Fabrication of 1-octane sulphonic acid modified nanoporous graphene with tuned hydrophilicity for decontamination of industrial wastewater from organic and inorganic contaminants

Abstract

This research work is based on the fabrication of a graphene oxide-based composite (GOBC) to remove the maximum number of contaminants from different industrial effluents. The GO was first intercalated with 1-octanesulphonic acid sodium salt and subjected to microwave irradiation to produce GOBC. Fixed-bed column tests and Jar-tests were performed for removal of the most harmful endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as bisphenol A, bisphenol S, endosulphan, beta-estradiol, dyes (methylene blue and violate) and toxic metal ions such as Pb²⁺, Li⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and As⁵⁺ via adsorption. The prepared material was thoroughly characterized for its unique functional and structural properties. The results obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, water contact angle and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the successful preparation of GOBC using the proposed intercalation/microwave method. The water contact angle results showed decreased hydrophilicity of GOBC as compared to GO as the contact angle of GOBC (77.75°) was higher than that of GO (53.98°). The effects of main column parameters such as bed height, initial analyte concentration and solution flow rate were investigated. The results revealed that shorter breakthrough time, and high adsorption capacity were obtained at high flow rates of 1 mL min⁻¹, while longer breakthrough time and lower adsorption capacity were obtained at lower flow rates of 0.5 mL min⁻¹. The effect of bed depth on the breakthrough curve of analyte adsorption was a steep breakthrough curve; or a shorter breakthrough time occurring at lower bed height. The adsorption data obeyed the Yoon–Nelson and Thomas models very well. The adsorption capacity for BPA, BPS, endosulphan, beta-estradiol, methylene blue and violate was found to be 307, 305, 260, 290, 230 and 195 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The adsorption capacity of GOBC for toxic metal ions such as Pb²⁺, Li⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and As⁵⁺ was found to be 156, 136, 126, 124, 118, 114, 82, 82, 72 and 72 mg g⁻¹, respectively with excellent kinetics. The adsorption data obtained using Jar-tests revealed that GOBC obeys a Langmuir isotherm and a pseudo second order kinetics model. The analysis of industrial wastewater samples showed good removal efficiency of GOBC.