Acetaminophen removal by calcium alginate/activated hydrochar composite beads: Batch and fixed-bed studies

Acetaminophen contamination in water sources is a growing concern globally. Traditional methods for pharmaceutical removal have limitations in scalability and efficiency. Activated hydrochar (AHC) has emerged as a promising adsorbent for pharmaceuticals. However, powdered AHC faces practical challenges in application. Prior research has shown that composite materials can enhance adsorbent performance. This gap motivated the development of AHC-based beads with added polymers. Alginate is known to improve bead stability and functionality. The need for a scalable and efficient adsorbent remains unmet. This paper contributes a novel composite bead system for acetaminophen removal. The study addresses the limitations of powdered AHC through a composite approach.

The study aimed to develop a composite material for acetaminophen removal from water. The focus was on combining activated hydrochar with calcium alginate in bead form. The objective was to enhance adsorption efficiency and practicality of AHC. The motivation came from the limitations of powdered AHC in real-world applications. The researchers sought to evaluate the composite's performance in batch and fixed-bed systems. The study aimed to determine adsorption capacity and kinetic behavior. The goal was to assess the role of alginate in improving adsorbent properties. This work provides insights into optimizing composite materials for pharmaceutical removal.

The study used brewer's spent grain to produce activated hydrochar. The hydrochar was combined with calcium alginate to form composite beads. The beads were characterized using surface area analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Batch adsorption experiments measured acetaminophen uptake under varying conditions. Fixed-bed column tests simulated real-world flow conditions. The adsorption capacity and equilibrium time were determined. The role of alginate was evaluated by comparing composite and pure AHC samples. The study combined experimental and analytical methods to assess bead performance.

The composite beads showed a surface area of 533.42 m² g⁻¹. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of new functional groups from alginate. Batch experiments reached equilibrium in 240 minutes with a maximum capacity of 165.94 mg g⁻¹. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic in nature. Fixed-bed experiments achieved a maximum capacity of 127.01 mg g⁻¹. The mass transfer zone in fixed-bed tests was measured at 5.89 cm. The addition of alginate significantly improved bead performance. These results suggest the composite beads are effective for acetaminophen removal.

The study demonstrated the effectiveness of calcium alginate/activated hydrochar composite beads. The composite material showed high adsorption capacity in both batch and fixed-bed systems. The addition of alginate improved bead functionality and adsorption performance. The endothermic nature of adsorption was confirmed through experimental data. The surface area and functional group analysis supported the mechanism of acetaminophen uptake. The fixed-bed results indicated practical applicability of the composite beads. The authors propose that this approach can enhance wastewater treatment for pharmaceuticals. The findings suggest that composite beads offer a scalable solution for acetaminophen removal.