Enhanced Flotation for the Removal of Pharmaceutical Contaminants from Water Systems Using Graphene Oxide-CTAB...

This study investigates the removal of pharmaceutical contaminants ibuprofen and diclofenac from aqueous solutions using graphene oxide (GO) coated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a nanocomposite in a fully pressurized dissolved air flotation process. This novel approach leverages the surface-active properties of GO-CTAB to efficiently eliminate pharmaceuticals under optimized conditions. Characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ζ-potential, particle size analysis, surface tension measurements, contact angle assessment, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), validated the successful synthesis and efficacy of the GO-CTAB nanocomposite in pollutant removal. The process parameters were optimized, with the highest removal efficiencies achieved at a pH of 5 for ibuprofen and pH 4 for diclofenac, a surfactant dosage of 0.4 g, a pressure of 15 psig, and a rate of flow of 0.5 L/min. Under these conditions, removal efficiencies of 99.29% for ibuprofen and 95.31% for diclofenac were obtained, demonstrating the high performance of the GO-CTAB nanocomposite in treating low-concentration pharmaceutical contaminants. This study underscores the potential of the GO-CTAB flotation process as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and highly effective solution for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment, offering sustainability while minimizing chemical usage and environmental impact.