Adsorptive removal of norfloxacin from aqueous solutions by Fe/Cu CNS-embedded alginate–carboxymethyl cellulose–chitosan beads

Abstract

The pervasive application of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments has acquired much focus owing to their nonbiodegradability and eco-toxicity, which might readily destroy the ecological balance. Developed chitosan–coated Fe–Cu CNS alginate–CMC beads (NBs) were utilized in this study to adsorb the quinolone antibiotic norfloxacin (NOR) from water for the first time. Under ideal conditions (C_NOR: 20 mg L⁻¹; sorbent conc.: 2000 mg L⁻¹; sorbent dosage: 0.15 g; interaction time: 300 min; solution pH: 6.0), about 86% NOR removal was achieved through batch mode. The removal performance for NOR was examined concerning pH, ionic strength, and coexisting micropollutants. The greatest NOR removal was attained on NBs with the greatest Langmuir adsorption capacity of 355 mg g⁻¹ due to numerous mechanisms such as sorbent pore filling, electrostatic attraction, π–π attraction and hydrogen bonding. Studies using environmentally significant algae, such as Scenedesmus sp., to analyze the residual toxicity of treated NOR solution revealed a significant reduction in their toxic effects. Current research has demonstrated that nanocomposite beads are an excellent wastewater treatment material with promising industrial applications due to their ease of synthesis, exceptional surface adsorption properties, stability, and environmentally friendly reaction.