Synthesis and characterization of an NH4CL-induced Eskanbil activated carbon (EAC) for the removal of penicillin G from contaminated water

• Published in: Journal of environmental health science and engineering Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 483 - 493
• Main Authors: Hekmatshoar, Reza, Khoramnejadian, Shahrzad, Allahabadi, Ahamd, Saghi, Mohammad Hossien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2020; BioMed Central Ltd
• Subjects: Adsorption; Ammonium salts; Antibiotics; Contamination; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Economics; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental Health; Environmental Law/Policy/Ecojustice; Infrared spectroscopy; Iran; Penicillin G; Quality of Life Research; Research Article; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Water resources; Iran; Contaminated water; Penicillin G; Eskanbil activated carbon
• ISSN: 2052-336X; 2052-336X
• DOI: 10.1007/s40201-020-00476-x

Penicillin G (PG) is one of the most widely used antibiotics around the world. The release of PG in an aqueous solution leads to contamination of water resources. This study aimed to determine the efficiency of modified Eskanbil activated carbon for the removal of PG from aqueous solutions. The NH4Cl-induced activated carbon was synthesized by a simple method and used for the degradation of PG in contaminated water. Activated carbon was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The four main reaction parameters optimized in this study were pH, time, the concentration of the EAC (Eskanbil Activated Carbon), and initial PG concentration. The synthesized carbon was characterized and the results showed it as a mesoporous material with the BET specific surface area of 1473 m 2 /g and pore volume of 0.81 cm 3 /g. The maximum PG adsorption onto EAC was observed at the pH of 6. The PG removal of 33% at an EAC concentration of 0.1 g/L increased to 99.98% at an activated carbon concentration of 0.5 g/L. The isotherm and kinetic studies of PG removal by EAC showed that the Freundlich model (R 2  > 0.995) and the pseudo-second-order (R 2  > 0.983) equation represented the best fit with the adsorption data. EAC is recommended as a suitable and cost-efficient adsorbent for removing poisons, pharmaceuticals, and other emerging contaminants from water resources.