Preparation of New Activated Carbon-Based Adsorbent from Agricultural Waste of Eriobotrya Seeds for Efficient Drug Removal: A Regeneration and Isotherm Study

Discharges of toxic and hazardous pollutants into water, including pharmaceuticals, have become a critical environmental issue, given the toxicity and persistence of these chemicals even at low concentrations, posing serious threats to aquatic ecosystem health and species. As a result, the production of an efficient, non-toxic, cheap, and biodegradable biosorbent for decontamination has attracted a lot of attention. This study elaborated on a highly promising method for the preparation of a new class of activated carbon (AC۱) from an inexpensive, readily available plant raw material (Eriobotrya japonica) and its application as an adsorbent for the removal of the Arzneimittel, Rifampicin (RF). Adsorbent was characterized by FESEM, TEM, FTIR and XRD by applying different operating conditions. The systematic adsorption experiments were performed as a function of contact time, drug concentration, adsorbent dosage, and the point of zero charge (pHpzc). An additional experiment comparing AC۱ relative to activated carbon on the market (AC۲) was also carried out. The ideal conditions for adsorption of AC۲ (initial concentration ۴۰ mg/L, dose ۰.۰۶ g, and pH ۶) were established with a low removal efficiency (۶۰.۴۸%), whereas AC۱ shows ۱۰۰% removal efficiency (۹۹.۸۸%) at the end of ۶۰ min. Moreover, the adsorption isotherms were investigated, and they were found to fit the Freundlich model, indicating that the surface is heterogeneous and exhibits multilayer adsorption. Such outcomes confirm the potential of AC۱ as a powerful adsorbent for removing antibiotics from wastewater.

کلیدواژه ها:

Activated carbon ، Agricultural waste ، Eriobotrya seeds ، Rifampicin drug ، Adsorption