Iranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801Enhancing biogas production using ultrasound-assisted thermal pretreatment technology for anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and microalgae substrates171186141710.22104/aet.2024.6691.1828ENSepidehAbediDepartment of Renewable Energies Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-8878-4588MatinKhaleghiDepartment of Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IranAbbasNaeimiDepartment of Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran0000-0003-2408-7844Journal Article20240107The study aimed to assess the effects of ultrasound-assisted thermal pretreatment on biogas production by co-digesting stress-adapted microalgae (Synechocystis sp.) with a combination of mixed municipal and industrial sewage sludge under anaerobic conditions. The pretreatment process involved subjecting the microalgae biomass to thermal pretreatment at temperatures of 70, 90, and 110oC while utilizing ultrasound pretreatment for the sludge (with an average solids content of 16.7 g/L) at a frequency of 25 kHz and power output of 400 W for durations of 3, 9, and 15 minutes before the main digestion process. The experiment was designed using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design. The results revealed that the model exhibited statistical significance, with a probability value (Prob > F) of less than 0.05. Pre-treated samples demonstrated a substantial increase in biogas production compared to untreated samples, showing an average 1.4 to 5.6-fold enhancements. Optimization analysis indicated that the highest cumulative biogas production, amounting to 706 NmL, could be achieved after two weeks by pre-heating the microalgae cells at 110oC for one hour and subjecting the sewage sludge to ultrasound pretreatment for three minutes. These findings highlight the potential of ultrasound-assisted thermal pretreatment technology as a strategy to enhance biogas production through the co-digestion of stress-resilient microalgae and sewage sludge.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1417_9a1756fd0c741126d7bbd4b692ccbd91.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801The impact of annealing temperature on photocatalytic degradation performance of rhodamine B by montmorillonite/zinc-oxide nanocomposite187201142710.22104/aet.2024.6572.1799ENBang Tam ThiDaoFaculty of Materials Science and Technology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamLaboratory of Advanced Materials, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam0000-0002-7716-0809HoangVan DungLaboratory of Advanced Materials, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamVietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet Nam0000-0001-6171-3889Trung DoNguyenFaculty of Materials Science and Technology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamVietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamHon NhienLeFaculty of Materials Science and Technology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamVietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamHuu TruongNguyenLaboratory of Advanced Materials, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamVietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamChi-NhanHa-ThucFaculty of Materials Science and Technology, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamVietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Viet NamJournal Article20231030This paper investigates the impact of annealing temperature on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of rhodamine B (rhB) using a montmorillonite/zinc-oxide (MMT/ZnO) nanocomposite. The MMT/ZnO nanocomposites, synthesized through a chemical method, are annealed for one hour at 300°C, 500°C, and 700°C. The study involves a comprehensive analysis of sample composition, surface morphology, and structure using various analytical methods, including Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). RhB degradation efficiency is assessed by monitoring changes in dye concentration in the solution after exposure to UVC radiation, measured with UV-Vis spectroscopy. By-products resulting from the photocatalysis process are identified through LCMS analysis. The results demonstrate that MMT/ZnO annealed at 500°C (referred to as MZ@500) exhibits the highest capability for rhB decomposition, achieving a remarkable 95.5% degradation efficiency with 10 ppm of rhB and 0.1 g/L of MZ@500. Furthermore, this composite effectively fragments the dye's chromophore structure into smaller, ring-broken compounds.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1427_970af30e481057c48f87e101b61e6994.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801Phenol-Contaminated Water Treatment Using Clay Nano Particles in Continuous and Batch Process and Survey the Factors Affected202217141410.22104/aet.2024.6557.1796ENErfanNabaviFaculty of Civil Engineering, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, IranTaghiEbadiFaculty of Geo-Environmental Engineering, Amir Kabir University, Tehran, IranGhorban AliDezvarehFaculty of Engineering, MehrAlborz University, Tehran, IranMehdiAlibagloueiDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USAJournal Article20231026Phenols and their derivatives are aromatic compounds containing hydroxyl or sulfonic groups attached to a benzene ring structure. Even in low concentrations, phenols are hazardous pollutants posing a threat to living organisms. This study explored the removal of phenol utilizing nano clay modified with hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTAM) cations. The research was conducted in three phases. The first phase involved batch experiments to eliminate phenol from aqueous solutions. In the second phase, modified nano clay was applied in a continuous system for practical purposes, investigating the impact of varying clay concentration and weight in the adsorption column. The third phase focused on studying the performance of columns in series. The results from the initial phase indicated equilibrium between the solution and adsorbent after approximately one hour, a significant reduction compared to the unmodified nano clay. Increasing the initial concentration of phenol from 50 to 800 milligrams per liter led to enhanced adsorption capacity but decreased removal efficiency from 70% to 45%. Kinetic studies revealed a pseudo-second-order adsorption process; isotherm studies indicated adherence to both the Langmuir and Freundlich models, with greater conformity to the Freundlich isotherm. The adsorption-separation model derived from the experiments suggested surface adsorption as the primary process at low concentrations, transitioning to dominant separation with increasing concentration. The second phase demonstrated the effective performance of modified clay in continuous processes, with higher flow rates resulting in reduced efficiency and adsorption capacity of phenol. Utilizing the modified clay in the adsorption column increased the phenol adsorption capacity and efficiency from 14.5% to 27%. Finally, employing two columns in series in the third phase boosted adsorption capacity from 37% to 50%.