Browsing by Author "Huddersman, Katherine"
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Item Open Access Advance Oxidation Process (AOP) of Bisphenol A Using a Novel Surface-Functionalised Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Fibre Catalyst(MDPI, 2022-02-18) Tiwary, Abhishek; Chi-Tangyie, George; Wang, Jiafan; Farias, Jorgelina; Huddersman, KatherineBisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known endocrine disruptor in the environment which is not readily oxidised during wastewater treatment at Municipal Authorities. The aim of this work is to evaluate the environmental value of the wastewater treatment of a novel heterogeneous oxidation catalyst by means of the degradation of BPA, avoiding sewage sludge and its post-treatments. A surface-functionalised polyacrylonitrile (PAN) mesh has been produced by reaction of the cyano group of PAN with hydrazine and hydroxylamine salts. This surface-functionalised PAN is then exposed to iron (III) salt solution to promote the ligation of Fe(III) to the functional groups to form the active catalytic site. The experiments were set up in two different batch reactors at laboratory scale at different temperatures and initial pH. The degradation of BPA was detected by measuring the absorbance of BPA in Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography at 280 nm. A total elimination of 75 ppm of BPA in less than 30 min was achieved under 300 ppm H2O2 , 0.5 g PAN catalyst, initial pH 3 and 60 ◦C. Almost no adsorption of BPA on the catalyst was detected and there was no significant difference in activity of the catalyst after use for two cycles.Item Open Access An Innovative Method to Remove Phenols from Olive Mill Wastewater Using Heterogeneous Modified Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Catalyst(IWA, 2024-08-23) Huddersman, Katherine; Milnes, Hannah; Tiwary, Abhishek; Matouq, Mohammed; Alayed, Omar; Kloub, NasirPhenolic compounds contained in Olive Oil Mill Wastewater cause environmental issues when left untreated. A novel heterogeneous surface functionalised nanocoated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) mesh used as a Fentons’ catalyst acting with hydrogen peroxide gave 70-100% phenol reduction and an average TOC reduction of 64.7% when 7 phenols as described below were individually treated (100 mg/L phenolic, 500 mg/L H2O2, 12 g catalyst, 20 °C). As a mixture of 7 phenols (100 mg/L of each, 12 g catalyst, 3500mg/L H2O2); trans-cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol there was 77.5% phenol and 43.9% TOC reduction. The addition of UVc light (100 mg/L phenolic, 500 mg/L H2O2, 12 g catalyst, 20 °C, UV-flux 2.66 mW/cm2) significantly improved the degradation of the initial phenolic concentration by 98% in the individual treatments. A pH of 3 and a temperature of 30℃ were found to be the most effective and efficient. The fresh and regenerated catalysts were both recycled over 10 cycles before deactivation which shows promise for continuous flow and scale up for use as an olive oil mill wastewater treatment.Item Metadata only Antimicrobial activities of hydrogen peroxide and its activation by a novel heterogeneous Fenton's-like modified PAN catalyst.(Wiley, 2011) Boateng, M.; Price, S. L.; Huddersman, Katherine; Walsh, Susannah E.Item Metadata only Antimicrobial Catalyst, PCT Patent Application No. PCT/GB2008/002864(2009) Huddersman, Katherine; Walsh, Susannah E.Item Open Access Application of AOPs in the treatment of OSPAR chemicals and a comparative cost analysis,(Taylor & Francis Online, 2019-03-28) Huddersman, Katherine; Ekpruke, Aghogho; Asuelimen, LeoThe OSPAR priority list entails a strategy, for monitoring the listed chemicals as well as prescribing cessation targets. However, not much is known about the best available technologies for dealing with cases of environmental pollution from these chemicals. On the other hand, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are among the most effective environmental treatment technologies. The scientific literature was reviewed for data regarding the application of selected AOPs in the treatment of the chemicals on the OSPAR list with emphasis on the efficacy and cost of the technologies. Remarkably, almost two decades since the OSPAR list was adopted, there are hardly any studies in which the cost applying any AOP to an “OSPAR chemical” related contamination has been explored. When the scope of the study was expanded beyond the OSPAR list and the initially selected AOPs, not much data was found either. It is clear from this study that the subject of the comparative cost evaluations of AOPs is one requiring more attention. The consequence is that some of the vital data required for evaluating the practical applicability of AOPs in real treatment applications is lacking. The review article seeks to draw attention to this gap in the scientific literature.Item Open Access Chitosan-terephthalic acid-magnetic composite