Pharmaceutically active compounds, persistent and ubiquitous substances in the aquatic ecosystems, have been considered as emerging contaminants of high concern. Thus, the anticonvulsive drug carbamazepine and the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin, are extensively prescribed in medicine and veterinary practices, ending up in the wastewater effluents. The removal efficiency of these pharmaceuticals in WWTPs (Wastewater Treatment Plants) is not complete, so it is imperative to find new treatment alternatives in order to increase the degradation of these non-biodegradable compounds.This work is evaluating the removal of both carbamazepine and ciprofloxacin onto adsorption by using several carbonaceous materials. In this work, the kinetic and equilibrium adsorption of carbamazepine and ciprofloxacin as isolated and mixture in deionized water were evaluated, by using several carbon materials: granular activated carbon, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers and two lab-synthesized activated carbons from peach stones and rice husk, respectively). The adsorption of both contaminants onto the carbon materials resulted in an efficient technique to decontaminate wastewater.

Los autores pertenecen al Departamento de Ingeniería Química y de Materiales de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid y desarrollan lineas de investigación centradas en el tratamiento de aguas por procesos tanto de adsorción como de oxidación catalítica. El objetivo es la eliminación de contaminantes orgánicos e inorgánicos presentes en aguas.