Supported Fe-Cu Bimetallic Materials for Adsorptive Removal of Ibuprofen from Aqueous Solutions

Description

Ibuprofen is a widely used pharmaceutical compound that can enter aquatic environments and persist in water, making it one of the contaminants for which effective removal methods are being investigated. Adsorption is considered a promising technique for treating this type of pollutant. This project aims to synthesize and investigate iron–copper bimetallic material (Fe-Cu) and compare its performance in four different forms: unsupported Fe-Cu and Fe-Cu supported on bentonite, cellulose, or pencil graphite. The study will evaluate the influence of support identity on the physicochemical properties of the prepared materials, ibuprofen removal efficiency, material stability, and reusability. The prepared materials will be characterized using appropriate analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) to identify crystalline phases; scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to examine surface morphology and elemental distribution; and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify functional groups and investigate potential changes in surface properties. The final characterization techniques will be selected according to the nature of the materials and the available laboratory facilities. Adsorption experiments will be conducted using prepared aqueous ibuprofen solutions. Residual ibuprofen concentrations will be determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after developing and validating a suitable analytical method. Method validation will address linearity, accuracy, precision, and limits of detection and quantification, as appropriate to the analytical method and available instrumentation. The effects of key operational parameters, including pH, adsorbent dosage, initial ibuprofen concentration, contact time, and temperature, will be evaluated to identify suitable removal conditions and compare the performance of the different materials. Based on preliminary results, detailed adsorption kinetic and equilibrium studies will be conducted using appropriate kinetic models, such as the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, and equilibrium models, such as the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Model suitability will be assessed using appropriate statistical criteria rather than relying on correlation coefficients alone to interpret the underlying mechanisms. Adsorption thermodynamics will also be investigated, provided that sufficient data can be obtained at different temperatures, to evaluate the thermodynamic characteristics of the process. In addition, the reusability of selected materials will be assessed over successive adsorption cycles. Iron and copper leaching into the treated solutions will also be measured using a suitable analytical technique, such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) or atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), depending on the available facilities. The findings are expected to clarify the relationship between support identity, the properties of the bimetallic material, and its performance in removing ibuprofen from aqueous solutions. The study will also identify factors affecting the adsorption process and evaluate material stability and reusability. Conclusions will be based on the actual experimental and characterization results, and laboratory findings will not be extrapolated to real wastewater treatment without further validation studies.