Abstract
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most detected pharmaceuticals in wastewater and likely pass to drinking water. Magnetic nanocomposite has been greenly fabricated for removal of different NSAIDs; ibuprofen (IP), ketoprofen (KP), naproxen (NX), and diclofenac sodium salt (DF); from wastewater. Solid-phase fabrication of the magnetically separable nanocomposite has been optimized using iron oxide (Fe3O4) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) precursors. The characterization showed the homogenous distribution of the magnetite over the GNP with a high specific surface area. Different parameters having a potential influence on the removal of the NSAIDs from wastewater by the Fe3O4@GNP nanocomposite were studied and optimized for efficient performance that achieves adsorption capacities of 8.76, 10.6, 14.3, and 7.63 mg/g for KP, NX, DF, and IP, respectively (296 K). The adsorption of the four NSAIDs by the Fe3O4@GNP nanocomposite followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, and it is mainly controlled by the intraparticle diffusion process. Thethermodynamic and extra-thermodynamic studies demonstrated that the adsorption is endothermic and is affected by enthalpy-entropy compensation. The molecular interactions of the four drugs with the nano -composite have been explored. Successful application of the nanocomposite for fast and efficient removal of the NSAIDs from wastewater has been accomplished with an average removal of 71.0%.