After checking the success of the biosorption process to remove heavy metals from wastewater using olive tree pruning as a cheap biosorbent in the laboratory scale, the scale-up is necessary to progress towards industrial applications chance. The aim of this work was the study of the effect of scale-up in the process of biosorption of Pb(II) with olive tree pruning in a packed bed column. Experiments were performed using two different scale-up criteria and results obtained in both scales were compared. Similar parameters were obtained for each pair of equivalent tests, with a slightly advanced of the obtained breakthrough curves in the pilot plant. The experimental results were fitted by the Thomas model and the obtained mean values were K = 0.187 mL/min·mg and q = 20.59 mg/g for criterion 1 and K = 0.217 mL/min·mg and q = 20.27 mg/g for criterion 2. Finally, the mathematical model was applied to simulate industrial applications and it was obtained that under optimal operative conditions, a column according to the criterion 1 was able to operate 2.3 h, and a column according to the criterion 2 was able to operate for 3.6 h.
The use of nanomaterials for the controlled release of drugs aims to enhance their effectiveness, especially when poorly soluble in water, and achieve their rapid, localized, and effective administration. The present study focuses on the use of a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) as vehicle for the transport and controlled release of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) as model due to its favorable physicochemical characteristics. The objective is to synthesize the ZIF-8 material loaded with CIP through encapsulation for subsequent release of the drug in neutral and acid physiological media. In addition, functionalization of the CIP/ZIF compound with magnetic nanoparticles (NP) was sought to increase its traceability through the possible use of magnetic fields. Characterizations by XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDX, and TGA showed a satisfactory synthesis of both pure ZIF-8 and ciprofloxacin-loaded ZIF-8, with high crystallinity and thermal stability. The release profiles showed an abrupt initial release that stabilized over time. A much higher release (20–80% greater) was obtained in acid versus neutral pH in all cases, attributable to the collapse of the ZIF-8 structure in acid media. In addition, functionalization of the material with iron NPs did not affect the behavior of the system during drug release. Antimicrobial activity tests against E. coli and S. aureus showed that ZIF-8 per se exerts antimicrobial activity, while the compounds CIP/ZIF and magnetic CIP/ZIF increased the antimicrobial capacity of pure CIP by 10–20%. The ZIF-8 system has high potential as a drug carrier and release agent for the treatment of diseases, especially those that cause acidification of the cellular environment, achieving a rapid, localized, and targeted action with the possibility of achieving traceability of the system after its magnetic functionalization.
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