Application of adsorption on activated carbon for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater of livestock production facilities
Date
2019-09-10
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Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Antibiotics are used for treatment of both human and livestock. Due to incomplete metabolization, a considerable amount of consumed antibiotics may be excreted from the body. Even at low concentration, this pharmaceutical compound can have an adverse effect on the environment and promote development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Lincomycin and tetracycline are the two most common antibiotics that are used in the swine industry in Canada. A practical solution should be developed to remove these antibiotics from wastewater.
This research dealt with the evaluation of activated carbon (Cabot Norit 1240) performance in removal of tetracycline and lincomycin as individual and in a binary mixture. Initial concentration variations at different temperature on adsorption capacity in the single-solute and binary adsorption were explored.
In single-solute adsorption both lincomycin and tetracycline were adsorbed more effectively at 32 °C compared to other temperatures (5, 12, 22 °C). The effect of initial concentration on the adsorption process indicated that the adsorption for both individual antibiotic was greater at higher initial concentrations. The thermodynamic parameters for both individual adsorption processes were calculated. Enthalpy values were 29400 and 28000 J mol-1 for tetracycline and lincomycin adsorption processes, respectively which demonstrated individual antibiotic adsorption are endothermic. Additionally, entropy values, 122 and 123 J mol-1 K-1 for tetracycline and lincomycin, respectively show that randomness in the system increased.
Effect of temperature on binary adsorption was studied. The results showed that at 32 °C, lincomycin and tetracycline antibiotics as a binary system could be adsorbed more effectively compared to lower temperatures. Moreover, increasing initial concentration of antibiotics resulted in higher adsorption.
Enthalpy values for the adsorption of tetracycline (38000 J mol-1) and lincomycin (36230 J mol-1) in the mixture show that the binary process was also an endothermic process. Also, determination of entropy for binary process (150 J mol-1 K-1 for tetracycline and 149 J mol-1 K-1 for lincomycin) demonstrate that randomness in the binary system increased.
Monitoring the concentration of tetracycline in manure showed that tetracycline concentration fluctuated with time and reached a relatively constant value after 10 days. Evaluating the effect of adsorbent dosage on adsorption of tetracycline in manure solution showed that the required dosage of activated carbon to remove tetracycline in the manure was 1.5 g L-1.
Description
Keywords
Tetracycline, Lincomycin, binary adsorption, single-solute adsorption, activated carbon, manure slurry
Citation
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Chemical and Biological Engineering
Program
Chemical Engineering