Exploring the adsorption of five emerging pollutants on activated carbon: A theoretical approach
Exploring the adsorption of five emerging pollutants on activated carbon: A theoretical approach
Authors
Gonzalez Rodriguez, Lisdelys
Yanez, Osvaldo
Mena Ulecia, Karel
Hidalgo Rosa, Yoan
Garcia Carmona, Ximena
Ulloa Tesser, Claudia
Yanez, Osvaldo
Mena Ulecia, Karel
Hidalgo Rosa, Yoan
Garcia Carmona, Ximena
Ulloa Tesser, Claudia
Profesor GuĆa
Authors
Date
Datos de publicaciĆ³n:
10.1016/j.jece.2024.112911
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING,Vol.12,2024
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING,Vol.12,2024
Tipo de recurso
Article
Keywords
Materia geogrƔfica
Collections
Abstract
The identification and management of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water systems is crucial for protecting public and environmental health. This paper reports a theoretical approach to studying the adsorption of five CECs: Atrazine (ATZ), Caffeine (CAF), Carbamazepine (CBZ), Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and Ibuprofen (IBU) - onto Activated Carbon (AC). A set of computational methods, including electrostatic molecular potential maps, conceptual density functional theory, Fukui functions, thermodynamic analysis, and tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations, were employed to analyze the electronic/energetic interactions and mechanisms involved in the adsorption of CECs on AC. The theoretical methodology offered valuable predictions on reactivity sites, stability, and binding mechanisms. Results showed that adsorption primarily occurred through non-covalent interactions like pi-pi electron donor-acceptor interactions, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions. Thermodynamic properties suggested the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. However, for the AC/SMX system, the Gibbs free energy reveals that adsorption may be unfavorably compared to the other study systems. Molecular dynamics simulations validated the kinetic stability in the following order CAF (0.13 & Aring;)>CBZ (0.23 & Aring;)>ATZ (0.75 & Aring;)> IBU (1.28 & Aring;)>SMX (1.54 & Aring;). This exploratory theoretical study provides a deep understanding of the interactions between AC and five CECs, aiding in the rational design and optimization of AC-based treatment systems for environmental and industrial applications.