Sunny K. S. Freitasab,
Letícia R. C. Correaa,
Verônica D. da Silvab,
Pierre M. Esteves*a and
Luis C. Branco
*b
aInstituto de Química, UFRJ, Avenida Athos da Silveira Ramos, n° 149, Bloco A—7° andar Centro de Tecnologia—Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil. E-mail: pesteves@iq.ufrj.br
bLAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal. E-mail: l.branco@fct.unl.pt
First published on 1st April 2025
Nanoporous organic materials with varying pore sizes were utilized to remove antibiotics from surface and groundwater. These adsorbents belong to the group of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), known for their high stability, porosity, and large surface area. Given their characteristics, which are well-suited for adsorption applications, these materials demonstrated relatively high capture capacities for emerging organic pollutants such as chloramphenicol (182 mg g−1 for RIO-55) and ciprofloxacin (79 mg g−1 for RIO-55) compared to other organic porous adsorbents. To conduct a comparative study on adsorption efficiency, both ionic and non-ionic materials were selected. Some ionic materials exhibited greater affinity for pharmaceutical compounds due to different adsorption mechanisms. Additionally, tests using a real water sample from the Tagus River confirmed the materials' removal efficiency. A correlation was observed between the maximum adsorption capacity and the pore width of the COFs, suggesting that better fitting of these adsorbates into mesopores enhances adsorption performance.
Sustainability spotlightAccess to safe water is one of the most basic human needs for health and well-being. Considering the fast population growth and the increased water needs of agriculture, industry, and energy sectors, it is crucial to discover sustainable processes for water purification. The development of new technologies using nanoporous materials seems to be efficient to remove pharmaceutical micropollutants from water streams. |
Of the persistent drugs, antibiotics are a class of greatest concern among environmentalists.5 This is the largest category of drugs provided by human and veterinary medicine, with therapeutic purposes or as growth promoters. The increase in the consumption of antibiotics consequently generates greater disposal in the environment. Because of their use in fish culture, some antibiotics such as chloramphenicol are found in sediments of marine origin.6 Several antibiotics can be found in wastewater due to inadequate disposal of unused drugs or their incomplete metabolism in humans.7
The removal efficiency of these organic pollutants in water and sewage treatment plants is minimal. This is because conventional treatment technologies have limitations in removing a variety of APIs.8–10 Thus, new approaches involving liquid–liquid extractions, adsorption, and membrane technology have been reported to remove these and other pollutants from water. In recent years, conventional porous materials such as activated carbons and bioceramics have been mainly tested as adsorbents for water treatment processes.11,12 However, they cannot capture many of the organic pollutants and heavy metals that may exist in the water to be treated.13,14 An emerging class of organic nanoporous materials called Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) have shown to be good candidates for capturing gases, ions, molecules, and biomolecules.15–21 Hence, this class of porous materials has been selected as organic adsorbents, as they are thermally stable and possess high porosity and high specific area values. These materials are formed by light elements having different classifications according to their structure and physicochemical properties. In general, COFs can be two- or three-dimensional, ionic, or non-ionic and their synthesis can be adjusted according to the purpose of the material, forming a highly insoluble powder. They have been used for a variety of applications, especially for energy fields and environmental problems.22–24
Herein, selected nanoporous organic materials previously prepared by our group15,25,26 called RIOs (acronym for Reticular Innovative Organic materials, Fig. 2), which can be non-ionic (RIO-12, RIO-13, and RIO-24) and ionic (RIO-55 and RIO-70), are evaluated as adsorbents of ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol antibiotics from water. The micro- and mesoporous structures of RIOs are selected to assess the effect of pore size and nature in adsorption processes.
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Fig. 1 The structure of a non-ionic and an ionic COF (top), the definition of porosity (middle), and the chemical structures of chloramphenicol (CLO) and ciprofloxacin (CIP). |
The adsorbents were characterized as previously reported. The analysis of textural properties (isotherms and pore size distribution) is conducted on ESI. RIO-24 was characterized by FTIR, CP-MAS 13C NMR, PXRD, and N2 adsorption and desorption.
