Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

A Complete Method for Evaluating the Performance of Photocatalysts for the Degradation of Antibiotics in Environmental Remediation
Published on: October 6, 2022
Adsorption and precipitation of tetracycline with struvite
Sibel Başakçilardan-Kabakci1, Andrew Thompson, Elise Cartmell
1Istanbul Technical University, Chemical Engineering Department, Maslak-Istanbul, Turkey. basakcilardan@itu.edu.tr
Abstract:
The interaction of tetracycline with struvite during adsorption and precipitation processes was investigated. Tetracycline removal by adsorption was affected by solution pH, contact time, and struvite concentration. The lowest tetracycline removal (8.4%) was observed at pH 7.7, the dissociation constant (pKa2) of tetracycline. Because of the electrostatic repulsion, the amount of tetracycline adsorbed on the surface was low. The small amount of adsorption was the result of surface complexation between tetracycline ions and metal ions. Calcium (Ca2+) ions in the adsorbent enhanced the binding of tetracycline. Freundlich (KF: 0.04, n: 1.49) and Redlich-Peterson (KR: 0.08, alphaR: 0.98, betaR: 0.49) models best defined the equilibrium data. In the case of struvite precipitation, approximately 22% of tetracycline was removed as a result of binding to struvite alongside struvite formation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Urinary Tract Calculi III: Medical Management
Factors Affecting Solubility
Drug Elimination by Renal Route: Tubular Reabsorption
Gravimetry: Inorganic And Organic Precipitating Agents
Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium
Colloidal precipitates

