Abstract: A method for removing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a sample includes contacting the sample with a bacterial strain for a time sufficient to degrade at least one polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. The sample includes coronene at a first concentration, and the bacterial strain is Halomonas caseinilytica. The method further includes degrading at least one polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and further collecting a product containing coronene at a second concentration that is lower than the first concentration.

Abstract: A sampler system for water contaminants. The sampler system includes an adsorptive sampler housed within a cylindrical enclosure, which has a top face, a bottom face and a cylindrical surface. The cylindrical surface of the sampler system is fluid-permeable. A cable connects the top face of the cylindrical enclosure to a flotation device. A spring connects the adsorptive sampler to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure. The adsorptive sampler incudes a housing having a cavity and an adsorptive material disposed inside the cavity. The housing is attached to the spring and includes a front face and a back face. The spring is a cantilever in the form of a rigid film, wherein the rigid film is connected to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure along a flat edge of the rigid film.

Abstract: A sampler system for water contaminants. The sampler system includes an adsorptive sampler housed within a cylindrical enclosure, which has a top face, a bottom face and a cylindrical surface. The cylindrical surface of the sampler system is fluid-permeable. A cable connects the top face of the cylindrical enclosure to a flotation device. A spring connects the adsorptive sampler to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure. The adsorptive sampler includes a housing having a cavity and an adsorptive material disposed inside the cavity. The housing is attached to the spring and includes a front face and a back face. The spring is a cantilever in the form of a rigid film, wherein the rigid film is connected to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure along a flat edge of the rigid film.

Abstract: A membrane-based inverted liquid-liquid extraction method for extracting an analyte from an unsupported aqueous liquid sample includes sealing the unsupported aqueous liquid sample in a porous membrane bag, immersing the porous membrane bag in an organic solvent, and extracting the analyte from the unsupported aqueous liquid sample to produce an extract within the organic solvent. The unsupported aqueous liquid sample is immiscible with the organic solvent. The porous membrane bag does not contain a solid sorbent.

Abstract: A membrane-biochar strip for water sampling includes two porous polymeric membrane sheets having the same dimension. The two porous polymeric membrane sheets have an average pore size of about 50 to 150 micrometers (?m). Seagrass biochar (SGBC) particles are disposed between two porous polymeric membrane sheets resulting in a sandwich structure. An edge of the sandwich structure is sealed, and the SGBC particles are encapsulated in the membrane-biochar strip. The SGBC particles have an average particle size of about 150 to 400 ?m. The seagrass biochar (SGBC) particles are prepared from Halodule Uninervis seagrass.

Abstract: A sampler system includes an enclosure having a top, a bottom and a sidewall that is fluid permeable. The sampler system further includes a sampler apparatus housed within the enclosure. The sampler apparatus includes a sampling component having a support structure and an adsorbent. The sampler apparatus further includes an oscillating component including a spring which connects the sampling component to the bottom of the enclosure. A retaining component includes a first magnet attached to the sampling component and a second magnet separated from the first magnet by a gap.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) including reacting a mixture of macroalgae and ethanol hydrothermally in an autoclave at a reaction temperature between 150 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 250° C. to form a suspension. The method further includes separating the CQDs from the suspension. The CQDs have a size of 1 to 5 nanometers (nm). The CQDs have a Stokes shift of at least 80 nm at an excitation wavelength of 270-410 nm.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) including reacting a mixture of macroalgae and ethanol hydrothermally in an autoclave at a reaction temperature between 150 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 250° C. to form a suspension. The method further includes separating the CQDs from the suspension. The CQDs have a size of 1 to 5 nanometers (nm). The CQDs have a Stokes shift of at least 80 nm at an excitation wavelength of 270-410 nm.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) including reacting a mixture of macroalgae and ethanol hydrothermally in an autoclave at a reaction temperature between 150 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 250° C. to form a suspension. The method further includes separating the CQDs from the suspension. The CQDs have a size of 1 to 5 nanometers (nm). The CQDs have a Stokes shift of at least 80 nm at an excitation wavelength of 270-410 nm.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) including reacting a mixture of macroalgae and ethanol hydrothermally in an autoclave at a reaction temperature between 150 degrees Celsius (° C.) and 250° C. to form a suspension. The method further includes separating the CQDs from the suspension. The CQDs have a size of 1 to 5 nanometers (nm). The CQDs have a Stokes shift of at least 80 nm at an excitation wavelength of 270-410 nm.