beads for effective removal of acid blue dye from aqueous solution; kinetics, isotherm and statistical modeling(ACS, 2021-11-05) Huddersman, Katherine; Akinremi, Caroline Avosuahi; Abideen Idowu, Adeogun; Maxime, PoupinA terephthalic acid-modified chitosan–magnetic nanocomposite (Cs–Tp@Fe3O4) was synthesized and characterized. The synthesized Cs–Tp@Fe3O4 was used in a batch process for the adsorptive removal of the acid blue 25 (AB-25) dye in aqueous solutions. The kinetic data were subjected to the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intra-particle diffusion models, while the equilibrium data were evaluated with the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models. The effects of the initial dye concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dosage, as well as their interactions, on the removal efficiency were investigated using the design of experiments based on a central composite design, and the resultant data were modeled with the response surface methodology (RSM), artificial neural network (ANN), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), and multiple linear regression (MLR) approaches. The adsorption process followed pseudo-first-order with good agreement between the experimental Qe(exp) and calculated Qe(cal.) amounts of dye adsorbed, as well as the values of correlation coefficient, R2 (0.999) and percentage of sum square error, % SSE (0.640). All the investigated adsorption isotherms fitted all models well in the order of Dubinin–Radushkevich > Langmuir > Freundlich > Temkin with R2 > 0.9 with the monolayer maximum adsorption capacity of 440.24 mg/g obtained from the Langmuir isotherm. The RSM model predicted the maximum removal efficiency at an optimum initial dye concentration of 19.11 mg/L, a contact time of 95.3 min, and an adsorbent dosage of 0.18 g. Statistically, the models were fitted in the order of RSM > ANN > ANFIS > MLR. These results indicated that the prepared Cs–Tp@Fe3O4 is an efficient adsorbent for the AB-25 dye removal with excellent stability for water treatment applications.Item Open Access Comparative Characterisation of Closed and Active Landfill Composites Using EDX, FTIR and Proximate Techniques.(Springer, 2016-08-25) Alo, B.; Adelopo, A. O.; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Huddersman, Katherine; Jenkins, R. O.The elemental and chemical constituents of an active and a closed landfill were compared using Fourier transform - infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope / energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) spectroscopy, and proximate analysis. The two landfills had similar major elemental constituents representing 96.5% and 98.4% of elemental composition for the closed (O > C > Si> Fe > Ca >Al) and active(C > O > Si > Al > Ca > Fe) landfill samples respectively. The average concentration of Al was significantly higher (p=0.024) in the active landfill, while Ca was significantly higher (p=0.023) in the closed landfill. Cluster analysis revealed that similarities were more influenced by the level of composite degradation (more degraded / less degraded) than by depth or seasonal variations. Samples from both landfills showed FTIR absorption peaks that indicated mineralisation and stability of waste constituent. Active landfill samples showed distinguishing peaks at 3690 and 3619 cm-1 attributed to O-H vibration of clayey mineral (kaolin), while closed landfill samples were characterised by a carbonates peak at 873 cm-1. For both landfills, the average ash content (>51%) of the waste was above the level considered suitable for energy recovery from waste. These findings inform strategic decisions in management of the landfills and in the determination of possible alternative uses for landfill waste.Item Metadata only Comparative characterization of closed and active landfill composites using spectroscopic and proximate techniques(2016-10-23) Adelopo, A. O.; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Alo, B.; Huddersman, Katherine; Jenkins, R. O.INTRODUCTION: Effective utility of mixed waste in the landfills lies before its complete degradation rather than after landfill closure. The elemental and chemical constituents of an active and a closed landfill composite were compared using Fourier transform - infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope / energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) spectroscopy, and proximate analysis in order to determine potential alternative uses. METHOD: Landfill sites were systematically gridded into seven cells according to RCRA USEPA guidelines. Three samples were obtained from each cell at upper (0-15cm), mid (16-35cm) and low- (36-50cm) depths, both during the dry and wet seasons. The dried samples were separated by size into composites of less degraded (S> 0.63mm) and more degraded (S<0.63mm) components and homogenised. Proximate parameters (ash, volatile and fixed carbon) of samples were