• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.129-137
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• 2022

In this study, the removal of Ciprofloxacin (CPX) from aqueous solutions was investigated by a new activated carbon adsorbent prepared from orange peel (ACOP) with chemical activation using ZnCl₂. The physicochemical properties of orange peel activated carbon were characterized by proximate and ultimate analysis, scanning electron microscopy, BET surface area determination and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopic studies. According to Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm and non-local-density functional theory, the cumulative surface area, pore volume and pore size of ACOP were determined as 1193 m² g^-1, 0.83 cc g^-1 and 12.7 Å, respectively. The effects of contact time, pH, temperature and ACOP dose on the batch adsorption of CPX were studied. Adsorption equilibrium data of CPX with ACOP were found to be compatible with both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. CPX adsorption capacity of ACOP was calculated as 181.8 mg g^-1 using Langmuir isotherm. The CPX adsorption kinetics were found to be harmonious with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Conclusively, ACOP can be assessable as an effective adsorbent for the removal of ciprofloxacin (CPX) from aqueous solutions.

• Journal of Wellbeing Management and Applied Psychology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2023

Purpose: VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are all the organic compounds that react with solar rays and increase the concentration of ozone in the troposphere and are partially also known as carcinogens. The adsorption using activated carbon is usually applied to remove VOCs. Research design, data and methodology: The 20 places of surface coating facilities were selected to evaluate the emission amount of VOCs in Seoul. In addition, the removal efficiency of VOCs in 25 places of automobile coating facilities was evaluated. Results: The average emission amount of VOCs was 10.903 kg/hr from automobile coating facilities, while 3.520 kg/hr from other surface coating facilities. The removal efficiency in adsorption with the combustion catalytic process has the mean value of 87.9% and the regeneration efficiency of activated carbon has the mean value of 95.0%. Conclusions: The removal efficiency in adsorption with the biofiltration process has the mean value of 89.8% and the regeneration efficiency of activated carbon has the mean value of 94.8%. The removal efficiency in the plasma catalyst process has the mean value of 79.3%.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.303-310
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• 2006

The aim of this study is to assess the applicability of sericite in wastewater treatment particularly the removal of two important heavy metal toxic ions viz., Cu(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solutions. The batch type experiments showed that sericite is found to be one of useful natural sorbent for the removal of these two cations from aqueous solutions and it is also to be observed that with the increase in sorptive concentration amount of metal uptake increases and the concentration dependence data obtained are fitted well for the Langmuir adsorption isotherm rather than Freundlich adsorption model. Further, the Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity is found to be $1.674\;mg\;g^{-1}$ for Cu(II) and $4.697\;mg\;g^{-1}$ for Pb(II). Kinetic studies enabled, an apparent equilibria can be achieved between soild/solution interface within ca 10 mins for Cu(II) and ca 90 mins for Pb(II). Moreover, the removal behavior of sericite for these two metal ions is greatly influenced by solution pH.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.301-308
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• 2018

We investigated simultaneous removal of heavy metals such as Cr, Ni, and Zn by adsorption onto powdered activated carbon (PAC) and PAC modified with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (PAC-SDDC). Modification of PAC was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Both PAC and PAC-SDDC reached adsorption equilibrium within 48 h, and the adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second order reaction kinetics. The removal of metals was enhanced with increasing both adsorbent dosage and followed the descending order of Cr > Ni > Zn for PAC and Cr > Zn > Ni for PAC-SDDC, respectively. Adsorption kinetics followed pseudo-second order kinetics. Adsorption kinetic results were well fitted by the Freundlich isotherm except for Cr adsorption onto PAC. The optimum pH for heavy metal adsorption onto PAC was 5, whereas that for PAC-SDDC ranged from 7 to 9, indicating that modification of PAC with SDDC significantly enhanced heavy metal adsorption, especially under neutral and alkaline pH conditions. Our results imply that SDDC modified PAC can be applied to effectively remove heavy metals especially Cr in plating wastewaters without adjusting pH from alkaline to neutral.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2019

In this study, Malachite Green (MG) dye removal from synthetic wastewaters by adsorption process using raw boron enrichment waste (BEW) and it's modifications (with acid and ultrasound) were aimed. 81% MG removal was obtained by BEW at optimum equilibrium conditions (time: 40 min., dosage: 500 mg/dm³, pH: 5-6, speed: 200 rpm, 298 K). MG removal from wastewaters using acid modified boron enrichment waste (HBEW) was determined as 82% at optimum conditions (time: 20 min., dosage: 200 mg/dm³, pH: 10, speed: 200 rpm, 298 K). For ultrasound modified BEW (UBEW), the highest MG removal percent was achieved as 84% at optimum conditions (time: 30 min, dosage: 375 mg/ dm³, pH: 8, speed: 200 rpm, 298 K). The equilibrium data of Malachite Green was evaluated for BEW, HBEW and UBEW adsorbents by using sorption isotherms such as Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models, out of which Langmuir model (R² = 0.971, 0.987 and 0.984) gave better correlation and maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 147.05, 434.78 and 192.30 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation for sorption of MG onto wastes. A look at thermodynamic data reveals that natural sorption is spontaneous and endothermic because of free negative energy exchange and positive change in enthalpy, respectively. The results indicated that boron enrichment waste, and HCl and ultrasound-modified boron enrichment waste served as good alternative adsorbents in dye removal from wastewater.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2019.10a
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• pp.134-134
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• 2019

