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Dr. Mohamed Ateia
Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

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0 Adsorption
0 Nanomaterials
0 Photocatalysis
0 Polymers
0 Water Treatment

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Journal article
Published: 25 April 2021 in Sustainability
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Photocatalysts promised to control pollution in an environmentally benign manner, inexpensively, and with a low or cheap energy input. However, the limited chemical activity of photocatalysts has prevented their widespread use. This limitation has two important consequences; in addition to limited removal efficiency for pollution, photocatalysts may also generate unwanted byproducts due to incomplete reaction. This study focuses on the byproducts formed in the photocatalytic degradation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) on titanium dioxide (TiO2), using a continuous flow reactor and detection via proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. TiO2, activated carbon (AC), TiO2/AC (1:1) and TiO2/AC (1:5) were tested using either a laser-driven light source or LED lamps at 365 nm. The samples were characterized using a N2-BET surface area and pore size distributions, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, which confirmed that TiO2 was successfully coated on activated carbon without unexpected phases. TiO2 and activated carbon showed different removal mechanisms for DMS. The maximum yield of formaldehyde, 11.4%, was observed for DMS reacting on a TiO2/AC (1:5) composite operating at a DMS removal efficiency of 31.7% at 50 C. In addition to formaldehdye, significant products included acetone and dimethyl disulfide. In all, observed byproducts accounted for over half of the DMS material removed from the airstream. The TiO2/AC (1:5) and TiO2/AC (1:1) composites have a lower removal efficiency than TiO2, but a higher yield of byproducts. Experiments conducted from 20 C to 70 C showed that as temperature increases, the removal efficiency decreases and the production of byproducts increases even more. This is attributed both to decreased surface activity at high temperatures due to increased recombination of reactive species, and to the decreased residence time of volatile compounds on a hot surface. This study shows that potentially dangerous byproducts are formed by photocatalytic reactors because the reaction is incomplete under the conditions generally employed.

ACS Style

Weijia Yu; Marten In `t Veld; Rossana Bossi; Mohamed Ateia; Dominique Tobler; Anders Feilberg; Nicolas Bovet; Matthew Johnson. Formation of Formaldehyde and Other Byproducts by TiO2 Photocatalyst Materials. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4821 .

AMA Style

Weijia Yu, Marten In `t Veld, Rossana Bossi, Mohamed Ateia, Dominique Tobler, Anders Feilberg, Nicolas Bovet, Matthew Johnson. Formation of Formaldehyde and Other Byproducts by TiO2 Photocatalyst Materials. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):4821.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Weijia Yu; Marten In `t Veld; Rossana Bossi; Mohamed Ateia; Dominique Tobler; Anders Feilberg; Nicolas Bovet; Matthew Johnson. 2021. "Formation of Formaldehyde and Other Byproducts by TiO2 Photocatalyst Materials." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 4821.

Journal article
Published: 19 April 2021 in Catalysts
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The performance of photocatalytic advanced oxidation must be improved in order for the technology to make the jump from academic research to widespread use. Research is needed on the factors that cause photocatalysis to become self-limiting. In this study, we introduced, for the first time, nanobubbles continuously into a running photocatalytic reactor. Synthetic air, O2, and N2 bubbles in the size range of 40 to 700 nm were added to a reaction system comprising P25 TiO2 photocatalyst in stirred aqueous solution excited by UV-A lamps, with methyl orange as a target contaminant. The removal of methyl orange was tested under conditions of changing pH and with the addition of different radical scavengers. Results indicated that the oxygen and air nanobubbles improved the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange—the removal efficiency of methyl orange increased from 58.2 ± 3.5% (N2 aeration) to 71.9 ± 0.6% (O2 aeration). Dissolved oxygen (DO) of 14.93 ± 0.13 mg/L was achieved using O2 nanobubbles in comparison to 8.43 ± 0.34 mg/L without aeration. The photodegradation of methyl orange decreased from 70.8 ± 0.4% to 53.9 ± 0.5% as pH increased from 2 to 10. Experiments using the scavengers showed that O2 − was the main reactive species in photocatalytic degradation under highly dissolved oxygen conditions, which also accounted for the observation that the removal efficiency for methyl orange decreased at higher pH. However, without photocatalyst, nanobubbles alone did not improve the removal of methyl orange, and nanobubbles also did not increase the degradation of methyl orange by only photolysis. These experiments show that oxygen and air nanobubbles can act as environmentally friendly catalysts for boosting the performance of photocatalytic water treatment systems.

ACS Style

Weijia Yu; Jiaying Chen; Mohamed Ateia; Ezra Cates; Matthew Johnson. Do Gas Nanobubbles Enhance Aqueous Photocatalysis? Experiment and Analysis of Mechanism. Catalysts 2021, 11, 511 .

