Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High removal of emerging contaminants from wastewater by activated carbons derived from the shell of cashew of Para

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Carbon Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Activated carbon from the shell of the cashew of Para (SCP) was produced by chemical activation with ZnCl using the ratio of SCP: ZnCl2 1.0:1.5 at 700 °C. The prepared activated carbon (SCP700) was used for the removal of two emerging contaminants, 4-bromophenol (4-BrPhOH) and 4-chloroaniline (4-ClPhNH2) that are primarily employed in the industry. Different analytical techniques were used to characterize the activated carbon. From the N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms were obtained the specific surface area of 1520 m2 g−1 and total pore volume of 0.492 cm3 g−1. The functional groups were identified by the FTIR technique and quantified by modified Boehm titration. The results revealed the bearing of several functional groups on the SCP700 surface, which may utterly influence the removal of the emerging contaminants. The equilibrium experiments showed that the maximum uptaken capacities (Qmax) achieved at 45 °C were 488.2 (4-BrPhOH) and 552.5 mg g−1 (4-ClPhNH2). The thermodynamic parameters demonstrated that the processes of 4-BrPhOH and 4-ClPhNH2 adsorption are exothermic, spontaneous, energetically suitable, and the magnitude of ΔH° is compatible with physisorption. The mechanism of the adsorption of the emerging contaminants onto the carbon surface is dominated by microporous filling, hydrogen bonds, π-stacking interactions, and other Van der Waals interactions. The use of activated carbon for the treatment of industrial synthetic wastewater with several inorganic and organic molecules commonly found in industrial effluents showed a very high percentage of uptaking (up to 98.64%).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rodriguez-Narvaez OM, Peralta-Hernandez JM, Goonetilleke A, Bandala ER (2017) Treatment technologies for emerging contaminants in water: a review. Chem Eng J 323:361–380

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sophia CA, Lima EC (2018) Removal of emerging contaminants from the environment by adsorption. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 150:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  3. Grassi M, Kaykioglu G, Belgiorno V, Lofrano G (2012) Chapter 2-removal of emerging contaminants from water and wastewater by adsorption process, in emerging compounds removal from wastewater. In: G. Lofrano (ed) Springer briefs in green chemistry for sustainability. Belgiorno, Lofrano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3916-1_2

  4. Taheran M, Naghdi M, Brar SK, Verma M, Surampalli RY (2018) Emerging contaminants: here today, there tomorrow! Environ Nanotech Monit Manage 10:122–126

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ebele AJ, Abdallah MAE, Harrad S (2017) Pharmaceuticals, and personal care products (PPCPs) in the freshwater aquatic environment. Emerg Contam 3:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  6. Silva B, Costa F, Neves IC, Tavares T (2015) Psychiatric pharmaceuticals as emerging contaminants in wastewater. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20493-2

  7. Rizzo L, Malato S, Antakyali D, Beretsou VG, Đolić MB, Gernjak W, Heath E, Ivancev-Tumbas I, Karaolia P, Ribeiro ARL, Mascolo GL, McArdell CS, Schaar H, Silva AMT, Fatta-Kassinos D (2019) Consolidated vs. new advanced treatment methods for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern from urban wastewater (Review). Sci Total Environ 655:986–1008

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kanaujiya DK, Paul T, Sinharoy A, Pakshirajan K (2019) Biological treatment processes for the removal of organic micropollutants from wastewater: a review. Curr Pollut Rep 5:112–128

    Google Scholar 

  9. Sutherland DL, Ralph PJ (2019) Microalgal bioremediation of emerging contaminants—opportunities and challenges. Water Res 164:114921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.114921

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Naraginti S, Yong YC (2019) Enhanced detoxification of p-bromophenol by novel Zr/Ag-TiO2@rGO ternary composite: degradation kinetics and phytotoxicity evolution studies. Ecotox Environ Saf 170:355–362

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wang Y, Yu G, Deng S, Huang J, Wang B (2018) The electro-peroxone process for the abatement of emerging contaminants: mechanisms, recent advances, and prospects. Chemosphere 208:640–654

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Serna-Galvis EA, Botero-Coy AM, Martínez-Pachón D, Moncayo-Lasso A, Ibáñez M, Hernández F, Torres-Palma RA (2019) Degradation of seventeen contaminants of emerging concern in municipal wastewater effluents by sonochemical advanced oxidation processes. Water Res 154:349–360

