Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms

In this study, we evaluated the performance of three related isotherm models—the Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR), Dubinin–Radushkevich–Misra (DRM), and Dubinin–Astakhov (DA) equations—for describing the adsorption of antibiotic contaminants from water, including tetracycline, metronidazole, ofloxacin, cip...

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Main Authors: Khim Hoong Chu, Mohd Ali Hashim, Ain Aqilah Basirun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-12-01
Series:Environmental Pollution and Management
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950305125000129
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author Khim Hoong Chu
Mohd Ali Hashim
Ain Aqilah Basirun
author_facet Khim Hoong Chu
Mohd Ali Hashim
Ain Aqilah Basirun
author_sort Khim Hoong Chu
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we evaluated the performance of three related isotherm models—the Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR), Dubinin–Radushkevich–Misra (DRM), and Dubinin–Astakhov (DA) equations—for describing the adsorption of antibiotic contaminants from water, including tetracycline, metronidazole, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and chlortetracycline. We applied the models to published datasets exhibiting favorable (type I) and sigmoidal (type V) isotherm profiles. The DA and DRM equations are shown to consistently outperform the DR equation, providing maximum adsorption capacity estimates that more closely match experimental values, whereas the DR equation is shown to yield unrealistic predictions. These findings suggest that the DA and DRM equations offer more reliable alternatives to the commonly used DR equation for modeling antibiotic adsorption equilibria. Of the two, the DRM equation has practical appeal because it does not require solubility data. However, when applied to type V isotherms, some of its parameters cannot be reliably estimated, limiting its applicability.
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publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
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spelling doaj-art-cc69a5d785bf4a0ebeab46910e9c8aef2025-08-20T03:15:08ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Environmental Pollution and Management2950-30512025-12-01214214910.1016/j.epm.2025.06.001Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isothermsKhim Hoong Chu0Mohd Ali Hashim1Ain Aqilah Basirun2Institute of Energy Infrastructure, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Corresponding author at: Institute of Energy Infrastructure, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia.Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, MalaysiaIn this study, we evaluated the performance of three related isotherm models—the Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR), Dubinin–Radushkevich–Misra (DRM), and Dubinin–Astakhov (DA) equations—for describing the adsorption of antibiotic contaminants from water, including tetracycline, metronidazole, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and chlortetracycline. We applied the models to published datasets exhibiting favorable (type I) and sigmoidal (type V) isotherm profiles. The DA and DRM equations are shown to consistently outperform the DR equation, providing maximum adsorption capacity estimates that more closely match experimental values, whereas the DR equation is shown to yield unrealistic predictions. These findings suggest that the DA and DRM equations offer more reliable alternatives to the commonly used DR equation for modeling antibiotic adsorption equilibria. Of the two, the DRM equation has practical appeal because it does not require solubility data. However, when applied to type V isotherms, some of its parameters cannot be reliably estimated, limiting its applicability.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950305125000129Adsorption isothermDrugMicropollutantPharmaceuticalS-shaped isotherm
spellingShingle Khim Hoong Chu
Mohd Ali Hashim
Ain Aqilah Basirun
Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
Environmental Pollution and Management
Adsorption isotherm
Drug
Micropollutant
Pharmaceutical
S-shaped isotherm
title Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
title_full Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
title_fullStr Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
title_full_unstemmed Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
title_short Removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption: Analysis of equilibrium isotherms
title_sort removal of antibiotic contaminants from water via adsorption analysis of equilibrium isotherms
topic Adsorption isotherm
Drug
Micropollutant
Pharmaceutical
S-shaped isotherm
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950305125000129
work_keys_str_mv AT khimhoongchu removalofantibioticcontaminantsfromwaterviaadsorptionanalysisofequilibriumisotherms
AT mohdalihashim removalofantibioticcontaminantsfromwaterviaadsorptionanalysisofequilibriumisotherms
AT ainaqilahbasirun removalofantibioticcontaminantsfromwaterviaadsorptionanalysisofequilibriumisotherms