software resolving the heat transfer equation. The results are fitted with theoretical model and experimental results. The results of this study indicate that the porosity has an effect on the Effective thermal conductivity biocompoites.

Scenarios identified internationally for occupational and public exposure to naturally occurring radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez Gomez, Isis Maria

2012-01-01

Natural radiation for decades was considered a normal phenomenon that existed in nature, so that man was conditioned to ignore; unlike artificial ionizing radiation. This mindset has changed, in the late seventies of the last century, because it has became aware of the danger that exposure to natural radiation could pose health. Studies on it have been initiated to conduct and publish. All humans are exposed to natural radiation; but, this exposure is not uniform, has depended on where they live and work, whether they have been in areas with rocks or soils particularly radioactive, their way of life, of the use of certain building materials in their homes, the use of natural gas, the use of home heating with coal. Air travel also have increased exposure to natural radiation. Ionizing radiation, whether natural or artificial, have interacted with the human body in the same way, there fore have failed to say that the natural are less or more harmful than artificial. Natural sources are grouped into two major categories. The first are the external sources: from abroad as cosmic radiation (the sun and interstellar spaces of the universe), terrestrial radiation (emitted by rocks and soil), the radiation of some buildings (e.g. granite, which can emit radon gas) and radiation contained in some foods. The second category are the internal resources: due to the presence in the human body from the environment radionuclides that are able to ionize (potassium-40, carbon-14). The naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM for its acronym in English) have been referred to those naturally occurring radioactive materials on which any human technological activity has increased its exposure potential compared with the situation unchanged. (author) [es

Natural road construction materials of Southern Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Weinert, HH

1980-01-01

Full Text Available respectively. p. 210. column 4: Insert Notre in rect311glc directly below heading Matrix. p. 240, paragraph 5, line 4: J 770 should read I 700. I ~I -~ r THE NATURAL ROAD CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA ACADEMICA I PRETORIA ICAPE TOWN ISBN... and the author acknowledges gratefully the valuable assistance and the trouble taken by the following persons: Southern African road authorities: Mr W. J. Biesenbach, Mr H. K. Geel, Mr C. L. Laubscher, Mr G. P. Marais, Mr R. L. Mitchell, Mr I. P. A. Smit, Mr C...

Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, G.; Lu, X.; Zhao, C.; Li, N.

2013-01-01

The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings. (authors)

Natural radioactivity in building materials used in Changzhi, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang; Lu, Xinwei; Zhao, Caifeng; Li, Nan

2013-08-01

The natural radioactivity levels of the commonly used building materials collected from Changzhi, China was analysed using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in the investigated building materials range from 14.6 to 131.2, from 9.9 to 138.8 and from 96.1 to 819.0 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The results were compared with the reported data of other countries and with the worldwide mean activity of soil. The external and internal hazard indices and gamma index were calculated to assess the radiation hazard to residents. The external hazard index of all building materials are less than unity, while the internal hazard and gamma indexes of hollow brick and gravel aggregate exceed unity. The study shows that the investigated hollow brick and gravel aggregate are not suitable for use as building materials in dwellings.

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory materials in inventory natural and enriched uranium management and storage costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nebeker, R.L.

1995-11-01

On July 13, 1994, the Office of Environmental Management (EM) was requested to develop a planning process that would result in management policies for dealing with nuclear materials in inventory. In response to this request, EM launched the Materials In Inventory (MIN) Initiative. A Headquarters Working Group was established to develop the broad policy framework for developing MIN management policies. MIN activities cover essentially all nuclear materials within the DOE complex, including such items as spent nuclear fuel, depleted uranium, plutonium, natural and enriched uranium, and other materials. In August 1995, a report discussing the natural and enriched uranium portion of the Initiative for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) was published. That report, 'Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Materials-in-Inventory, Natural and Enriched Uranium'.' identified MIN under the control of Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company at the INEL. Later, additional information related to the costs associated with the storage of MIN materials was requested to supplement this report. This report provides the cost information for storing, disposing, or consolidating the natural and enriched uranium portion of the MIN materials at the INEL. The information consists of eight specific tables which detail present management costs and estimated costs of future activities

On the nature of organic matter from natural and contaminated materials : isolation methods, characterisation and application to geochemical modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zomeren, van A.