Solutions of chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin from commercial sources (Alfa Aesar <98% and TCI <98%, respectively) were prepared in different concentrations (5–80 ppm and 4–22 ppm, respectively). Each solution was previously analysed by UV-vis (200–500 nm) to obtain the absorbance data, where λmax(chloramphenicol) = 272 nm and λmax(ciprofloxacin) = 278 nm. The absorbance data were plotted versus concentrations, obtaining a straight line (calibration curve), whose equation allows for correction of the final values of concentration and absorbance (Fig. S13†). Then, 4 mg of adsorbent was added to 4 mL of each sample, which was placed in a shaker (2400 rpm) for 4 h and 24 h to observe the different values of adsorption. After this, the samples were filtered in specific filter papers (glass microfibre, 55 mm, Filter Lab for CIP; qualitative filter paper, 1300/80, 70 mm, Filter Lab for CLO) for each drug, previously tested to check any influence of paper on absorbance. After the filtration, the adsorbent remained on the filter paper, while the resulting solution was taken for UV-vis analysis (200–500 nm), obtaining the final values of absorbance. The method chosen to quantify the adsorption capacity involves the difference in the concentration (initial vs. final).
From the absorbance data obtained (see ESI, Fig. S14†), it was possible to find the final concentration values (Ce), according to the number of pollutants that have not been adsorbed by the RIOs. Therefore, the difference method (Ci − Ce) was applied to obtain the maximum adsorbed amount or adsorption capacity (Qmax). A Langmuir isotherm was generated for each of the adsorption processes, by plotting Qe versus Ce. From its non-linearized form, the Qmax and KL parameters were obtained, plotting Ce/Qe versus Ce, according to the following equation:
From the CLO and CIP calibration curves, the Ce values were adjusted according to the following equation:
Ce = (Absinitial − b)/a |
However, some isotherms were also plotted following Freundlich's theory. The equations and parameters suggested by this model are related to the heterogeneity of the adsorbents and the multilayers that can be formed in the pores and on the surface. Then, the linearized form of the Freundlich equations is:
Fig. 3 shows the Langmuir adsorption isotherms of CIP. The curves are classified as favourable, showing that the interaction between the adsorbent and adsorbate occurs as the concentration value increases, until equilibrium. The isotherms for RIO-70, RIO-24, and RIO-13 are considered L-type (Langmuir), the most common for carbonaceous surfaces. On the other hand, RIO-55 has an F-type isotherm, indicating some superficial heterogeneity. This classification is based on adsorption processes on solids, where it is possible to see different surfaces in the same material and their levels of interaction with adsorbates.
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Fig. 3 Ciprofloxacin (CIP) adsorption isotherms (Langmuir model) and its non-linearized form (inset). |
The ionic and mesoporous RIO-55 removed more CIP at room temperature. The values show that RIOs with larger pores such as RIO-55 and RIO-24 captured a greater amount of CIP due to the diffusion in the pores and on the surface. These diffusion steps occur in different ways, considering the size of the adsorbed molecules. It is important to note that this is a determining factor for microporous materials. In larger pores, molecules diffuse as if there were no pore walls. Table 1 shows the values of Qmax and KL obtained from the Langmuir equation non-linearized for pollutant removal and the surface area (BET) and pore size of the adsorbents. Fig. 4 exhibits the Langmuir isotherms obtained for the adsorption of chloramphenicol (CLO) and its non-linearized form. As found for CIP, the CLO adsorption isotherms are of the favorable type, fitting with the Langmuir model, as the S (sigmoidal) type. However, the RIO-70 isotherm shows a more favorable curve, with a less pronounced convex slope.
