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Sustainable management of cut flowers waste by activation and its application in wastewater treatment technology

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Abstract

Cut flowers and floral waste (CFW) is a major concern in the present era. This study emphasizes the reuse of cut flowers as a neat bioadsorbent and activated carbon (AC). The biomass from the cut flowers was utilized as a neat bioadsorbent for the removal of the antibiotic levofloxacin and lead ions from water. The results revealed that the neat bioadsorbent was able to remove 60% levofloxacin and 45% of lead ions. Upon chemical activation of the CFW (using KOH), almost all levofloxacin and more than 99% of lead ions were removed. Physical activation (using CO2) gave a material that removed 90% of levofloxacin and 85% of lead ions. The adsorption of levofloxacin and lead ions on all the adsorbents followed Langmuir isotherms and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results have been further explained via the prediction of interaction energies between the adsorbates and adsorbents using COSMO-RS simulation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to extend their appreciation to Mr. Nedal Abu-Farha (senior laboratory specialist, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences at American University of Sharjah, UAE) and Mr. Mohamed Badrelzaman Mohamed (Lab instructor, department of chemical engineering at American University of Sharjah, UAE) for their technical support.

Funding

This work was supported by the American University of Sharjah under grant no. FRG17-R-32.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Muhammad Ashraf Sabri, Taleb Hassan Ibrahim & Paul Nancarrow

  2. Department of Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Mustafa Ibrahim Khamis

  3. Department of Chemistry, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA

    Adriane Ludwick

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  1. Muhammad Ashraf Sabri
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  2. Taleb Hassan Ibrahim
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  4. Adriane Ludwick
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Contributions

HI envisaged the concept amid discussions with MAS, AL, and PN. AS performed the experimental work. THI, MIK, AL, and PN reviewed the literature and AS prepared the first draft of the manuscript. THI, MIK, and PN finalized the manuscript. All authors contributed equally to the manuscript and will act as guarantors.

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Correspondence to Taleb Hassan Ibrahim.

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Responsible editor: Ta Yeong Wu

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Sabri, M.A., Ibrahim, T.H., Khamis, M.I. et al. Sustainable management of cut flowers waste by activation and its application in wastewater treatment technology. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 31803–31813 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13002-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13002-9

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