Development and application of silica aerogel-chitosan based nanocomposide material for the removal of pharmaceuticals from the marine environment

In this study, adsorption efficiencies were calculated with the aim of removing carbamazepine, diclofenac and ibuprofen, which are drug active substances with known concentrations in synthetic seawater, by utilizing the super adsorbent property of environmentally friendly chitosan/silica aerogel nanocomposite material synthesized using domestic chitosan. For this purpose, firstly, studies were carried out to obtain 1.25% - 2.5% - 5% silica airgel-chitosan-based nanocomposite material by Sol-gel method. According to both BET and FTIR results, the most successful composite material synthesized is 2.5% chitosan/silica aerogel. For this reason, it continued to be used as an adsorbent material in synthetic seawater. Adsorption studies were carried out at 3 different pHs and 7 different time periods. Diclofenac, carbamazepine and ibuprofen drug active ingredients prepared in synthetic sea water were initially analyzed by HPLC device and their concentration values were calculated. Carbamazepine value was 180 mg/l, Diclofenac value was 51 mg/l, Ibuprofen value was 201 mg/l. 100 mg chitosan/silica airgel based nanocomposite material was added to synthetic sea water containing diclofenac, ibuprofen and carbamazepine with known concentrations. The concentrations of pharmaceuticals were determined at the beginning, 30., 60., 90., 120., 150., 180. and 210. minutes by adjusting the pH to 5, 7 and 8.5 with dilute HNO3. The % adsorbed value was calculated for each active ingredient.Although the adsorption process in synthetic seawater at pH 5, 7 and 8.5 became linear from the 150th minute, the highest adsorption occurred in carbamazepine. The amount of carbamazepine adsorbed per gram adsorbent at pH 5, 7 and 8.5 was 1.56 g, 1.44 g and 1.61 g, respectively; the amount of diclofenac 0.39 g, 0.33 g and 0.38 g, respectively; The amount of ibuprofen was determined as 1.64 g, 1.54 g and 1.76 g, respectively.