Modeling the removal of the Oxytetracycline antibiotic using Amine-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes; Use of the response surface methodology

The presence of drug compounds in the environment is considered to be a serious threat to mankind and the entry of these substances into water resources leads to contamination of plants, soil and animals and creates problems for public health, which provides sewage treatment facilities in production resources It makes this material necessary to prevent them from releasing them in the environment. Hence, the use of nano-adsorbents is a novel high-performance method for removing antibiotics from aqueous media. Because of its unique properties, Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) is one of the substances that can be used to remove antibiotics. In this study, MWCNT was synthesized and then became magnetic by magnetic thermal solvent method and was functionalized with the ethylenediamine amine group. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, thermal gravimetric analysis and CHNS elemental analysis. The nanocomposite was used for removal of Oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic from aqueous solution in batch system. The effect of various factors, such as pH, dosage of Magnetic MWCNT, contact time and initial concentration of antibiotic were investigated. The maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity for Oxytetracycline removal was 122.8 mg/g. The results showed that the synthesized nanocomposite in this research has a relatively high adsorption capacity for Oxytetracycline adsorption and the application of this adsorbent in wastewater treatment system could be reasonable in terms of the economic aspect.