Abstract
The preparation of eco-friendly low-cost silkworm feces activated carbon (SFAC) for the removal of oxamyl pesticide from aqueous solution has been investigated in batch experiments. Structure and morphology of SFAC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The specific surface area and mean pore diameter were obtained as 75.219 and 0.2035 cm3 g−1, respectively. The effect of different physicochemical parameters such as initial oxamyl concentrations, activated carbon dose and contact time has been studied. The results showed that the oxamyl removal on SFAC was unaffected in the pH range of 2–10. The percent removal of oxamyl onto SFAC was 99.48% from aqueous solutions. The adsorption process attained equilibrium within 120 min of contact time. Equilibrium data were analyzed by the Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. Freundlich isotherm provided the best fit to the equilibrium data. Adsorption kinetic was fitted well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results revealed that SFAC could be used a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative to other adsorbents for the oxamyl removal from aqueous solution.
Highlights
The common usage of pesticides has some undesirable effects such as toxicity, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity [7, 10, 36]
The results revealed that silkworm feces activated carbon (SFAC) could be used a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative to other adsorbents for the oxamyl removal from aqueous solution
Silkworm feces activated carbon (SFAC) samples were first degassed under high vacuum at 350 °C for 8 h
Summary
The common usage of pesticides (hazardous compounds) has some undesirable effects such as toxicity, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity [7, 10, 36]. Oxamyl (methyl N0-dimethyl-N-[(methyl carbamoyl) oxy]-l-thiooxamimidate) is an oximino carbamate pesticide, systemic and active as an insecticide or a nematicide. It is used for the control of nematodes in vegetables, bananas, pineapple, peanut, cotton, soya beans, potatoes, sugar beet and other crops. It is characterized by high acute toxicity (LD50 = 2.5 mg/Kg). It can cause contamination of both ground and surface water resources. Various amounts of oxamyl have been detected in surface and ground waters during actual insecticide application, and after a long period of use
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