Explication of physically and chemically treated date stone biochar for sorptive remotion of ibuprofen from aqueous solution

Current investigation explores the adsorption competences of steam activated date seed biochar (DSPB) and chemically activated date seed biochar (DSCC) towards ibuprofen (IBP) remotion from an aqueous phase. Batch studies of IBP sorption were performed at different parametric conditions of adsorbent dose from 333 to 10,000 mg/L, pH from 1 to7, initial adsorbate concentration from 5 to 50 mg/L, agitation speed from 100 to 200 rpm, contact time from 1 to 24 h and temperature from 15 to 40 °C to consider the performance appraisal of DSPB and DSCC. Adsorbents characterizations were executed through SEM, FT-IR, EDX, point of zero charge and surface area measurement to inspect the surface morphology and surface chemistry of DSPB and DSCC. Sorption study exposed non-linear method was more desirable than linear methods in fitting the investigation results with more accuracy. Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model were exposed as best fitted isotherm and kinetic model respectively for adsorption study of IBP. Maximum IBP remotion of 96% by DSPB at 18 h and 87% by DSCC at 21 h was achieved. The spontaneous, exothermic, and feasible nature was exposed in the thermodynamic study of the IBP sorption technique by DSPB and DSCC. Regeneration of sorbents exhibited 69.54% and 61.89% of IBP removal for DSPB and DSCC respectively after 5 cycles of use. The production cost of DSPB and DSCC validates the sorption process efficient. Therefore, the activated form of date seed-derived biochar offered potential contention as a sorbent for ibuprofen remotion from aqueous media.