Tetracycline (TET) and plasticizers such as Bisphenol A (BPA) are contaminants of emerging concern. Their presence in the environment including water has serious implications for human health. When discharge in the water bodies, they cause aquatic toxicity, antibiotic resistance development in pathogenic bacteria, and disruption of the endocrine system in humans. This study reports the feasibility of TiO2 hybrid composites derived from kaolinite clay, titanium tetra-isopropoxide, and carbon from orange peel, as efficient adsorbent for the remediation of TET and BPA in water. The SEM, FTIR, elemental analysis, and XRD results of the composite confirm successful impregnation of all precursors into the composite and nitrogen sorption measurement shows a 3-fold increase in the surface area of bare TiO2 (55 m2/g) when it was modified with clay and carbon from orange peels (150- 160 m2/g). The removal percentage was 84% for TET and 51% for BPA. The adsorption capacities were 30 mg/g and 1.66 mg/g for TET and BPA, respectively. These capacities are far greater than those obtained for unmodified TiO2 (7 mg/g for TET and 0.3 mg/g for BPA). Increasing ionic strength of the solution did not change the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. Similarly, the adsorption of BPA was only slightly affected negatively at pH 3.0-11.0, but significantly, at pH &gt;7.0 for TET. The Brouers Sotolongo fractal model best described the kinetic data for both TET and BPA, predicting that the adsorption process occurs via a complex mechanism involving various forces of attraction. However, the Temkin and Freundlich isotherms which best describes the equilibrium adsorption data for TET and BPA, respectively suggests that adsorption sites are heterogeneous in nature. This study suggests that the adsorption capacity of TiO2 as an adsorbent for TET and BPA can be significantly improved via modification with carbon and clay. The resulting composite materials are low cost and sustainable candidate for advanced water treatment.

Hybrid clay-TiO2 composites for enhanced adsorption of organic pollutants: Tetracycline and bisphenol A

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