Search

ABSTRACTSpent bleaching clay (SBC) is a hazardous waste produced by vegetable oil refining industries. SBC contains a residual oil (RO) with a lot of organic and inorganic impurities and its disposal leads to severe environmental consequences. In this study, SBC regeneration by extraction, acid modification and pyrolysis under various conditions and biodiesel production were studied. The GC-MS of the extracted RO shows that the fatty acid content is in conformity with crude oil and is appropriate for biodiesel production. FTIR was recorded in order to evaluate the main functional groups of fresh-, spent-, regenerated bleaching clay. The specific surface area (SSA) of fresh bleaching clay (FBC) (166.1 ± 1.7 m2/g) was lower than regenerated bleaching clay (RBC) one. The highest SSA (252.1 ± 1.7 m2/g) was revealed by pyrolysis at 550°C and activation with 10% sulfuric acid. Subsequent increase in the acid concentration and temperature of pyrolysis caused a decrease in the SSA. The heavy metals concentration in RBC was lower than the limits for activated bleaching clay in the National Food Safety Standard. Hence, RBC effectively copes with heavy metal removal. The peroxide, anisidine, acid values and oxidation stability of oil bleached with RBC are comparable to the FBC.Implications: The disposal of spent bleaching clay from vegetable oil refining industries has been recognized as a significant environmental issue. After adsorbing the impurities, spent bleaching clay becomes contaminated with a high concentration of organic and inorganic substances, including residual oils, fatty acids, phospholipids, and potentially toxic heavy metals. This makes spent bleaching clay a hazardous waste and improper disposal can lead to severe environmental consequences. Due to the potential environmental harm caused by spent bleaching clay disposal, it is crucial for vegetable oil refining industries to adopt proper waste management practices. Overall, the proper management and disposal of spent bleaching clay is essential to prevent environmental contamination and safeguard human health.

In this work, zinc nanoparticles were obtained. As a production method, a one-stage induction flow levitation method was used. The starting material was spherical granules with a purity of 99.9% and a mass of 2 g; as atoms evaporated from the surface of the molten granule, the drop was fed with a metal wire made of the same material. The productivity of the nanoparticles was 30 g / h. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, porosimetry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

Bi-based perovskites (Bi2WO6, Bi2MoO6, BiFeO3, Bi4Ti3O12, etc.) have been documented as promising visible-light responsive materials for different photocatalytic applications (wastewater treatment, water splitting, CO2reduction, and oxidation of hydrocarbons and alcohols to produce valuable chemicals). However, the main disadvantage of pure perovskites is the rapid recombination of photoinduced charge carriers and, therefore, low activity. Among different methods developed, creating heterojunctions, especially Z-scheme and S-scheme, is considered as the most effective approach to improve the photocatalytic performances of materials due to increased light absorption, improved separation of electrons-hole pairs, combination of different favorable properties of each component of a hybrid, possibility to use a wide range of semiconductors to construct an ideal composite. This critical review reports progress over the last 5 years in creating Z-scheme and S-scheme composites based on Bi-containing perovskites in photocatalysis for environmental remediation, hydrogen evolution, reduction of CO2to CO and CH4, and production of industrially important organic chemicals by oxidation of hydrocarbons and alcohols. Moreover, challenges and opportunities are considered into developing new photocatalytic materials with their possible future commercialization. The critical review suggests strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity and stability of Z-scheme and S-scheme heterojunctions.