Fabrication and Application of an  Okra-Derived Sorbent for Efficient Removal of Acetaminophen Micropollutants from Aqueous Media

Tuba Erşen Dudu; Duygu Alpaslan

doi:10.11113/mjfas.v22n3.4947

Authors

Tuba Erşen Dudu Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Natural and Applied Science, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, 65080, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5564-2834
Duygu Alpaslan Department of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, 65080, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6007-3397

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/mjfas.v22n3.4947

Keywords:

Acetaminophen, biopolymer, sorption mechanism, sustainable materials, water treatment

Abstract

Pharmaceutical micropollutants, such as acetaminophen, pose increasing environmental concerns due to their persistence in aquatic systems. In this study, a novel bio-based sorbent was synthesized from agricultural okra waste via redox polymerization in the presence of nickel ions (Ni). The resulting p(Okra)/Ni composite particles were thoroughly characterized through structural and morphological analyses, confirming their successful formation. Batch sorption experiments were performed under different pH, temperature, sorbent dosage, and initial acetaminophen concentration conditions. Among the synthesized materials, p(Okra)/Ni1 and p(Okra)/Ni3 showed the highest sorption performance, with maximum acetaminophen sorption capacities of 507.6 mg/g and 452.2 mg/g, respectively. The highest sorption capacities achieved at optimum sorbent dosage were 592.1 mg/g for p(Okra)/Ni1 and
566.1 mg/g for p(Okra)/Ni3. Sorption was strongly influenced by pH and temperature, with optimum performance observed near neutral pH. Equilibrium data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm model (R² > 0.99), indicating monolayer sorption on homogeneous active sites. BET analysis revealed surface areas between 83.7 and 88.4 m²/g, while pore volume and pore diameter increased with increasing Ni content. Overall, the developed p(Okra)/Ni sorbents demonstrated high efficiency for acetaminophen removal and offer a sustainable approach for converting agricultural waste into value-added materials for wastewater treatment.

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Fabrication and Application of an Okra-Derived Sorbent for Efficient Removal of Acetaminophen Micropollutants from Aqueous Media

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