ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Adsorption of Diclofenac and Triclosan
in Aqueous Solution by Purified Multi-Walled
Carbon Nanotubes
Xiang Hu1, Zhao Cheng1, Zhirong Sun2, Hong Zhu1
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1College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology,
Beijing 100029, China
2College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology,
Beijing 100124, China
Submission date: 2016-04-16
Final revision date: 2016-06-26
Acceptance date: 2016-06-26
Online publication date: 2017-01-31
Publication date: 2017-01-31
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2017;26(1):87-95
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ABSTRACT
The ability of purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to adsorb diclofenac and triclosan
in aqueous solutions was examined by equilibrium, kinetic, and thermodynamic parameters. The results
of SEM image, BET specific surface area, XRD, TGA, and FTIR spectra indicated that the characteristics
of MWCNTs were improved after purification with nitric acid. Batch experiments illustrated that the
removal efficiency of diclofenac and triclosan depended mostly on the MWCNTs dosage, temperature, ion
concentration, pH, and initial concentration. The maximum adsorption capacity for diclofenac and triclosan
under optimum conditions was 19.9 mg g-1 and 19.7 mg g-1, respectively. The equilibrium data showed
that adsorption behavior of diclofenac and triclosan could be described more reasonably by the pseudosecond-
order model. Thermodynamic simulation showed that the adsorption was fitted with Langmuir and
Freundlich adsorption isotherm, and the thermodynamic parameters revealed the process to be exothermic
and spontaneous. In addition, the adsorption behavior of MWCNTs in the binary solution was successfully
predicted using the ideal adsorbed solution theory. Finally, the adsorption mechanism was discussed.