2008-01-01

Natural organic matter (NOM) is the material that is formed after the natural
decomposition and transformation of dead plant and animal matter. The fresh
organic matter (e.g. plant leaves or animal debris) is decomposed and
transformed by microbial activity. As such, NOM is found

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei

2014-01-01

The activity concentrations of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of 40 K, 226 Ra and 232 Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Natural radionuclides in ceramic building materials available in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamannan, B; Viruthagiri, G; Suresh Jawahar, K

2013-10-01

The activity concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium can vary from material to material and they should be measured as the radiation is hazardous for human health. Thus, studies have been planned to obtain the radioactivity of ceramic building materials used in Cuddalore District, Tamilnadu, India. The radioactivity of some ceramic materials used in this region has been measured using a gamma-ray spectrometry, which contains an NaI(Tl) detector connected to multichannel analyzer. The specific activities of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, from the selected ceramic building materials, were in the range of 9.89-30.75, 24.68-70.4, 117.19-415.83 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity, absorbed gamma dose rate (D) and annual effective dose rate associated with the natural radionuclides are calculated to assess the radiation hazards of the natural radioactivity in the ceramic building materials. It was found that none of the results exceeds the recommended limit value.

Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papaefthymiou, H.; Gouseti, O.

2008-01-01

Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using γ-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of 226 Ra (1041Bqkg -1 ). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external γ-radiation

Nature of science in instruction materials of science through the model of educational reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Azizah, Nur; Mudzakir, Ahmad

2016-02-01

The study was carried out to reconstruct the science teaching materials charged view of the nature of science (VNOS). This reconstruction process using the Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER), which is the framework for research and development of science education as well as a guide for planning the teaching of science in the schools is limited in two stages, namely: content structure analysis, and empirical studies of learners. The purpose of this study is to obtain a pre-conception of learners and prospective scientists to the topic of the nature of the material and utilization. The method used to descriptive with the instruments is guidelines for interviews for 15 students of class VIII, text analysis sheet, sheet analysis of the concept, and the validation sheet indicators and learning objectives NOS charged on cognitive and affective aspects. The results obtained in the form of pre-conceptions of learners who demonstrate almost 100% of students know the types of materials and some of its nature, the results of the scientist's perspective on the topic of the nature of the material and its use, as well as the results of the validation indicators and learning objectives charged NOS and competencies PISA 2015 cognitive and affective aspects with CVI value of 0.99 and 1.0 after being validated by five experts. This suggests that the indicators and the resulting learning objectives feasible and can proceed to the reconstruction of teaching materials on the topic of material properties and utilization.

Internalization kinetics and cytoplasmic localization of functionalized diatomite nanoparticles in cancer cells by Raman imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Managò, Stefano; Migliaccio, Nunzia; Terracciano, Monica; Napolitano, Michela; Martucci, Nicola M; De Stefano, Luca; Rendina, Ivo; De Luca, Anna Chiara; Lamberti, Annalisa; Rea, Ilaria

2018-04-01

Porous biosilica nanoparticles obtained from diatomites (DNPs) have been recently demonstrated to be non-toxic nanovectors of therapeutic agents in cancer cells. In this work, the internalization kinetics and intracellular spatial distribution of functionalized DNPs incubated with human lung epidermoid carcinoma cell line (H1355) up to 72 hours are investigated by Raman imaging. The label-free Raman results are compared with confocal fluorescence microscopy and photoluminescence (PL) data. Raman bands specifically assigned to DNPs and cellular components provide evidence that the nanovectors are internalized and co-localize with lipid environments. A considerable DNPs uptake in cells is observed within 6 hours, with equilibrium being achieved after 18 hours. The obtained data show the presence of DNPs up to 72 hours, without damage to cell viability or morphology. The PL measurements performed on DNPs not penetrating the cells at different incubation times are strongly correlated with the results obtained by Raman imaging and confocal microscopy analyses. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Determination of Natural Radioactivity in Building Materials with Gamma Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turki, Faten

2010-01-01

In the setting of this work, the natural radioactivity of building materials used in Tunisia has been measured by gamma spectrometry. These products have been ground and dried at 100 degree for 12 h. Then, they have been homogenized, weighed and finally conditioned during 23 days in order to reach the radioactive equilibrium. The measures' results proved that all building materials studied except bauxite and the ESC clay, possess doses lower than the acceptable limit (1 mSv.an-1). However, the possibility of reinforcement of the natural radioactivity in some industry of building can exist. To insure that the cement, the most used in the world, don't present any radiological risk on the workers' health, a survey has been made in the factory - les Ciments de Bizerte - about its manufacture's process. The results of this survey showed that this product can be considered like a healthy product.