AMA Style

Weijia Yu, Jiaying Chen, Mohamed Ateia, Ezra Cates, Matthew Johnson. Do Gas Nanobubbles Enhance Aqueous Photocatalysis? Experiment and Analysis of Mechanism. Catalysts. 2021; 11 (4):511.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Weijia Yu; Jiaying Chen; Mohamed Ateia; Ezra Cates; Matthew Johnson. 2021. "Do Gas Nanobubbles Enhance Aqueous Photocatalysis? Experiment and Analysis of Mechanism." Catalysts 11, no. 4: 511.

Review article
Published: 11 January 2021 in ACS ES&T Water
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The large number of pollutants in water requires the application of various water treatment techniques. However, it is time-consuming, costly, and laborious to experimentally determine effective techniques for pollutant removal. As an alternative solution, quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) modeling has been applied to water treatments, including adsorption, membrane filtration, coagulation, ozonation, the Fenton reaction, photolysis, and photocatalysis. This work is a critical review of the application of QSPR models to water treatment. This modeling approach has proven to be useful for both significantly reducing the experimental load and predicting the treatment characteristics and performance, which are based on the chemical structures involved, the availability of molecular properties with minimal computational cost, and the applicability for regulatory purposes. Although current studies can serve as a basis for further model development, methods of testing the applicability of QSPR models under environmentally relevant conditions have not been explored. We also examine current priorities in ongoing research and the potential development of QSPR models for water treatment applications.

ACS Style

Dion Awfa; Mohamed Ateia; David Mendoza; Chihiro Yoshimura. Application of Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship Predictive Models to Water Treatment: A Critical Review. ACS ES&T Water 2021, 1, 498 -517.

AMA Style

Dion Awfa, Mohamed Ateia, David Mendoza, Chihiro Yoshimura. Application of Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship Predictive Models to Water Treatment: A Critical Review. ACS ES&T Water. 2021; 1 (3):498-517.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dion Awfa; Mohamed Ateia; David Mendoza; Chihiro Yoshimura. 2021. "Application of Quantitative Structure–Property Relationship Predictive Models to Water Treatment: A Critical Review." ACS ES&T Water 1, no. 3: 498-517.

Journal article
Published: 11 January 2021 in Chemosphere
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This study reports on an easy and scalable synthesis method of a novel magnetic nanocomposite (GO/ZIF-8/γ-AlOOH) based on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets decorated with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), pseudo-boehmite (γ-AlOOH), and iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles by combining solvothermal and solid-state dispersion (SSD) methods. The nanocomposite was successfully applied to remove of diclofenac sodium (DCF) – a widely used pharmaceutical – from water. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the adsorption process and assess the interactions among the influencing factors on DCF removal efficiency; including contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial pH, solution temperature, and DCF concentration. Adsorption isotherm results showed a good fitting with the Langmuir isotherm model with an exceptional adsorption capacity value of 2594 mg g−1 at 30 °C, which was highly superior to the previously reported adsorbents. In addition, kinetic and thermodynamic investigations further illustrated that the adsorption process was fast (equilibrium time = 50 min) and endothermic. The regeneration of GO/ZIF-8/γ-AlOOH nanocomposite using acetic acid solution (10% v/v) after a simple magnetic separation was confirmed in five consecutive cycles, which eliminate the usage of organic solvents. The nanocomposite has also shown a superior performance in treating a simulated hospital effluent that contained various pharmaceuticals as well as other organic, and inorganic constituents.

ACS Style

Payam Arabkhani; Hamedreza Javadian; Arash Asfaram; Mohamed Ateia. Decorating graphene oxide with zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) and pseudo-boehmite offers ultra-high adsorption capacity of diclofenac in hospital effluents. Chemosphere 2021, 271, 129610 .

AMA Style

Payam Arabkhani, Hamedreza Javadian, Arash Asfaram, Mohamed Ateia. Decorating graphene oxide with zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) and pseudo-boehmite offers ultra-high adsorption capacity of diclofenac in hospital effluents. Chemosphere. 2021; 271 ():129610.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Payam Arabkhani; Hamedreza Javadian; Arash Asfaram; Mohamed Ateia. 2021. "Decorating graphene oxide with zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) and pseudo-boehmite offers ultra-high adsorption capacity of diclofenac in hospital effluents." Chemosphere 271, no. : 129610.

Journal article
Published: 09 December 2020 in Cleaner Engineering and Technology
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Growing concerns of emissions from wildfires and burning of crop residues demand cleaner and efficient technologies to convert and utilize this residual biomass. The present study demonstrates a pilot scale moving bed biomass torrefaction reactor operating in oxidative medium to produce biochar for soil amendment. A series of experiments are conducted on pine shavings and rice husk, at conditions corresponding to different values of index of torrefaction (Itorr), ratio of higher heating value of torrefied biomass (i.e. biochar) to that of raw biomass. Air-biomass equivalence ratio dominantly governs the operating temperature and affects torrefaction more than the residence time. Product yields of scaled-up reactor differed from those of a smaller bench-top reactor, primarily because of differences in heat transfer within reactor and losses to the surrounding. A relatively linear relationship of Itorr is observed with biochar properties such as specific surface area, water retention capacity, bulk density, and electrical conductivity. When tested for soil amendment, the raw biomass and biochar treatments reduced soil pH by 0.2–0.3 in a season, with lowest pH values in case of pine shavings. Estimated nitrogen release and organic matter decreased with increasing Itorr, but most amendments had no significant effect on seed germination and the number of green shoots. Comparatively, heavy torrefied biomass treatments showed highest shoot heights and crop yield followed by light torrefied or raw biomass and control. Successful demonstration of a pilot scale reactor and encouraging effects on soil and plant growth suggest that commercial-scale oxidative torrefaction of various residual biomass is possible for soil amendment application.