determined by ASTM D3174-5 methods. An Alpha attenuated total reflectance -FTIR spectrometer (Bruker) and X-Max SEM/EDX Instruments were used to evaluate the functional and elemental properties. RESULTS: both landfills had similar major elemental constituents representing 96.5% and 98.4% of elemental composition for the closed (O > C > Si> Fe > Ca >Al) and active(C > O > Si > Al > Ca > Fe) landfill samples. Cluster analysis revealed that elemental similarities were more influenced by the level of composite degradation (more degraded / less degraded) than by depth or seasonal variations. FTIR absorption peaks of both landfill samples indicated mineralised waste constituent with some distinguishing peaks peculiar to each landfill. The average ash content (>51%) of the waste in both landfills was above the level considered suitable for energy recovery from waste. DISCUSSION: The absence of major organic peaks precludes use of the waste for soil enrichment and anaerobic digestion feeds, but not for landfill covering. These findings, from rapid and amenable spectroscopic techniques, inform strategic management decisions for landfills.Item Metadata only Comparison of micro- and mesoporous inorganic materials in the uptake and release of the drug model Fluorescein and its analogues.(Wiley VCH, 2003-12-05) Huddersman, Katherine; Fisher, Karen A.; Taylor, M. JoanItem Open Access Conversion of solid waste to activated carbon to improve landfill sustainability(Sage Publications, 2018-07-30) Adelopo, A. O.; Haris, P. I. (Parvez I.); Alo, B.; Huddersman, Katherine; Jenkins, R. O.Landfills’ heterogeneous composites waste were evaluated as precursors for generation of activated carbon (AC). A single step chemical activation process was applied involving irradiation with microwave energy and impregnation with KOH. The average percentage yield of AC from active landfill precursor was higher than that from closed landfill for all depths sampled. Increase in impregnation ratio and irradiation power decreased the average percentage yield for both landfill precursors (Active: 38.1 to 33.1%) (Closed 42.1: to 33.3%). The optimum pH range for adsorption of methylene blue was pH 6-7, while adsorption increased with increase in temperature over the range 30 to 50oC. Carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were the major functional groups on the surface of AC. The properties of the AC are potentially suitable for the removal of cationic dyes and pollutants. AC generated from the landfill composite were comparable to that from some other biomass being managed through AC generation. This is the first report to demonstrate the possible reuse of landfill composite as AC. The reuse option of landfill composite could provide a means of sustainable management of landfilled municipal waste.Item Metadata only The effect of shock loads on SAF bioreactors for sewage treatment works.(Elsevier, 2010) Hu, B.; Wheatley, Andrew; Ishtchenko, V.; Huddersman, KatherineItem Metadata only Emerging pollutants removal in full-scale biological treatment plants: A case study(Elsevier, 2022-11-26) Tiwary, Abhishek; Ulucan-Altuntas, Kubra; Manav-Demir, N; Huddersman, Katherine; Debik, EyupWastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are the main source of emerging pollutants encountered in surface water, albeit existing standards apply to a very limited number of emerging compounds. This paper presents a case study on non-target analysis, performed on influent and effluent samples from the WWTPs in Kocaeli, Türkiye. The samples were concentrated through solid-phase extraction, followed by LC-MS/MS analysis to identify emerging compounds, typically found in wastewater and treated wastewater. The data obtained was evaluated based on wastewater characteristics and the flow rate of the selected WWTPs. The removal of detected emerging compounds was calculated and classified as — “not removed”, and “partially removed”. Our analysis showed pharmaceutics as the most prevalent detected compounds, with the highest level of removal efficiency. The study demonstrated the necessity for redesigning conventional WWTPs to reduce the potential escape of emerging pollutants, with potential accumulation and transformation into harmful by-products in the environment.Item Open Access Esterification of stearic acid using novel protonated and crosslinked amidoximated polyacrylonitrile ion exchange fibres(Elsevier, 2023-01-23) Ahmed, Rawaz; Rashid, Sanaa; Huddersman, KatherineThis study will demonstrate the conversion of stearic acid to methyl stearate (biodiesel) using for the first time crosslinked amidoximated polyacrylonitrile ion-exchanged mesh protonated by sulphuric acid. Quantitative analysis of conversion was by GC-FID, 1H NMR and ATR-FT-IR with GC-FID the most reliable. A molar ratio of methanol to stearic acid of 35.5: 1 gave 94 % conversion to the ester at 90 C. At 65 C and a greater ratio of 87.1:1 conversion was 94.1 % comparable