Characterization of marine coral fragment-derived calcium oxide and its performance in chloramphenicol removal from water

Abstract

Chloramphenicol, a widely used antibiotic, is a persistent pollutant in aquatic environments, posing a threat to both human health and aquatic ecosystems. This study investigates the use of calcium oxide (CaO) derived from marine coral fragments as a natural adsorbent for the removal of chloramphenicol from water. Marine coral was calcined to obtain CaO, which was then characterized using techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chloramphenicol was detected at a maximum absorption wavelength of 278 nm using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The adsorption efficiency of CaO was tested by varying the adsorbent weights (0.05 g, 0.075 g, and 0.1 g) and chloramphenicol concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg/L). Results indicated that an adsorbent weight of 0.05 g was most effective, achieving an adsorption efficiency of 7.05%. The highest adsorption capacity, 0.28 mg/g, was observed at a chloramphenicol concentration of 20 ppm. However, the overall adsorption efficiency of CaO was relatively low, indicating the need for further development, such as the creation of biocomposites, to improve its adsorption capabilities. This study demonstrates that while marine coral-derived CaO shows potential as an eco-friendly adsorbent, additional research and optimization are necessary to enhance its effectiveness for water treatment applications.