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Updated: May 28, 2026
08:01
Removal of Arsenic Using a Cationic Polymer Gel Impregnated with Iron Hydroxide
Published on: June 28, 2019
Adsorptive Removal of Emerging Antibiotic Contaminants from Aquatic Environments Using Magnetically Modified Biochar
Habib Ullah1, Durakshan Iqbal2, Waqar-Un-Nisa2
1School of Intelligent Electrical and New Energy, Hengxing University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
Toxics
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Iron-modified orange peel biochar effectively removes emerging antibiotics like levofloxacin and amoxicillin from wastewater. This sustainable adsorbent shows high efficiency and potential for practical water treatment applications.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Water Treatment
Background:
- Pharmaceutical residues, including antibiotics like levofloxacin (LVX) and amoxicillin (AMOX), contaminate aquatic environments, posing risks to ecosystems and public health.
- Conventional wastewater treatment methods struggle to remove these emerging contaminants effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize magnetically modified biochar from orange peel waste for antibiotic removal.
- To evaluate the efficiency of iron-modified biochar in removing LVX and AMOX from synthetic wastewater.
- To investigate the adsorption mechanism and optimize removal conditions.
Main Methods:
- Orange peel waste was converted into biochar and modified with iron for magnetic properties.
- Physicochemical properties were analyzed using FTIR, SEM, and EDX.
- Batch adsorption experiments were performed to assess the impact of various parameters (temperature, contact time, dosage, pH, concentration).
- Antibiotic concentrations were measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry.
Main Results:
- Iron-modified biochar (FeMBC) demonstrated significantly higher removal efficiencies for AMOX (90%) and LVX (92%) compared to raw biochar (RBC).
- Optimal conditions included 0.1 g adsorbent dosage, 10 mg L-1 initial concentration, 120 min contact time, and 30 °C.
- Adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, indicating monolayer chemisorption.
- Thermodynamic studies confirmed spontaneous and exothermic adsorption.
Conclusions:
- Magnetically modified orange peel biochar is a highly efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable adsorbent for removing emerging antibiotics from pharmaceutical wastewater.
- The material's properties facilitate easy separation, making it promising for practical water treatment.
- This approach offers a viable solution to mitigate pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic systems.
Keywords:
amoxicillinantibiotics adsorptionisotherm and kinetic modelslevofloxacinmodified orange peel biocharpharmaceutical wasteMore Related Videos
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