Scharlau

Lignin (from LignoTech Ibérica S.A., Cantabria, Spain) was selected as the carbon precursor for activated carbons. FeCl₃·6H₂O (≥97%), ZnCl₂ (97%), H₃PO₄ (85%) and KOH (85%), used as agents for the chemical activation of lignin, were all purchased from Panreac (Panreac Química S.L.U., Barcelona, Spain). Titanium tetrabutoxide (Ti(OBu)₄; ≥97%) was supplied by Sigma Aldrich (Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO, USA). Ethanol (EtOH; 96%) was obtained from Panreac (Panreac Química S.L.U., Barcelona, Spain). HCl (≥37%) and NaOH (≥95%) were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO, USA) and Scharlau (Scharlab S.L., Barcelona, Spain), respectively. Acetaminophen (ACE; ≥99%, from Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO, USA) was selected as the target emerging contaminant. Acetonitrile (HPLC grade, Scharlau, Scharlab S.L., Barcelona, Spain) and acetic acid (≥99%, Sigma Aldrich Sigma-Aldrich Co., St. Louis, MO, USA) were used as the mobile phase for liquid chromatography. Ultrapure water (Type I, 18.2 MΩ·cm) and deionized water (Type II) were used in this work.