Ultrasound-assisted adsorption of fenoterol from water solution by shells of plum seeds activated carbon.

• AC obtained by of plum seeds using water vapor is suitable for use in human medicine. • The PSC has a high adsorption capacity for fenoterol, and it is 337.8 mg/g. • The process of adsorption of fenoterol on PSC is thermodynamically favorable. • The application of ultrasound has a favorable of adsorption of fenoterol on PSC. The aim of the study was to preliminarily investigate the possibility of using active carbon (AC) of the shell of plum seeds (PSC) in cases of acute poisoning by excessive oral intake of fenoterol. It was found that the PSC surface is characterized by a large specific area, 1680 m2/g, high Langmuir monolayer capacity, 337.8 mg/g without ultrasound (US) and 351 mg/g with US. The Langmuir, Flory–Huggins, pseudo second order and intraparticular diffusion model, follow the experimental results well, R2 = 0.99 was in all cases. According to Boyd's criterion, a combination of diffusion of solute through the film and through the pores, limiting steps for fenoterol adsorption onto PSC are. The contribution of US was positive in this study. This was shown by the adsorption rate constant of the pseudo-second-order which, without application of US it was 298 g/mg·min and with the application of US was 347 g/mg·min. The Gibbs free energy ΔG values, −27.25 kJ/mol, −27.93 kJ/mol and −28.58 kJ/mol, obtained by Langmuir constant K L , were negative at all operating temperatures, verifying that the adsorption of fenoterol was spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable. PSC has been shown to be a highly effective adsorbent that can be used in acute oral fenoterol poisoning and US is not contraindicated, on the contrary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]