This environmental-materials study tests the combined effect of montmorillonite and freeze–thaw modification on alginate/PVA beads for tetracycline adsorption from water and reuse.
Key findings
- APMF reached 353.55±11.87% swelling and 83.85±4.18% water uptake and showed the highest removal. Kinetics fitted pseudo-second-order and equilibrium fitted Freundlich, consistent with heterogeneous multilayer adsorption. The process was spontaneous and endothermic, and APMF retained adsorption with the lowest weight loss over four cycles.
Why this matters globally
Polymer–clay beads could support treatment of antibiotic-contaminated wastewater if reproducible manufacturing, real-water robustness and safe handling of adsorbed tetracycline are demonstrated.
Thai researcher contribution
Researchers from the University of Phayao and Maejo University, including corresponding author Boontharika Thapsukhon, developed and evaluated the reusable adsorbent.
Limitations to consider
Results come from controlled solutions rather than real wastewater with competing ions, organics or microbes. Model fits alone do not prove mechanism. Only four reuse cycles were tested, with no cost, leaching, end-of-life or scale-up assessment.