Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu

Prof. Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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4 September 2023 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
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ADAlina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Daniela Simina StefanDaniela Simina Stefan
Daniela Simina Stefan
Florentina Laura ChiriacFlorentina Laura Chiriac
Florentina Laura Chiriac
RTRoxana Trușcă
Roxana Trușcă
Adrian Ionut NicoaraAdrian Ionut Nicoara
Adrian Ionut Nicoara
MSMircea Stefan
Mircea Stefan
Bisphenol A is a remarkable chemical compound as it has many applications, mainly in the plastics industry, but it also has toxic effects on the environment and human health. This article presents a comparative study regarding the adsorption of BPA on Active carbon and zeolitic tuff, ZTC. In this paper, the characterization of the zeolitic tuff, adsorbent, was carried out from an elemental and mineralogical point of view, and it noted the pore size and elemental distribution, using SEM, EDAX, and XRD analysis. The pore size varies from 30 nm to 10 µm, the atomic ratio is Si/Al ≥ 4, and 80% of the mineralogical composition represents Ca Clinoptilolite zeolites and Ca Clinoptilolite zeolites ((Na1.32K1.28Ca1.72Mg0.52) (Al6.77Si29.23O72)(H2O)26.84). Moreover, a comparative study of the adsorption capacity of bisphenol A, using synthetic solutions on an activated carbon type—Norit GAC 830 W, GAC—as well as on Clinoptilolite-type zeolitic tuff—ZTC, was carried out. The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 20 °C, a pH of 4.11, 6.98, and 8.12, and the ionic strength was assured using 0.01 M and 0.1 M of KCl. The adsorption capacities of GAC and ZTC were 115 mg/g and 50 mg/g, respectively, at an 8.12 pH, and an ionic strength of 0 M. The Langmuir mathematical model best describes the adsorption equilibrium of BPA. The maximum adsorption capacity for both adsorbents increased with an increasing pH, and it decreased with increasing ionic strength.

22 September 2023 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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ADAlina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Daniela Simina StefanDaniela Simina Stefan
Daniela Simina Stefan
Florentina Laura ChiriacFlorentina Laura Chiriac
Florentina Laura Chiriac
ICIoan Calinescu
Ioan Calinescu
Annette Madelene DăncilăAnnette Madelene Dăncilă
Annette Madelene Dăncilă
MSMircea Stefan
Mircea Stefan
Ultrasonic technology (US) can be considered a very sustainable and efficient method to remove bisphenol A (BPA) from water. Compared with other methods, the proposed method has some advantages: a simple implementation on existing water treatment and purification facilities, it does not generate residual compounds that produce sludge, a relatively fast time is required for degradation (1–2 h), and high degradation efficiencies. In this work, we present the results regarding BPA degradation efficiency using the ultrasonic technique. The influence of frequency and of some additional compounds, such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), FeSO4 7H2O (FS), and ethyl anthraquinone (EAC), were studied. Three different frequencies were used: 1146 kHz, 864 kHz, and 580 kHz, at 50 W. The sampling, performed every 15 min, revealed that the highest BPA degradation was achieved after 60 min. Using the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique, the degradation compounds were identified. Pathways of BPA degradation were also proposed. The use of additives such as CCl4, FS, and EAC proved to have a positive effect on the BPA degradation process assisted by ultrasound. After 60 min of exposure, the degradation capacities reached values of between 50% and 75%, while the mineralization capacities were situated between 20% and 35%. CCl4 and EAC had a more pronounced stimulating action than FS, with the EAC having the highest mineralization capacity, representing around 75% of the degradation capacity.

