Carbonization of Invasive Plant Species—Novel Route for Removal of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients via Adsorption

The development of efficient adsorbents for sustainable adsorption processes is required in environmental studies. Here, we propose using carbonized Ailanthus altissima leaves as a novel adsorbent, derived from invasive species that threaten biodiversity. Biochar was prepared by pyrolysis at 500 °C,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inProcesses Vol. 12; no. 10; p. 2149
Main Authors Stojanović, Jevrem, Milojević-Rakić, Maja, Bajuk-Bogdanović, Danica, Ranđelović, Dragana, Otašević, Biljana, Malenović, Anđelija, Janošević Ležaić, Aleksandra, Protić, Ana
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 02.10.2024
Subjects
Activated carbon
Adsorbents
Adsorption
Atenolol
Biodiversity
Biomass
Charcoal
Efficiency
Environmental studies
Flowers & plants
Functional groups
Ingredients
Introduced species
Invasive species
Investigations
Lignocellulose
Native species
Nonnative species
Paracetamol
Pharmaceuticals
Potassium
Pyrolysis
Raman spectroscopy
Raw materials
X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Zinc chloride
Germany
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Summary:The development of efficient adsorbents for sustainable adsorption processes is required in environmental studies. Here, we propose using carbonized Ailanthus altissima leaves as a novel adsorbent, derived from invasive species that threaten biodiversity. Biochar was prepared by pyrolysis at 500 °C, activated with ZnCl2 and tested for the target adsorbates—active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). A range of characterization techniques were employed—FTIR, SEM, XPS and Raman spectroscopy—and the adsorption of representative APIs was analyzed. The adsorption kinetics revealed that the adsorbent reached equilibrium within a 3 h period. The adsorption capacities for the selected model substances ranged from 59 mg g−1 for atenolol to 112 mg g−1 for paracetamol, while the highest values were recorded for ketorolac and tetracycline at over 130 mg g−1. The excellent retention is ascribed to the developed surface area, the availability of oxygen surface functional groups and the aromatization of the biochar. The proposed biochar, which is obtained in a sustainable process, proves to be a highly efficient adsorbent for selected pharmaceuticals.
ISSN:2227-9717
2227-9717
DOI:10.3390/pr12102149