Treatment of Heavy Metals in Water Accompanied with Oil and A Soil Using some Expired Drugs at Al-Wahat/ Libya

Abstract

Heavy metals associated with oil production sites are the main contamination source for surrounding environments and groundwater. Groundwater contamination with such heavy metals consist a real health concern due to its possibility to reach drinking water and irrigation water. In this study, the active chemicals in Picovit, Clara, Drill, Endocer Givescon, Hydral, Laxofin, Maxlase, Motilium, Orapen, Scopinal, Maltvitamin, and Xilone drugs have been used as chelating agents for heavy metals remediation, they are common medicines that are widely used after their expiration. The expired drugs were used to precipitate heavy metals present in the water found in the soil around petroleum production sites. Gravimetrically, different precipitation efficiencies have been recorded due to coagulation and/or chelating with the targeted heavy metals i.e., chromium, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, silver, cadmium, mercury, and lead. Factors of pH, Concentration of heavy metals, and the ratio of coagulant to targeted wastewater have been studied regarding the precipitation efficiency using the expired drugs (as coagulants). Results revealed that the optimum precipitation efficiencies have been recorded at applied pH, and the weight of metals precipitates were recorded. The obtained results can be considered as a preliminary study towards subsequent advanced investigations in the treatment of heavy metals from different pollution sites.