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1414_7a674153c63cff1ad7f0e261c369ab2c.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801Optimization of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Site Selection by Geospatial Analysis in the Ranya District of Iraq218236141510.22104/aet.2024.6676.1823ENShwana Braim HassanManguriCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, Iraq0000-0001-7519-7627BashdarOmerCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, IraqAwinAhmedCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, IraqShadHamadCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, IraqShawnmMawloodCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, IraqAbdulbastMajidCivil Engineering Department, University of Raparin, Ranya, Sulaymaniyah, 46012, IraqJournal Article20240208Landfill siting is a major problem in solid waste management. Many aspects should be considered when selecting an appropriate site for a landfill in any particular region. In the current research, seventeen criteria were considered, including rivers, water bodies (lakes), geology, slope, elevation, power lines, groundwater depth, major district roads, archaeological sites, urban centers, infrastructure, villages, pipelines, quarrying, forests, aspect (wind), and agricultural areas. Several random open dump waste disposal sites are dispersed throughout the Ranya District, Iraq. This research employed the integration of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify the optimal sites for the establishment of sanitary landfills. The seventeen criteria were mapped and assigned sub-criteria within GIS software. Subsequently, the normalized weights from the AHP were identified for each measure to generate the final Land Suitability Index (LSI) map for the site. Consequently, approximately 0.34% of the entire study area, equivalent to roughly 2,396,000 square meters, is estimated to be suitable for locating a landfill. Additionally, the suitable sites were categorized into moderately suitable, suitable, and mostly suitable. The normalized weight analysis revealed that groundwater depth significantly influences the selection of the best landfill site.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1415_a60937eba57758ed45b6d3e91e8659f3.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801CFD with the Population Balance Model for Packed Bed Airlift Reactor with External Loop237269139510.22104/aet.2024.6677.1824ENShivanandTeliThree D Engineering Automation LLP, Pune, MaharashtraSunilKulkarniChemical Engineering Department, Gharda Institute Technology, Lavel, India0000-0002-5988-3448Journal Article20240221An airlift reactor with the external loop (EXL ALFR) is a widely used modified version of a Bubble Column Reactor (BCR). An EXL ALFR can also be used for a three-phase system with the solid phase in a packed or fluidized form. An EXL ALFR provides design flexibility for conventional chemical reactions as well as biological reactions. Shear is an important factor for the reactors handling immobilized enzymes. In the current investigation, the effect of the design variables, like gas hold-up, the velocity of circulating liquid, and the distribution of bubble dimension, was compared for an EXL ALFR and an external loop airlift reactor with a packed bed (EXL ALFR-PB). Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was employed for the liquid axial velocity in the downcomer of the reactors, and the computational fluid dynamic with the Population Balance Model (CFD-PBM) was employed. The minimum percentage of errors of 2.3% and 1.2% and the maximum of 4.2% and 3.4% were obtained for the experimental and predicted values of gas hold-up in the EXL ALFR and EXL ALFR-PB, respectively. For the velocity of the circulating liquid, the predicted and experimental values of their minimum percentage error were 1.1% and 0.5% and a maximum of 4.3% and 4.5% in EXL ALFR and EXL ALFR-PB, respectively. Also, the pressure drops calculated from the Ergun equation and CFD simulation had a 0 to 4% difference, indicating good agreement.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1395_14d9e8007c9b41f57891c48e07c23f57.pdfIranian Research Organization for Science and TechnologyAdvances in Environmental Technology2476-667410320240801A review on H2S adsorption by metal-organic frameworks for air purification application270296142910.22104/aet.2024.6818.1863ENYounes FMehrifarDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety, Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranAysa FGhasemi KoozekonanDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranMohammad Amin FRashidiDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranNastaran FArabDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Alzahra University, Tehran, IranSomayeh FFarhang DehghanEnvironmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran0000-0002-6607-6396Journal Article20240504Removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from the air stream in the workplace is important because this toxic gas can cause health problems for workers and destructive effects on equipment. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are one of the most suitable materials for H2S removal and separation. This review study attempted to comprehensively collect the studies and research regarding the removal of H2S from the air stream using MOFs as an effective adsorbent. The databases of Google Scholar, Pub-Med, Scopus, and Web of Science were used in this study. All sections of the articles were reviewed to extract the required data. Keywords such as hydrogen sulfide, metal-organic frameworks, air purification, removal, and adsorption were used to extract the relevant articles. The results showed that UIO-66 and TOUO were the most commonly used MOFs for H2S absorption. The average H2S absorption among all MOFs was 14.92 mg/g. Advances in MOF design, stability, regeneration efficiency, and process integration further enhance their performance, making them more attractive for industrial-scale applications in gas purification and other separation processes. This review article could provide useful information and insight into the remarkable progress in the field of H2S adsorption by MOFs.https://aet.irost.ir/article_1429_56352739f59643540a3a6e16985f62c7.pdf