Adsorptive decontamination of antibiotic-spiked water and milk using commercial and modified activated carbons. Issue 4 (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ge, Xinyu; Wu, Zhilin; Manzoli, Maela; Bonelli, Barbara; Mantegna, Stefano; Kunz, Werner; Cravotto, Giancarlo
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental chemical engineering. Volume 9:Issue 4(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Activated carbon -- Antibiotics adsorption -- Ultrasound -- Microwaves -- Carbon surface modification -- Milk decontamination; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Environmental aspects; Environmental engineering; Periodicals; 660.0286
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.105544
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2213-2929

Abstract

Abstract: This study deals with the removal of antibiotics from contaminated water and milk using pristine and modified activated carbons (ACs) from various biomass sources. Pristine ACs exhibited good removal efficiency ( RE ) for various antibiotics from aqueous solutions and milk. To further enhance adsorption performance, a wood powdered activated carbon (WPAC) was modified by oxidation with H2 O2 under shaking (SK), ultrasonication (US) and microwave (MW) heating, as well as MW calcination. As a result, US- and MW-assisted modifications lead to significantly higher adsorption performance for marbofloxacin (MAR) than pristine WPAC. An extended characterization was carried out on pristine and modified ACs to find structure-adsorption capability relationships and the results showed that the adsorption performance was promoted by the presence of newly formed/converted oxygen-containing functional groups upon modification. These groups rule the adsorption mechanism and the modifications allow adsorbent consumption and treatment costs to be greatly reduced, while providing similar adsorption performance. In particular, the removal of low concentration antibiotics from milk using ACs modified under MW-assisted calcination is efficient, economical and convenient, despite the presence of competition adsorption by impurities. In summary, adsorption using modified ACs is a highly promising technique for the decontamination of antibiotic-polluted water and milk. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Highlights: US-assisted activated carbon oxidation with H2 O2 promoted antibiotic adsorption. MW-assisted activated carbon oxidation with H2 O2 promoted antibiotic adsorption. MW calcination generates new functional groups enhancing antibiotic adsorption. Oxygen containing surface groups improve active carbon adsorption capability. Antibiotics were efficiently removed from water and milk by all modified activated carbons.