Magnetic Sludge-Based Activated Carbon: Preparation, Characterization, and Application for Catalytic Ozonation of Ibuprofen

In this paper, magnetic sludge-based activated carbon (MSAC) and a series of transition metal (M = Mn, Cu, Co, Ni) loaded MSACs with different molar ratios of magnetic precursor to M (Fe:M = 4, 2, 1, 0.5) were prepared via an impregnation method, and their catalytic ozonation activities of removing ibuprofen (IBP) were investigated. The results showed MSAC-Mn2 (M = Mn, Fe:Mn = 2) exhibited high IBP removal efficiency of 86.2% after 30 min catalytic ozonation as well as good magnetic separation ability. Characterization of MSAC-Mn2 indicated that the magnetization significantly developed the surface properties of MSAC and that redox pairs of Fe (III)/Fe (II) and Mn (III)/Mn (II) species maybe exit on the carbon surface. The positive effect of higher pH and significant inhibition of tBA indicated that the catalytic ozonation followed the hydroxyl radical ((OH)-O-center dot) reaction mechanism.