Measurement of natural radioactivity in building materials of Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India using gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravisankar, R.; Vanasundari, K.; Chandrasekaran, A.; Rajalakshmi, A.; Suganya, M.; Vijayagopal, P.; Meenakshisundaram, V.

2012-01-01

The natural level of radioactivity in building materials is one of the major causes of external exposure to γ-rays. The primordial radionuclides in building materials are one of the sources of radiation hazard in dwellings made of these materials. By the determination of the radioactivity level in building materials, the indoor radiological hazard to human health can be assessed. This is an important precautionary measure whenever the dose rate is found to be above the recommended limits. The aim of this work was to measure the specific activity concentration of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K in commonly used building materials from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, using gamma-ray spectrometer. The radiation hazard due to the total natural radioactivity in the studied building materials was estimated by different approaches. The concentrations of the natural radionuclides and the radium equivalent activity in studied samples were compared with the corresponding results of different countries. From the analysis, it is found that these materials may be safely used as construction materials and do not pose significant radiation hazards. - Highlights: ► Most of the building materials contain natural radionuclides. ► The radioactivity level in building materials is used to assess the radiological hazards to human. ► We present the results for the measured activities and radiation hazards of building materials. ► We report that the studied building materials do not pose any significant radiation hazard.

Silica nanoparticles produced by DC arc plasma from a solid raw materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kosmachev, P. V.; Vlasov, V. A.; Skripnikova, N. K.

2017-05-01

Plasma synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles in experimental atmospheric pressure plasma reactor on the basis of DC arc plasma generator was presented in this paper. Solid high-silica raw materials such as diatomite from Kamyshlovskoye deposit in Russia, quartzite from Chupinskoye deposit in Russia and milled window glass were used. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized based on their morphology, chemical composition and size distribution. Scanning electron microscopy, laser diffractometry, nitrogen absorption (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized products. The obtained silica nanoparticles are agglomerated, have spherical shape and primary diameters between 10-300 nm. All samples of synthesized nanopowders were compared with commercial nanopowders.

Characterisation of Cements From Dominantly Volcanic Raw Materials of the Carpathian Bend Zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halmagy Timea

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of laboratory investigations regarding the production of cements from local raw materials, such as limestone from Varghis, gypsum from Nucsoara, basaltic scoria from Racosul de Jos, volcanic tuff from Racosul de Sus, diatomite from Filia, and red mud from Oradea. The raw mixtures, based on modified Bogue calculations, contain limestone, gypsum, and one or two of the above-mentioned materials. The cements resulted from clinker grinding in a laboratory gas furnace at 1260-1300 °C, with one hour at the peak temperatures, and were characterised for Blaine specific surface area, specific density, and mineral phases. Physico-mechanical properties, such as water content for normal consistency, setting time, soundness, and compressive strength were also determined. Results show that these cements contain belite, ferrite, calcium sulphoaluminate, anhydrite, and some minor compounds.

A Comparative Study of Mn/Co Binary Metal Catalysts Supported on Two Commercial Diatomaceous Earths for Oxidation of Benzene

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Marco Tomatis

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Two commercial diatomaceous earths were used as supports for the preparation of Mn/Co binary metal catalysts at different metal loads (5 to 10 wt % Mn and 5 to 15 wt % Co by incipient wetness deposition. The activity of the prepared catalysts towards the complete oxidation of benzene to CO2 and water was investigated between 100 and 400 °C. Raw supports and synthesized catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 physisorption, SEM-EDS, H2-TPR, and TPD. The purification treatment of food-grade diatomite significantly affected the crystallinity of this support while reducing its specific surface area (SSA. A loss of SSA, associated with the increase in the metal load, was observed on samples prepared on natural diatomite, while the opposite trend occurred with food-grade diatomite-supported catalysts. Metal nanoparticles of around 50 nm diameter were observed on the catalysts’ surface by SEM analysis. EDS analysis confirmed the uniform deposition of the active phases on the support’s surface. A larger H2 consumption was found by TPR analysis of natural diatomite-based samples in comparison to those prepared at the same metal load on food-grade diatomite. During the catalytic oxidation experiment, over 90% conversion of benzene were achieved at a reaction temperature of 225 °C by all of the prepared samples. In addition, the formation of coke during the oxidation tests was demonstrated by TGA analysis and the soluble fraction of the produced coke was characterized by GC-MS.