to the 98 % yield obtained with 1wt% H2SO4. Re-use at 65 C gently dropped to 57 % on the 13th cycle. Regeneration by washing with dichloromethane and re-acidification achieved 84 % conversion but quickly deactivated due to blocking of sites by methyl stearate as shown by ATR-FTIR. This protonated amidoxime PAN catalyst (distinct from sulfonated fibres) exhibited higher stability than other heterogeneous protonated catalysts (ion-exchange resins, zeolites, clays) used lower temperatures and shorter reaction times. Advantages of using a mesh in place of powders are its ease of removal/replacement for continuous flow reactors promoting quick changes in process parameters. This study is promising as providing a sustainable protonated catalyst for use in converting Fats, Oils and Greases (FOG’s) in waste oils and wastewater to biodiesel. 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND licenseItem Open Access Field trial of an ion exchange based metal removal technology in the treatment of mine waters(IMWA, 2016-07-11) Upreti, Pushpa Datta; Tangyie, George Chi; Huddersman, Katherine; Snail, IslaA pilot scale field trial for a novel metal removal technology in the treatment of mine waters was performed using mine water from White Tip, part of the former Snailbeach lead mine in Shropshire, United Kingdom (UK). The water is circum-neutral pH and contains elevated zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The novel treatment process is based on ion exchange (IE) using a bespoke mesh in a rotating disc reactor. Effects of process parameters such as regeneration of mesh, residence time (RT) and rotation speed (RS) of the discs were investigated. Treatment performance of the system was consistent for the removal of Zn and Pb whereas for Cd it was more variable. The order of removal efficiencies was Pb (75.04%) > Zn (64.18%) > Cd (22.37%). Accordingly, 4.15 kg of Zn, 5.22 g of Pb and 5.55 g Cd were removed from 131.46 m3 of mine water in 170 days. Amongst the other metals / metalloids removed by the system include iron (Fe), aluminium (Al), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), barium (Ba), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), boron (B), chromium (Cr) and small amounts of sodium (Na), potassium (K) and strontium (Sr). Similarly, non-metallic water quality parameters removed by the system include acidity, suspended solids (SS), alkalinity and small amounts of nitrate (NO3-N) and total anions. The system generated a small amount of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), sulfate (SO4-S) and hardness. An average rise of pH by ~0.5unit in treated water was observed. Performance of the treatment system was not significantly affected by the regeneration of the mesh and RS of the discs. The treatment process was not affected by the temperature variations in the range of 0.7°C to 20°C. Maximum removals of metals were observed when RT≥1.33 hours.Item Open Access Heterogeneous Fenton's-like catalysis for degradation of colchicine coupled with extraction of its biologically active metabolite(Elsevier, 2019-10-02) Huddersman, Katherine; Hosny, Noha M.; Atia, Noha N.; El-Gizawy, Samia M.Nowadays, drug pollution; a form of water pollution caused by some pharmaceuticals and their metabolites resulting from consumers, industry and hospitals was reported. Colchicine (CLN) is considered one of the pharmaceutical wastewater contaminants which are not eliminated completely in municipal sewage treatment plants and are discharged into receiving water. Due to the higher toxicity of CLN, a novel heterogeneous Fenton's-like catalysis was established for complete degradation of CLN. So, a highly sensitive and specific liquid chromatographic method with quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/Q-MS) was developed and validated for estimation of CLN in its pure form and in the presence of its degradation product. Herein, GraceSmart RP C18 column was utilized for separation of the cited drug (Retention time tR= 5.578 min) using methanol: water (55: 45, v/v) at 1.0 mL/min. Detection was performed by Agilent 6120 Quadrupole MS detector in a positive ionization mode. Thereafter and for the first time, degradation of CLN by heterogeneous Fenton's-like catalysis using modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a catalyst with H2O2 in aqueous acidic medium was performed. This process was firstly optimized by HPLC/UV detection at 248 nm using the aforementioned chromatographic conditions. As a result, CLN degraded completely within 30 min. The only observed degradation product was the biologically active, potent and less toxic antitumor metabolite of CLN (3- demethyl CLN) which was collected, extracted, and analyzed by Fourier Transfer- Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and 13Carbon- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C-NMR). Finally, this method is eco-friendly and complies with the requirements of the green