Equilibrium, Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies of Analgesic Removal by Thin Coated Activated Carbon

Abstract

Acetaminophen (analgesic) also known as paracetamol, usually used to reduce moderate pain such as headaches, menstrual periods, cold/flu aches and fever. This is one of the pharmaceutical products generally consume and dispose to the environment and become pharmaceutical pollution. This research, study a new approach applying adsorption concept. Thin coated activated carbon (TCAC) for adsorption of acetaminophen was investigated. The TCAC is formulated using Epoxidised Neutral Rubber (ENR-50) and poly(vinyl) chloride (PVC) as binders with activated carbon as an adsorbent, then was coated on white cotton fabric via brushing technique. Characterisation analysis using Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were performed. The pore volume and surface area of the TCAC are 0.07 cm 3 g −1 and 64.3 m 2 g −1 , respectively. The TCAC was evaluated through varies parameters including different initial concentrations and temperatures. The amount of acetaminophen as adsorbate, 50 mg L −1 , able to be adsorbed up to 32.43 mg g −1 into TCAC within 5 h. The result of equilibrium and kinetic studies indicated that Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order, respectively, are best fitted the adsorption of acetaminophen onto TCAC. It was decisive that the adsorption process of acetaminophen on TCAC is spontenoous (∆G° < 0) and exothermic (∆H° < 0) through thermodynamic studies.