Assessing performance of atenolol removal from contaminated water using zero-valent iron impregnated apricot stone...

This study investigates the performance of zero-valent iron (ZVI) impregnated apricot stone-derived biochar (ZVI/ASB) for the removal of atenolol (ATL), a widely detected pharmaceutical pollutant, from contaminated water. The biochar was synthesized at pyrolysis temperatures of 800, 900, and 1000 °C, with ZVI/ASB-800 exhibiting the highest sorption capacity due to its superior textural properties, including a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 1162 m²/g and a well-developed porous structure. Characterization techniques such as X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the successful incorporation of ZVI and the material's enhanced physicochemical properties. Batch sorption experiments evaluated the effects of pH, sorbent dosage, stirring speed, and initial ATL concentration, with optimal conditions identified at pH 9, a dosage of 0.75 g/L, and a stirring speed of 250 rpm. The sorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics. The maximum experimental sorption capacity reached 129 mg/g, demonstrating competitive performance compared to commercial sorbents. Reusability tests showed a retention of 73.2 % removal efficiency after five cycles, highlighting the material's considerable stability. These findings underscore the potential of ZVI/ASB-800 as a cost-effective and sustainable sorbent for pharmaceutical pollutant removal, leveraging agricultural waste for environmental remediation.