The latest paper of BikiarisLab, "Acrylic acid copolymers as adsorbent materials for the removal of anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals from synthetic biomedical wastewaters", a work in collaboration with the group of Asoc. Professors Dimitra Lambropoulou and George Kyzas was recently published on Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. Our lab synthesized novel copolymes based on acrylic acid and vinyl imidazole, that succesfully adsorbed two anti-inflammatory drugs, for biomedical wastewater treatment applications.
ABSTRACT
In this experimental study, the use of acrylic acid, and 1-vinylimidazole as monomers for the synthesis of one polymer (PVI) and one copolymer (PVI-co-PAA) was examined using trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as the cross-linking agent. The synthesized polymeric materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), BET analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and were evaluated towards their adsorption efficiency for the removal of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen (IBU) and diclofenac (DCF), from single-component aqueous solutions. Parameters like pH, contact time, initial concentration of the drug and temperature were examined for their possible effect to the process. Acidic conditions appear to favor the uptake of the studied compounds. Moreover, the adsorption equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models calculating the maximum adsorption capacity, while Langmuir model exhibited a better fit indicating monolayer coverage of the pharmaceuticals onto the surface of synthesized derivatives. Furthermore, increase of temperature from 25 to 65 ℃ caused an enhancement of the adsorption ability, for both polymeric materials. while thermodynamic analysis revealed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the process.
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The financial support received for this study from the Greek Ministry of Development and Investments (General Secretariat for Research and Technology) through the research project “Research-Create-Innovate” with the topic “Development of an integration methodology for treatment of micropollutants in wastewaters and leachates coupling adsorption, advanced oxidation processes and membrane technology” (Grant no: Τ2ΕΔΚ-04066) and it is gratefully acknowledged.
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