Biobased nanofibers are increasingly considered in purification technologies due to their high mechanical properties, high specific surface area, versatile surface chemistry and natural abundance. In this work, cellulose and chitin nanofibers functionalized with carboxylate entities have been prepared from pulp residue (i.e., a waste product from the pulp and paper production) and crab shells, respectively, by chemically modifying the initial raw materials with the 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) mediated oxidation reaction followed by mechanical Keywords Cellulose Á Chitin Á Biobased nanofibers Á Heavy metal ions removal Á Purification technology Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

We investigated the speciation and extractability of Tl in soil developed from mineralized carbonate rock. Total Tl concentrations in topsoil (0-20 cm) of 100-1000 mg/kg are observed in the most affected area, subsoil concentrations of up to 6000 mg/kg Tl in soil horizons containing weathered ore fragments. Using synchrotron-based microfocused X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μ-XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (μ-XAS) at the Tl L3-edge, partly Tl(I)-substituted jarosite and avicennite (Tl2O3) were identified as Tl-bearing secondary minerals formed by the weathering of a Tl-As-Fe-sulfide mineralization hosted in the carbonate rock from which the soil developed. Further evidence was found for the sequestration of Tl(III) into Mn-oxides and the uptake of Tl(I) by illite. Quantification of the fractions of Tl(III), Tl(I)-jarosite and Tl(I)-illite in bulk samples based on XAS indicated that Tl(I) uptake by illite was the dominant retention mechanism in topsoil materials. Oxidative Tl(III)uptake into Mn-oxides was less relevant, probably because the Tl loadings of the soil exceeded the capacity of this uptake mechanism. The concentrations of Tl in 10 mM CaCl2-extracts increased with increasing soil Tl contents and decreasing soil pH, but did not exhibit drastic variations as a function of Tl speciation. With respect to Tl in contaminated soils, this study provides first direct spectroscopic evidence for Tl(I) uptake by illite and indicates the need for further studies on the sorption of Tl to clay minerals and Mn-oxides and its impact on Tl solubility in soils.

We report herein the preparation of 4-6 nm wide carboxyl-functionalized cellulose nanofibers (CNF) via the esterification of wheat fibers with cyclic anhydrides (maleic, phtalic, and succinic) followed by an energy-efficient mechanical disintegration process. Remarkable results were achieved via succinic anhydride esterification that enabled CNF isolation by a single pass through the microfluidizer yielding a transparent and thick gel. These CNF carry the highest content of carboxyl groups ever reported for native cellulose nanofibers (3.8 mmol g). Compared to conventional carboxylated cellulose nanofibers prepared via Tempo-mediated oxidation of wheat fibers, the present esterified CNF display a higher molar-mass and a better thermal stability. Moreover, highly carboxylated CNF from succinic anhydride esterification were effectively integrated into paper filters for the removal of lead from aqueous solution and are potentially of interest as carrier of active molecules or as transparent films for packaging, biomedical or electronic applications.

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Arsenic contamination in groundwater from crystalline basement rocks in West Africa has only been documented in isolated areas and presents a serious health threat in a region already facing multiple challenges related to water quality and scarcity. We present a comprehensive dataset of arsenic concentrations from drinking water wells in rural Burkina Faso (n=1498), of which 14.6% are above 10μg/L. Included in this dataset are 269 new samples from regions where no published water quality data existed. We used multivariate logistic regression with arsenic measurements as calibration data and maps of geology and mineral deposits as independent predictor variables to create arsenic prediction models at concentration thresholds of 5, 10 and 50μg/L. These hazard maps delineate areas vulnerable to groundwater arsenic contamination in Burkina Faso. Bedrock composed of schists and volcanic rocks of the Birimian formation, potentially harbouring arsenic-containing sulphide minerals, has the highest probability of yielding groundwater arsenic concentrations >10μg/L. Combined with population density estimates, the arsenic prediction models indicate that ~560,000 people are potentially exposed to arsenic-contaminated groundwater in Burkina Faso. The same arsenic-bearing geological formations that are positive predictors for elevated arsenic concentrations in Burkina Faso also exist in neighbouring countries such as Mali, Ghana and Ivory Coast. This study's results are thus of transboundary relevance and can act as a trigger for targeted water quality surveys and mitigation efforts.