ACS Style

Sonal K. Thengane; Kevin S. Kung; Ankita Gupta; Mohamed Ateia; Daniel L. Sanchez; Sanjay M. Mahajani; C. Jim Lim; Shahabaddine Sokhansanj; Ahmed F. Ghoniem. Oxidative torrefaction for cleaner utilization of biomass for soil amendment. Cleaner Engineering and Technology 2020, 1, 100033 .

AMA Style

Sonal K. Thengane, Kevin S. Kung, Ankita Gupta, Mohamed Ateia, Daniel L. Sanchez, Sanjay M. Mahajani, C. Jim Lim, Shahabaddine Sokhansanj, Ahmed F. Ghoniem. Oxidative torrefaction for cleaner utilization of biomass for soil amendment. Cleaner Engineering and Technology. 2020; 1 ():100033.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sonal K. Thengane; Kevin S. Kung; Ankita Gupta; Mohamed Ateia; Daniel L. Sanchez; Sanjay M. Mahajani; C. Jim Lim; Shahabaddine Sokhansanj; Ahmed F. Ghoniem. 2020. "Oxidative torrefaction for cleaner utilization of biomass for soil amendment." Cleaner Engineering and Technology 1, no. : 100033.

Research article
Published: 16 November 2020 in ACS ES&T Engineering
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Semiconductor photocatalysis is currently being explored as a treatment tool for wastewaters contaminated with poly-/perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as groundwater impacted by aqueous film-forming foams. While numerous catalysts have been shown to degrade perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) such as PFOA, research thus far has been confined to bench-scale evaluations that offer little insight into the practical aspects and potential energy efficiency expected during full-scale application. Herein, we advanced such understanding using the recently discovered Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 catalyst system (UV/BOHP) by first elucidating the basic PFCA degradation mechanisms and behavior, followed by comparisons among different photoreactor designs. The BOHP suspension degraded PFCAs primarily through direct heterogeneous oxidation by valence band holes, and kinetics correlated positively with chain length. Degradation of PFCAs was further compared between stirred immersion photoreactors, bench-scale confined-flow high-intensity slurry photocatalytic reactors (CHISPRs), and a larger commercial CHISPR system. Complete degradation (>99%) of long-chain PFCAs was observed in the immersion reactors within 60 min, while the CHISPRs degraded all PFAS tested within 20 min; however, control tests revealed that direct photolysis by vacuum UV was the main driver in the CHISPRs. Despite their faster kinetics, the energy consumption (per order removal) of PFOA photolysis in the unmodified CHISPRs was significantly higher (51–124 kWh/m3) compared to PFOA photocatalysis in the immersion reactors (25 ± 4 kWh/m3). Based on these findings, practical photoreactor design criteria were proposed which incorporate both photolysis and photocatalysis, and which have implications beyond just the UV/BOHP process.

ACS Style

Mojtaba Qanbarzadeh; Dawei Wang; Mohamed Ateia; Sushant P. Sahu; Ezra L. Cates. Impacts of Reactor Configuration, Degradation Mechanisms, and Water Matrices on Perfluorocarboxylic Acid Treatment Efficiency by the UV/Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 Photocatalytic Process. ACS ES&T Engineering 2020, 1, 239 -248.

AMA Style

Mojtaba Qanbarzadeh, Dawei Wang, Mohamed Ateia, Sushant P. Sahu, Ezra L. Cates. Impacts of Reactor Configuration, Degradation Mechanisms, and Water Matrices on Perfluorocarboxylic Acid Treatment Efficiency by the UV/Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 Photocatalytic Process. ACS ES&T Engineering. 2020; 1 (2):239-248.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mojtaba Qanbarzadeh; Dawei Wang; Mohamed Ateia; Sushant P. Sahu; Ezra L. Cates. 2020. "Impacts of Reactor Configuration, Degradation Mechanisms, and Water Matrices on Perfluorocarboxylic Acid Treatment Efficiency by the UV/Bi3O(OH)(PO4)2 Photocatalytic Process." ACS ES&T Engineering 1, no. 2: 239-248.

Article commentary
Published: 13 November 2020 in ACS ES&T Water
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ACS Style

John Paul Dees; Mohamed Ateia; Daniel L. Sanchez. Microplastics and Their Degradation Products in Surface Waters: A Missing Piece of the Global Carbon Cycle Puzzle. ACS ES&T Water 2020, 1, 214 -216.

AMA Style

John Paul Dees, Mohamed Ateia, Daniel L. Sanchez. Microplastics and Their Degradation Products in Surface Waters: A Missing Piece of the Global Carbon Cycle Puzzle. ACS ES&T Water. 2020; 1 (2):214-216.

Chicago/Turabian Style

John Paul Dees; Mohamed Ateia; Daniel L. Sanchez. 2020. "Microplastics and Their Degradation Products in Surface Waters: A Missing Piece of the Global Carbon Cycle Puzzle." ACS ES&T Water 1, no. 2: 214-216.

Review article
Published: 04 November 2020 in Chemosphere
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Regrowth of bacteria after water/wastewater disinfection is a serious risk to public health, particularly when such pathogens carry antibiotic resistance genes. Despite increasing interest in light-based disinfection using ultraviolet or solar radiation, the mechanism of bacterial regrowth and their concentration upon light exposure (i.e., during storage, or after discharge into rivers or lakes) remain poorly understood. Therefore, we present a focused critical review to 1) elucidate regrowth mechanisms, 2) summarize the pros and cons of available experimental designs and detection techniques for regrowth evaluation, and 3) provide an outlook of key research directions for further investigations of post-disinfection bacterial regrowth. Bacterial regrowth can occur through reactivation from a viable but non-culturable state, repair of photo-induced DNA damage, and reproduction of bacteria surviving disinfection. Many studies have underestimated the degree of actual regrowth because of the use of simple experimental designs and plate count methods, which cannot quantify actual abundance of viable bacteria. Further research should investigate the effects of various factors on bacterial regrowth in realistic conditions in regrowth tests and adopt multiplex detection methods that combine culture-based and culture-independent approaches. An accurate understanding of the mechanisms involved in bacterial regrowth following disinfection is critical for safeguarding public health and aquatic environments.

ACS Style

Manna Wang; Mohamed Ateia; Dion Awfa; Chihiro Yoshimura. Regrowth of bacteria after light-based disinfection — What we know and where we go from here. Chemosphere 2020, 268, 128850 .

AMA Style

Manna Wang, Mohamed Ateia, Dion Awfa, Chihiro Yoshimura. Regrowth of bacteria after light-based disinfection — What we know and where we go from here. Chemosphere. 2020; 268 ():128850.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Manna Wang; Mohamed Ateia; Dion Awfa; Chihiro Yoshimura. 2020. "Regrowth of bacteria after light-based disinfection — What we know and where we go from here." Chemosphere 268, no. : 128850.

Journal article
Published: 16 October 2020 in ACS Materials Letters
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ACS Style

Mohamed Ateia; Damian E. Helbling; William R. Dichtel. Best Practices for Evaluating New Materials as Adsorbents for Water Treatment. ACS Materials Letters 2020, 2, 1532 -1544.

AMA Style

Mohamed Ateia, Damian E. Helbling, William R. Dichtel. Best Practices for Evaluating New Materials as Adsorbents for Water Treatment. ACS Materials Letters. 2020; 2 (11):1532-1544.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohamed Ateia; Damian E. Helbling; William R. Dichtel. 2020. "Best Practices for Evaluating New Materials as Adsorbents for Water Treatment." ACS Materials Letters 2, no. 11: 1532-1544.

Journal article
Published: 23 September 2020 in Journal of Water Process Engineering
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A novel graphene oxide (GO)/sodium montmorillonite (NaMMT) polymer nanocomposite was synthesized using a simple and environmentally friendly solution-mixing-evaporation technique and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) analysis. The nanocomposite, as an efficient adsorbent with a surface area of 230 m2 g−1, was subsequently applied for the removal of malachite green (MG) dye from real wastewaters and the effects of MG initial concentration, contact time, solution pH, adsorbent dosage, and the solution temperature were thoroughly studied. The nanocomposite exhibited rapid MG adsorption by reaching to an equilibrium in 20 min and the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Isotherm experiments showed good fitting to the Langmuir model, and the highest adsorption capacity of the GO/NaMMT polymer nanocomposite was 1721 mg g–1 at the temperature of 30 °C (approximately double the capacity of the highest previously reported adsorbent). Thermodynamic investigations disclosed that the process was inherently spontaneous and endothermic. Taken together, the proposed GO/NaMMT polymer nanocomposite, with the excellent properties, such as facile synthesis, cost-effectiveness (over five reusable cycles without any significant loss of its efficiency), effectiveness in real wastewaters, lack of production of secondary pollutions, stable three-dimensional (3D) structure (allow easy handling and separation during application), have high potential to serve as a highly efficient adsorbent for water/wastewaters treatment applications.

ACS Style

Payam Arabkhani; Arash Asfaram; Mohamed Ateia. Easy-to-prepare graphene oxide/sodium montmorillonite polymer nanocomposite with enhanced adsorption performance. Journal of Water Process Engineering 2020, 38, 101651 .

AMA Style

Payam Arabkhani, Arash Asfaram, Mohamed Ateia. Easy-to-prepare graphene oxide/sodium montmorillonite polymer nanocomposite with enhanced adsorption performance. Journal of Water Process Engineering. 2020; 38 ():101651.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Payam Arabkhani; Arash Asfaram; Mohamed Ateia. 2020. "Easy-to-prepare graphene oxide/sodium montmorillonite polymer nanocomposite with enhanced adsorption performance." Journal of Water Process Engineering 38, no. : 101651.

Research article
Published: 15 September 2020 in Accounts of Chemical Research
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Organic micropollutants (MPs) are increasing in number and concentration in water systems as a result of human activities. Often from human origin, these micropollutants build up in the environment because organisms lack the mechanisms to metabolize these substances, which cause negative health, ecological, and economic effects. Adsorption-based remediation processes for these compounds often rely on activated carbon materials. However, activated carbons are ineffective against certain MPs, exhibit low removal efficiencies in the presence of common aqueous matrix constituents, and require energy-intensive activation and regeneration processes. To overcome the deficiencies of traditional technologies, novel adsorbents based on molecular receptors offer promising alternative solutions. This Account describes the recent development of polymer adsorbents based on molecular receptors for removing trace organic chemicals from water. Polymer networks based on molecular receptors have high binding affinities for many MPs but, unlike activated carbons, have a specific molecule-binding mechanism that prevents these polymers from being fouled by matrix constituents such as natural organic matter. The size and hydrophobic pocket of the β-cyclodextrin receptor preferentially adsorbs target molecules such as organic micropollutants in the presence of matrix constituents, and the nature of the cross-linker tunes the binding affinity and selectivity of the adsorbent for specific classes of MPs, including those of varying charge and hydrophobicity. β-cyclodextrin polymers also exhibit rapid adsorption kinetics and are easily regenerated. This Account details β-cyclodextrin polymers made with three different cross-linkers, including a polymer that is postsynthetically transformed from a negatively charged polymer to a positively charged polymer to invert the polymer’s micropollutant adsorption profile. Morphological constraints have so far limited these cross-linked polymers’ ability to be used in commercial applications, but two methods to create larger and more uniformly sized particles for use in flow-through applications are described here. β-Cyclodextrin polymers are useful for trapping organic micropollutants such as bisphenol A, perfluorooctanoic acid, and many kinds of pharmaceuticals and pesticides, but their binding pockets are too large to capture micropollutants that are small or of high polarity. Other molecular receptors such as resorcinarene cavitands can target lower-molecular-weight MPs, including halomethane disinfection byproducts and industrial solvents, that are not bound strongly by β-cyclodextrins. These materials demonstrate the potential of expanding the library of polymers based on molecular receptors. Overall, these emerging adsorbents show promise for the removal of legacy and emerging MPs from water, as well as the ability to rationally tune the adsorbent’s structure to target the most persistent and toxic MPs.

ACS Style

Max J. Klemes; Luke P. Skala; Mohamed Ateia; Brittany Trang; Damian E. Helbling; William R. Dichtel. Polymerized Molecular Receptors as Adsorbents to Remove Micropollutants from Water. Accounts of Chemical Research 2020, 53, 2314 -2324.

AMA Style

Max J. Klemes, Luke P. Skala, Mohamed Ateia, Brittany Trang, Damian E. Helbling, William R. Dichtel. Polymerized Molecular Receptors as Adsorbents to Remove Micropollutants from Water. Accounts of Chemical Research. 2020; 53 (10):2314-2324.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Max J. Klemes; Luke P. Skala; Mohamed Ateia; Brittany Trang; Damian E. Helbling; William R. Dichtel. 2020. "Polymerized Molecular Receptors as Adsorbents to Remove Micropollutants from Water." Accounts of Chemical Research 53, no. 10: 2314-2324.

Journal article
Published: 25 June 2020 in Catalysts
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Photocatalytic nanofiltration (NF) membranes with enhanced flux and anti-fouling properties were prepared from a layered in situ nanocomposite of metal organic framework (i.e., UiO-66) and graphene oxide (UiO-66_GO) on a polyamide NF membrane using a pressure-assisted self-assembly method. For filtering pure water and humic acid, the composite membrane with a 10% UiO-66_GO loading (UiO-66_GO/NF-10%) showed a higher water flux (up to 63 kg/m2 h bar), flux recovery (80%), and total fouling resistance (33%) than the pristine NF membrane. Physical and chemical characterization revealed that this performance was attributed to improvements in hydrophilicity, porosity, surface smoothness, and charge repulsion. The UiO-66_GO/NF-10% composite membrane exhibited better physical stability with a relatively low mass loss (8.64%) after five washes than the membranes with mass loadings of 5 and 15 wt %. Furthermore, the UiO-66_GO/NF-10% composite membrane exhibited considerable photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (bandgap: 3.45 eV), which reduced irreversible fouling from 20.7% to 2.4% and increased flux recovery to 98%. This study demonstrated that surface modification with the UiO-66_GO nanocomposite produced a high-flux anti-fouling photocatalytic NF membrane, which is promising for water purification.

