Nassar, Nashaat N.Alnajjar, Maysam2019-01-142019-01-142018-12-13Alnajjar, M. (2018). Preparation and Application of Amorphous Silica-Alumina for the Removal of Pharmaceutical Compounds from Water (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/109447Pharmaceuticals are found in surface waters as emerging contaminants. The anti-diabetic agent metformin (MF) is one of the most prescribed pharmaceutical compounds by mass. When administered, 52% of MF is excreted unmetabolized in urine, making it one of the most ubiquitous pharmaceutical pollutants in wastewater. The widespread occurrence of this pollutant in water highlights the importance of implementing a new technology in wastewater treatment plants for the removal of MF and other pharmaceutical pollutants from wastewater. Herein, amorphous silica-alumina (SA) composite was synthesized for an environmentally-friendly and efficient adsorptive removal of MF from pharmaceutical water. An array of characterization techniques was employed to study the morphology, textural properties, porosity, surface acidity, and surface charge on adsorption using SEM, BET, TGA, NH3-TPD-MS, zeta potential, and FTIR. The crystallinity, polymorphism, and stability of the adsorbate MF were studied using XRD followed by FTIR analysis. The adsorption process was investigated in batch and continuous modes under various conditions. Batch adsorption isotherms were well-fitted with Sips model, and the rate-limiting steps were investigated using Boyd’s and Weber’s models. The behavior of continuous adsorption breakthrough profiles was investigated under different dynamic conditions, and experimental data were described using convection-axial dispersion model with a good fit. The adsorbent showed very high affinity to adsorb MF molecules by an electrostatic interaction between the positively-charged MF ions and the negatively-charged Brønsted acid sites on the surface of SA. Thermal regeneration of the exhausted SA was successfully utilized for the reusability of the adsorbent over three adsorption-regeneration cycles. These results show a consistent removal of around 95% of MF in the feed.enUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Pharmaceutical contaminationwater treatmentMetforminAdsorptionChemistry--PharmaceuticalEngineeringEngineering--Chemicalmaster thesis