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Teodosiu C, Gilca AF, Barjoveanu G, Fiore S (2018) Review Emerging pollutants removal through advanced drinking water treatment: a review on processes and environmental performance assessment. J Clean Prod 197:1210–1221

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Cristóvão MB, Torrejais J, Janssens R, Luis P, Van der Bruggen B, Dubey KK, Mandal MK, Bronze MR, Crespo JG, Pereira VJ (2019) Treatment of anticancer drugs in hospital and wastewater effluents using nanofiltration. Sep Purif Technol 224:273–280

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sun L, Shi P, Zhang Q, Lv J, Zhang Y (2019) Effects of using different ultrafiltration membranes on the removal efficiency of antibiotic resistance genes from secondary effluent. Desalin Water Treat 156:52–58

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rovani S, Censi MT, Pedrotti SL Jr, Lima EC, Cataluña R, Fernandes AN (2014) Development of a new adsorbent from agro-1 industrial waste and its potential use in endocrine disruptor compound removal. J Hazard Mater 271:311–320

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. dos Reis GS, Sampaio CH, Lima EC, Wilhelm M (2016) Preparation of novel adsorbents based on combinations of polysiloxanes and sewage sludge to remove pharmaceuticals from aqueous solutions. Colloid Surf A Physicochem Eng Aspects 497:304–315

    Google Scholar 

  18. Sophia AC, Lima EC, Allaudeen N, Rajan S (2016) Application of graphene-based materials for adsorption of pharmaceutical traces from water and wastewater—a review. Desalin Water Treat 57:27573–27586

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kasperiski FM, Lima EC, Umpierres CS, dos Reis GS, Thue PS, Lima DR, Dias SLP, Saucier C, da Costa JB (2018) Production of porous activated carbons from Caesalpinia ferrea seed pod wastes: highly efficient removal of captopril from aqueous solutions. J Clean Prod 197:919–929

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Leite AB, Saucier C, Lima EC, dos Reis GS, Umpierres CS, Mello BL, Shirmardi M, Dias SLP, Sampaio CH (2018) Activated carbons from avocado seed: optimization and application for removal several emerging organic compounds. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:7647–7661

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Umpierres CS, Thue PS, dos Reis GS, de Brum IAS, Lima EC, de Alencar WA, Dias SLP, Dotto GL (2018) Microwave activated carbons from Tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum) waste for efficient removal of 2-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions. Environ Technol 39:1173–1187

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Torrellas SÁ, Lovera RG, Escalona N, Sepúlveda C, Sotelo JL, García J (2015) Chemical-activated carbons from peach stones for the adsorption of emerging contaminants in aqueous solutions. Chem Eng J 279:788–798

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Cunha MR, Lima EC, Cimirro NFGM, Thue PS, Dias SLP, Gelesky MA, Dotto GL, dos Reis GS, Pavan FA (2018) Conversion of Eragrostis plana Nees leaves to activated carbon by microwave-assisted pyrolysis for the removal of organic emerging contaminants from aqueous solutions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:23315–23327

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lladó J, Lao-Luque C, Ruiz B, Fuente E, Solé-Sardans M, Dorado AD (2015) Role of activated carbon properties in atrazine and paracetamol adsorption equilibrium and kinetics. Process Saf Environ Prot 95:51–59

    Google Scholar 

  25. Puchana-Rosero MJ, Adebayo MA, Lima EC, Machado FM, Thue PS, Vaghetti JCP, Umpierres CS, Gutterres M (2016) Microwave-assisted activated carbon obtained from the sludge of tannery-treatment effluent plant for removal of leather dyes. Colloid Surf A 504:105–115

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Baquião AC, Zorzete P, Reis TA, Assunção E, Vergueiro S, Correa B (2012) Mycoflora and mycotoxins in field samples of Brazil nuts. Food Control 28:224–229

    Google Scholar 

  27. Yang J (2009) Brazil nuts and associated health benefits: a review. Food Sci Technol 42:1573–1580

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. NORMAN (2019) The network of reference laboratories, research centres, and related organisations for monitoring of emerging environmental substances. www.norman-network.net

  29. Wang X, Miao J, Pan L, Li Y, Lin Y, Wu J (2019) Toxicity effects of p-choroaniline on the growth, photosynthesis, respiration capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities of a diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutu. Ecotox Environ Saf 169:654–661

