In this study, the potential of adsorption of amoxicillin antibiotic (AMOX) from aqueous solutions using prepared activated carbon (AC) was studied. The used AC was prepared from an inexpensive and available precursor (sunflower seed hulls (SSH)) and activated by potassium hydroxide (KOH). The prepared AC was examined for its ability to remove AMOX from aqueous contaminated solutions and characterized with the aid of N2 -adsorption/desorption isotherm Brunauer–Emmett– Teller, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared. Zeta potential of the prepared activated carbon from sunflower seed hulls (SSHAC) were studied in relation to AMOX adsorption. The physical and chemical properties of SSHAC were analyzed and it showed successful preparation of SSHAC with a preferable surface area, micropores volume and average pore diameter of 928.706 m2 /g, 0.565 cm3 /g and 2.55 nm, respectively due to the hierarchical porosity of the prepared adsorbent. SSHAC exhibited a removal percentage of 95% for AMOX at a solution pH of 6, SSHAC dosage of 0.75 g/L and an initial AMOX amount of 50 mg/L. Equilibrium analysis were performed in a batch model within the range of 5–9 solution pH, 0.25–1.25 mg/mL SSHAC dosage and 50–250 mg/L AMOX initial concentration. The experimental data obtained were analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. The equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir model with a maximum AMOX adsorption capacity of 272.44 mg/g. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models were utilized to examine the kinetic data obtained at various inlet AMOX concentrations. The kinetic experimental data were well fitted with the pseudo-first-order equation. A proposed adsorption mechanism by π–π interactions were introduced. From the obtained results, SSHAC is recommended as a highly efficient adsorbent for removal of AMOX from aqueous solutions
Abstract
The present paper focuses in a particular on the study of the biochar production conditions by the thermal pyrolysis of biomass from local Iraqi palm fronds, in the absence of oxygen. The biochar product can be used as soil improvers. The effect of temperature on the extent of the thermal pyrolysis process was studied in the range from 523 to 773K with a residence time of 15 minutes and nitrogen gas flow rate of 0.1 l/min. The produced biochar was characterized as will as biomass and degradation products. The results showed that the rate of biochar production decreases with the increasing in temperature, also it was noted that the normalized biochar surface area and pore size increases with the increasin
... Show MoreThe current study aims to produce cellulase enzyme from Streptomyces spp. isolates and study the effect of some cultural conditions on cellulase production; biofuel production from cellulotic waste through enzymatic and acids hydrolysis. Out of 74 isolates of Streptomyces sp. were screened for cellulse production in solid and liquid media. Results showed higher capability of isolate Streptomyces sp. B 167 for cellulase production and bioconversion of cellulose, therefore selected for further studies. The results of optimization revealed that the cellulase enzyme productivity by the selected isolate reached 2.1 and 2.28 U/ml after 48 h of incubation time and pH 7 respectively. Cellulase productions in tested isolate improved (2.57 U/ml) b
... Show MoreThe current study aims to produce cellulase enzyme from Streptomyces spp. isolates and study the effect of some cultural conditions on cellulase production; biofuel production from cellulotic waste through enzymatic and acids hydrolysis. Out of 74 isolates of Streptomyces sp. were screened for cellulse production in solid and liquid media. Results showed higher capability of isolate Streptomyces sp. B 167 for cellulase production and bioconversion of cellulose, therefore selected for further studies. The results of optimization revealed that the cellulase enzyme productivity by the selected isolate reached 2.1 and 2.28 U/ml after 48 h of incubation time and pH 7 respectively. Cellulase productions in tested isolate improved (2.57 U/ml) b
... Show MoreFourteen morphologically varied Ricinus communis L. seeds were collected from different localities in Egypt, El-Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Seed morphology and ITS barcoding analysis were performed to assess their diversity and phylogenetic relationship. Sequence’s alignment of nrITS region from different accessions display high levels of genetic similarities. Cluster analysis could not group different accessions according to their geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the genetic barcodes are interestingly matched with the morphological features of the Ricinus seeds. In conclusion, seed morphology proved to be a valuable tool in evaluating biodiversity and phylogenetic relationship in plant species with different loca
... Show MoreIn this work we experimentally investigated SWCNTs and MWCNTs to increase their thermal conductivity and electrically functionalization process using different reagents ((nitric acid, HNO3 followed by acid treatment with H2SO4), then washed with deionized water (DW) and then treated with H2O2 via ultrasonic technique. Then repeated the steps with MWCNTs and compare their results in an effort to improve experimental conditions that efficiently differentiate the surface of the single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi walled carbon nanotubesi(MWCNTs) that less nanotubes destroy and to enhance the properties of them and also to reduce aggregation in liquid. the results were prove by XRD, and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FTIR sp
... Show MoreLarge quantities of contaminated carwash wastewater are produced per day from carwash places. Extensively it contains large quantities of chemicals from detergents, oil, grease, heavy metals, suspended solids, types of hydrocarbons, and biological contents. A novel electrocoagulation treatment by foil electrodes was conducted to remove COD, turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) from contaminated carwash wastewater and decrease its Electrical Conductivity (EC). A thin layer of aluminum foil is used as an electrode in this treatment process. The effects of different voltage and treatment times were studied. The best result was found at a voltage of 30 volts and treatment time 90 minute where the removal efficiency of COD
... Show MoreProteases have various applications in the food, pharmaceutical, medicine, pathogenicity of some pathogenic bacteria, and detergent sectors as well as meeting the needs of approximately 60% of the global enzyme industry, whereas they catalyze the breakdown of protein molecules into peptides and amino acids. Production and purification of protease enzyme by the isolate Escherichia coli AJ55 was scrutinized in the present study. Cultivation optimum conditions, were various complex medium, carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, pH of the medium, and time of incubation were optimized to enhance the total protease production in shake flask culture of E.coli AJ55. The nutrient broth supplemented with 2% gluco
... Show MoreThin films of microcrystalline and nanocrystalline -silicon carbide and silicon, where deposited on glass substrate with substrate temperature ranging from 350-400C, with deposition rate 0.5nm per pulse, by laser induced chemical vapor deposition. The deposition induced by TEACO2 laser. The reactant gases (SiH4 and C2H4) photo decompose throughout collision associated multiple photon dissociate. Such inhomogeneous film structure containing crystalline silicon, silicon carbide and amorphous silicon carbide matrix, give rise to a new type of material nanocrystalline silicon carbide in which the optical transmittance is governed by amorphous SiC phase while nanocrystalline grain are responsible for the conduction processes. This new m
... Show MoreThis work studies the performance of zeolite permeable reactive barrier in removing cadmium from a contaminated shallow aquifer. Batch tests have been performed to characterize the equilibrium sorption properties of the zeolite in cadmium-containing aqueous solutions. A 1D numerical finite difference model has been developed to describe pollutant transport within groundwater taking pollutant sorption on the permeable reactive barrier (PRB), which is performed by Langmuir equation, into account. Numerical results show that the PRB starts to saturate after a period of time (~120 h) due to reduction of the retardation factor, indicating a decrease in the percentage of zeolite functionality. However, a reasonable agreement between model predict
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