ACS Style

Rina Heu; Mohamed Ateia; Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic Nanofiltration Membrane Using Zr-MOF/GO Nanocomposite with High-Flux and Anti-Fouling Properties. Catalysts 2020, 10, 711 .

AMA Style

Rina Heu, Mohamed Ateia, Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic Nanofiltration Membrane Using Zr-MOF/GO Nanocomposite with High-Flux and Anti-Fouling Properties. Catalysts. 2020; 10 (6):711.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rina Heu; Mohamed Ateia; Chihiro Yoshimura. 2020. "Photocatalytic Nanofiltration Membrane Using Zr-MOF/GO Nanocomposite with High-Flux and Anti-Fouling Properties." Catalysts 10, no. 6: 711.

Journal article
Published: 12 May 2020 in Journal of Composites Science
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Nanocomposites of UiO-66 and graphene oxide (UiO-66_GO) were prepared with different GO contents by a one-step hydrothermal method, and their photocatalytic activities for the degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) were investigated under ranges of GO loading, catalyst dose, initial pollutant concentration, and solution pH. The UiO-66_GO nanocomposites showed photocatalytic rate constant up to 0.0136 min−1 for CBZ degradation and its high overall removal efficiency (>90%) in 2 h. The photocatalytic rate constant over the UiO-66_GO nanocomposite was about 2.8 and 1.7 times higher than those over pristine GO and UiO-66, respectively. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity by GO was attributed to increased surface area and porosity, improved light absorption, and narrowed band gap. The composite also showed substantial recyclability and stability over five consecutive cycles of photocatalytic degradation. The experimental results indicated that O2●− and OH● are the responsible radicals for photocatalytic degradation, which helped us propose a photocatalytic mechanism for the enhanced CBZ photodegradation. This work provides a reference for the development of GO-based composite photocatalysts and expands the application of UiO-66 as a photocatalyst for the degradation of persistent micropollutants in water.

ACS Style

Rina Heu; Mohamed Ateia; Dion Awfa; Patiparn Punyapalakul; Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Micropollutants in Water by Zr-MOF/GO Composites. Journal of Composites Science 2020, 4, 54 .

AMA Style

Rina Heu, Mohamed Ateia, Dion Awfa, Patiparn Punyapalakul, Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Micropollutants in Water by Zr-MOF/GO Composites. Journal of Composites Science. 2020; 4 (2):54.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rina Heu; Mohamed Ateia; Dion Awfa; Patiparn Punyapalakul; Chihiro Yoshimura. 2020. "Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Micropollutants in Water by Zr-MOF/GO Composites." Journal of Composites Science 4, no. 2: 54.

Short communication
Published: 09 March 2020 in Chemosphere
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Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent global pollutants that are being detected in aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources around the world. In addition to plastic polymers, MPs contain various chemical substances (known as “additives”) that can leach and risk water quality. In this paper, we investigated for the first time the potential release of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) precursors when MPs are exposed to hydrolysis and/or degradation by simulated sunlight. Seventeen MPs with seven different polymer types were collected either as commercial products (e.g. drinking water bottles, shopping bags, recycled plastics, etc.) or pure/virgin polymers. Results showed high release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from five MP samples and a significant increase in bromide concentrations from four MPs. DBPs formation potential (DBPFP) experiments with MPs’ leachates showed higher concentrations of chlorinated trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), and total organic halogens (TOX) in three samples, while a significant shift to brominated DBPs was observed in samples containing bromide. Extending the leaching experiments to four consecutive cycles showed that the leaching of DOC and DBPs’ precursor significantly decreased after the second leaching cycle. Further analysis revealed that the reactivity of the leached DOC – indicated by THMFP yields – was comparable to those of several raw waters that supply drinking water treatment plants. The leached THMs and TOX from MPs that were exposed to UVA irradiation were in general higher than MPs that were run under dark conditions.

ACS Style

Mohamed Ateia; Amer Kanan; Tanju Karanfil. Microplastics release precursors of chlorinated and brominated disinfection byproducts in water. Chemosphere 2020, 251, 126452 .

AMA Style

Mohamed Ateia, Amer Kanan, Tanju Karanfil. Microplastics release precursors of chlorinated and brominated disinfection byproducts in water. Chemosphere. 2020; 251 ():126452.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohamed Ateia; Amer Kanan; Tanju Karanfil. 2020. "Microplastics release precursors of chlorinated and brominated disinfection byproducts in water." Chemosphere 251, no. : 126452.

