Aqueous activated ferrate solutions, methods of their preparation, and methods of disinfecting organisms and oxidizing pollutants in water are provided.

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.

The present invention provides a method for removing a heavy metal from a water body, including the following steps: mixing a soluble permanganate with a water body containing heavy metal, and performing an oxidation-adsorption reaction under a light irradiation condition. The present invention does not require additional addition of other catalysts, but utilizes light to photo-decompose the permanganate to produce an active manganese substance (for example, Mn (V) and Mn (III)), a hydroxyl radical (.OH), and a stable colloidal manganese oxide having rich surface hydroxyl groups and a large specific surface area. These active substances can promote the release of an organic heavy metal into an inorganic heavy metal ion by oxidation; they can also promote the adsorption of the colloidal manganese oxide on the inorganic heavy metal ion; thus, the inorganic heavy metal and the organic heavy metal are removed from the water body.

A nucleophilic substitution reaction to crosslink cyclodextrin (CD) polymer with rigid aromatic groups, providing a high surface area, mesoporous CD-containing polymers (P-CDPs). The P-CDPs can be used for removing organic contaminants from water. By encapsulating pollutants to form well-defined host-guest complexes with complementary selectivities to activated carbon (AC) sorbents. The P-CDPs can rapidly sequester pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other organic micropollutants, achieving equilibrium binding capacity in seconds with adsorption rate constants 15-200 times greater than ACs and nonporous CD sorbents. The CD polymer can be regenerated several times, through a room temperature washing procedure, with no loss in performance.

A nanofiltration membrane with a high flux for selectively removing hydrophobic endocrine disrupting chemicals and a preparation method thereof are provided. The method includes the following steps: immersing a porous support layer into a first solution, removing excess droplets from a surface of the support layer after taking the support layer out of the first solution, and then immersing the support layer attached with the first solution into a second solution for an interfacial polymerization reaction, followed by washing after completion of the reaction to obtain the subject nanofiltration membrane. The first solution is an aqueous solution containing a polyamine monomer and an acid binding agent, and the second solution is an organic solution containing an acid chloride monomer and a metal-organic framework.

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.

A water purification system configured to continually monitor input water for the presence of heavy metal or organic chemical contaminants. The system automatically selects different types of filtration material, such as functionalized biochar filtration material, to purify the heavy metal or organic chemical contaminated water by automatically directing the water to filtration cartridges containing the filtration material best suited to removing the detected contaminants. The system is equipped with a processor, suitable sensors, and a plurality of removable cartridges. Each cartridge has a different type of filtration material, and each cartridge is equipped with a memory chip that can inform the processor as to the filtration capabilities of that particular cartridge. The system can keep track of its history of operation, and automatically notify operators when cartridges need to be replaced.

There is provided herein a method for preparing a graphene oxide (GO) hydrogel. The method comprises the steps of adding vitamin C (VC) to a dispersion GO in a ratio GO:VC varying from 1:50 to 1:300; and incubating at a temperature above 45 C., preferably at 95 C. the dispersion for a time sufficient for a porous hydrogel to be self-assembled from the dispersion. CNPs can also be added to the hydrogel in a ratio GO:CNPs from 4:1 to 1:1. There is also provided the hydrogel so obtained and its use for removing contaminants from a fluid. The hydrogel can also be used as a filter for such decontamination.

Generating ferrate ex situ by activating persulfate with BOF steel slag fines and/or ferric iron. A persulfate solution flows therethrough or thereover the BOF steel slag within, for example, a filter, fluidized bed or continuously stirred tank reactor. The ex situ generation will produce a leachate that contains multiple reactive oxidant species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2), superoxide (O2.), sulfate radicals, hydroxyl radicals (OH.) and uniquely ferrate species including Fe IV, V and VI. These ROS will destroy organic compounds, sterilize, and can oxidize inorganics and a wide range of targeted contaminants in distressed water (e.g., drinking water, process water, wastewater, industrial process streams/waters, municipal process streams/waters, landfill leachate, sewage/septic systems, bilge waters, drilling fluids, mine effluents). The use of BOF steel slag avoids the need for additional pH buffers and ferrate stabilizers and is an industrial byproduct comprised of recycled materials instead of a specialized reagent.

Use of Keplerate type polyoxomolybdates of the general structure Mo.sub.72M.sub.30, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, V or Mo.sub.2, for decontaminating aqueous media (water) from inorganic and organic pollutants