Comparative assessment on the removal of ranitidine and prednisolone present in solution using graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets

Abstract

In recent times, pharmaceutical wastes are becoming major water pollutants responsible for water borne diseases and drastic alterations of aquatic ecological cycle. In this present study, graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets are synthesize during graphite as the parent substrate. The GO so prepared has been further investigated for removal of pharmaceuticals like ranitidine and prednisolone from their respective aqueous solutions. Batch studies were performed for determining the effect of significant process parameters like adsorbent dose, temperature, solution pH and agitation speed on the process of adsorption. The adsorbent and the process of sorption have been thoroughly characterized and explained on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Results obtained in this study have also been used for analysis of process isotherms(like Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and D-R)and kinetics. Thermokinetics of the spontaneity of the reaction was also determined. Process optimization was performed with artificial neural network modeling. Regeneration potential of the adsorbent was also determined in order to understand the reusability of the adsorbent.