Short communication
Published: 28 February 2020 in Science of The Total Environment
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Microplastics (MPs) have been recognized as transport vectors for micropollutants in the natural water environment and the food web; therefore, the sorption behavior of contaminant on MPs has recently gained an increased attention. However, a consensus has not yet been reached and information about the adsorption of water contaminants on real MPs remains elusive. Herein, we raise the question of “Should we continue using pure polymers as surrogates for real MPs?” This first systematic study compared the adsorption of multiple micropollutants (i.e. a pesticide, a pharmaceutical, and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)) on a large set of MPs (i.e. 20 well-characterized MPs) and kaolin. Material characterizations results showed various physicochemical and compositional differences between real and pure MPs. Pure polymers had lower normalized uptake values than real MPs in most cases. This was attributed to the surface roughness and/or the presence of fillers (e.g. talc and glass fiber) in real samples. Further, preloaded MPs with natural organic matter (NOM) showed an increased uptake of micropollutants due to forming a complex with NOM and/or co-sorption. These findings indicate that employing real MPs in research studies is critical for obtaining environmentally meaningful results, and the evaluation of MPs sorption behavior without NOM preloading can result in a significant underestimation for their actual values. We also provided an outlook the key areas for further investigations.

ACS Style

Mohamed Ateia; Ting Zheng; Stefania Calace; Nishanth Tharayil; Srikanth Pilla; Tanju Karanfil. Sorption behavior of real microplastics (MPs): Insights for organic micropollutants adsorption on a large set of well-characterized MPs. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 720, 137634 .

AMA Style

Mohamed Ateia, Ting Zheng, Stefania Calace, Nishanth Tharayil, Srikanth Pilla, Tanju Karanfil. Sorption behavior of real microplastics (MPs): Insights for organic micropollutants adsorption on a large set of well-characterized MPs. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 720 ():137634.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohamed Ateia; Ting Zheng; Stefania Calace; Nishanth Tharayil; Srikanth Pilla; Tanju Karanfil. 2020. "Sorption behavior of real microplastics (MPs): Insights for organic micropollutants adsorption on a large set of well-characterized MPs." Science of The Total Environment 720, no. : 137634.

Paper
Published: 24 February 2020 in RSC Advances
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Cellulose particles isolated from biodiverse sources are capable of capturing aldehyde VOCs.

ACS Style

Isaac Bravo; Freddy Figueroa; Maria I. Swasy; Mohamed F. Attia; Mohamed Ateia; Domenica Encalada; Karla Vizuete; Salome Galeas; Victor H. Guerrero; Alexis Debut; Daniel C. Whitehead; Frank Alexis. Cellulose particles capture aldehyde VOC pollutants. RSC Advances 2020, 10, 7967 -7975.

AMA Style

Isaac Bravo, Freddy Figueroa, Maria I. Swasy, Mohamed F. Attia, Mohamed Ateia, Domenica Encalada, Karla Vizuete, Salome Galeas, Victor H. Guerrero, Alexis Debut, Daniel C. Whitehead, Frank Alexis. Cellulose particles capture aldehyde VOC pollutants. RSC Advances. 2020; 10 (13):7967-7975.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Isaac Bravo; Freddy Figueroa; Maria I. Swasy; Mohamed F. Attia; Mohamed Ateia; Domenica Encalada; Karla Vizuete; Salome Galeas; Victor H. Guerrero; Alexis Debut; Daniel C. Whitehead; Frank Alexis. 2020. "Cellulose particles capture aldehyde VOC pollutants." RSC Advances 10, no. 13: 7967-7975.

Journal article
Published: 24 February 2020 in Water Research
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Natural organic matter (NOM) can inhibit the photocatalytic degradation of organic micropollutants (OMPs) through inner filter effect, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and competitive adsorption. However, previous studies have focused solely on the bulk properties of NOM and our understanding of the inhibition mechanism by NOM fractions during photocatalytic degradation of OMP is still fragmentary. In this study, five well-characterized different NOM samples (i.e., secondary treated wastewater, river water, and three standard NOM surrogates) were used to elucidate the inhibition mechanisms during photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine (a model OMP) using TiO2 and its composites with carbon nanotubes (CNT-TiO2) under UVC and solar-light irradiation. The results indicated that terrestrially derived NOM with high aromaticity, a low oxygen/carbon atom ratio, and large molecular weight is the major fraction that participates in ROS scavenging, competitive adsorption, and inner filter effect. Furthermore, the modeling analysis suggested that inner filter effect due to NOM and ROS scavenging was the most influential inhibitory mechanism. In the case of secondary treated wastewater, the presence of high concentrations of inorganic species (e.g., PO43−, Cl−, and NO3−) together with NOM significantly reduced the photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine. Overall, the methods and the results of this study provide a comprehensive understanding of the effects of NOM fractions on photocatalysis and highlight the need to further consider the interplay between NOM and background inorganic constituents in photocatalytic degradation of OMP.

ACS Style

Dion Awfa; Mohamed Ateia; Manabu Fujii; Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic degradation of organic micropollutants: Inhibition mechanisms by different fractions of natural organic matter. Water Research 2020, 174, 115643 .

AMA Style

Dion Awfa, Mohamed Ateia, Manabu Fujii, Chihiro Yoshimura. Photocatalytic degradation of organic micropollutants: Inhibition mechanisms by different fractions of natural organic matter. Water Research. 2020; 174 ():115643.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dion Awfa; Mohamed Ateia; Manabu Fujii; Chihiro Yoshimura. 2020. "Photocatalytic degradation of organic micropollutants: Inhibition mechanisms by different fractions of natural organic matter." Water Research 174, no. : 115643.

