ABSTRACT The design of effective CO2 capture materials is a current challenge. Here, we report the synthesis of aminosilanes-functionalized MCM-41 and SBA-15 materials with high efficiency toward carbon dioxide adsorption. The functionalization of the mesoporous silicas involves a post-synthesis method by impregnation with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The carbon dioxide adsorption capacities for the samples were carried out under ambient pressures. The results evidenced that aminosilanes with a terminal amine were functionalized through covalent coupling of this group onto the channels' surface in the ordered mesoporous silica. It means that the amine is anchored on the surface of the largest pores of the MCM-41 and SBA-15 supports. The Lagergren kinetic model evidenced the enhanced carbon dioxide adsorption capacity and stability of the functionalized ordered mesoporous molecular sieves.

Abstract The various industrial sectors, as well as livestock and agricultural activities, are increasing the production of inputs to meet the demand of the worldwide demographic explosion, making a challenge the clean maintenance of water, soil, and air. Therefore, the search for solutions for a pollutant-free environment without compromising economic development has become extremely important. Thereby, biotechnological studies in order to solve environmental issues have been gaining extensive attention through the coupling of technology procedures to biological systems as sustainable solutions to remediate contaminated areas. In this sense, this review covers topics such as the role of Omics era in microbial environmental biotechnology for pollution control as well as the microbial fuel cell use in energy production. Moreover, phytoremediation and the perspective of applying chemical methods are approached as environmentally friendly tools for the pollutant control to improve remediation processes.

Resumen Los diversos sectores industriales, así como las actividades ganaderas y agrícolas, están aumentando la producción de insumos para satisfacer la demanda de la explosión demográfica mundial, lo cual dificulta el mantenimiento limpio del agua, el suelo y el aire. Por lo tanto, la búsqueda de soluciones para un medio ambiente libre de contaminantes sin comprometer el desarrollo económico se ha vuelto extremadamente importante. De este modo, los estudios biotecnológicos para resolver problemas ambientales han recibido una gran atención a través del acoplamiento de procedimientos tecnológicos a sistemas biológicos como soluciones sostenibles para remediar áreas contaminadas. En este sentido, esta revisión cubre temas como el papel de la era Ómica en la biotecnología ambiental microbiana para el control de la contaminación, así como el uso de celdas de combustible microbianas en la producción de energía. Además, la fitorremediación y la perspectiva de aplicar métodos químicos se abordan como herramientas ecológicas para el control de contaminantes y mejorar los procesos de remediación.

Chromate coatings used as corrosion protection technologies for aluminum alloys are environmentally harmful and extremely toxic. This paper presents an investigation on the deposition of environmentally friendly cerium oxide-based anticorrosive coatings on aluminum alloy 2024 substrates by the sol - gel method. The influence of the calcination temperature on both the microstructural characteristics and the electrochemical corrosion performance was tested using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), before and after, periods of immersion in saline corrosive solutions. The ceramic coatings synthesized at 200, 300 and 400 °C showed very resistive behaviors leading to both an efficient passivation of the alloy surfaces and good corrosion protection. This passivation was maintained for 30 days of immersion in saline solutions, as well as, when aggressive electrochemical polarization experiments (until 2.0 V versus saturated calomel electrode) were used. Very high resistances for the charge transfer (0.14-0.28 GΩ) and very low current density values (5 × 10- 14 -5 × 10- 11 A cm- 2) were estimated by EIS and potentiodynamic polarization, respectively, for coatings prepared at 200-400 °C. Thus, the coatings prepared in this study by the sol - gel method appear as an efficient treatment for the corrosion protection of aluminum alloys.