Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitors from Pharmaceutical Wastes: Advancing Energy-Efficient Chemistry with Green Solutions

Narasimha Raghavendra, Sharanappa Chapi (), Murugendrappa M. V., Małgorzata Pawlak () and Mohammad Reza Saeb
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Narasimha Raghavendra: Department of Chemistry, K. L. E. Society’s P. C. Jabin Science College, Hubballi 580031, Karnataka, India
Sharanappa Chapi: Department of Physics, B. M. S. College of Engineering, Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru 560019, Karnataka, India
Murugendrappa M. V.: Department of Physics, B. M. S. College of Engineering, Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru 560019, Karnataka, India
Małgorzata Pawlak: Department of Ship Operation, Faculty of Navigation, Gdynia Maritime University, 81-87 Morska St., 81-225 Gdynia, Poland
Mohammad Reza Saeb: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdańsk, J. Hallera 107, 80-416 Gdańsk, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Pharmaceutical waste is a type of bio-waste inevitably generated by the pharmaceutical industry, often due to regulatory changes, product deterioration, or expiration. However, their collection and valorization can be approached from a sustainable perspective, offering potential energy-efficient solutions. In this work, the expired Eslicarbazepine acetate drug (ESLD) was utilized as a sustainable anticorrosive agent against mild steel in a 3 M HCl wash solution. Experimental tests combined with theoretical Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations revealed the corrosion inhibition potential of ESLD. The gasometrical results revealed a high inhibition efficiency rate of 98% upon increases in concentration of expired ESLD from 0.25 to 1.00 mg·L −1 , whereas hydrogen gas evolution decreased to 0.7 mL. An impedance investigation evidenced the pivotal role of charge transfer in reducing the disintegration process. As per DFT computations and MC simulation, electron-rich elements in the expired ESLD were key in controlling the dissolution through the adsorption process. Contact angle studies revealed that the increment in the contact angle from 61° to 80° in the presence of expired ESLD validates the chemical, electrochemical, and computational results. This approach not only mitigates pharmaceutical pollution, but also exemplifies the integration of green chemistry principles into corrosion protection, contributing to energy-efficient and sustainable industrial practices.

Keywords: pharmaceutical materials; Monte Carlo simulation; DFT computation; contact angle; corrosion inhibitor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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