Equilibrium and kinetic studies of the adsorption of antibiotics from aqueous solutions onto powdered zeolites

Author(s)

Ribeiro de Sousa, Diana Nara ^{[1, 2]} ; Insa, Sara ^[1] ; Mozeto, Antonio Aparecido ^[2] ; Petrovic, Mira ^{[1, 3]} ; Chaves, Thiago Faheina ^[4] ; Fadini, Pedro Sergio ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Girona, Sci & Technol Pk, Catalan Inst Water Res ICRA, H2O Bldg, Emili Grahit 101, Girona 17003 - Spain

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Quim, Lab Biogeoquim Ambiental LBGqA, Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Catalan Inst Res & Adv Studies ICREA, Passeig de Lluis Co 23, Barcelona 08010 - Spain

^[4] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Inst Quim, Rua Prof Francisco Degni 55, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Chemosphere; v. 205, p. 137-146, AUG 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 18

Abstract

The performances of two FAU-type zeolites with different SiO2/Al2O3 ratios were evaluated for the removal of antibiotics of three different classes, namely azithromycin, ofloxacin, and sulfamethoxazole, from aqueous solutions. Commercial zeolites were used, without any previous treatment. Use of a small adsorbent dosage resulted in fast antibiotic adsorption that followed pseudo-second order kinetics. The removals of azithromycin and sulfamethoxazole were highly pH-dependent, with low removal percentages observed under acid (pH 2.5-4.5) and basic (pH 8.5-10.5) conditions, respectively. The Freundlich isotherm model provided the best fits to the adsorption data. The adsorption mechanisms appeared to involve both electrostatic and H-bonding interactions. Using an antibiotics mixture, percentage removals of azithromycin and ofioxacin onto the zeolites of up to 79% were obtained. Both materials presented good adsorption (>50%) of azithromycin and ofioxacin from a real sample of effluent wastewater. The results showed that zeolites with FAU structure can be used as effective adsorbents for the removal of antibiotics with different physicochemical properties, including molecules with large volumes, such as azithromycin. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/11952-5 - Study of the formation of ordered hierarchical materials by a supramolecular structure in emulsions using zeolite precursors
• Grantee: Thiago Faheina Chaves
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/01314-7 - High silica zeolites for removal of pharmaceuticals in wastewater samples
• Grantee: Diana Nara Ribeiro de Sousa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor