Adsorption of Amoxicillin using Oxidized Carbon Nanotubes of Aqueous Solution

Abstract

The extensive therapeutic repertoire of antibiotics for both humans and animals has resulted in the direct or indirect release of these compounds into the environment, particularly into water ecosystems. Traditional methods for eliminating antibiotic residue from wastewater have proven to be largely ineffective, leading to a need for alternative treatments. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the attention given to other methods of antibiotic residue elimination. This paper presents the kinetic adsorption of Amoxicillin (AMX) onto Oxidized multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (OMWCNTs). In the batch adsorption experiments, the focus was on exploring how initial concentration, temperature variations, and contact time affect the percentage of removal. Optimization strategies were then implemented to maximize the AMX adsorption capacity concurrently. A maximum of 98.71% AMX was removed at an optimum contact time 75 min and temperature 40 The rise in temperature led to an increase in adsorption capacity, signifying the endothermic nature of the adsorption reaction of AMX onto OMWCNTs, as observed in this study. When compared with other kinetic models, the R2 obtained using the PSO rate equation are markedly higher. Mechanisms such as electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and others facilitate antibiotic removal by OMWCNTs, providing technical backing for antibiotic wastewater treatment.