Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 28 No 6 (2024): 1442 - 1457

 

REMOVAL OF ACETAMINOPHEN BY USING ELECTROSPUN PAN/SAGO LIGNIN-BASED ACTIVATED CARBON NANOFIBERS

 

Dzaidatu Aqmal Ramlee 1, Nurul Aida Nordin 1, Norizah Abdul Rahman 1,2* and Hasliza Bahruji3

 

1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia

2Nanomaterials Processing and Technology Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.

3Centre of Advanced Materials and Energy Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong BE 1410, Brunei Darussalam

 

*Corresponding author: a_norizah@upm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 27 October 2023; Accepted: 2 June 2024; Published:  29 December 2024

 

 

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compounds have been identified as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in wastewater because of their potential hazards to humans and aquatic organisms. One of the emerging pollutants is acetaminophen, commonly known as paracetamol, which is frequently consumed worldwide as an analgesic, painkiller, and antipyretic compound. Various methods have been developed to remove acetaminophen from wastewater and water bodies, with adsorption being the cheapest and easiest method. This study prepared activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) via consecutive electrospinning, stabilization, carbonization, and activation methods for removing acetaminophen from aqueous solution. Fibers with larger diameters were obtained at higher PAN/sago lignin (PAN/SL) ratios during electrospinning. Uniform bead-free nanofibers produced with 20 wt% lignin were stabilized and carbonized to produce carbon nanofibers (CNFs). ACNFs activated via KOH displayed increased oxygen-containing functional groups that efficiently removed acetaminophen from the aqueous solution. SEM images showed that the diameter of the nanofibers decreased after heat treatment. The adsorption of acetaminophen on ACNFs was evaluated based on four parameters: the effect of the initial concentration of acetaminophen, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and pH of the solution. The absorption behavior of the PAN/SL ACNFs showed no significant changes at pH 3 to 9. The optimum parameters for acetaminophen were an initial concentration of 25 mg/L, an adsorbent dose of 0.1 g, and a reaction time of 60 min. The results showed that the ACNF adsorption capacity increased to 52 mg/g, indicating that PAN/SL ACNFs are good adsorbents for acetaminophen in aqueous solution.

 

Keywords:  carbon nanofibers, activated carbon, electrospinning, sago lignin, PAN

 

                                                                                         Abstrak
Sebatian farmaseutikal telah dikenal pasti sebagai bahan cemar yang menjadi kebimbangan baharu (CEC) dalam air sisa kerana potensi bahayanya kepada manusia dan organisma akuatik. Salah satu bahan cemar yang sedang muncul ialah asetaminofen, yang lebih dikenali sebagai parasetamol, yang kerap digunakan di seluruh dunia sebagai sebatian analgesik, penahan sakit, dan antipiretik. Pelbagai kaedah telah dibangunkan untuk menghapuskan asetaminofen daripada air sisa dan badan air, dengan penjerapan menjadi kaedah yang paling murah dan mudah. Kajian ini menyediakan nanoserat karbon teraktif (ACNF) melalui kaedah putaranelektro berturutan, penstabilan, pengkarbonan, dan pengaktifan untuk menyingkirkan asetaminofen daripada larutan akueus. Serat dengan diameter lebih besar diperoleh pada nisbah poliakrilonitril/lignin sagu (PAN/SL) yang lebih tinggi semasa putaranelektro. Nanoserat seragam tanpa manik yang dihasilkan dengan 20% berat lignin telah distabilkan dan dikarbonkan untuk menghasilkan nanoserat karbon (CNF). ACNF yang diaktifkan menggunakan KOH menunjukkan peningkatan kumpulan berfungsi yang mengandungi oksigen, yang secara berkesan menyingkirkan asetaminofen daripada larutan akueus. Imej SEM menunjukkan diameter nanoserat berkurang selepas rawatan haba. Penjerapan asetaminofen pada ACNF dinilai berdasarkan empat parameter: kesan kepekatan awal asetaminofen, masa sentuhan, dos penjerap, dan pH larutan. Tingkah laku penjerapan ACNF PAN/SL menunjukkan tiada perubahan ketara pada pH 3 hingga 9. Parameter optimum untuk asetaminofen ialah kepekatan awal 25 mg/L, dos penjerap 0.1g, dan masa tindak balas selama 60 minit. Hasil kajian menunjukkan kapasiti penjerapan ACNF meningkat kepada 52 mg/g, menandakan bahawa ACNF PAN/SL merupakan penjerap yang baik untuk asetaminofen dalam larutan akueus.

 

Kata kunci: nanoserat karbon, karbon teraktif, putaranelektro, lignin sagu, PAN

 

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