Investigating the removal efficiency of amoxicillin antibiotic from aqueous solutions using graphene oxide magnetic nanocomposite

Amoxicillin (AMX) is a commonly used antibiotic in medicine (beta-lactam family). The residue of this compound has been detected in water sources and causes antibiotic resistance.

In this study, a renewable adsorbent based on graphene oxide (graphene oxide nanocomposite modified with CoFe2O4) was synthesized and used to absorb AMX from aqueous medium. The characteristics of the synthesized nanocomposite were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, pHZPC and BET/BJH.

It presented the maximum adsorption capacity based on the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, which is 238.62 mg/g adsorbent, much higher than that reported by different nanoparticles. which can indicate the dominance of the chemical absorption mechanism in this process. The absorption process was investigated using the response procedure method and central composite design (CCD), under different operating conditions of adsorbent dose, initial AMX concentration, temperature and sonication time. In the present study, more than 70% of AMX concentration was removed.

In summary, the synthesized nanocomposite as a renewable adsorbent is likely to have significant effects on pharmaceutical wastewater treatment and can be considered as an efficient material for treatment techniques for future research.