Adsorbent Minimisation for Removal of Ibuprofen from Water in a Two-Stage Batch Process

Abstract Pharmaceutical products in water, frequently referred to as personal pharmaceutical products, PCPPs are regarded as problematic emerging pollutants with the potential to cause damaging health and environmental impacts to several ecosystems. In this study, an acid activated carbon has been produced from waste date stones, the waste product obtained from the seedless date products manufacturing industry. This material has been used to remove the pharmaceutical compound ibuprofen from water with a high adsorption capacity of 126 mg ibuprofen per g waste date stone derived activated carbon. In order to optimise the use of the activated carbon, a design study has been performed to minimise the quantity of carbon needed using a two-stage batch adsorption system. Several variables have been inputted into the design model to test the model and compare the quantities of adsorbent required in the two-stage and the single stage systems under various conditions.