Removal of Therapeutic Drug Diclofenac Pollution by the Acid Digested Carbon of Waste Leathers

Abstract

By manipulating the physico-chemical conditions, the adsorption characteristics study on the removal of the therapeutic drug Diclofenac on the Acid Digested Carbon of waste Leather (ADCL) were analysed. The smallest particle size affords the most surface area and more adsorbed material (92.43% for 0-63 micron). The adsorption of diclofenac on this acid-digested carbon of waste leather required acidic pH ranges. Nevertheless, different adsorbates preferred various acidic pH ranges between 1 and 6. In this instance, 92.15% of adsorption occurs at pH 5. The results of this study revealed that the percentage of diclofenac adsorption is directly proportional to the dosage and contact time of the adsorbent and inversely proportional to the initial concentration of the adsorbate. Due to the absence of a chemical bond forming between the adsorbent and adsorbate, the order of this adsorption is pseudo-second order kinetics, and therefore falls under the category of physisorption. For these experiments, the fruendlich and Langmuir isotherm model is appropriate. The thermodynamic analysis shows negative ∆Go and positive ∆Ho and ∆So values, indicating that this adsorption is, respectively, spontaneous, practicable, and physical in character. The FT-IR, SEM, and XRD spectrum data support the above experimental findings.