Browsing by Author "Binyalikha Esther"

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    INVESTIGATION OF ADSORPTION AND KINETIC PROCESSES FOR THE REMOVAL OF AMPICILLIN FROM WASTEWATER USING ACTIVATED EUCALYPTUS LEAVES
    (Binyalikha Esther, 2026-09-02) Binyalikha Esther
    ABSTRACT Background and Problem Statement: Ampicillin is a broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotic belonging to the amino penicillin group. It is widely used in human and veterinary medicine to treat bacterial infections caused by both Gram-positive and some Gram-negative bacteria. Ampicillin works by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis, leading to the destruction of susceptible bacteria. Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize activated carbon from locally available eucalyptus leaves Methods: The adsorbent was synthesized via phosphoric acid activation at 80°C. Surface analysis was conducted using the standard iodine index and a JASCO FT/IR-6600 spectrometer. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of contact time (0–100 min), initial concentration (0–50 mg/L), solution pH (3.0–11.0), and adsorbent dosage (1–5.0 g/L). Key Findings: The synthesized carbon exhibited an excellent iodine number of approximately 840 mg/g. FTIR analysis confirmed a rich surface chemistry featuring hydroxyl (≈3280 cm⁻¹), aromatic (≈1600 cm⁻¹), and acid-phosphate (≈1060 cm⁻¹) groups. Adsorption kinetics fitted perfectly to the Pseudo-Second-Order model (〖R 〗^2= 0.9944), proving a chemisorption rate-limiting mechanism. Equilibrium studies strictly followed the Freundlich model (〖R 〗^2= 0.5379), showing a maximum monolayer capacity (Q_m) of 9.66 mg/g. Peak removal (31.9%) occurred at pH 11.0 due to weak electrostatic attraction, while 5.0 g/L was identified as the practical optimum dosage, yielding 86.0% efficiency. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that activated eucalyptus carbon is an elite, eco-friendly, and highly efficient bio-adsorbent for removing anionic surfactants from industrial wastewater streams.