Abstract
Equilibrium sorption of the Thermally Treated Rice Husk (TTRH) for Sulfamethazine (SMT) adsorption was studied. The Physico-chemical properties of the modified rice husk were determined. The equilibrium sorption data were fitted into Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms. Of the three adsorption isotherm, the R2 value of Langmuir isotherm model was the highest. Also compared to other isotherms the AARE coefficient for the Langmuir isotherm is low, which indicates favorable sorption. The maximum monolayer coverage (qm) from Langmuir isotherm model was determined to be 19.11 mg/g, the separation factor indicating a favorable sorption experiment is 0.446. Also from Freundlich Isotherm model, the sorption intensity (n) which indicates favorable sorption and the correlation value are 1.84 and 3.79 respectively. The mean free energy was estimated from Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm model to be 9.18 KJ/mol which clearly proved that the adsorption experiment followed a physical process.
Highlights
In recent years, increasing awareness of water pollution and its far reaching effects has prompted concerted efforts towards pollution abatement [1,2,3]
The thermally treated rice husk was put in a desiccators for cooling before kept in a container for the adsorption experiments
Linearity of the plots indicated the applicability of the adsorption isotherm
Summary
In recent years, increasing awareness of water pollution and its far reaching effects has prompted concerted efforts towards pollution abatement [1,2,3]. The most important pharmaceuticals found in the waters are antibiotics, analgesics, painkillers, and hormonal drugs [6]. These chemicals find their way into the water via sewage systems of drug manufacturing plants, hospitals, and private households [7,8]. The amount of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment is low, but many decades, the worldwide consumption of antibiotics has increased continuously with the aim of improving human and animal health [9]. Antibiotics are widely used to as effective clinical pharmaceuticals to prevent and treat diseases, and they are mainly excreted into the aquatic and soil environments in unchanged and active forms [10,11]
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