Utilization of Non-Living Microalgae Biomass from Two Different Strains for the Adsorptive Removal of Diclofenac from Water

• Main Authors: Ricardo N. Coimbra, Carla Escapa, Nadyr C. Vázquez, Guillermo Noriega-Hevia, Marta Otero
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
• Series: Water
• Subjects: emerging contaminants (ECs); sorption; wastewater treatment; bioremediation; algae
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/10/10/1401

In the present work, the adsorptive removal of diclofenac from water by biosorption onto non-living microalgae biomass was assessed. Kinetic and equilibrium experiments were carried out using biomass of two different microalgae strains, namely Synechocystis sp. and Scenedesmus sp. Also, for comparison purposes, a commercial activated carbon was used under identical experimental conditions. The kinetics of the diclofenac adsorption fitted the pseudo-second order equation, and the corresponding kinetic constants indicating that adsorption was faster onto microalgae biomass than onto the activated carbon. Regarding the equilibrium results, which mostly fitted the Langmuir isotherm model, these pointed to significant differences between the adsorbent materials. The Langmuir maximum capacity (Qmax) of the activated carbon (232 mg∙g−1) was higher than that of Scenedesmus sp. (28 mg∙g−1) and of Synechocystis sp. (20 mg∙g−1). In any case, the Qmax values determined here were within the values published in the recent scientific literature on the utilization of different adsorbents for the removal of diclofenac from water. Still, Synechocystis sp. showed the largest KL fitted values, which points to the affinity of this strain for diclofenac at relative low equilibrium concentrations in solution. Overall, the results obtained point to the possible utilization of microalgae biomass waste in the treatment of water, namely for the adsorption of pharmaceuticals.