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.
