A biochar-derived adsorbent preferably from Sargassum boveanum, macroalgae can be used for removing phenolic compounds, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,4-dimethylphenol, from aqueous solutions. The carbonization can improve the removal capability of the macroalgae adsorbent for such phenolic compounds with removal efficiencies of 60% or more from high salinity seawater and 100% from distilled water. The adsorption may occur through a mixed mechanism dominated by physisorption following pseudo second-order kinetics. The adsorption of the phenolic molecules may be spontaneous, endothermic and thermodynamically favorable.

A cement composition based on a sulfoaluminate clinker is described, together with its use for agglomerating and inerting sediment/dredging sludge, and the relative inerting method and apparatus.

An encapsulated reactant(s) having at least one encapsulant and at least one reactant, and methods of making and using the encapsulated reactant(s), are presently provided. An outermost encapsulant is substantially nonreacting, impermeable and nondissolving with water. The reactant(s) contribute to at least one reaction with contaminants in environmental media rendering the environmental media less harmful.

Disclosed are methods, apparatuses and systems for the remediation of contaminated soils, groundwater, water, and/or waste using a combination of reagents. The disclosed methods may be used to treat various recalcitrant halogenated substances, such as perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls. Particular combinations of reagents that may be used in the disclosed methods include but are not limited to: (1) persulfate, oxygen and ozone; (2) persulfate, salt, oxygen and ozone; (3) persulfate, phosphate, and/or oxygen; (4) persulfate, phosphate, oxygen and ozone; (5) persulfate, phosphate, salt and oxygen (6) persulfate, phosphate, salt, oxygen and ozone; (7) oxygen and salt; and (8) air and salt. The disclosed methods may enhance destruction of organic contaminants in the liquid phase and may also control the rate of aerosol or foam formation relative to the rate of chemical oxidation and/or reduction/transfer.

Bacteria-based catalysts including a bacterium and one or more metal oxides are disclosed. The metal oxides are dispersed on the surface of the bacterium. The bacterium can be an electrogenic bacterium, which employs an extracellular electron transport pathway to transfer metabolically generated electrons to cell-exterior. The bacteria-based catalysts can be made by: (a) oxidizing a substrate molecule by a bacterium to generate electrons; (b) transporting the electrons to one or more metal oxide precursors; and (c) reducing the metal oxide precursors to metal oxides. The bacteria-based catalysts disclosed herein can be used in electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, or chemical catalysis. For example, they can catalyze oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and outperform commercial metal oxide catalyst for OER with superior operational stability.

An above-ground low-energy method of dewatering highly contaminated waste e.g. leachate contaminated with at least a first group of contaminants and PFAS is described. The method comprises the step of removing the PFAS before removing the first group of contaminants. The removal of PFAS is undertaken by actively aerating the contaminated waste comprising PFAS to produce a waste stream comprising a concentration of PFAS and a liquid stream having at least some of the first group of contaminants. The one or more liquid streams are separated from the waste streams so as to dewater the contaminated waste. Optionally, the liquid streams are treated to remove the first group of contaminants.

The present disclosure provides a method for promoting degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by Pseudomonas JD37 with nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and use thereof. The method includes the following steps: adding nZVI and Pseudomonas JD37 in an environment having PCBs, and promoting degradation of the PCBs by the Pseudomonas JD37 with the nZVI. The nZVI increases an active oxygen content produced by extracellular metabolism of the Pseudomonas JD37, thus promoting degradation of the PCBs. Therefore, the method of the present disclosure is suitable for degrading the PCBs in water and soil for environmental restoration.

The article includes a porous scaffold structure comprising a plurality of supports. The article further includes a plurality of metallic or non-metallic nanomaterials disposed on at least one of the supports. Each of the plurality of metallic or non-metallic nanomaterials is directly bound to at least one of the supports.

Disclosed are methods, apparatuses and systems for the remediation of contaminated soils, groundwater, water, and/or waste using a combination of reagents. The disclosed methods may be used to treat various recalcitrant halogenated substances, such as perfluoroalkyls and polyfluoroalkyls. Particular combinations of reagents that may be used in the disclosed methods include but are not limited to: (1) persulfate, oxygen and ozone; (2) persulfate, salt, oxygen and ozone; (3) persulfate, phosphate, and/or oxygen; (4) persulfate, phosphate, oxygen and ozone; (5) persulfate, phosphate, salt and oxygen (6) persulfate, phosphate, salt, oxygen and ozone; (7) oxygen and salt; and (8) air and salt. The disclosed methods may include the transfer of contaminants from an aqueous phase to a foam prior to the destruction of the contaminants.

Three dimensional (3D), porous, Sr(II)/Ir(III) layered double hydroxide materials with a spherical/balls like shape, are composed of nanohexagonal sheets intercalated with 1-(1-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-phenylazo)-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid have a number of uses including removing undesirable organic compounds and materials from polluted water. This removal can be accomplished without disturbing the pH of the water, and with high absorption capacity (2000 mg of pollutants/1 mg of LDH). The spherical/ball like materials are easily cleaned and are amenable to being reused several times.