A systematic investigation of sorbent-trap sampling, which is a method that uses paired sorbent traps to measure total vapor phase mercury (Hg), was carried out at two coal-fired power plants. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects (if any) on data quality when the following aspects of the sorbent trap method are varied: (a) sorbent trap configuration; (b) sampling time; and (c)...

Biopolymer nanoparticles can be formed by heating globular protein/polysaccharide mixtures above the thermal denaturation temperature of the protein under pH conditions where the two biopolymers are weakly electrically attracted to each other. In this study, the influence of polysaccharide linear charge density on the formation and properties of these biopolymer nanoparticles was examined. Mixe...

The effect of oxidation of activated carbon (AC) with various oxidizing agents (nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonium persulfate) on preconcentration of metal ions (Cr3+, Mn2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+) from environmental waters prior to their flame atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis was investigated. The highest recoveries and adsorption capacities towards metal ions were achieved wh...

BACKGROUND In situ sorbent amendment for persistent organic pollutant sequestration in sediment has over the past 15 years steadily progressed from bench-scale trials to full-scale remediation applications. Hindering a wider technology uptake are, however, concerns about ecotoxic side-effects of the most commonly used sorbent, activated carbon, on sensitive, sediment dwelling organisms like Lum...

Ecological disasters resulting from oil spills have created a great need to find more efficient materials for oil spill cleanup. This research highlights the use of a novel macroporous polymeric material based on butyl rubber (BR) as a sorbent in an oil spill cleanup. The sorption capacity of BR for crude oil and petroleum products is 15-23 g g(-1) as compared to the value of 10-16 g g(-1) obta...

Inflammation is common and associated with morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Exposure to endotoxin contained in the dialysate may trigger inflammation. Dialysate volume is substantially reduced in sorbent HD compared with standard single-pass dialysis. In this prospective study (Clinicaltrials.gov, number: NCT00788905), we compared the inflammatory response to single-pass a...

A novel porous organosilicate material was evaluated for application as a solid phase extraction sorbent for preconcentration of nitroenergetic targets from aqueous solution prior to HPLC analysis. The performance of the sorbent in spiked deionized water, groundwater, and surface water was evaluated. Targets considered included 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, RDX, HMX, and nitroglyce...

Two printing methods, extrusion and inkjet, are used to deposit tracks of PEDOT/PSS conducting polymer onto biopolymer films with a view to prepare implantable tissue mimics containing electronic devices. Extruded tracks offer lower printing resolution, but better electrical characteristics compared to inkjet printed tracks. The biopolymer–ink interaction results in narrower printed tracks comp...

The hypolipidemic effect of an exo-biopolymer produced from a submerged mycelial culture of Hericium erinaceus was investigated in dietary-induced hyperlipidemic rats. Hypolipidemic effects were proportionally increased with the increasing concentration of the exo-biopolymer for oral administration. The exo-biopolymer, at the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight, substantially reduced the plasma total...

Sorbent materials based on a hydrazone Schiff base compound, C(14)H(11)BrN(4)O(4), were prepared either by immobilizing the ligand into sol-gel (SG1) or bonding to silica (SG2). The sorbent materials were characterized by FT-IR, EDX, SEM, TEM, and TGA. The sorption characteristics of a matrix of eight transition metal ions (Ag(+), Cu(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Fe(3+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), and Mn(2+)) usin...