Effective Removal of Amoxicillin from Medical Wastewater Using an Eco-Friendly Modification of a Walnut Shell as an Adsorbent

Abstract

This study is essential in correspondence with international initiatives to create sustainable wastewater treatment technologies. It highlights the need to address pharmaceutical pollutants in water, which significantly threaten human health and aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of walnut shell-derived activated carbon (RWL) as a sustainable, economical source for activated carbon in the removal of the antibiotic Amoxicillin (AMX) from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon was prepared using H3PO4 as the activating agent and a conventional oven, resulting in a type of conditioner called (AHRWL). The adsorbent's structure and morphology were examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis demonstrated that the prepared adsorbent possessed pore structures that facilitated the efficient and rapid absorption of AMX. Several parameters were investigated, including the pH of the solution (ranging from 3 to 9), drug concentration (ranging from 10 to 60 mg/L), and adsorbent concentration (ranging from 0.025 to 0.25 g/100 mL for walnut shell), were investigated to evaluate the effect of AHRWL on AMX removal efficiency. The experimental results showed that the optimal removal of AMX occurred at a pH of 6, with an optimal amount of adsorbent around 0.25. The Langmuir isothermal model described the removal process well, and the kinetic data was found to correlate with a pseudo-second-order model. Overall, this study established that activated carbon derived from walnut shells serves as an excellent adsorbent for eliminating pharmaceutical pollutants from water, hence advancing environmental conservation and public health protection objectives.