Adsorption of metformin flupentixol and atrazine using graphene oxide statistical optimization isotherm kinetics thermodynamics column studies

Abstract

Micropollutants from pharmaceutical industries are one of the emerging water contaminants causing potential threat to the ecosystem. Hence; we require an effective method to remove the micropollutants from wastewater for safe living. The graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized using Hummers method and characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectra, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Analysis, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Surface area analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Particle Size Distribution (PSD), Surface pH, Point of Zero Charge and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). newlineThe synthesized GO contains 8 to 32 and#956;m nanosheets and poses reasonable graphite domain with graphite (2and#952;=25.6and#730;) and graphene oxide (2and#952;=10.13and#730;) conformed by X-ray diffraction studies along with conjugated D and G bonds intensity by raman spectra. The GO was mesoporous, and has large surface area (187 m2/g), pore volume (0.12 cm3/g) and pore width (17 nm). newlineRemoval of three micropollutants namely metformin (MET), flupentixol (FPL) and atrazine (ATE) from aqueous phase using GO was investigated in batch mode. Six parameters such as agitation speed, adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, initial micropollutants concentration and contact time were investigated to know their effect on percentage removal of micropollutants in one factor time analysis, in order to fix the factors and their levels. It was noted that, agitation speed had negligible effect on the percentage micropollutants removal. Micropollutants from pharmaceutical industries are one of the emerging water contaminants causing potential threat to the ecosystem. Hence; we require an effective method to remove the micropollutants from wastewater for safe living. The graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized using Hummers method and characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectra, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Analysis, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Surface area analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)