Natural radioactivity of building materials coming from a volcanic region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roca, V.; Pugliese, M.; Sabbarese, C.; D'Onofrio, A.; Lubritto, C.; Terrasi, F.; Ermice, A.; Inglima, I.; Migliore, G.

2004-01-01

Radioactivity was found to be very high in tuff and other materials originating from volcanic lava. Emanation of radon from such materials is appreciably higher than from materials of other origin. This work allowed us to obtain a first complete database of natural radioactivity concentrations in building materials from this region. Measurements were carried out by means of a gamma spectrometry system. Gamma emitting daughter products of 222 Rn were measured to determine 226 Ra. The samples, after a routine treatment, were accommodated in sealed metallic containers for a time sufficient for the equilibrium to establish. The determination of the radon emanation power was carried out by using an electrostatic monitor. Alpha spectroscopy of radon daughters was used to evaluate the content of radon coming from the sample

Natural radioactive materials. We need/we use them; Natuerliche radioaktive Stoffe. Wir (ge-)brauchen sie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klaus Flesch [Saechsisches Landesamt fuer Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie, Dresden (Germany). Strahlenschutz; Gellermann, Rainer [Nuclear Control and Consulting GmbH, Braunschweig (Germany); Heuel-Fabianek, Burkhard [Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany); and others

2017-04-01

The articles in this edition present a small excerpt in the field of natural radioactive materials amongst others in the building industries, in the medical field or in scientific research. Due to the new radiation protection law, the natural occuring radioactive materials become more important to protect the general public.

Natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards in building materials used in Peloponnese, Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papaefthymiou, H. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)], E-mail: epap@chemistry.upatras.gr; Gouseti, O. [Division of Physics, Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras 265 00 (Greece)

2008-09-15

Five different kinds of building materials (Pozzolanic and Portland cements, limestone, white cement, marble powder and sand) commonly used in building construction in Peloponnese, Greece, and Portland cement's raw materials were analyzed for their natural radioactivity content, using {gamma}-ray spectrometry. Pozzolanic and Portland cement (Cem II) samples were found to contain the highest average {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K activity concentrations compared with the other examined building material samples. This could be attributed to their containing fly ash, which was found to contain high natural radionuclide concentrations, especially that of {sup 226}Ra (1041Bqkg{sup -1}). Results obtained were compared with the results reported by other Greek researchers and the worldwide values for building materials and soil. The calculated activity concentration index (I) values for all the examined building material samples were lower than the recommended exception limits for exposure to external {gamma}-radiation.

Assessment of natural radioactivity in major building materials of Xiangyang, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Tingting; Lu, Xinwei [Shaanxi Normal Univ., Xi' an (China). School of Tourism and Environment

2014-10-01

The activity concentrations of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the commonly used building materials collected from Xiangyang were measured using NaI (Tl) gamma spectrometer. The radioactivity values of {sup 40}K, {sup 226}Ra and {sup 232}Th in the studied samples ranged from 130.5 to 1006.3, 8.4 to 164.0, and 8.7 to 145.6 Bq kg{sup -1}, respectively. The concentrations of these radionuclides have been compared with the typical published world values. Radium equivalent activity, external and internal hazard indexes, external and internal exposure indexes, indoor air absorbed dose rate and annual effective dose rate have been calculated to assess the potential radiological hazard associated with natural radionuclides in the studied materials. The calculated values of all the assessed indices in the analyzed building materials except for fly ash are below the internationally accepted limits indicating that these building materials can be safely used in dwellings construction and do not lead to any significant radiation exposure to occupants. Nevertheless, the annual effective dose rate values of all fly ash samples, external and internal hazard indexes values in most fly ash samples exceed the recommended values. It is, therefore, desirable to regularly monitor the natural radioactivity level of the building materials products made from fly ash.

