Characterization and Ofloxacin Adsorption Studies of Chemically Modified Activated Carbon from Cassava Stem


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Sulaiman N. S., Mohamad Amini M. H., Danish M., Sulaiman O., Hashim R., Demirel S., ...More

MATERIALS, vol.15, no.15, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 15 Issue: 15
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3390/ma15155117
  • Journal Name: MATERIALS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, CAB Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Keywords: cassava, ofloxacin, adsorption, kinetic study, activated carbon, RESPONSE-SURFACE METHODOLOGY, AQUEOUS-SOLUTION, EXPERIMENTAL-DESIGN, DYE ADSORPTION, PALM-SHELL, REMOVAL, KINETICS, WASTE, OPTIMIZATION, ANTIBIOTICS
  • Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Cassava is a type of crop popular in Asian countries. It can be easily cultivated and grows to a mature plant in 9 months. Considering its availability, this work studied activated carbon based on cassava stem. Ofloxacin was chosen as the adsorbate, simulating the wastewater from the pharmaceutical industry. Cassava stem was ground into particles and heated to the activated state, 787 degrees C. The cassava-stem-activated carbon was further treated with the surface modifier, namely sodium hydroxide and zinc chloride, to study the improvement in ofloxacin adsorption. Prepared adsorbents were characterised using the SEM, FT-IR, XRD, DSC and TGA methods before being evaluated through batch adsorption, thermodynamic, and kinetic studies. The surface area analysis indicates that treatment of the activated carbon with NaOH and ZnCl2 increases the surface area due to the removal of organic content by the chemicals. Better ofloxacin adsorption of all activated carbon samples can be obtained with solutions at pH 8. An endothermic reaction was predicted, shown by higher ofloxacin adsorption at a higher temperature, supported by a positive value of Delta H degrees in the thermodynamic studies. The negative values of Delta G degrees revealed that adsorptions were spontaneous. The higher R-2 values indicate that the adsorption process follows the pseudo-second-order equation of kinetic study. The maximum adsorption capacities are 42.37, 62.11, 62.89 and 58.82 mg/g for raw cassava stem (RC), cassava-stem-activated carbon (AC), NaOH-modified cassava-stem-activated carbon (NAC), and ZnCl2 modified cassava-stem-activated carbon (ZAC). The adsorption capacity is good compared to previous works by other researchers, making it a possible alternative material for the pharmaceutical industry's wastewater treatment.