chemistry. It is suitable for complete removal of CLN and/or its metabolite contaminants from wastewater samples and estimation of the target drug without any interference from its degradation products. However, further study is required to expand the method applicability to the pharmaceutical wastewater treatment as well the production of 3- demethyl CLN on a large scale.Item Metadata only Heterogeneous Fenton’s-like Catalyst Potentiation of Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfection: an Investigation into Mechanisms of Action(Oxford University Press, 2023-02-16) Sewell, S; Owen, Lucy; Huddersman, Katherine; Laird, Katie; Walsh, SusannahAims This study aimed to establish the mechanisms of action (MOA) of a novel surface-functionalized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) catalyst, which was previously shown to have potent antimicrobial activity in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Methods and results Bactericidal activity was determined using a disinfectant suspension test. The MOA was investigated by measuring the loss of 260 nm absorbing material, membrane potential, permeability assays, analysis of intra- and extracellular ATP and pH, and tolerance to sodium chloride and bile salts. The catalyst lowered sub-lethal concentrations of H2O2 from 0.2 to 0.09%. H2O2 ± 3 g PAN catalyst significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced sodium chloride and bile salt tolerance, suggesting the occurance of sublethal cell membrane damage. The catalyst significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) N-Phenyl-l-Napthylamine uptake (1.51-fold) and leakage of nucleic acids, demonstrating increased membrane permeability. A significant (P ≤ 0.05) loss of membrane potential (0.015 a.u.), coupled with pertubation of intracellular pH homeostasis and depletion of intracellular ATP, suggests potentiation of H2O2-mediated cell membrane damage. Conclusions This is the first study to investigate the catalyst’s antimicrobial mechanism of action, with the cytoplasmic membrane being a target for cellular injury.Item Metadata only Integrated Approaches to Soil Contamination Monitoring (Editorial)(Hindawi, 2016) Soupios, P.; Kavvadias, V.; Huddersman, Katherine; Sdao,F.; Ntarlagiannis, D.op soil is a very important environmental compartment for many reasons, like it being the medium where plants grow, carbon accumulates, and so forth. But it also represents the “sink” where a wide range of waste materials, in very heterogeneous chemical forms, are disposed of and accumulate. This fact may allow contaminants to move downward the soil profile and reach subsurface and groundwater reservoirs. Agricultural activities can lead to land contamination due to the improper use of pesticides, agrochemicals, fertilizers, conditioners, and several other materials. The problem of contaminated land is exacerbated by industrial activities, including waste disposal and accidental spills that can also contribute to extensive contamination in the near surface environment. Dangerous contaminants can impact the characteristics and productivity of the surface soil as well as the subsurface and valuable natural resources conditions. Soil pollution threats human health, quality of foods, and groundwater but affects also the quality of the air. Surface and subsurface soil monitoring and characterization can be challenging since chemical analyses at sampling points are local providing an inadequate model of the subsurface. Thus, novel, cost-effective, and multidisciplinary methods are needed to accurately describe surface/subsurface soil contamination whilst monitoring the evolution of the contamination over time producing time-lapse models. Continuous advances on characterization methods (such as automated acquisition systems of subsurface parameters), changes in regulatory standards, and the development of remediation systems further complicate this task. With this special issue, we aim at bringing together scientists from different disciplines, with research focused on surface soil and subsurface contamination. Furthermore, we want to highlight recent research advances on characterization and monitoring methods and identify the pathways for their implementation to industry, agriculture, and society to encourage their adoption.Item Metadata only Investigation of the mechanical and physico-chemical properties of a modified PAN fibrous catalyst(Elsevier, 2003-03-20) Huddersman, Katherine; Ishtchenko, V.; Vitkovskaya, R. F.Item Metadata only Kinetic modelling of the Fenton-like oxidation of maleic acid using a heterogeneous modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) catalyst.(Science Reviews, 2011) Chi, G. T.; Nagy, Z. K.; Huddersman, KatherineItem Metadata only Maleic acid oxidation using a heterogeneous modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibrous catalyst.(Science & Technology Integration, Inc., 2011) Chi, G. T.; Huddersman, Katherine