Comparative analysis of linear and nonlinear equilibrium models for the removal of metronidazole by tea waste activated carbon.

Tea waste was carbonized at 400 °C for 45 min and modified with potassium hydroxide (KOH), to enhance the active sites for the adsorption of antibiotics. The developed tea waste activated carbon (TWAC) was used as a novel eco-friendly and cost-effective adsorbent for metronidazole (MZN) removal from aqueous solution. The textural and surface properties of the adsorbent were determined using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and FT-Raman analysis. The BET surface was found to have increased from 24.670 to 349.585 after carbonization and KOH modification. The batch experimental parameters were optimized and equilibrium time was found to be 75 min. Linear and non-linear models were carried out on the adsorption isotherm and kinetics to determine the best fit for the adsorption data. The adsorption equilibrium data were well fitted by the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order models, with higher regression correlation (R2) and smaller chi-square (χ2), as predicted by the non-linear model. The thermodynamic results revealed the adsorption of MZN as spontaneous, physical, and consistently exothermic in character. The activation energy value of 7.610 kJ/mol further revealed that the adsorption process is dominated majorly by physical adsorption. The removal of MZN onto TWAC was best described by the non-linear adsorption isotherm and kinetics model.

Facile preparation of amine -functionalized corn husk derived activated carbon for effective removal of selected heavy metals from battery recycling wastewater.

In this work, an efficient and eco-friendly amine functionalized corn husk derived activated carbon with high adsorption capacity was prepared and utilized for Pb (II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) ions removal from battery recycling wastewater. The developed adsorbent was characterized to determine the surface morphology, elemental composition, surface chemistry and surface area using SEM/EDS, FTIR and BET techniques. The BET surface area of the corn husk (CH) and amine-functionalized corn husk activated carbon (AF-CHAC) was found to be 92.11 and 442.70 m2/g, respectively. The effect of adsorption variables which includes temperature, pH, contact time, and adsorbent dosage on uptake behaviour were all examined. Langmuir, Freundlich, Harkin-Jura, Elovich, and D-R isotherm models were fitted to the adsorption data. The adsorption of Pb (II), Cu(II), and Ni (II) ions followed a pseudo-second order kinetic and fit well to the Freundlich isotherm, indicating multi-layer adsorption and chemisorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II), Cu(II), and Ni(II) ions, was 2.814, 0.724, and 0.337 mg/g, respectively. According to the thermodynamic parameter values, the adsorption process was spontaneous, exothermic, and physical in nature, with an increase in randomness at the adsorbates-adsorbent interaction. The desorption and reusability experiments revealed that the AF-CHAC has a greater potential as an adsorbent, with a removal efficiency of 99 % after three cycles. Overall, the prepared amine functionalized corn husk derived activated carbon has advantages such as ease of preparation, cost effectiveness, and excellent recyclability, as well as high adsorption capacity, providing a new approach for efficiently treating battery recycling wastewater contaminated with heavy metal ions.