Synthesis of nitrogen doped and nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon cryogels and their application for pharmaceuticals removal from water

In this study carbon cryogel, cryogel doped with nitrogen, and both nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon cryogels (nominal concentration of nitrogen was in the range 2–10 wt%) were synthesized and used as an adsorbent for the removal of carbamazepine, naproxen, diazepam and diclofenac from water. A batch adsorption kinetics study was performed by determination of contact time influence, the effect of pH, and adsorption isotherms. Structural and morphological analysis showed that there are no changes in turbostratic carbon structure induced by doping/co-doping, but noticeable morphology changes were observed. The presence of both nitrogen and nitrogen/sulfur were confirmed and results showed low content on the surface, especially for sulfur. Obtained high values of the specific surface area for co-doped samples (up to 1530 m2/g) can be caused by sulfur atoms burning or leaving the material during carbonization. The results of the adsorption kinetics study showed that the adsorption of all pharmaceuticals on all tested samples followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained from the Langmuir isotherm model is higher for doped (91.28–168.92 mg/g) and co-doped (152.97–488.06 mg/g) samples than for pristine sample (59.75–266.28 mg/g). Calculated adsorption energy values from the Dubinin-Radushkevich model indicate that the possible mechanism was physisorption. Desorption tests that were carried out showed satisfactory reusability for all samples. The favorable adsorption characteristics for the co-doped sample with a higher nominal concentration of nitrogen and sulfur qualifies as a potentially good adsorbent for the removal of pharmaceuticals from water. •Nitrogen doped and nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon cryogels were synthesized.•Doping and co-doping induced significant changes of carbon cryogel surface properties.•Adsorption processes were studied on carbamazepine, naproxen, diazepam, and diclofenac on synthesized samples.•The experimental data fit well with adsorption isotherms models by Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Sips.•The maximum adsorption capacity is 488.06 mg/g for a cryogel sample with the highest N,S nominal concentration.