abstract

• Contamination of water resources, especially drinking water, is common. Pharmaceuticals, extensively used nowadays, are now considered as important contaminants. Sargassum, a marine algae that reaches Caribbean beaches, causes socioeconomic and ecological damage by affecting marine species, and is one of the main environmental problems in Mexico today. To mitigate its impact, it is proposed to use Sargassum biomass as a precursor of carbonaceous materials to decontaminate waters contaminated with ibuprofen. This study explored hydrochar synthesis, finding temperature, residence time, and water-to-biomass ratio affected yield. Higher temperature and time reduced yield, with optimal conditions for yield and ibuprofen adsorption at lower settings, minimizing biomass changes. The materials were subjected to adsorption experiments in batch regime and proved to be effective adsorbents with adsorption capacities up to 33.5 mg g−1, exceeding other conventional and novel adsorbents. Their use could contribute to creating a circular economy and to the remediation of water contaminated with emerging contaminants.

authors

• Leyva Ramos Roberto

publication date

• 2023-01-01

published in

• MRS Advances  Journal

keywords

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1557/s43580-023-00702-2

PubMed ID

start page

• 1350

end page

• 1356

volume

• 8

issue