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Koenig CM, Beevers C, Pant K, Young RR (2018) Assessment of the mutagenic potential of para-chloroaniline and aniline in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow of Big Blu® rats with micronuclei analysis in peripheral blood. Environ Mol Mutagen 59:785–797

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Thue PS, Adebayo MA, Lima EC, Sieliechi JM, Machado FM, Dotto GL, Vaghetti JCP, Dias SLP (2016) Preparation, characterization, and application of microwave-assisted activated carbons from wood chips for removal of phenol from aqueous solution. J Mol Liq 223:1067–1080

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Thue PS, Lima EC, Sieliechi JM, Saucier C, Dias SLP, Vaghetti JCP, Rodembusch FS, Pavan FA (2017) Effects of first–row transition metals and impregnation ratios on the physicochemical properties of microwave-assisted activated carbons from wood biomass. J Colloid Interface Sci 486:163–175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Thommes M, Kaneko K, Neimark AV, Olivier JP, Rodriguez-Reinoso F, Rouquerol J, Sing KSW (2015) Physisorption of gases, with special reference to the evaluation of surface area and pore size distribution (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure Appl Chem 87:1051–1069

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Jagiello J, Thommes M (2004) Comparison of DFT characterization methods based on N2, Ar, CO2, and H2 adsorption applied to carbons with various pore size distributions. Carbon 42:1227–1232

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Fröhlich AC, Foletto EL, Dotto GL (2019) Preparation and characterization of NiFe2O4/activated carbon composite as a potential magnetic adsorbent for removal of ibuprofen and ketoprofen pharmaceuticals from aqueous solutions. J Clean Prod 229:828–837

    Google Scholar 

  36. Kim YS, Yang SJ, Lim HJ, Kim T, Lee K, Park CR (2012) Effects of carbon dioxide and acidic carbon compounds on the analysis of Boehm titration curves. Carbon 50:1510–1516

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Wamba AGN, Ndi SK, Lima EC, Kayem JG, Thue PS, Costa TMH, Quevedo AB, Benvenutti EV, Machado FM (2019) Preparation, characterization of titanate nanosheet–pozzolan nanocomposite and its use as an adsorbent for removal of diclofenac from simulated hospital effluent. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 102:321–329

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. de Oliveira Carvalho C, Rodrigues DLC, Lima EC, Umpierres CS, Caicedo DF, Machado FM (2019) Kinetic, Equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies on the adsorption of ciprofloxacin by activated carbon produced from Jerivá (Syagrus Romanzoffiana). Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:4690–4702

    Google Scholar 

  39. Lima EC, Barbosa F Jr., Krug FJ, Guaita U (1999) Tungsten-rhodium permanent chemical modifier for lead determination in digests of biological materials and sediments by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. J Anal At Spectrom 14:1601–1605

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lima EC, Brasil JL, Santos AHDP (2003) Evaluation of Rh, Ir, Ru, W-Rh, W-Ir, and W-Ru as permanent modifiers for the determination of lead in ashes, coals, sediments, sludges, soils, and freshwaters by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 484:233–242

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Lima EC, Barbosa F Jr., Krug FJ (2000) The use of tungsten–rhodium permanent chemical modifier for cadmium determination in decomposed samples of biological materials and sediments by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 409:267–274

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lima EC, Krug FJ, Nóbrega JA, Nogueira ARA (1998) Determination of ytterbium in animal faeces by tungsten coil electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Talanta 47:613–623

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Lima EC, Fenga PG, Romero JR, de Giovani W (1998) Electrochemical behaviour of [Ru(4,4'-Me2bpy)2(PPh3)(H2O)](ClO4)2 in homogeneous solution and incorporated into carbon paste electrodes. Application to oxidation of benzylic compounds. Polyhedron 17:313–318

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Lima EC, Adebayo MA, Machado FM (2015) Chapter 3: kinetic and equilibrium models of adsorption, in carbon nanomaterials as adsorbents for environmental and biological applications. In: Bergmann CP, Machado FM (eds). Springer International Publishing, New York, pp 33–69

  45. Schwarz GGE (1978) Estimating the dimension of a model. Ann Stat 6:461–464

    Google Scholar 

  46. Lima EC, Hosseini-Bandegharaei A, Moreno-Piraján JC, Anastopoulos I (2019) A critical review of the estimation of the thermodynamic parameters on adsorption equilibria. Wrong use of equilibrium constant in the Van't Hoof equation for calculation of thermodynamic parameters of adsorption. J Mol Liq 273:425–434

