Evaluation of the Efficacy of Modified Activated Carbon for the Removal of Penicillin G from Aqueous Solutions

Penicillin G (PG) is one of the most widely antibiotics used around the world. The release of PG in an aqueous solution leads to contamination of water resources. This study aimed to determine the efficiency of modified Eskanbil activated carbon for the removal of PG from aqueous solutions. The NH4Cl-induced activated carbon was synthesized by a simple method and used for the degradation of PG in contaminated water.

Activated carbon was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The influence of important parameters including solution pH, contact time, and initial PG concentration, and dosage of adsorbent was examined on the efficiency of EAC in degradation of penicillin G in aqueous solution.

The synthesized carbon was characterized. The BET results indicated that the surface area of the Activated Carbon catalyst was1473 m2/g. The maximum PG adsorption onto EAC was observed at the pH of 6. The PG removal of 33% at an EAC concentration of 0.1 g/L increased to 99.98% at an activated carbon concentration of 0.5 g/L. The isotherm and kinetic studies of PG removal by EAC showed that the Freundlich model (R2>0.995) and the pseudo-second-order (R2>0.983) equation represented the best fit with the adsorption data.

EAC is recommended as a suitable and cost-efficient adsorbent for removing poisons, pharmaceuticals, and other emerging contaminants from water resources.