Removal of Trimethoprim by a Low-Cost Adsorbent: Influence of Operation Conditions

Dominguez-Vargas, Joaquin R.; Carrillo-Perez, Valentin; Gonzalez-Montero, Teresa; Cuerda-Correa, Eduardo M.

Removal of Trimethoprim by a Low-Cost Adsorbent: Influence of Operation Conditions

2012

Dominguez-Vargas, Joaquin R. | Carrillo-Perez, Valentin | Gonzalez-Montero, Teresa | Cuerda-Correa, Eduardo M.

A low-cost carbon black has been used as an adsorbent for the removal of trimethoprim (TMP) from aqueous solution. The kinetic and equilibrium aspects of the adsorption of TMP by this adsorbent were studied. The influence of different operation conditions, namely temperature (20–40 °C), pH (4–8), and ionic strength (0.001–0.1 M) on the removal efficiency of TMP by the adsorbent has been analyzed by applying a statistical design of experiments. Response surface methodology technique was used to optimize TMP removal. Temperature resulted to be the main variable influencing TMP removal, followed by pH. Analysis of variance test reported significance for three of the nine involved variables. An optimum TMP removal was found at pH 9.2, at a temperature of 47 °C and with a value of ionic strength equal to 0.48 M. Under these conditions, a maximum value of removal efficiency equal to 156.2 mg of TMP per gram of adsorbent was attained.

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