Utilization of organic waste as a renewable energy source is promising for sustainability and mitigation of climate change. Pyrolysis converts organic waste to gas, oil, and biochar by incomplete biomass combustion. Biochar is widely used as a soil conditioner and adsorbent. Biochar adsorbs/desorbs metals and ions depending on the soil environment and condition to act as a nutrient buffer in soils. Biochar is also regarded as a carbon storage by fixation of organic carbon. Phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) are strictly controlled in many wastewater treatment plants because it causes eutrophication in water bodies. P and N is removed by biological and chemical methods in wastewater treatment plants and transferred to sludge for disposal. On the other hand, P is an irreplaceable essential element for all living organisms and its resource (phosphate rock) is estimated about 100 years of economical mining. Therefore, P and N recovery from waste and wastewater is a critical issue for sustainable human society. For the purpose, intensive researches have been carried out to remove and recover P and N from waste and wastewater. Previous studies have shown that biochars can adsorb and desorbed phosphates implying that biochars could be a complementary fertilizer. However, most of the conventional biochar have limited capacity to adsorb phosphates and nitrate. Recent studies have focused on biochar impregnated with metal salts to improve phosphates and nitrate adsorption by synthesizing biochars with novel structures and surface properties. Metal salts and metal oxides have been used for the surface modification of biochars. If P removal is the only concern, P adsorption kinetics and capacity are the only important factors. If both of P and N removal and the application of recovery are concerned, however, P and N desorption characteristics and bioavailability are also critical factors to be considered. Most of the researches on impregnated biochars have focused on P removal efficiency and kinetics. In this study, coffee waste is thermally treated to produce biochar and it was impregnated with Mg/Al to enhance phosphates and nitrate adsorption/desorption and P bioavailability to increase its value as a fertilizer. Kinetics of phosphates and nitrate adsorption/desorption and bioavailability analysis were carried out to estimate its potential as a P and N removal adsorbent in wasewater and a fertilizer in soil.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.167-179
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• 2012

Pistachio shell (Pistacia vera) (PS), a low-cost material, has been utilized for the removal of the Cr(VI) ions after treatment with citric acid. Batch experimental steps were applied to obtain Cr(VI) ion adsorption details for the equilibrium between Cr(VI) and modified pistachio shell (MPS). The influences of contact time, pH, adsorbent dose and initial chromium concentration on the adsorption performance of MPS was investigated in detail. The results displayed that adsorption of Cr(VI) by MPS reached to equilibrium after 2 h and after that a little change of Cr(VI) removal efficiency was observed. The sorption percent is higher at lower pH and lower chromium concentration. Two possible mechanisms for reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) can be suggested in Cr(VI) removal. In the first mechanism, Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) by surface electron-donor groups of the adsorbent and the reduced Cr(III) forms complexes with adsorbent or remains in the solution. This Cr(III) is not adsorbed by adsorbent at pH 1.8. But in second mechanism, the adsorption-coupled reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) occurred on the adsorbent sites. The equilibrium sorption capacity of Cr(VI) ion after 2 h was 64.35 mg/g for MPS.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.661-665
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• 2004

As the concentration of ammonium nitrogen could be reached 2～3 mg/L in the winter in the river. It was clear that the excessive concentration of chlorinated organics could be produced with the increase of chlorine addition to remove ammonium nitrogen. In the innovative ammonium nitrogen removal process, zeolite adsorption is very efficient as substitute for rapid sand filtration without other adverse quality change in the water. This study is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of ammonium nitrogen removal and regeneration by zeolite adsorption in drinking water treatment. Also, the reuse possibility of zeolite is evaluated to change the removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen through several times of regeneration. The ammonium nitrogen was not removed in sand filter, but it was almost removed in zeolite filter during 7 days. The sand and zeolite filters have a similar result of turbidity removal. Therefore, zeolite filtration was confirmed the removal of turbidity and ammonium nitrogen as a media. When compared KCl with NaCl as a chemical for zeolite regeneration, it is demonstrated that KCl was more efficient than NaCl in the ability of zeolite regeneration. The adsorption rate of ammonium nitrogen was almost not decreased in the results of several times of regeneration. It is indicated that both zeolite and regeneration solution were possible to reuse without variation of regeneration rate through this study.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.121-128
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• 2023

This study introduces a NaOH/Zn-assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of zeolites derived from coal ash (CA). A zeolite/Zn adsorbent is successfully prepared by the activation of CA with NaOH and Zn; it is characterized by a high surface area and a negative surface charge.Methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) are selected as dye pollutants, and their adsorption onto the zeolite/Zn adsorbent is investigated. Results show the high adsorption capacities of MB and MO and that the negative surface charge facilitates electrostatic interactions between the adsorbates and adsorbents. The zeolite/Zn adsorbents shows the selective adsorption of positively charged dye MB via electrostatic interactions between the =NH+ group (positive dipole) and the oxygen functional group of the adsorbents (negative dipole). The selectivity for the positively charged dye is sufficiently high, with the removal efficiency reaching 99.41% within 10 min. By contrast, the negatively charged dye MO exhibits negligible absorption. These findings confirm the role of electrostatic interactions in the adsorption of MB, in addition to the effect of a large surface area. The results of this study are expected to facilitate the development of simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effective zeolite-based adsorptive composites from CA residuals for the selective removal of dye pollutants from CA waste.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 1995

The removal of heavy metals from synthetic wastewater containing Pb, Cr, Cd using previously washed and dried exhausted coffee was studied varying cohcentration, pH and temperature. All the heavy metals were removed in 3.0 minutes and the removal efficiency was maximum 80~90% with different pH and temperature conditions. The differences in removal efficiency between exhausted coffee and activated carbon under the same conditions were not seen. The removal efficiency was slightly increased with increasing pH in Cd and increasing temperature in Cr, respectively. The batch adsorption kinetics and adsorption equilibrium were examined and described by a first order reversible reaction and Freundlich isotherm, respectively. And the removal of Pb was found to have the best removal efficiency.