Ads | SBET (m2 g−1) | Qmax (mg g−1) CIP | KL CIP | Qmax (mg g−1) CLO | KL CLO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RIO-12 | 830 | 8.0 | 1.420 | 23.0 | 0.145 |
RIO-13 | 900 | 19.5 | 0.265 | 13.5 | 0.228 |
RIO-24 | 650 | 34.0 | 0.125 | 45.0 | 0.435 |
RIO-55 | 350 | 79.0 | 0.169 | 182.0 | 0.036 |
RIO-70 | 990 | 28.0 | 0.401 | 133.0 | 0.049 |
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Fig. 4 Chloramphenicol (CLO) adsorption isotherms (Langmuir model) and its non-linearized form (inset). |
Using Freundlich's model, the linearized isotherms were obtained to determine the parameters and then be compared to the Langmuir ones. A summarized table was created to inform the obtained values for R2 and 1/n for both models using all the RIOs and the antibiotics (see the ESI†). All the isotherms were of the favorable type (short values for 1/n and n > 1) following the assumptions of Freundlich's theory. These data coincide with the parameters found for the Langmuir model, presenting favorable adsorption. In this way, the preference or affinity of adsorbents with antibiotics, especially CLO, is observed.
Different adsorption mechanisms can occur during the process, such as the pore-size effect, π–π interaction, H-bonding, and hydrophobic interaction. As seen above, the pore size of RIOs is one of the determining factors for the capture of antibiotics. This is observed in situations where water is the fluid. There is also the contribution of hydrogen bonds, indicating greater adsorption of CLO than CIP, if we look at their structure. In addition, in the case of ionic materials, there are hydrophobic interactions due to the presence of charges. Therefore, RIO-55 is more effective because of a set of factors that allow it to absorb more antibiotics.
For the ionic RIOs, the electrostatic interactions are more dominant, as commonly shown in published studies. However, the supporting interactions perform an important job in the assembly. It is important to highlight that ciprofloxacin can exhibit different conformations, being easily ionized. This fact can contribute to more interactions between the RIOs and the antibiotic.
Besides this, the parameters applied from the Freundlich and Langmuir models show stronger interactions between the adsorbates and some COFs, mainly the ionic ones. Following Freundlich parameters, the values of n > 2 show that the adsorption intensity is greater in the ionic COFs than in the neutral. This suggests a strong intermolecular attraction between the solid and the adsorbates.
Some studies reported different materials as adsorbents for other organic pollutants, such as β-cyclodextrin COF28 that captures 88 mg g−1 of bisphenol-A. Some commercial materials such as Brita AC and DARCO were used, capturing 19–24 mg g−1 of bisphenol-A. The porous material PDC-P captured 21 mg g−1 of bisphenol-S, 26 mg g−1 of propanol, and 22 mg g−1 of ethinyl estradiol. COF–NO2 captured 70 mg g−1 of ketoprofen, 94 mg g−1 of ibuprofen, and 84 mg g−1 of naproxen.29
Adsorption tests with different pHs were performed for ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol solutions, using RIO-70 and RIO-24 as adsorbents. Fig. 5a shows the adsorption behaviour and the Qe values obtained for each pH. The pH of the chloramphenicol solution used in the RIO-70 adsorption curves (i.e., no acid or base added) was 8.13 and by RIO-24, the pH was 7.45. Observing the behaviour of the points in the figure, it is noticed that, at these pH values, there was the smallest adsorbed amount (Qe), for both adsorbents. RIO-70 adsorbed more of the CIP at a more basic pH (9.2), while RIO-24 adsorbed better at an acidic pH (3.5).
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Fig. 5 (a) Adsorbed amount of CIP and CLO by RIO-70 and RIO-24 at different pHs; (b) regeneration cycles of RIO-70 and RIO-24 for CIP and CLO. |
The pH of the ciprofloxacin solution used in the adsorption tests with RIO-70 was 8.59 while in the case of RIO-24 it was 9.47. The adsorption values were not very discrepant with the pH change for ciprofloxacin, for both materials. The Qe value is slightly better at more acidic pHs. It is also noted that the adsorption of chloramphenicol occurs faster when compared to ciprofloxacin. In about 30 min of contact (solution + adsorbent), the Qe value for both RIOs is higher for chloramphenicol.
