Activated carbon materials derived from hemp fibers in pesticide adsorption and water disinfection

Abstract

By varying the parameters of carbonization and activation, different samples of hemp fibers based activated carbon were obtained. Optimal production conditions were selected based on the adsorption properties of activated hemp fibers toward pesticides. Therefore, the influence of production conditions on the specific surface area, measured by dynamic method, and adsorption characteristics of activated hemp fibers toward different pesticides (acetamiprid, dimethoate, carbofuran and atrazine) was examined. Decrease of pesticide concentration, as a consequence of the adsorption, was determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique. Based on obtained results, an efficient pesticides sorbent can be produced using: carbonization temperature of 1000 oC, activated agent/carbon material ratio of 2/1 and activation temperature of 900 oC. Additionally, activated hemp fibers impregnated with silver proved to be suitable for water disinfection due to the strong antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.

Variranjem parametara karbonizacije i aktivacije dobijeni su uzorci aktiviranih ugljeničnih materijala na bazi vlakana konoplje, a optimalni parametri dobijanja izabrani su na osnovu efikasnosti uklanjanja pesticida iz vodenih rastvora. Ispitan je uticaj parametara dobijanja, kako na specifičnu površinu aktiviranih vlakana konoplje, merenu dinamičkom metodom, tako i na efikasnost dobijenih uzoraka u adsorpciji pesticida: acetamiprida, dimetoata, karbofurana i atrazina. Koncentracija pesticida u rastvoru određivana je metodom tečne hromatografije u kombinaciji sa tandem masenom spektrometrijom. Kao optimalni parametri za dobijanje efikasnih sorbenata za uklanjanje pesticida odabrani su: temperatura karbonizacije od 1000oC, odnos aktivacioni agens: karbonizovani materijal - 2:1 i temperatura aktivacije od 900oC. Takođe, aktivirana vlakna konoplje impregnisana srebrom pokazuju jako antimikrobno dejstvo na smešu Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus i Candida albicans, pa se ovi materijali mogu koristiti i za dezinfekciju zagađene vode.