Ciprofloxacin adsorption on a pomegranate peel adsorbent treated with oleic acid: Isotherm, kinetic, thermodynamic, and statistical studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31699/IJCPE.2026.2.8Keywords:
Ciprofloxacin; Oleic acid; Adsorption; Pomegranate peels; Wastewater treatmentAbstract
The performance of pomegranate peel treated with oleic acid (PPOA) was studied using a batch mode for ciprofloxacin (CIP) adsorption from an aqueous solution. Although other studies have investigated chemical modification with various chemical agents, the novel use of oleic acid for modification yields unprecedented results in terms of CIP removal efficiency. Dependent parameters were optimized using the sample pH, contact interval, initial CIP concentration, and adsorbent dose. Using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD), a dose of 0.3 g/100 mL produced excellent removal efficiency (above 81%) for CIP concentrations of 60 mg/L after 90 minutes of contact at pH 6. With an R2 (correlation coefficient) value of 0.985, analysis of variance (ANOVA) based on the CCD-RSM demonstrated a good fit between the experimental results and the predictions of the quadratic model. The Langmuir isotherm model was found to fit the CIP adsorption isotherms on the PPOA very well, with a theoretical maximum of 19.90 mg/g, indicating monolayer adsorption. Furthermore, a pseudo-second-order model could adequately describe the adsorption kinetics, implying that the adsorption rate is influenced by chemisorption. The main mechanisms underlying CIP biosorption are ion exchange and electrostatic attraction, whereas adsorption mechanics are controlled by external mass transfer and intra-particle diffusion. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. After four consecutive repetitions, the adsorbent adsorption efficiency decreased from 81.88% to 50.91%, indicating its reusability. The results showed that pomegranate peel (PP) is an inexpensive adsorbent for CIP removal. Using this byproduct, CIP was effectively removed.
Received on 21/02/2026
Received in Revised Form on 16/05/2026
Accepted on 17/05/2026
Published on 30/06/2026
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