Removal of (2,4-Dichlorophenoxy)acetic Acid from Aqueous Solutions Using Low-cost Sorbents

Abstract

Despite reducing the consumption of the pesticide (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D), it can still be occasionally found in natural waters. The most effective method for its removal is adsorption on a solid surface using carbonaceous sorbents; however, these sorbents are considered highly priced. Therefore, diverse waste products have been increasingly used in recent years. In this study, the sorption possibility of 2,4-D from aqueous solutions with low concentration (1 μg L −1 ) of carbon- and silicon-containing sorbents of different nature was investigated. It was observed that precipitated silica from rice husk could be used for sorption posttreatment of 2,4-D. There was almost a complete removal of the pesticide with the carbon sorbent by “Sibunit”. Mesoporous sorbents derived from rice husk and straw showed a sorption efficiency of 23%-35%, indicating their use for treatment of natural waters.