NaY zeolite from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw ash used for the adsorption of tetracycline

Converting abundant and renewable wastes to high-value products is important based on economic and environmental viewpoints. In this work, wheat straw ash was used as a precursor for the synthesis of NaY zeolite. The characteristics and effectiveness of NaY as adsorbent for tetracycline (TC) were evaluated. The adsorption behavior of TC-NaY system under different experimental conditions was also illustrated. The Langmuir equation was well applied for the analysis of isotherm data, with maximum equilibrium uptakes of 201.77, 218.51, and 230.69 mg/g at 30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C, respectively. Data on TC uptakes versus time followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model. NaY zeolite with a surface area of 657.44 m2/g and pore volume of 0.341 cm3/g could be an efficient adsorbent for the treatment of antibiotic pollutants in wastewater.