Ibuprofen contamination from water sources has been increasingly alarming due to its environmentally accumulative retention; however, the strategies for ibuprofen-containing water treatment are still an enormous challenge. Herein, we described the utilization of metal-organic frameworks MIL-53(Fe) (MIL = Materials of Institute Lavoisier) for the adsorption of ibuprofen in synthetic solution. Firstly, the MIL-53(Fe) was solvothemally synthesized and then characterized using the X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. The optimization of ibuprofen adsorption over MIL-53(Fe) was performed with three independent variables including ibuprofen concentration (1.6–18.4 mg/L), adsorbent dosage (0.16–1.84 g/L), and pH (2.6–9.4) according to the experimental design from response surface methodology. Under the optimized conditions, more than 80% of ibuprofen could be eliminated from water, indicating the promising potential of the MIL-53(Fe) material for treatment of this drug. Kinetic and isotherm models also were used to elucidate the chemisorption and monolayer behavior mechanisms of ibuprofen over MIL-53(Fe).

Water contamination is an environmental burden for the next generations, calling for advanced methods such as adsorption to remove pollutants. For instance, unwanted biowaste and invasive plants can be converted into biosorbents for environmental remediation. This would partly solve the negative effects of invasive plants, estimated at 120 billion dollars in the USA.Here we review the distribution, impact, and use of invasive plants for water treatment, with emphasis on the preparation of biosorbents and removal of pollutants such as cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, nickel, mercury, chromate, synthetic dyes, and fossil fuels. Those biosorbents can remove 90-99% heavy metals from aqueous solutions. High adsorption capacities of 476.190 mg/g for synthetic dyes and 211 g/g for diesel oils have been observed. We also discuss the regeneration of these biosorbents.

BACKGROUNDWater purification of industrial effluents containing toxic organic dyes by low‐cost biomass‐based adsorbents is not only in accordance with environmental remediation policies, but also reduces total treatment costs. The conversion of Opuntia stricta Haw. biowaste, one of the most harmful invasive plants, into absorbents can lessen the ecological problems caused by this plant species as well as create more value‐added products for water decontamination. We report on the fabrication conditions of O. stricta zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4)‐loaded activated carbon (ZnFe2O4@AC) for the elimination of two types of dyes including Rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange (MO) and acid yellow17 (AY), with process optimization based on response surface methodology combined with Box–Behnken design. The optimized ZnFe2O4@AC was structurally characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction.RESULTSThe optimal ZnFe2O4@AC was attained at a 1.5 ZnFe2O4:OBC ratio, 5 h carbonization time and 519 °C pyrolysis temperature. In removing RhB, MO and AY by optimized ZnFe2O4@AC, remarkable adsorption capacities (53.34–82.8 mg g−1) were achieved via confirmation tests with very low errors (<2%) and high desirability (>95%). Moreover, kinetic results suggested that the Elovich model was the best description for RhB and AY dye adsorption, whereas MO adsorption by ZnFe2O4@AC followed the pseudo‐second‐order model. The maximum adsorption capacities calculated from the Langmuir equation were determined in the order: AY (82.73 mg g−1) < RhB (125.13 mg g−1) < MO (180.51 mg g−1).CONCLUSIONZnFe2O4@AC derived from O. stricta could be recommended as a high‐efficiency bioadsorbent for the elimination of cationic, anionic and neutral dyes. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

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