Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment Using Activated Carbon in a Fixed-Bed Column

Abstract

Though beneficial for health, pharmaceuticals have emerged as persistent environmental contaminants over recent decades. Discharges from wastewater treatment plants are a primary source of these pharmaceuticals in natural water bodies, as conventional treatment methods often fail to remove them effectively. Fixed-bed columns with GRANULATED ACTIVATED CARBON (GAC) are widely used in water treatment facilities to eliminate organic micropollutants; however, their efficiency in systematically removing pharmaceutical waste from wastewater still needs to be explored. This study evaluates the performance of a GAC fixed-bed adsorption column for removing ibuprofen, paracetamol, and ciprofloxacin from wastewater, focusing on contact time as a critical parameter. Key Findings: Initial concentrations of ibuprofen, paracetamol, and ciprofloxacin in the wastewater were 0.068 mg/L, 0.08486 mg/L, and 0.068 mg/L, respectively. After 45 minutes, the column achieved removal efficiencies of 100% for ibuprofen, 92.8% for paracetamol, and 67.6% for ciprofloxacin, with no significant changes in concentrations observed at 90 minutes. These results suggest that GAC fixed-bed adsorption columns can rapidly and effectively reduce pharmaceutical concentrations in wastewater, with ibuprofen showing complete removal in under an hour. This study contributes to understanding GAC’s effectiveness in treating pharmaceutical wastewater. It highlights the potential of optimised contact time for efficient removal, underscoring its viability as an industrial treatment option. Keywords: Pharmaceutical wastewater; emerging contaminants, adsorption