A review on the removal of antibiotics by carbon nanotubes

Increasing concerns have been raised regarding the potential risks of antibiotics to human and ecological health due to their extensive use. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have drawn special research attention because of their unique properties and potential applications as a kind of adsorbents. This review summarizes the currently available research on the adsorption of antibiotics on CNTs, and will provide useful information for CNT application and risk assessment. Four different models, the Freundlich model (FM), Langmuir model (LM), Polanyi–Mane model (PMM), and Dubinin–Ashtakhov model (DAM), are often used to fit the adsorption isotherms. Because different mechanisms may act simultaneously, including electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, π–π bonds, and hydrogen bonds, the prediction of organic chemical adsorption on CNTs is not straightforward. Properties of CNTs, such as specific surface area, adsorption sites, and oxygen content, may influence the adsorption of antibiotics on CNTs. Adsorption heterogeneity and hysteresis are two features of antibiotic–CNT interactions. In addition, CNTs with adsorbed antibiotics may have potential risks for human health. So, further research examining how to reduce such risks is needed.