title: Insight into sorption mechanism of phenanthrene onto gemini modified palygorskite through a multi-level fuzzy-factorial inference approach.
abstract: A multi-level fuzzy-factorial inference approach was proposed to examine the sorption behavior of phenanthrene on palygorskite modified with a gemini surfactant. Fuzzy set theory was used to determine five experimentally controlled environmental factors with triangular membership functions, including initial concentration, added humid acid dose, ionic strength, temperature, and pH. The statistical significance of factors and their interactions affecting the sorption process was revealed through a multi-level factorial experiment. Initial concentration, ionic strength, and pH were identified as the most significant factors based on the multi-way ANOVA results. Examination of curvature effects of factors revealed the nonlinear complexity inherent in the sorption process. The potential interactions among experimental factors were detected, which is meaningful for providing a deep insight into the sorption mechanisms under the influences of factors at different levels.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Communities, University of Regina , Regina , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: b Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Research, UR-NCEPU, University of Regina , Regina , Saskatchewan , Canada.|c Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Research, UR-NCEPU, North China Electric Power University , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Communities, University of Regina , Regina , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Communities, University of Regina , Regina , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Xiuquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: d Department of Civil Engineering , McMaster University , Hamilton , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000931:Antidotes / Q000737:chemistry*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006812:Humic Substances / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D006812:Humic Substances; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C031181:phenanthrene; C026325:attapulgite
keywords: Curvature effects; fuzzy set theory; interaction; multi-level factorial design; phenanthrene, sorption