Enhanced adsorption of emerging contaminants from pharmaceutical wastewater using alkaline-treated pineapple leaf fiber integrated with UV-LED technology

Abstract

The alarming rise of pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater poses a significant environmental and public health challenge. Addressing this issue, this study investigated the potential of alkaline-treated pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) as an eco-friendly adsorbent for pharmaceutical removal, coupled with UV-LED technology. Alka line treatment enhanced PALF’s adsorption capabilities, increasing surface area to 68.3 m2 /g and pore volume to 0.120 cm3 /g. Adsorption experiments showed high efficiencies (up to 89.7 % for ciprofloxacin, 88.5 % for paracetamol, and 77.1 % for ibuprofen), following a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Isotherm analysis indicated a maximum adsorption capacity of 35.4 mg/g for ciprofloxacin. PALF maintained 85.9 % removal efficiency after five regeneration cycles, with no adverse effects on aquatic organisms observed in toxicity assays. This research highlights PALF’s promise as a sustainable solution for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment, aligning with the focus on environmental sustainability and innovative materials.