Adsorção de hidroxicloroquina de efluentes aquosos utilizando o carvão ativado de eucalipto

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, triggered by a highly pathogenic viral infection, began in China in December 2019. Originating as severe pneumonia resulting from a novel strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans, the situation evolved into a globally alarming scenario. In March 2020, the World Health Organization officially recognized the severity of the situation, classifying it as a pandemic due to its notable ease of transmission and its spread across various countries worldwide. This rapid and widespread propagation led to dramatic losses of human lives on a global scale, deeply impacting communities and countries.The challenge faced by humanity in the face of COVID-19 highlighted the importance of international cooperation, resilience, and the adoption of effective measures to contain the virus's spread and protect lives. Undoubtedly, the contamination caused by the new coronavirus had a devastating impact on people's health, leading to respiratory issues and death. This mass contagion significantly increased psychological disorders. This disorder brought drastic consequences not only for people's health but also for the environment.Various potential medications were tested for COVID-19, including highlighting an antimalarial, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which demonstrated efficacy in vitro by inhibiting SARS-CoV-2. Although drugs have undeniable benefits for human health, it is necessary to recognize and mitigate the negative impacts related to their consumption. In this regard, the widespread use of this medication resulted in the release of high amounts of effluents contaminated with hydroxychloroquine into the environment, posing high risks of water contamination.The improper disposal of this medication, whether from improper disposal or human excretion, has led to the contamination of rivers, lakes, and groundwater, potentially affecting aquatic life and causing adverse effects on ecosystems and food chains. From this perspective, many drugs, when discarded in landfills, can seep into the soil and reach groundwater, contaminating underground water sources, posing a high risk to human health, especially when water is used for direct consumption or agriculture.Therefore, it is essential to care for and develop effective methods for removing these unwanted contaminants from water, as it is the most important natural resource for the survival of living organisms. Considering this significant challenge, the pyrolysis technique can produce activated charcoal. The use of this byproduct is seen as an alternative for environmental management and economic valorization, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. Furthermore, activated charcoal yields satisfactory results when applied in contaminant adsorption techniques due to its high surface porosity, making it stand out and be highly efficient when applied for such purposes. Moreover, this study aims to investigate the adsorption of hydroxychloroquine using eucalyptus-derived activated charcoal.