Electric field as a useful tool to improve the poor adsorption affinity of pollutants on carbonaceous aerogel pellets

The removal of ionisable drugs (fluoxetine, sulfamethizole and antipyrine) from aqueous solution was performed by conventional adsorption using carbonaceous aerogel pellets as adsorbents. Although >96 % elimination achieved for antipyrine after 1440 min, only 2.5 fluoxetine removed. In a multicomponent system, the presence these three in leads to fivefold depletion adsorbed total mass. Thus, authors proposed influence traditional process an electric field improve low affinity aerogel. Specifically, electrosorptive investigated applying different voltages between 0.8 1.3 V, with maximum at 1.2 V. application increases contaminants pellets. After demonstrating applicability electrosorption fluoxetine, effect water matrix on analysed. For this purpose, evaluated real wastewater, specifically, raw wastewater primary tertiary treatment municipal plant. As expected, pollutant somewhat lower due complexity matrix. Total percent all pollutants effluent treated minimal competitive adsorption. Finally, Microtox® test confirmed excellent ability approach remove pharmaceuticals, resulting luminescence inhibition that decreased 60–80 depending compared polluted influent.