Brief communication
Published: 21 January 2020 in npj Clean Water
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Increasing cannabinoid use with the incipient favorable public discourse raises concerns about their environmental release and potential impacts. Concentration of common cannabinoids and their metabolites (e.g., THC and THC-COOH) are already detected in source waters and engineered water systems across the globe with a rising trajectory. This study examines the adsorption of THC and THC-COOH onto activated carbons in surface water-relevant concentrations and investigates the effect of carbon’s physicochemical properties. At higher equilibrium concentration (i.e., C e > 300 µg/L), adsorption of cannabinoids correlates with the sorbent-specific surface area. On the contrary, at lower concentrations (i.e., C e = 0.1–100 µg/L), cannabinoid adsorption was predominantly controlled by pore size of the carbon. More specifically, when the surface area was not limited (i.e., dilution conditions), cannabinoid molecules appeared to have preferably attached within the mesopores. The adsorption mechanism deciphered in the study will facilitate in selection of commercial activated carbon to remove cannabinoids in drinking water treatment systems. This work will also provide a baseline for further research on removal of other cannabinoids (e.g., CBD), other structurally relevant drugs, their metabolites, and reaction byproduct from engineered treatment systems.

ACS Style

Arsalan Khalid; Lewis Rowles; Mohamed Ateia; Minhao Xiao; Irwing Ramirez; Dhimiter Bello; Tanju Karanfil; Navid B. Saleh; Onur G. Apul. Mesoporous activated carbon shows superior adsorption affinity for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in water. npj Clean Water 2020, 3, 1 -5.

AMA Style

Arsalan Khalid, Lewis Rowles, Mohamed Ateia, Minhao Xiao, Irwing Ramirez, Dhimiter Bello, Tanju Karanfil, Navid B. Saleh, Onur G. Apul. Mesoporous activated carbon shows superior adsorption affinity for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in water. npj Clean Water. 2020; 3 (1):1-5.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Arsalan Khalid; Lewis Rowles; Mohamed Ateia; Minhao Xiao; Irwing Ramirez; Dhimiter Bello; Tanju Karanfil; Navid B. Saleh; Onur G. Apul. 2020. "Mesoporous activated carbon shows superior adsorption affinity for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in water." npj Clean Water 3, no. 1: 1-5.

Journals
Published: 09 December 2019 in Chemical Communications
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Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (PMO SiNPs) were developed for the targeted capture of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

ACS Style

Mohamed F. Attia; Maria I. Swasy; Mohamed Ateia; Frank Alexis; Daniel Charles Whitehead. Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanomaterials for rapid capture of VOCs. Chemical Communications 2019, 56, 607 -610.

AMA Style

Mohamed F. Attia, Maria I. Swasy, Mohamed Ateia, Frank Alexis, Daniel Charles Whitehead. Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanomaterials for rapid capture of VOCs. Chemical Communications. 2019; 56 (4):607-610.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohamed F. Attia; Maria I. Swasy; Mohamed Ateia; Frank Alexis; Daniel Charles Whitehead. 2019. "Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanomaterials for rapid capture of VOCs." Chemical Communications 56, no. 4: 607-610.

Review
Published: 22 November 2019 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters
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Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent and mobile fluoro-organic chemicals that have been detected in many water supplies, and their recommended safe concentrations in drinking water are as low as 6 ng/L. Current technological advances suggest that amine-containing sorbents can provide alternative solutions to PFAS control in the treatment of municipal water and wastewater at relatively low PFAS concentrations. The objective of this review is to provide critical analysis of the development and application of amine-containing sorbents for PFAS removal. The removal of PFAS by aminated sorbent relies on the combined effects of three main factors: i) the electrostatic interactions with functional groups of the sorbent, ii) the hydrophobic interactions with the sorbent and between PFAS molecules, and iii) the sorbent morphology. The design of next-generation sorbents should take into consideration these three factors and their relative contribution. We also provide an outlook and highlight of the key areas of innovative research needs to develop more efficient sorbents that will enable compliance with the increasingly stringent regulations of PFAS.

ACS Style

Mohamed Ateia; Alaaeddin Alsbaiee; Tanju Karanfil; William R. Dichtel. Efficient PFAS Removal by Amine-Functionalized Sorbents: Critical Review of the Current Literature. Environmental Science & Technology Letters 2019, 6, 688 -695.

AMA Style

Mohamed Ateia, Alaaeddin Alsbaiee, Tanju Karanfil, William R. Dichtel. Efficient PFAS Removal by Amine-Functionalized Sorbents: Critical Review of the Current Literature. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. 2019; 6 (12):688-695.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohamed Ateia; Alaaeddin Alsbaiee; Tanju Karanfil; William R. Dichtel. 2019. "Efficient PFAS Removal by Amine-Functionalized Sorbents: Critical Review of the Current Literature." Environmental Science & Technology Letters 6, no. 12: 688-695.