Adsorption of herbicide iron chelate EDDHA 6 % and fungicide copper oxychloride in drainage water on activated carbon derived from carob pods

The study addresses a significant environmental issue regarding the removal of harmful agricultural chemicals from wastewater. Specifically, it investigates the potential of activated carbon produced from carob pods (CAC) as an effective adsorbent for removing the fungicide copper oxychloride and the herbicide iron chelate EDDHA 6 % from drainage water. The research highlights the importance of finding sustainable and cost-effective methods for treating agricultural runoff, which often contains toxic substances detrimental to ecosystems and human health. CAC was obtained using a saline solution (0.9 % NaCl). The CAC had a surface area of 441.15 m 2 /g and a pore diameter of 1.18 nm. Adsorption equilibrium for each product was reached in 180 min. The results showed that the adsorption processes followed the pseudo-first-order model perfectly. Moreover, the adsorption of these products onto the CAC was affected by the initial pH of the drainage water. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherm data showed a closer fit to the Langmuir model, suggesting monolayer adsorption occurring on a uniform surface. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities obtained were 16.72 and 45.99 mg/g for copper oxychloride and iron chelate, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption was spontaneous, favorable and exothermic. Considering its commendable adsorption capacity, the adsorbent formulated in this study demonstrates promising potential for the treatment of phytosanitary products wastewater within practical applications.