1 August 2023 in Preprints.org
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Preprint
Open access
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ADAlina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Daniela Simina StefanDaniela Simina Stefan
Daniela Simina Stefan
Florentina Laura ChiriacFlorentina Laura Chiriac
Florentina Laura Chiriac
RTRoxana Trușcă
Roxana Trușcă
Adrian Ionut NicoaraAdrian Ionut Nicoara
Adrian Ionut Nicoara
MSMircea Stefan
Mircea Stefan
Bisphenol A is a remarkable chemical compound for its many applications mainly in the plastics industry, but also for its toxic effects on the environment and human health. BPA (4,4-isopropylidenediphenol) is an anthropogenic compound, moderately soluble in water (120 – 300 mg/l) at room temperature, and highly soluble in alkaline solutions, ethanol and acetone. BPA can bioconcentrate, bioaccumulate and biomagnify through food webs until it reaches humans. To prevent this, effective strategies are sought to allow its removal from the environment, through physico-chemical or enzymatic methods, advanced oxidation, adsorption and biodegradation, ultrasonic degradation. This article shows a comparative study regarding adsorption of BPA on Active carbon and zeolitic tuff, ZTC. In this paper, the characterization of the zeolitic tuff Rupea adsorbent, was carried out from an elemental and mineralogical point of view, pore size and elemental distribution, using SEM, EDAX, and XRD analysis. The pore size varies from 30 nm to 10 µm, atomic ratio Si/Al≥4, and the 80 % of mineralogical composition represent Ca Clinoptilolite zeolites Ca Clinoptilolite zeolite ((Na1.32K1.28Ca1.72Mg0.52)(Al6.77Si29.23O72)(H2O)26.84). Also, a comparative study of the adsorbtion capacity of bisphenol A from synthetic solutions on activated carbon type - Norit GAC 830 W, GAC, as well as on Clinoptilolite-type zeolitic tuff, ZTC, Rupea, was carried out. The experiments were carried out at a temperature of 20 ºC, a pH of 4.11; 6.98 and 8.12, and ionic strength being assured using KCl of 0.01 M, and 0.1 M. The adsorption capacities of GAC and ZTC tend to 115 mg/g and 50 mg/g respectively, at 8.12 pH and ionic strength of 0 M. The Langmuir mathematical model most faithfully describes the adsorption equilibrium of BPA. The maximum adsorption capacity for both adsorbents increases with increasing pH, and decreases with increasing ionic strength.

9 August 2023 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
ADAlina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Alina Marilena Dura-Pahontu
Daniela Simina StefanDaniela Simina Stefan
Daniela Simina Stefan
Florentina Laura ChiriacFlorentina Laura Chiriac
Florentina Laura Chiriac
MSMircea Stefan
Mircea Stefan
Annette Madelene DăncilăAnnette Madelene Dăncilă
Annette Madelene Dăncilă
MSMircea Stefan
Mircea Stefan
Bisphenol-A (BPA) represents an important co-monomer for obtaining polycarbonate, epoxy resins, flame retardants, in paint, and other chemicals products. Products containing BPA are widely used, and thus, we can find it in the environment: in the air, in the soil, in natural surface water and in sediments, underground water in landfills, and in wastewater. BPA disturbs human and animals’ health. This influences the enzymatic, androgenic, neurological, liver and reproductive systems at different stages of human life: like in fetal stage, children and adults’ stages. Taking these inconveniences into account, it is very important to remove BPA from water. Ultrasonic technology can be considered a verry sustainable and efficient method to remove BPA from water. The advantages of this method is easy to implement on existing water treatment and purification facilities, it does not produce residual compounds that produce sludge, the time required for degradation is of the order of 1-2 hours and the level of degradation is very high. In this work, we presented the studies on the efficiency of ultrasonics under air atmosphere on the degradation of BPA. The influence of the frequency and of some additional compounds such as carbon tetrachloride, FeSO4 7H2O (FS), and ethyl anthraquinone (EAC) was studied. Three different frequencies were used: 1146 KHz, 864 KHz, 580 KHz, at a power of 50 W. It was identified the efficiency of BPA degradation over a period of 60 minutes, with sampling every 15 minutes. Using the LC-MS/MS technique, the degradation compounds were identified that result from the application of ultrasound processes. Pathways of BPA degradation were also proposed.