Preparation and Application of Mesoporous Activated Carbons from Waste Sesame as Green Absorbent for Removal of Azithromycin

Activated carbon decorated with magnetite (ACMG) nanoparticles composites have been prepared by facile method via impregnation of AC obtained sesame oil wastes with stable dispersion of superparamagnetic MG nanoparticles followed by drying. These composites exhibit both magnetic and porosity behavior which can be easily optimized by controlling the weight ratio of two phases. The structural, thermal and morphological properties of these as synthesized ACMG samples were characterized by powder XRD, FTIR, and SEM techniques. The ACMG powder has been used for water purification having Azithromycin (AZ) as an impurity. The response surface methodology (RSM) with historical design was used to investigate the adsorption properties of Azithromycin onto synthesized composite. The nanoporosity of these composites allow rapid adsorption of AZ and their magnetic behavior helps in single step separation of AZ adsorbed ACMG particles by the application of external magnetic field. According to the achieved result, magnetic activated carbon as an inexpensive adsorbent, have promising application in the removal of antibiotics from solution and also can be effectively utilized in industrial application. [1]