Abstract: A sampler system for water contaminants. The sampler system includes an adsorptive sampler housed within a cylindrical enclosure, which has a top face, a bottom face and a cylindrical surface. The cylindrical surface of the sampler system is fluid-permeable. A cable connects the top face of the cylindrical enclosure to a flotation device. A spring connects the adsorptive sampler to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure. The adsorptive sampler includes a housing having a cavity and an adsorptive material disposed inside the cavity. The housing is attached to the spring and includes a front face and a back face. The spring is a cantilever in the form of a rigid film, wherein the rigid film is connected to the bottom face of the cylindrical enclosure along a flat edge of the rigid film.

Abstract: Methods for preventing, inhibiting, or reducing metal (e.g. mild steel) corrosion in aqueous media utilizing a water-soluble formulation having a polyurea pre-dissolved in a polar aprotic solvent are described. The polyurea contains reacted units of a diisocyanate and a diaminoalkane. The effectiveness of the methods is demonstrated by corrosion inhibition efficiency and corrosion rate of metallic substrates in aqueous acidic environments using the water-soluble formulation.

Abstract: Methods for preventing, inhibiting, or reducing metal (e.g. mild steel) corrosion in aqueous media utilizing a water-soluble formulation having a polyurea pre-dissolved in a polar aprotic solvent are described. The polyurea contains reacted units of a diisocyanate and a diaminoalkane. The effectiveness of the methods is demonstrated by corrosion inhibition efficiency and corrosion rate of metallic substrates in aqueous acidic environments using the water-soluble formulation.

Abstract: A biochar-derived adsorbent preferably from Sargassum boveanum, macroalgae can be used for removing phenolic compounds, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,4-dimethylphenol, from aqueous solutions. The carbonization can improve the removal capability of the macroalgae adsorbent for such phenolic compounds with removal efficiencies of 60% or more from high salinity seawater and 100% from distilled water. The adsorption may occur through a mixed mechanism dominated by physisorption following pseudo second-order kinetics. The adsorption of the phenolic molecules may be spontaneous, endothermic and thermodynamically favorable.

Abstract: A method of forming an activated carbon sorbent from a seagrass. The method involves treating a seagrass with a base solution to form an intermediate solid, drying the intermediate solid to form a precursor, and pyrolyzing the precursor at 600 to 1000° C. to form the activated carbon sorbent. Preferably the seagrass is Halodule uninervis. The activated carbon sorbent is used in a method of removing an organic pollutant from a contaminated water. Preferred organic pollutants removed are phenols, specifically 2,4-dimethylphenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol.

Abstract: A method and an electrocatalytic electrode for electrochemically reducing carbon dioxide to methanol are provided. An exemplary electrocatalytic electrode includes copper (I) oxide crystals electrodeposited over an atomically smooth copper electrode.

Abstract: A biochar-derived adsorbent preferably from Sargassum boveanum, macroalgae can be used for removing phenolic compounds, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,4-dimethylphenol, from aqueous solutions. The carbonization can improve the removal capability of the macroalgae adsorbent for such phenolic compounds with removal efficiencies of 60% or more from high salinity seawater and 100% from distilled water. The adsorption may occur through a mixed mechanism dominated by physisorption following pseudo second-order kinetics. The adsorption of the phenolic molecules may be spontaneous, endothermic and thermodynamically favorable.

Abstract: A method for forming an atomically smooth surface on a copper electrode through electropolishing and the atomically smooth surface are provided. An exemplary method for forming an atomically smooth surface by electropolishing includes placing a copper foil in an electrolyte solution including ethylene glycol and phosphoric acid. The copper foil is coupled to a current source. Current is applied to the copper foil to electropolish the copper foil. The electropolishing is stopped when the electropolishing is completed.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting corrosion of metal in contact with a corrosive medium in an oil or gas field environment, whereby a formulation containing a polyurea is introduced into the corrosive medium in contact with the metal, wherein the polyurea is formed from a polymerization reaction between a piperazine having at least two reactive amine groups and a diisocyanate. The polyurea is introduced into the corrosive medium at a concentration of 1 to 250 ppm.

Abstract: A biochar-derived adsorbent preferably from Sargassum boveanum, macroalgae can be used for removing phenolic compounds, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,4-dimethylphenol, from aqueous solutions. The carbonization can improve the removal capability of the macroalgae adsorbent for such phenolic compounds with removal efficiencies of 60% or more from high salinity seawater and 100% from distilled water. The adsorption may occur through a mixed mechanism dominated by physisorption following pseudo second-order kinetics. The adsorption of the phenolic molecules may be spontaneous, endothermic and thermodynamically favorable.