Nonylphenols Removal from Water and Wastewater: Enhanced Treatment with Alginate-Activated Carbon Beads

Abstract

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), particularly nonylphenols (NPs), pose a significant threat to water quality due to their persistence and toxicity. This study explores eco-friendly alginate-activated carbon (Alg-C) beads for NPs removal from water and wastewater. The efficiency of Alg-C beads was determined under dosage, pH, temperature, and reusability conditions. Alg-C beads achieved nearly 100% NPs removal from water and wastewater within 90 mins with an adsorption capacity ranging from 0.39 to 0.10 mg/g. The adsorption processes fit a pseudo-second order and the Freundlich model, indicating a heterogeneous surface. Thermodynamics analysis suggested potential electrostatic interactions, supported by positive Gibbs free energy. Alg-C beads retained high removal efficiency of 97% and reusability through five cycles in 50 mL of 10 mg/L (ppm) NPs solution under static condition, indicating their recyclability. Moreover, the removal efficiency remained unaffected by pH variations, further emphasizing their robustness. When tested with wastewater samples, Alg-C beads exhibited a removal efficiency of 97%, with no significant matrix effects observed. These results highlight Alg-C beads as a promising solution for NPs removal from water and wastewater.

Keywords: Alkylphenols, adsorption, solventless extraction, wastewater treatment, SBSE-TDU-GC-MS, eco-friendly agents.