Comparison of optimised isotherm models for basic dye adsorption by kudzu

This study assesses the use of dried (5% w/w moisture) kudzu (Peuraria lobata ohwi) as an adsorbent medium for the removal of two basic dyes, Basic Yellow 21 and Basic Red 22, from aqueous solutions. The extent of adsorption was measured through equilibrium sorption isotherms for the single component systems. Equilibrium was achieved after 21 days. The experimental isotherm data were analysed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin and Toth isotherm equations. A detailed error analysis was undertaken to investigate the effect of using different error criteria for the determination of the single component isotherm parameters. The performance of the kudzu was compared with an activated carbon (Chemviron F-400). Kudzu was found to be an effective adsorbent for basic dye colour removal, though its capacity for colour removal was not as high as an activated carbon, the potential appeared to exist to use it as an alternative to activated carbon where carbon cost was prohibitive. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transesterification of vegetable oils on basic large mesoporous alumina supported alkaline fluorides-Evidences of the nature of the active site and catalytic performances

KF, LiF and CsF/A(2)O(3) catalysts with different loadings from 1 to 20 wt% were prepared using aqueous solutions of the alkaline fluoride compounds by wet impregnation of basic mesoporous MSU-type alumina. The catalysts were activated under At at 400 degrees C for 2 h and monitored by in situ XRD measurements. The catalysts were also characterized using several techniques: N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherms at -196 degrees C, FTIR, DR-UV-vis, CO2-TPD, XRD, Al-27 CP/MAS NMR. These characterizations led to the conclusion that the deposition of alkaline fluorides on the alumina surface generates fluoroaluminates and aluminate species. The process is definitivated at 400 degrees C. The fluorine in these structures is less basic than in the parent fluorides, but the oxygen becomes more basic. The catalysts were tested for the transesterification of fatty esters under different experimental conditions using conventional heating, microwave and Ultrasound irradiation. Recycling experiments showed that these catalysts are stable for a limited number of cycles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption of basic dyes from aqueous solution onto activated carbons

The aim of this research is to compare the adsorption capacity of different types of activated carbons produced by steam activation in small laboratory scale and large industrial scale processes. Equilibrium behaviour of the activated carbons was investigated by performing batch adsorption experiments using bottle-point method. Basic dyes (methylene blue (MB), basic red (BR) and basic yellow (BY)) were used as adsorbates and the maximum adsorptive capacity was determined. Adsorption isotherm models, Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson were used to simulate the equilibrium data at different experimental parameters (pH and adsorbent particle size). It was found that PAC2 (activated carbon produced from New Zealand coal using steam activation) has the highest adsorptive capacity towards MB dye (588 mg/g) followed by F400 (476 mg/g) and PAC 1 (380 mg/g). BR and BY showed higher adsorptive affinity towards PAC2 and F400 than MB. Under comparable conditions, adsorption capacity of basic dyes, MB, BR and BY onto PAC 1, PAC2 and F400 increased in the order: MB <BR <BY. Redlich-Peterson model was found to describe the experimental data over the entire range of concentration under investigation. All the systems show favourable adsorption of the basic dyes with 0 <R-L <I (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Confounds in pictorial sets: The role of complexity and familiarity in basic-level picture processing

Complexity is conventionally defined as the level of detail or intricacy contained within a picture. The study of complexity has received relatively little attention-in part, because of the absence of an acceptable metric. Traditionally, normative ratings of complexity have been based on human judgments. However, this study demonstrates that published norms for visual complexity are biased. Familiarity and learning influence the subjective complexity scores for nonsense shapes, with a significant training x familiarity interaction [F(1,52) = 17.53, p <.05]. Several image-processing techniques were explored as alternative measures of picture and image complexity. A perimeter detection measure correlates strongly with human judgments of the complexity of line drawings of real-world objects and nonsense shapes and captures some of the processes important in judgments of subjective complexity, while removing the bias due to familiarity effects.