The article compares the effectiveness of removing ibuprofen (IBU), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and tetracycline (TC) from their mixture using mesoporous silica SBA-15 modified with β-cyclodextrin (CD) and aminosilane (APTES). SBA-15 was synthesized using a waste solution from the synthesis of zeolites from fly ash as a source of silicon. X-ray diffraction (XRD), CHN elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), N₂ adsorption isotherms, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to obtain structural, chemical, and surface characteristics of the hybrid materials. Batch adsorption tests were performed to evaluate adsorbent-adsorbate interactions and competition between adsorbates at pH 6.5 and 9.0. Among the tested pharmaceuticals, TC showed the highest adsorption capacity, which indicates its greater affinity resulting from the presence of numerous functional groups that enable interactions with the adsorbent surface. The highest adsorption capacity qe for TC was 186.5 mg/g and 100.9 mg/g for SBA-15-CD and SBA-15-APTES, respectively, whereas the qe values for IBU and SMX were similar, amounting to ~ 150 mg/g and ~ 71 mg/g, respectively, at pH 6.5. SBA-15-CD showed similar removal efficiency at both tested pH values, whereas SBA-15-APTES clearly lost its affinity for the adsorbates at pH 9.0, where qe value for SMX decreased by approx. 20% compared with that at pH 6.5. The results indicate the high potential of waste-derived functionalized SBA-15 for the treatment of water and wastewater contaminated with pharmaceuticals.
Phosphate discharge from industrial effluents, including brewery wastewater, contributes significantly to eutrophication and the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. The development of sustainable and low-cost materials for phosphate removal is therefore essential. This study evaluates activated carbon produced from wastewater treatment sludge generated at Dashen Brewery (Gondar, Ethiopia) for phosphate removal from aqueous solutions. The sludge was chemically activated using phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), followed by thermal carbonization. Physicochemical characterization was performed using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, point of zero charge (pHPZC), and proximate analysis. The H₃PO₄-activated carbon exhibited a well-developed porous structure with a surface area of 427.05 m²/g and showed higher phosphate removal efficiency than the NaOH-activated samples. Optimization using response surface methodology (RSM-CCD) identified optimal conditions at pH 3, a contact time of 120 min, and an adsorbent dosage of 2.61 g/L, achieving 80.3% phosphate removal and an adsorption capacity of 13.6 mg/g. Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating chemisorption. Regeneration tests showed that the adsorbent retained over 50% of its initial efficiency after three cycles. The results demonstrate that brewery sludge can be effectively valorized into an efficient adsorbent for phosphate removal, with potential applicability to similar sludge streams from other breweries.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds considered carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic, and they can migrate into soil and water environments. The aim of this article is to present potential changes in PAH concentrations in the tested soil samples from the city of Będzin, located in southern Poland, across two measurement series, and to identify potential sources of contamination. Thirty soil samples were collected in two measurement series. Sample locations associated with high traffic intensity and power plants showed higher average concentrations of PAHs in late spring. In contrast, locations associated with high population density showed higher concentrations in late autumn. The average concentration of the analyzed PAHs (PAHsum) in 15 soil samples from the first sampling (A) was 151 µg/g, while from the second sampling (B) it was 246 µg/g. The values of the ΣPAHcarc/ΣPAH toxicity index in all tested soil samples remained below 0.4. The current level of soil contamination in this region indicates greater accumulation of PAHs from former industrial plants than from current ones. Despite this fact, continuous monitoring of these compounds is important to prevent the migration of contaminants into aquifers.
The aim of this study was to assess indoor air quality in twelve beauty salons located in the Upper Silesian agglomeration (Poland) and to evaluate the influence of service type and surrounding environment on gaseous pollutant levels. A four-week monitoring campaign was conducted using passive samplers to determine concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde (HCHO), ammonia (NH₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone (O₃), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) in the workers’ breathing zones, with reference to outdoor background levels. The results demonstrated a clear predominance of indoor emission sources. The mean indoor total VOC concentration (1485.5 µg/m³) was approximately ten times higher than outdoor concentration, confirming the significant contribution of cosmetic products and treatment procedures. The greatest spatial variability was observed in ammonia concentrations (26.6–1086 µg/m³), strongly associated with the use of hair treatment products. Nitrogen dioxide showed moderate indoor enrichment, whereas sulfur dioxide remained at urban background levels. Notably, indoor ozone concentrations were over an order of magnitude lower than outdoor levels, indicating effective ozone removal through reactions with VOCs and the potential formation of secondary pollutants. Although most concentrations did not exceed occupational exposure limits, long-term exposure to complex mixtures of primary and secondary pollutants may pose health risks, highlighting the need for systematic monitoring and improved ventilation strategies in beauty salons.
Rapid urbanization and the Industrial Revolution have resulted in large quantity of wastewater generation. Therefore, there is a need to explore sustainable options to treat and reuse it. This study investigates the removal of Texas dye, an industrial waste, from an aqueous solution using a cost-effective ceramic membrane. The ceramic membrane is manufactured using a mixture of 63 wt% bentonite, 3 wt% cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), 2 wt% calcium carbonate, and 32 wt% quartz, and is fabricated using the hydraulic pressing method followed by sintering. The structural and morphological properties of the manufactured membrane are characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Experiments are conducted using a synthetic dye solution with an initial concentration of 100 mg/L, under a constant operating pressure of 1 psi and a hydraulic retention time of 60 minutes. A novel hydrophilic surface modification is applied using Moringa oleifera leaf extract and silver nitrate solution. The modified membrane exhibits an improved permeability of 54.4% and an average pore size of 50 nm. The ceramic membrane shows promising removal efficiency of Texas dye. Reusability tests of the manufactured membrane demonstrate stable membrane performance over five continuous filtration cycles. The membranes are cleaned by backwashing, and removal tests are conducted for further nine cycles. The membrane maintains high removal efficiency of Texas dye, as measured in chemical oxygen demand (COD), as well as hardness, during the first five cycles. This research highlights the potential of ceramic membranes for efficient, low-pressure dye removal and wastewater treatment, with enhanced durability and reusability.
