This study investigates the removal of ibuprofen and diclofenac from aqueous media via a fully pressurized dissolved air flotation system, enhanced by fenugreek-derived saponin, a plant-based biosurfactant. The use of fenugreek saponin in flotation processes distinguishes this work from previous studies as it offers an ecofriendly and efficient alternative to chemical surfactants. The biosurfactant’s surface-active properties were confirmed through FT-IR, UV–vis spectroscopy identified key functional groups and structural characteristics of the saponin, NMR provided molecular insights into its bioactive components, and surface tension analyses demonstrated its ability to reduce interfacial tension, indicating effective surfactant behavior. To optimize the saponin extraction, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method was employed using a 70% ethanolic solution for 50 min, significantly improving the flotation efficiency. Experimental conditions were carefully optimized to maximize the removal efficiency of both contaminants. For ibuprofen, the optimal pH was 5 with a retention time of 10 min, while for diclofenac, the optimal pH was 4 with a contact time of 15 min. A saponin dosage of 0.4 wt % was used in both cases, with the flotation process operating under a pressure of 15 psig and a flow rate of 0.5 L/min. Under these conditions, the process attained a maximum removal efficiency of 98.59% for ibuprofen and 95.32% for diclofenac. GC-MS results further validated the presence of bioactive components in fenugreek saponin that are responsible for its high contaminant removal capacity. Despite the challenge of scum removal during the flotation process, this study demonstrates the high efficiency of this process in treating low-concentration pollutants. The process is not only rapid but also allows for selective pollutant removal while minimizing the use of harmful chemicals, offering a more sustainable and ecofriendly solution for wastewater treatment.

中文翻译：

---

使用植物来源的生物表面活性剂辅助溶气浮选工艺从水溶液中有效去除药物污染物


本研究调查了通过全加压溶气浮选系统从水性介质中去除布洛芬和双氯芬酸的方法，该系统由胡芦巴衍生的皂苷（一种植物性生物表面活性剂）增强。在浮选过程中使用胡芦巴皂苷将这项工作与以前的研究区分开来，因为它为化学表面活性剂提供了一种环保且高效的替代品。生物表面活性剂的表面活性特性通过 FT-IR 得到证实，紫外-可见光谱确定了皂苷的关键官能团和结构特征，NMR 提供了对其生物活性成分的分子见解，表面张力分析证明了它能够降低界面张力，表明表面活性剂的行为有效。为了优化皂苷提取，采用超声辅助提取 （UAE） 方法，使用 70% 乙醇溶液 50 min，显著提高浮选效率。实验条件经过仔细优化，以最大限度地提高两种污染物的去除效率。布洛芬的最佳 pH 值为 5，保留时间为 10 min，而双氯芬酸的最佳 pH 值为 4，接触时间为 15 min。在这两种情况下，皂苷剂量为 0.4 wt %，浮选过程在 15 psig 的压力和 0.5 L/min 的流速下运行。在这些条件下，该工艺对布洛芬和 25.32 年分别达到 98.59% 和 95.32% 的最大去除效率。GC-MS 结果进一步验证了胡芦巴皂苷中存在的生物活性成分，这些成分是其高污染物去除能力的原因。尽管在浮选过程中存在去除浮渣的挑战，但本研究证明了该工艺在处理低浓度污染物方面的高效率。 该工艺不仅快速，而且允许选择性去除污染物，同时最大限度地减少有害化学物质的使用，为废水处理提供更可持续和环保的解决方案。