Adsorption-Membrane Hybrid Approach for the Removal of Azithromycin from Water: An Attempt to Minimize Drug Resistance Problem

In this study, activated carbon (AC) and magnetic (MAC) were prepared from Dalbergia sissoo sawdust for the removal of antibiotic Azithromycin (AZM) aqueous solution. The effect initial concentration, contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature investigated both adsorbents. optimum AZM pH adsorbents dosages found to be 80 mg/L, 120 min, 6 7 (pH, respectively, AC MAC), 0.1 g (for respectively. isothermal data sets experiments correlated well with Langmuir isotherm model, while kinetic pseudo-second-order model. adsorption on was favorable, which is evident in values thermodynamic parameters (ΔH = −26.506 −24.149 KJ/mol, ΔS 91.812 81.991 J/mol K, MAC). To evaluate MAC membrane parameters, a continuous stirred reactor connected ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. High % retention improved permeate flux (around 90%) obtained AC/UF, AC/NF AC/RO, MAC/UF, MAC/NF, MAC/RO treatments. percent observed AC/RO higher than hybrid processes due greater surface area MAC.