High-efficiency Removal of Diclofenac via Advanced Technologies: A Comparative Study of Photocatalysis, Adsorption, and Nanofiltration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jamst.v29n3.324Keywords:
Diclofenac, Photocatatalysis, TiO2, adsorption, spent coffee grounds, NanofiltationAbstract
Pharmaceuticals are frequently detected in the environment due to their partially removal by the conventional wastewater treatment processes. In order to limit their accumulation in the environment, effective tertiary treatments must be employed. In the present study, the removal of Diclofenac (DCF), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) using three advanced water treatment technologies, i.e., photocatalysis, adsorption by activated carbon (AC) and nanofiltration (NF) was investigated. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of DCF and a removal of 100% was observed in the optimal conditions (pH= 5, Dose of TiO2=1 g. L-1 and [DCF]= 20 mg.L-1). Spent coffee grounds (SCG) as the AC exhibited a capacity of adsorption of 100 mg.g-1, contributing to 100% removal of DCF. On the other hand, the removal of DCF by NF membrane showed a high retention of 97% at 4 bars and reached 100% at 6 and 8 bars. A comparison between these three methods has shown that photocatalysis offers fast, complete pollutant degradation without secondary pollution and adsorption is cost-effective while NF is effective but challenged by fouling and waste issues. This study highlights effective and practical solutions for removing DCF from water, offering promising options to improve wastewater treatment and reduce pharmaceutical pollution.
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