Ionisable emerging pharmaceutical adsorption onto microwave functionalised biochar derived from novel lignocellulosic waste biomass

Olivera Paunovic; Sabolc Pap; Snezana Maletic; Mark A Taggart; Nikola Boskovic; Maja Turk Sekulic

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2019.04.011

Ionisable emerging pharmaceutical adsorption onto microwave functionalised biochar derived from novel lignocellulosic waste biomass

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2019 Jul 1:547:350-360. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.04.011. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Authors

Olivera Paunovic¹, Sabolc Pap², Snezana Maletic³, Mark A Taggart⁴, Nikola Boskovic¹, Maja Turk Sekulic⁵

Affiliations

¹ University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 6, Novi Sad, Serbia.
² University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 6, Novi Sad, Serbia; Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College, University of the Highlands and Islands, Thurso, Scotland KW14 7JD, UK. Electronic address: sabolcpap@uns.ac.rs.
³ University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, Novi Sad, Serbia.
⁴ Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College, University of the Highlands and Islands, Thurso, Scotland KW14 7JD, UK.
⁵ University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 6, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: majaturk@uns.ac.rs.

PMID: 30974250
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.04.011

Abstract

Functionalised biochar (WpOH) was prepared from wild plum kernels using simultaneous pyrolysis and microwave potassium hydroxide (KOH) functionalisation. This was then applied to the removal (from water) of an ionisable pharmaceutical - naproxen (NPX). Characterization of the WpOH was carried out using pH_pzc, SEM/EDX, BET, FTIR, XRD, and the principle adsorption mechanisms were thoroughly studied. A pseudo-second order kinetic model best described the reaction kinetic behaviour, and the Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit to the results. The maximum adsorptive interaction (73.14 mg/g) occurred between pH 5 and 7 through electrostatic attraction (the main interaction mechanism) between the negatively charged NPX and the positively charged WpOH functional groups. In addition, hydrogen-bonding and electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interactions were important. In a competitive study, using NPX and carbamazepine (a basic/amphoteric drug), the different nature/structure of the two compounds resulted in slight competitive adsorption. The results demonstrate the potential for wild plum kernel biochar to be used in the efficient removal of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals from water.

Keywords: Adsorption; Competitive adsorption; Emerging pharmaceutical compounds; Mechanisms; Microwave functionalised biochar.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Biomass
Charcoal / chemistry*
Charcoal / isolation & purification
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microwaves*
Naproxen / chemistry
Naproxen / isolation & purification*
Particle Size
Prunus domestica / chemistry*
Surface Properties
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
biochar
Charcoal
Naproxen