Green mesocarp coconut for treatment of water contaminated with paracetamol and tetracycline

Joselito Nardy Ribeiro; Araceli Ver�nica Flores Nardy Ribeiro; Jairo Pinto de Oliveira; Rowenna Tonani Leao; Tiago Pereira Cunha

Volume : V, Issue : IV, April - 2016

Green mesocarp coconut for treatment of water contaminated with paracetamol and tetracycline

Joselito Nardy Ribeiro, Araceli Ver Nica Flores Nardy Ribeiro, Jairo Pinto De Oliveira, Rowenna Tonani Leao, Tiago Pereira Cunha

Abstract :

A method involving green coconut mesocarp was developed to remove some pollutants from water. The results show that this natural adsorbent has satisfactory maximum adsorption capacity for paracetamol (0.11mg g–1) and tetracycline (1.61mg g–1). Furthermore, this material was able to remove 95% and 64% of tetracycline and paracetamol, respectively, from enriched water samples. The less efficient activated carbon removed 44% and 39% of tetracycline and paracetamol, respectively. The tested concentrations of these pollutants were higher than the levels commonly found in the aquatic environment. The results showed that coconut is more effective than activated carbon in removing these contaminants. Therefore, this material is suggested as a possible alternative in the treatment of water contaminated with tetracycline, and paracetamol.