Natural radioactivity in granite stones used as building materials in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Asgharizadeh, F; Abbasi, A; Hochaghani, O; Gooya, E S

2012-04-01

Due to increasing concern about environmental radiological protection, specific radioactivity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in different types of commonly used granite stone samples collected from the Tehran city of Iran have been determined by means of a high-resolution HPGe gamma-spectroscopy system. The activity concentrations of (232)Th, (226)Ra and (40)K in the selected granite samples ranged from 18 to 178, 6 to 160 and 556 to 1539 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activities (Ra(eq)) are lower than the limit of 370 Bq kg(-1) set by NEA-OECD [Nuclear Energy Agency. Exposure to radiation from natural radioactivity in building materials. Report by NEA Group of Experts. OECD (1979)], except in two samples. The internal hazard indexes have been found well below the acceptable limit in most of the samples. Five samples of investigated commercial granite stones do not satisfy the safety criterion illustrated by UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Exposure from natural sources of radiation. Report to the General Assembly (1993). Applying dose criteria recently recommended by the EC [European Commission Report on Radiological Protection Principles Concerning the Natural Radioactivity of Building Materials. Radiation Protection 112 (1999)] for superficial materials, all investigated samples meet the exemption dose limit of 0.3 mSv y(-1).

Natural radioactivity in building materials in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehdizadeh, S.; Faghihi, R.; Sina, S.

2011-01-01

This work presents a comprehensive study of natural radioactivity in building materials used in Iran. For this purpose, 177 samples of five types of building material, i.e. cement, gypsum, cement blocks, gravel and brick, were gathered from different regions of the country and analyzed by gamma spectroscopy to quantify radioactivity concentrations using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector and a spectroscopy system. According to the results of this investigation, cement samples had maximum values of the mean Ra-226 and Th-232 concentrations, 39.6 and 28.9 Bq/kg, respectively, while the lowest value for mean concentration of these two radionuclides were found in gypsum samples 8.1 and 2.2 Bq/kg, respectively. The highest (851.4 Bq/kg) and lowest (116.2 Bq/kg) value of K-40 mean concentration were found in brick and gypsum samples, respectively. The absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose were also calculated from the radioactivity content of the radionuclides. The results show that the maximum values of dose rate and annual effective dose equivalent were 53.72 nGy/h and 0.37 mSv/y in brick samples. The radium equivalent activities R eq calculated were below the permissible level of 370 Bq/kg for all building materials. The values of hazard indexes were below the recommended levels, therefore, it is concluded that the buildings constructed from such materials are safe for the inhabitants. The results of this study are consistent with the results of other investigations in different parts of the world. (authors)

Semi-conducting material obtained from natural fiber modified with PAni

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha, Eli V. da; Silva Junior, Fernando Gomes; Oliveira, Geiza E.; Pinto, Jose Carlos

2009-01-01

The surface of natural Brazilian Amazonic fibers (curaua, Ananas erectifolius) was modified with polyaniline nanoparticles, through in-situ preparation of polyaniline nanoparticles in presence of the curaua fibers. As it was shown here, this modification allowed a very significant increase of the electrical conductivity of the fibers (about 2.500 times). The modified materials were also characterized by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and SAXS (Small Angle X-ray Scattering) and the obtained results were used to explain some of the chemical and morphological aspects of the materials. (author)

Fragmentation patterns in the diatom genus Rouxia and their potential for identifying latent depositional hiatuses in the early Pliocene diatomite of the ANDRILL AND-1B core

Science.gov (United States)

Konfirst, M. A.; Scherer, R. P.; Winter, D.; Sjunneskog, C.; Warnock, J.; Kuhn, G.; Niessen, F.; Helling, D.; Magens, D.

