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Aiming to develop a sustainable separation process reducing the water pollution, in this work Pinus pinaster (cluster pine) bark from a wood veneer industry was used for methylene blue and malachite green removal from aqueous systems. For single adsorption, the influence of time (up 8 h), adsorbent dose (2,5 - 5 - 10 g·L-1), temperature (25 °C - 40 °C - 60 °C), pH (2 - 4 - 6) and particle size (0,1 mm - 0,5 mm, 0,5 mm - 1 mm and 1,6 mm - 2 mm) on adsorption was investigated. To study the initial concentration effect on binary adsorption, different concentrations (0 - 5 - 25 - 50 mg·L-1) were used at 25 °C, natural pH and a dose of 5 g·L-1. High efficiency was obtained at pH = 4 (natural pH), dose of 5 g·L-1 and particle size of 0,5 - 1 mm. Adsorption percentages higher than 70 % were reached in less than one hour, with removal almost complete at equilibrium in single systems, without temperature influence. Methylene blue was slightly better adsorbed by bark. In binary systems, dyes exhibited competitive adsorption, decreasing their removal, especially increasing the initial concentration of the other dye. Dyes adsorption followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model, whereas the Langmuir isotherm explained adsorption equilibria in mono-component systems. High adsorption capacities (41,7 mg·g-1 for malachite green and 50,0 mg·g-1 for methylene blue) were obtained at 40 °C and natural pH indicating that pine bark can be effectively used as biosorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work the partition behavior of phenols using ethanol-salt-based aqueous two phase systems (ATPS) was evaluated. The aim was the recovery of phenolic compounds with antioxidant capacity from eucalyptus wood industrial wastes. Experiments were planned to study the influence of several parameters on phenols partition, including type of inorganic salt (ammonium sulphate, a mixture of monopotassium phosphate and potassium diphosphate and potassium diphosphate), tie-lie lenght (TLL), volume ratio (Vr), settlement time and temperature. Phenols could be recovered preferently from the top or bottom phases depending on the salt used. It was demostrated that tie-lie lenght, volume ratio and temperature had influence on phenols partition. The highest total phenols yield 5,36 mg gallic acid equivalent (100 mg oven dried wood)-1 and FRAP antioxidant activity, 20 mmol AAE (100 g oven dried wood)-1, was obtained using ATPS formed by 40.6% (w/w) ethanol and 12% (w/w) of ammonium sulphate at 65°C. Analysis of the extract by RP-HPLC-ESI-TOF confirmed the presence of the phenolic compounds with potential antioxidant activity, namely, ellagic acid, myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-glucoside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an alternative way to intensify the exploitation of Eucalyptus wood wastes before valorisation for energy production. An aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) based on PEG 2000 and sodium citrate was investigated for the recovery of phenolic compounds that could act as natural antioxidants for applications including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food additives and other industrial applications. The influence of the tie line length (TLL) (26,1-46,1%), extraction temperature (25-65°C), extraction time (90-390 min) and phase settlement time (1 -8 h) were studied. Phenolic compounds were concentrated preferentially in the PEG-rich phase. A partition coefficient of 38 and a total phenols yield of 1,29 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 mg wood dry basis were obtained under the operational conditions selected: TLL, 46,1%, temperature 65°C, extraction time 90 min and settlement time 1 h. Analysis of the extracts by RP-HPLC-ESI-TOF confirmed the presence of various phenolic compounds with demonstrated antioxidant activity: monogalloyl glucose, (-)-gallic acid, ellagic acid and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]