Removal of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) by adsorption onto natural clay: a kinetic and thermodynamic study

In this work, we study the elimination of three bivalent metal ions (Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Pb²⁺) by adsorption onto natural illitic clay (AM) collected from Marrakech region in Morocco. The characterization of the adsorbent was carried out by X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The influence of physicochemical parameters on the clay adsorption capacity for ions Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Pb²⁺, namely the adsorbent dose, the contact time, the initial pH imposed on the aqueous solution, the initial concentration of the metal solution and the temperature, was studied. The adsorption process is evaluated by different kinetic models such as the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich. The adsorption mechanism was determined by the use of adsorption isotherms such as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin models. Experiments have shown that heavy metals adsorption kinetics onto clay follows the same order, the pseudo-second order. The isotherms of adsorption of metal cations by AM clay are satisfactorily described by the Langmuir model and the maximum adsorption capacities obtained from the natural clay, using the Langmuir isotherm model equation, are 5.25, 13.41, and 15.90 mg/g, respectively for Cd(II), Cu(II), and Pb(II) ions. Adsorption of heavy metals on clay is a spontaneous and endothermic process characterized by a disorder of the medium. The values of ΔH are greater than 40 kJ/mol, which means that the interactions between clay and heavy metals are chemical in nature.     

Nickel Supported on Alkaline Earth Metal–Doped γ-Al2O3–La2O3 as Catalysts for Dry Reforming of Methane

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - Nickel catalysts supported on γ–Al2O3 doped with La2O3 and alkaline earth oxides (MgO, CaO, and SrO) were investigated in the dry reforming of...     

The magnetoresistivity of dilute AlMn alloys

A set of accurate measurements of the low temperature magnetoresistivity of dilute AlMn alloys is presented. By using an AlV alloys as a baseline, the resulting negative magnetoresistivity is obtained and compared with theoretical calculations.     

The Nephroprotective Effect of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruits in a Gentamicin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Model in Rats: A Biochemical and Histopathological Investigation

Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) (Z. lotus) is a medicinal plant largely distributed all over the Mediterranean basin and is traditionally used by Moroccan people to treat many illnesses, including kidney failure. The nephrotoxicity of gentamicin (GM) has been well documented in humans and animals, although the preventive strategies against it remain to be studied. In this investigation, we explore whether the extract of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) Fruit (ZLF) exhibits a protective effect against renal damage produced by GM. Indeed, twenty-four Wistar rats were separated into four equal groups of six each (♂/♀ = 1). The control group was treated orally with distilled water (10 mL/kg); the GM treated group received distilled water (10 mL/kg) and an intraperitoneal injection of GM (80 mg/kg) 3 h after; and the treated groups received ZLF extract orally at the doses 200 or 400 mg/kg and injected intraperitoneally with the GM. All treatments were given daily for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the biochemical parameters and the histological observation related the kidney function was explored. ZLF treatment has significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity induced by the GM. This effect was indicated by its capacity to decrease significantly the serum creatinine, uric acid, urea, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, albumin, calcium, sodium amounts, water intake, urinary volume, and relative kidney weight. In addition, this effect was also shown by the increase in the creatinine clearance, urinary creatinine, uric acid, and urea levels, weight gain, compared to the rats treated only with the GM. The hemostasis of oxidants/antioxidants has been significantly improved with the treatment of ZLF extract, which was shown by a significant reduction in malondialdehydes levels. Histopathological analysis of renal tissue was correlated with biochemical observation. Chemical analysis by HPLC-DAD showed that the aqueous extract of ZLF is rich in phenolic compounds such as 3-hydroxycinnamic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxytyrosol, naringenin, p- coumaric Acid, quercetin, rutin, and vanillic acid. In conclusion, ZLF extract improved the nephrotoxicity induced by GM, through the improvement of the biochemical and histological parameters and thus validates its ethnomedicinal use.     

Local modal participation analysis of nonlinear systems using Poincaré linearization

Nonlinear Dynamics - This study proposes a modified recurrence quantification analysis, called global recurrence quantification analysis (GRQA). It is well known that the recurrence threshold is an...     

A note on kernel methods for multiscale systems with critical transitions

We study the maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) in the context of critical transitions modelled by fast‐slow stochastic dynamical systems. We establish a new link between the dynamical theory of critical transitions with the statistical aspects of the MMD. In particular, we show that a formal approximation of the MMD near fast subsystem bifurcation points can be computed to leading order. This leading order approximation shows that the MMD depends intricately on the fast‐slow systems parameters, which can influence the detection of potential early‐warning signs before critical transitions. However, the MMD turns out to be an excellent binary classifier to detect the change‐point location induced by the critical transition. We cross‐validate our results by numerical simulations for a van der Pol‐type model.     

Design of a New Non‐enzymatic Sensor Based on a Substituted A2BO4+δ Perovskite for the Voltammetric Detection of Glucose

Instant determination of glucose levels is necessary to monitor the treatment of diabetes. The next generation of electrochemical sensors aims to eliminate the use of enzymes because of their lack of stability and the complex procedure to immobilize them on the electrode. In this paper Pr_1.92Ba_0.08Ni0.₉₅Zn_0.05O_4+δ perovskite, a A₂BO_4+δ type, was tested, for the first time for non enzymatic detection of glucose. It was synthesized by a sol‐gel method. The obtained crystallized powder was structurally characterized by XRD, morphologically characterized by SEM and EDX and electrochemically characterized. A monoclinic crystallographic system was formed. The presence of Pr₂O₃ during synthesis and calcination is in agreement with the formation of defects in the crystalline network and the disproportionation of Ni^III sites into Ni^II and Ni^IV, due to the substitution of Pr by Ba. The oxido‐reduction of Ni^II sites is observed by cyclic voltammetry. The electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose through the electrooxidized Ni^II site was observed on a gold electrode, at 481 mV. The analytical performance of this glucose sensor is good in comparison to previously published ABO₃ perovskite modified electrodes, in terms of dynamic range (1.5 μM–7000 μM) and detection limit (0.5 μM). Its application to human serum shows that there is no interference for glucose detection.