2009-04-01

Diatom genera have traditionally been split into two primary groupings based upon the symmetry of the siliceous frustule. Diatoms symmetric about a point are classified as centrics, while those symmetric about a line are classified as pennates. This fundamental difference in shape has consequences for preservation in ice proximal settings, where an overriding ice sheet can create shearing in the upper meters of the sediment column. This leads to preferential breakage in pennate forms, and results in a higher ratio of undamaged centric to pennate frustules (Scherer et al., 2004). Similarly, an ice sheet grounded over highly porous diatomite results in significant diatom fragmentation resulting from normal load compaction. The diatom genus Rouxia is a pennate form with a relatively wide raphe, making it particularly susceptible to breakage during ice advance and retreat, and offering the opportunity to evaluate ice advance stages in sedimentary units where glacial erosion may have removed upper depositional units. In the ANDRILL AND-1B core, a long interval of nearly pure diatomite was recovered from 382.98-459.24 mbsf. Construction of an age model during this interval has relied primarily on age ranges provided by presence or absence of key diatom species. However, questions still remain as to the continuity of deposition. In this study, samples were collected at an average of 50-cm spacing for the length of the long diatom unit as well as for 20 meters of the silica-rich diamictite unit directly overlaying the diatomite. Fragments of specimens from the genus Rouxia were counted and classified into categories based on the size of the fragment in relation to total frustule length. These data were then used to develop a quantitative index, which was examined for changes in fragmentation through time. Preliminary data are presented that indicate increased fragmentation at the top of the section under study, which we interpret to indicate evidence for increased glacial

Evaluation of the potential of volatile organic compound (di-methyl benzene) removal using adsorption on natural minerals compared to commercial oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaitan, Hicham, E-mail: hicham.zaitan@usmba.ac.ma [Laboratory LCMC, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University Sidi Mohamed BenAbdellah, B.P. 2202, Fez (Morocco); Korrir, Abdelhamid; Chafik, Tarik [Laboratory LGCVR, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, University Abdelmalek Essaadi, B.P. 416, Tangier (Morocco); Bianchi, Daniel [Institut de Recherche sur la Catalyse et l’Environnement de Lyon (IRCELYON), UMR 5256 CNRS, University Claude Bernard Lyon I, Bat. Chevreul, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne (France)

2013-11-15

Highlights: • The adsorption of dMB on natural minerals and commercial oxides was evaluated. • The adsorption capacities were discussed considering the adsorbents cost and the bed size. • The adsorption capacity of bentonite is higher than other adsorbents. • Langmuir model provide best correlation of the experimental data. • The isotherms data allow determination of isosteric heat of adsorption. -- Abstract: This study is dedicated to the investigation of the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOC) adsorption over low cost natural minerals (bentonite and diatomite). The performances of these solids, in terms of adsorption/desorption properties, were compared to commercial adsorbents, such as silica, alumina and titanium dioxide. The solids were first characterized by different physico-chemical methods and di-methyl benzene (dMB) was selected as model VOC pollutant for the investigation of adsorptive characteristics. The experiments were carried out with a fixed bed reactor under dynamic conditions using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectrometer to measure the evolution of dMB concentrations in the gaseous stream at the outlet of the reactor. The measured breakthrough curves yields to adsorbed amounts at saturation that has been used to obtain adsorption isotherms. The latters were used for determination of the heat involved in the adsorption process and estimation of its values using the isosteric method. Furthermore, the performances of the studied materials were compared considering the adsorption efficiency/cost ratio.

Evaluation of the potential of volatile organic compound (di-methyl benzene) removal using adsorption on natural minerals compared to commercial oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaitan, Hicham; Korrir, Abdelhamid; Chafik, Tarik; Bianchi, Daniel

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The adsorption of dMB on natural minerals and commercial oxides was evaluated. • The adsorption capacities were discussed considering the adsorbents cost and the bed size. • The adsorption capacity of bentonite is higher than other adsorbents. • Langmuir model provide best correlation of the experimental data. • The isotherms data allow determination of isosteric heat of adsorption. -- Abstract: This study is dedicated to the investigation of the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOC) adsorption over low cost natural minerals (bentonite and diatomite). The performances of these solids, in terms of adsorption/desorption properties, were compared to commercial adsorbents, such as silica, alumina and titanium dioxide. The solids were first characterized by different physico-chemical methods and di-methyl benzene (dMB) was selected as model VOC pollutant for the investigation of adsorptive characteristics. The experiments were carried out with a fixed bed reactor under dynamic conditions using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectrometer to measure the evolution of dMB concentrations in the gaseous stream at the outlet of the reactor. The measured breakthrough curves yields to adsorbed amounts at saturation that has been used to obtain adsorption isotherms. The latters were used for determination of the heat involved in the adsorption process and estimation of its values using the isosteric method. Furthermore, the performances of the studied materials were compared considering the adsorption efficiency/cost ratio