Removal of tiemonium methylsulfate, from aqueous solutions using activated carbon prepared from date stones

ABSTRACT

The retention of a pharmaceutical compound, tiemonium methylsulfate (TIM), from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto activated carbon prepared from date stones (AC–DS) was investigated. Physical and chemical characteristics of this material were also determined. Results showed that pH 8 was optimal for TIM adsorption. Among the kinetic models considered, the pseudo-second-order model was the most appropriate to describe experimental data. Regarding adsorption isotherms, it was shown that the Sips model accurately describe the sorption of TIM onto AC–DS with a correlation factor R² > 0.98. The adsorption capacity of AC–DS was found to be 42.2 mg g⁻¹ at 10°C and 60.5 mg g⁻¹ at 25°C, confirming its efficiency for the removal of this compound from aqueous solutions. The values of ΔG⁰ and ΔH⁰ confirmed that the adsorption of TIM onto AC–DS was spontaneous and endothermic in nature and hence more effective at high temperatures. An irregular increase in the randomness was suggested at the AC–DS solution interface during the adsorption process for positive values of ΔS⁰.

KEYWORDS:

• Activated carbon
• adsorption
• date stones
• isotherm
• kinetic
• tiemonium methylsulfate

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Salem laboratory group for the provision of the Tiemonium methylsulfate.