Title
Biosorption of loperamide by lignocellulosic-Al2O3 hybrid: optimization kinetics isothermal and thermodynamic studies
Authors
NENA VELINOV SLOBODAN NAJDANOVIC MILJANA RADOVIC VUCIC JELENA MITROVIC MILOŠ KOSTIC DANIJELA BOJIC and ALEKSANDAR BOJIC

Received April 12, 2018
Published Volume 53 Issue 1-2 January-February
Keywords lignocellulose, Al2O3, biosorption, loperamide, wastewater treatment

Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass chemically modified with an inorganic oxide (Al2O3) was tested as a new sorbent for the removal of drug loperamide from water. Waste biomass generated from Lagenaria vulgaris plant was used as a lignocellulosic raw material. The effects of initial pH, temperature, sorbent dosage, initial loperamide concentration and hydrodynamic conditions on the sorption process were studied. The highest removal efficiency of loperamide was observed at neutral pH (5-8) and reached 99.5%, which is the greatest advantage of this hybrid. The maximal sorption capacity of the material was 48.74 mg/g. Sorption kinetics suggested that both surface reaction and diffusion were rate limiting steps. The calculated thermodynamic parameters showed that the sorption process was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic. Also, the removal of loperamide from the river water was successfully carried out. The present study suggests that the obtained lignocellulosic-Al2O3 hybrid sorbent could be used effectively for the removal of loperamide from natural waters and wastewaters.