Single and multi-component adsorption of psychiatric pharmaceuticals onto alternative and commercial carbons

Abstract

This work describes the adsorptive removal of three widely consumed psychiatric pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, paroxetine and oxazepam) from ultrapure water. Two different adsorbents were used: a commercial activated carbon and a non-activated waste-based carbon (PS800-150-HCl), produced by pyrolysis of primary paper mill sludge. These adsorbents were used in single, binary and ternary batch experiments in order to determine the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms of the considered pharmaceuticals. For the three drugs and both carbons, the equilibrium was quickly attained (with maximum equilibrium times of 15 and 120 min for the waste-based and the commercial carbons, respectively) even in binary and ternary systems. Single component equilibrium data were adequately described by the Langmuir model, with the commercial carbon registering higher maximum adsorption capacities (between 272 ± 10 and 493 ± 12 μmol g) than PS800-150-HCl (between 64 ± 2 and 74 ± 1 μmol g). Multi-component equilibrium data were also best fitted by the single component Langmuir isotherm, followed by the Langmuir competitive model. Overall, competitive effects did not largely affect the performance of both adsorbents. Binary and ternary systems maintained fast kinetics, the individual maximum adsorption capacities were not lower than half of the single component systems and both carbons presented improved total adsorption capacities for multi-component solutions.

Waste-based biosorbents as cost-effective alternatives to commercial adsorbents for the retention of fluoxetine from water

“…According to the Directive 2013/39 EU [7], there is an urgent need to evaluate new ways of reducing their input into the environment. The removal of pharmaceuticals by adsorption is one of most attractive techniques for the treatment of wastewater due to its versatility, low energy consumption, simplicity and high efficiency in the removal of pollutants [8][9][10]. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and synthetic zeolites in the adsorption of several pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic classes [11][12][13][14].…”

Competitive sorption affinity of sulfonamides and chloramphenicol antibiotics toward functionalized biochar for water and wastewater treatment

“…aromatics (Lian et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2016). To date, the majority of adsorption studies on the removal of different antibiotic residues by carbonaceous sorbents have been conducted using single solutes, and only a few studies were reported based on the competitive nature of micropollutants (Ahmed et al, 2017b;Calisto et al, 2017;Nielsen and Bandosz, 2016). In addition, the removal mechanisms of antibiotic mixture using different adsorbents are unclear.…”

Waste-based alternative adsorbents for the remediation of pharmaceutical contaminated waters: Has a step forward already been taken?

“…Consumption of pharmaceuticals has been increasing in the last few decades, 35 existing more than 3 000 active substances commercially available and a continuous 36 input of new molecules entering the market every year (aus der Beek et al, 2016;37 Calisto and Esteves, 2009), mainly due to the growth in the health-care sector 38 investment, the increase of the world population, the advances in science and research, 39 the high prevalence of chronic diseases and the rise of life expectancy (Akhtar et al,40 2016; aus der Beek et al, 2016; Calisto et al, 2017). 41…”