Removal of acetaminophen and ibuprofen from aqueous solutions by activated carbon derived from Quercus Brantii (Oak) acorn as a low-cost biosorbent

Acetaminophen (ACT) and ibuprofen (IBP) are two of the drugs which consume a lot in different countries. These compounds are not completely metabolized in the body and enter into the environment, especially aquatic environments, through urine and feces. In this study, activated carbon (AC) activated with basic and acidic solutions (NaOH, KOH, NH4Cl, and H3PO4) were used to remove ACT and IBP from aqueous solutions. Different factors including activator type, contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, pollutant content, solution ion strength and temperature were used to evaluate the sorption. The results showed that AC-KOH and AC-H3PO4 had the maximum sorption ability for ACT and IBP, respectively. The maximum sorption capacity for ACT (45.45 mg/g) and IBP (96.15 mg/g) was obtained at contact times of 150 min and 120 min and pH 3, respectively. The findings of kinetics and isotherms study also showed that the pseudo-second order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models best fitted the data than other models. As well as, thermodynamic study showed that the sorption of ACT and IBP by the sorbent had an endothermic nature. On the basis of the results, this agricultural waste (oak acorn) can be effectively used as an alternative adsorbent for the removal of ACT and IBP in the aqueous phase