Waste-derived activated carbons for removal of ibuprofen from solution: Role of surface chemistry and pore structure

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 100; no. 5; pp. 1720 - 1726
• Main Authors: Mestre, Ana S., Pires, João, Nogueira, José M.F., Parra, Jose B., Carvalho, Ana P., Ania, Conchi O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2009; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Activated carbon; adsorbents; Adsorption; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Catalysis; Charcoal - analysis; Charcoal - chemistry; Chemical Sciences; cork; Cork powder; decontamination; Environmental Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ibuprofen; Ibuprofen - chemistry; Kinetics; Material chemistry; municipal solid waste; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; Plastic waste; plastics; Pollution; Porosity; Refuse Disposal - methods; Surface Properties; Wastes; wastewater treatment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Purification - methods; Adsorption; Activated carbon; Ibuprofen; Cork powder; Plastic waste; Chemistry; Cork; Pore structure; Powder
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2008.09.039

The removal of a widespread used drug (i.e., ibuprofen) from water was investigated using high valuable carbon adsorbents obtained from chemical and physical activation of a bioresource (cork) and a municipal waste (plastic). The waste-derived carbons outperformed the adsorption capacity of commercial carbonaceous adsorbents due to their adequate features for the removal of the targeted compound. Regarding the adsorption mechanism, the results obtained point out that ibuprofen retention is favored in activated carbons with basic surface properties. On the other hand, the textural features also play an important role; the presence of a transport pores network (i.e., mesopores) is crucial to ensure the accessibility to the inner porosity, and the microporosity must be large enough to accommodate the ibuprofen molecule. Specifically, adsorbents with a large fraction of ultramicropores (pore widths <0.7 nm) are not adequate to effectively remove ibuprofen.