Photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) from spiked aqueous solutions, via a UV/TiO₂ system, was investigated, and the optimum photocatalyst type (P25 Degussa) and dose (500 mg/L), as well as irradiation time (45 min), were established. The degradation process kinetics was studied, and a degradation rate constant of 3.14 × 10⁻⁵ M min⁻¹ was calculated for CBZ, using the Langmuir–Hinshelwood equation. Experiments performed in the presence of scavengers showed that the main reactive species involved in the degradation process are holes and free hydroxyl radicals; superoxide radicals also play a role in CBZ degradation. Eight transformation products of CBZ were identified, and a possible degradation pathway, consisting of four routes, was proposed. Toxicity and genotoxicity tests were also performed for both untreated and treated CBZ solutions, proving that the use of a UV/TiO₂ system represents a suitable treatment approach for aqueous systems with CBZ content.

The increasing demand for efficient wastewater treatment technologies, driven by global population growth and industrialisation, highlights the necessity for advanced, reliable solutions. This study investigated the efficacy of a slurry photocatalytic membrane reactor (PMR) for the advanced removal of organic pollutants, quantified via chemical oxygen demand (COD), under natural and simulated solar light irradiation. Employing two variants of iron-doped titania as photocatalysts and a polysulfone-based polymeric membrane for the separation process, the investigation showcased COD removal efficiencies ranging from 66–85% under simulated solar light to 52–81% under natural sunlight over a 7 h irradiation period. The overall PMR system demonstrated COD removal efficiencies of 84–95%. The results confirmed the enhanced photocatalytic activity afforded by iron doping and establish solar-powered slurry PMRs as an effective, low-energy, and environmentally friendly alternative for the advanced treatment of municipal wastewater, with the research providing valuable insights into sustainable water management practices.

The article explains how to make thermoplastic construction materials by combining waste from chicken feathers with plastic waste. The initial phase focused on a new and environmentally friendly method of sterilizing raw feathers using microwave radiation inside sealed ovens with circulating air. Additionally, composites containing varying feather amounts using two different polymer matrices were fabricated through an injection process, followed by mechanical and physical tests on the samples. Because of their excellent characteristics, products made from a combination of chicken feather waste and plastic waste could effectively replace traditional wood–plastic composites that are polyvinyl chloride-based. The recycling technology was assessed for its environmental impact, and sustainability was proven economically and environmentally.

Adsorption methods represent a common practice used for heavy metals removal from aqueous solutions. As adsorbent material, zeolites have an excellent adsorption capacity and present low environmental impact. The zeolite used for this study was synthesized from fly ash, a residue generated by thermal power plants, considering the need to reduce fly ash deposits and transform it into useful materials as part of the circular economy. Fly ash conversion to zeolite was performed via a modified hydrothermal method. To investigate the synthetic zeolite structure Scanning Electronic Microscopy, Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were used. Chemical composition was revealed by X-ray Fluorescence and thermal behavior was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The influence of adsorbent dose and pH upon adsorption capacity of synthesized zeolite for Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺ was investigated. The effect of contact time on the adsorption capacity of Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ was evaluated and it was found that the system reaches equilibrium after 30 min for Ni²⁺ and 60 min for Cd²⁺ due to the saturation of zeolite pores with metallic ions. It was found that the Langmuir model (Lineweaver-Burk equation) better describes the adsorption of both Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺. The adsorption kinetics obeys the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (k₂ = 0.0851 g/mg min for Ni²⁺ and k₂ = 0.1780 g/mg min for Cd²⁺). The adsorption capacity of synthesized was found to be 13 mg/g for Ni²⁺ (initial Ni²⁺ solution concentration = 30 mg/L) and 17 mg/g for Cd²⁺ (initial Cd²⁺ solution concentration = 35 mg/L) at an adsorbent dose of 2 g/L and a contact time of 30 min. Reusability of the zeolite was also tested and it was found that it can be used for 5 cycles. The experimental study revealed that zeolite obtained from fly ash waste generated by a thermal plant represents a viable and sustainable alternative for removal Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ from aqueous solution.

The per capita availability of freshwater resources on a global scale is gradually decreasing due to population growth, rapid urbanization, industrialization, and modern lifestyles. In this situation, wastewater management becomes a major concern. Conventional treatment processes used to treat wastewater discharges are not adequate for the advanced removal of pollutants, especially refractory organic pollutants, which are mainly organic compounds that are not easily biodegradable in the environment. The use of photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) for tertiary wastewater treatment has attracted much interest in recent periods, and various configurations have been investigated. The performance of a PMR using an iron doped titanium photo catalyst and Polysulfone-based polymeric membrane for municipal wastewater treatment was evaluated under natural and simulated solar light. Obtained results proved that solar driven PMRs can remove organic loading (COD) with high efficiencies and may represent a suitable alternative for the tertiary treatment step of municipal wastewater.

Fly ash-TiO₂ composites were obtained by sol–gel, and their catalytic performance was evaluated on removal of organic loading and expressed as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from real wastewater samples. SEM, X-ray fluorescence, XRD, IR, Raman analysis and determination of PZC characterized the catalysts. The photocatalytic tests were carried out in a laboratory reactor under UV-VIS irradiation and influence of fly ash (FA) content, and irradiation time was investigated. The catalysts with FA content of 10%, 20% and 30% showed COD removal efficiencies higher than 50% after 5 h of irradiation. The COD degradation followed a pseudo-first order kinetic model. Obtained results proved that FA-TiO₂ composites could represent a suitable alternative for removal of organic loading from real wastewater.