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• DBU-2EG multimer absorbent with double H-bonds was designed by intermolecular self-assembly using DBU and EG. • The concentrated electron density around O in EG of DBU-2EG is in favor of the absorption of H 2 S by DBU-2EG. • A method for developing a high-efficiency absorbent for H 2 S was constructed by designing H-bonds in an absorbent molecule. • DBU-2EG multimer absorbent has a high absorption solubility of 5.8 mol/kg (25 °C, 1 atm) for H 2 S. A double H-bonds multimer absorbent for hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) absorption was designed via intermolecular self-assembly using 1,8-Diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU) and ethylene glycol (EG) under the guidance of quantum chemical calculation (QCC). The formation mechanisms of multimer absorbents and the absorption mechanisms between those absorbents and H 2 S were explored by QCC and experiments. It was found that the formed multimer absorbent at the DBU/EG molar ratio of 1:2 has two intermolecular H-bonds with different strengths between DBU and EG, which can combine with H 2 S via strong intermolecular forces. Furthermore, the characteristics analysis of multimer absorbents and complexes confirmed the above mechanisms. Experimental results indicated that the DBU-2EG has a higher H 2 S solubility of 5.8 mol/kg multimer absorbent with a low viscosity value of 15.12 mPa·s at 25 °C and better regeneration performance. The multimer absorbent exhibits great potential in the H 2 S capture process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In capacitive deionization (CDI), the functionalization or modification of carbon electrodes and the mitigation of positive electrode oxidation are effective methods to improve desalination capacity and stability for practical application. Here, the covalent bond attached three-dimensional (3D) graphene/carbon nanotubes hybrid (G-CNTs) with rich conductive channels was chosen as electrode material, and a periodically alternated (positive and negative) voltage operation (1.2/0/–1.2/0 V) was applied that aims to enhance the efficiency and stability of capacity deionization. The desalination capacity of the G-CNTs electrode increased gradually over the first few cycles in this operation, while the usage cycle of CDI could be pronouncedly extended almost six times, compared with the CDI of regular applied voltage operation (1.2/0 V). Through the characterization of electrode and CDI cell, this enhancement of the desalination performance is attributed to the synergistic benefits of alternating oxidation of negative and positive electrode, which can mitigate the oxidation of the positive electrode as well as achieve negative surface charge enhanced negative electrode. Therefore, a periodically alternated voltage operation is an economical and efficient method to control the oxidation of electrodes for enhancing the desalination performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Membrane separation was employed in a novel photocatalytic oxidation slurry reactor to conserve catalyst. This paper reports some critical operational conditions of this reactor. While fine-bubble aeration served to suspend the catalyst, introducing an intermittent coarse bubbling under the membrane during operation was vital to counteract TiO2 catalyst entrapment on membrane surface. Circulation flow in the reactor was also found to have certain effect on counteracting the dropping out of catalyst. A submerged membrane module with a pore size of 0.1μm successfully conserved the powdered catalysts within the reactor after 2 days’ preluding filtration. As for pollutant removal, membrane filtration and circulation flow had no effect, whereas increase in gas holdup had. Running the reactor to treat model pollutant dissolved in tap water revealed that calcium carbonate both deactivated the catalyst and contributed to membrane fouling, suggesting that water hardness and alkalinity deserves appropriate treatment to warrant a good performance of such a reactor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The system performs best at 6 h hydraulic retention time. • It achieved 0.215 g/h salts removal at a wastewater treatment capacity of 10 L/d. • Microbial community structures are consistent with the spatial structure of cathode. • Catholyte circulation should be effective for the stratified microbial structures. In this study, two dual-anode assembled microbial desalination cells (DA-MDCs) composed of two anodes, one cathode and two membrane stacks were constructed, with a hollow fiber membrane (HFM) module coupling into the cathode to filtrate suspended solids and microbes. Enriched domestic wastewater treatment performance of the DA-MDC system under different hydraulic retention time (HRT) was investigated in detail. When HRT sequentially decreased from 10 h, 8 h, 6 h to 4 h, the conductivity in diluent effluent kept stable at first, but increased 519% at 4 h compared with 6 h. Nevertheless, the chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the effluent met the wastewater discharge standards in China at all HRTs. Additionally, transmembrane pressure of the HFM modules increased sharply when HRT changed from 6 h to 4 h. Therefore, HRT 6 h was selected as the optimal condition. Under such short HRT, the system realized wastewater treatment capacity of 10 L/d, surpassing all bio-cathode microbial desalination cell systems aiming to realize efficient treatment of domestic wastewater. Additionally, the salt removal rate of 0.215 g/h was more than two times compared with most similar systems. Finally, stratified microbial community structures in the cathodes of the system were found. This gave evidence on the efficient catholyte recirculation which might facilitate nitrogen removal from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]