Preparation, characterization, and phenol adsorption of activated carbons from oxytetracycline bacterial residue

Abstract

The oxytetracycline bacterial residue–activated carbon (OBR-AC) prepared from oxytetracycline bacterial residue with K2CO3 under chemical activation was studied. The effects of activation temperature, activation time, and activation ratio on the specific surface area (SSA) and methylene blue adsorption (MBA) were studied. Characterization of the optimum OBR-AC was performed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pore structure (PS,) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The optimum parameters were as follows: 800°C activation temperature, 3 hr activation time, and 1:3 activation ratio. The SSA and MBA under optimum conditions were 1593.09 m2/g and 117.0 mg/g, respectively. Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics data were determined for the adsorption of phenol from the synthetically prepared phenol solution. The results showed that the Langmuir model gave the best fit for equilibrium isotherm, whereas the kinetics data were well fitted by the pseudo-second order model. Implications In the past, the bacterial residues have been used for feed additives in China. Unfortunately, doubts of its suitability as a feedstock have been raised because of the small amount of antibiotics, a large number of the fermentation by-products and metabolic products and by-products remaining in the bacterial residues. So Oxytetracycline Bacterial Residue (OBR) is one of hazardous wastes in China. In order to solve the problem of OBR, the preparation of OBR-AC is studied, and OBR-AC under optimum operation parameters is characterized by Scanning Eldctron Microscopy (SEM), Pore Structure (PS) and Fourier Transfer-Infra Red (FT-IR). Moreover, the phenol adsorption isotherms and kinetics models for OBR-AC under optimum operation parameters are studied.