Pollutant removal efficiency tests were performed after several cycles. After the first adsorption of chloramphenicol on the adsorbents, another four cycles of adsorption were employed, using the same material filtered and treated with methanol. RIO-70 lost more mass than RIO-24 during the recycling process, due to the filtration step. Thus, only 4 to 5 cycles were performed for each material. Fig. 5b shows the number of cycles and the percentage of chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin adsorbed in each cycle. After 30 min of contact with CLO solution, RIO-70 adsorbed about 70–80% of the pollutant, in an interval of 4 consecutive cycles. RIO-24 captured about 60% of CLO during the 4 cycles. In the last cycle, there was a slight drop in the adsorption value by RIO-70, which may be due to the loss of mass during the filtration steps, which almost did not occur for RIO-24. For CIP, there are only 3 cycles in total, due to the type of paper used to filter the solutions (microfiber), which retained the material. Despite this, both adsorbents captured good amounts of the pollutant, maintaining the adsorption capacity in the 3 cycles.
In addition to performing adsorption tests using Milli-Q water, the efficiency of adsorbents in a real water sample was also tested. Fig. 6a shows the CLO and CIP adsorption isotherms of RIO-70 and RIO-24. The Langmuir model was used, as well as its non-linearized form, from which the quantitative parameters (Qmax and KL) were extracted. The obtained values of Qmax (CLO) for the real sample and Milli-Q water were very similar (133 mg g−1 for RIO-70 and 25 mg g−1 for RIO-24). The CLO adsorption curve for RIO-70 is L-type, proving to be highly favourable. Conversely, the RIO-24 curve is S-type, but less favourable since it leans after remaining constant.
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Fig. 6 (a) Adsorbed amount of CLO and (b) CIP by RIO-70 and RIO-24 in real water samples and their respective Langmuir non-linearized forms (inset). |
The CIP adsorption isotherms for RIO-70 and RIO-24 (Langmuir model) are S type, with a higher inclination for the RIO-24 curve, whose convex region is more pronounced (Fig. 6b). The obtained Qmax values for both adsorbents in the real sample were practically the same compared to Milli-Q water (28 mg g−1 for RIO-70 and 32 mg g−1 for RIO-24).
The similarity between the Qmax values found in the model tests and real water for the same pharmaceutical micropollutants shows the efficiency of removal by the adsorbents, in addition to proving to be selective for these compounds. The UV-vis spectra of the real sample exhibited an absorbance at ∼200 nm, which decreased considerably after contact with the adsorbents. At ∼350 nm, it was also possible to notice a less pronounced absorption band, which disappeared after adsorption (see the ESI† for more details).
Thus, the molecular ratio of a given API per pore can be calculated as
Table 2 shows the molar ratio of the APIs per pore for CLO and CIP and the pore size of the COF. It is noteworthy that RIO-55 is the only COF that holds considerable amounts of API molecules in the pore system. This is related to its pore width since RIO-55 has the largest pore system among the COFs studied. Actually one can observe a correlation between pore width of the COF and its ability to capture the API (Fig. 8).
COF | Pore width (Å) | Unit cell of the COF | API per pore (mol mol−1) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Formula | MWa (mol g−1) | CIP | CLO | ||
a MW = molar mass of the unit cell. | |||||
RIO-12 | 11 | C18N6H12O4 | 376.3333 | 0.01 | 0.03 |
RIO-13 | 11 | C18N6H12O6 | 408.3321 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
RIO-24 | 8.8 | C12N6H6O3 | 282.2196 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
RIO-55 | 34 | C72N24H54O6 | 1351.3866 | 0.32 | 0.76 |
RIO-70 | 10 | C28N3H18O3Cl | 490.0047 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
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Fig. 8 Correlation of the loading of the API per pore (molar ratio) as a function of the pore width of the COF. |
Analysis of the geometries of the APIs and the pore systems of these COFs shows that only RIO-55 can comfortably fit the APIs into its pore system, indicating that the other COFs may have diffusion problems for adsorbing them (Fig. 9).
Thus, it is plausible that mesoporous COFs are more suitable for the adsorption of APIs compared to microporous COFs. This can be a guideline for the design of new nanoporous materials for such a goal.
Footnote |
† Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d5su00198f |
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2025 |