Nanostructured porous graphene for efficient removal of emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals) from water
Khalil, AMK; Memon, F; Tabish, TA; et al.Salmon, D; Zhang, S; Butler, D
Date: 16 May 2020
Journal
Chemical Engineering Journal
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Pharmaceutical pollutants have become a worldwide concern. These emerging contaminants
(ECs) are ubiquitously found in different water streams with concentrations above ecotoxicity endpoints,
deteriorating aquatic life and water quality. This study evaluated extensively the efficacy of porous
graphene (PG) synthesised at relatively ...
Pharmaceutical pollutants have become a worldwide concern. These emerging contaminants
(ECs) are ubiquitously found in different water streams with concentrations above ecotoxicity endpoints,
deteriorating aquatic life and water quality. This study evaluated extensively the efficacy of porous
graphene (PG) synthesised at relatively low temperature as a potential candidate for the removal of six
widely utilised pharmaceuticals from their aqueous solutions, such as atenolol (ATL), carbamazepine
(CBZ), ciprofloxacin (CIP), diclofenac (DCF), gemfibrozil (GEM) and ibuprofen (IBP). Detailed batch
tests were conducted to investigate the effects of adsorption time, initial EC concentration, PG dosage,
solution pH, and temperature. Treatment efficiencies of ECs removal by PG were compared with those
removed by carbonaceous counterparts (graphene oxide and graphite). Mixed solutions of these ECs were
treated in different water bodies to test PG as a tertiary treatment option. The mechanism of adsorption was
explored via thermodynamic studies, adsorption kinetics, and isotherm modelling, and characterisation of
PG sorbent before and after ECs adsorption using TEM, SEM-EDS, XRD, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy and
other analyses. The results revealed fast kinetics and adsorption capacities exceeding 100 mg-EC/g-PG for
some of ECs, and high removal efficiencies for trace concentrations of ECs (>99%) at a low dose of PG
(100 mg/L). Removal efficiencies of mixed ECs in water and wastewater samples suffered from negative
interferences, which can be mitigated by increasing the PG dosage. Adsorption processes were heterogeneous and controlled by physisorption. Further results showed the exothermic nature of the
enthalpy-driven adsorption process and the recyclability potential of PG. It can be considered that PG could
be used as a promising candidate for efficient treatment of water contaminated with ECs related to the
pharmaceutical group.
Engineering
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
Item views 0
Full item downloads 0
Except where otherwise noted, this item's licence is described as © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. Open access under a Creative Commons license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/