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Mondal S, Majumder SK (2019) Synthesis of phosphate functionalized highly porous activated carbon and its utilization as an efficient copper (II) adsorbent. Korean J Chem Eng 36:701–712

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Bhomick PC, Supong A, Karmaker R, Baruah M, Pongener C, Sinha D (2019) Activated carbon synthesized from biomass material using single-step KOH activation for adsorption of fluoride: experimental and theoretical investigation. Korean J Chem Eng 36:551–562

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Lima DR, Hosseini-Bandegharaei A, Thue PS, Lima EC, de Albuquerque YRT, dos Reis GS, Umpierres CS, Dias SLP, Tran HN (2019) Efficient acetaminophen removal from water and hospital effluents treatment by activated carbons derived from Brazil nutshells. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 583:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  50. Thue PS, Sophia AC, Lima EC, Wamba AGN, de Alencar WS, dos Reis GS, Rodembusch FS, Dias SLP (2018) Synthesis and characterization of a novel organic-inorganic hybrid clay adsorbent for the removal of Acid Red 1 and Acid Green 25 from aqueous solutions. J Clean Prod 171:30–44

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Chang R, Thoman JW Jr. (2014) Chapter 17-Intermolecular forces in “Physical Chemistry for Chemical Sciences”. University Science Books, Mill Valley, pp 779–808

  52. Lipkowski P, Koll A, Karpfen A, Wolschann P (2002) An approach to estimate the energy of the intramolecular hydrogen bond. Chem Phys Lett 10:256–263

    Google Scholar 

  53. Skoog DA, Holler FJ, Crouch SR (2007) Principles of instrumental analysis, Thompson, pp 376–378

  54. Anbia M (2015) S, Khoshbooei, Functionalized magnetic MCM-48 nanoporous silica by cyanuric chloride for removal of chlorophenol and bromophenol from aqueous media. J Nanostruct Chem 5:139–146

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Oh SY, Seo YD (2016) Sorption of halogenated phenols and pharmaceuticals to biochar: affecting factors and mechanisms. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:951–961

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Oh SY, Seo YD (2019) Factors affecting the sorption of halogenated phenols onto polymer/biomass-derived biochar: Effects of pH, hydrophobicity, and deprotonation. J Environ Manag 232:145–152

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Koyuncu H, Kul AR (2019) Removal of aniline from aqueous solution by activated kaolinite: kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies. Colloids Surf A 569:59–66

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Yang K, Wu WH, Jing QF, Jiang W, Xing BS (2010) Competitive adsorption of naphthalene with 2,4-dichlorophenol and 4-chloroaniline on multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Environ Sci Technol 44:3021–3027

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil), and Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) (Grand Number 2018) for financial support and sponsorship. Dr. Pascal Silas Thue is grateful to the CAPES for the postdoctoral scholarship granted through the National Postdoctoral Program (PNPD). Authors are grateful to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Center (CNANO-UFRGS), and Microscopy and Microanalysis Center (CME-UFRGS) of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). We are also grateful to ChemAxon for giving us an academic research license for the Marvin Sketch software, Version 20.3. (https://www.chemaxon.com), 2020 used for molecule physical–chemical properties.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Science of Materials Program (PGCIMAT), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Pascal S. Thue, Eder C. Lima & Silvio L. P. Dias

  2. Graduate Mine, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Program (PPGE3M), School of Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Diana R. Lima, Eder C. Lima, Ytallo R. T. de Albuquerque, Mariene R. Cunha & Irineu A. S. de Brum

  3. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Mu Naushad

  4. Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, P.O. Box 15003, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brazil

    Eder C. Lima & Silvio L. P. Dias

  5. Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Guilherme L. Dotto

  6. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), 9500 Bento Gonçalves Avenue, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, Brazil

    Irineu A. S. de Brum

Authors
  1. Pascal S. Thue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Diana R. Lima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mu Naushad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eder C. Lima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ytallo R. T. de Albuquerque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Silvio L. P. Dias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Mariene R. Cunha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guilherme L. Dotto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Irineu A. S. de Brum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Pascal S. Thue or Eder C. Lima.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 428 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Thue, P.S., Lima, D.R., Naushad, M. et al. High removal of emerging contaminants from wastewater by activated carbons derived from the shell of cashew of Para. Carbon Lett. 31, 13–28 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-020-00145-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-020-00145-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation