Magnetic graphene-carbon nanotube iron nanocomposites as adsorbents and antibacterial agents for water purification.
One of the biggest challenges of the 21st century is to provide clean and affordable water through protecting source and purifying polluted waters. This review presents advances made in the synthesis of carbon- and iron-based nanomaterials, graphene-carbon nanotubes-iron oxides, which can remove pollutants and inactivate virus and bacteria efficiently in water. The three-dimensional graphene and graphene oxide based nanostructures exhibit large surface area and sorption sites that provide higher adsorption capacity to remove pollutants than two-dimensional graphene-based adsorbents and other conventional adsorbents. Examples are presented to demonstrate removal of metals (e.g., Cu, Pb, Cr(VI), and As) and organics (e.g., dyes and oil) by grapheme-based nanostructures. Inactivation of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species (e.g., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) is also shown. A mechanism involving the interaction of adsorbents and pollutants is briefly discussed. Magnetic graphene-based nanomaterials can easily be separated from the treated water using an external magnet; however, there are challenges in implementing the graphene-based nanotechnology in treating real water.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. Electronic address: vsharma@tamhsc.edu.
Virender K
VK
Sharma
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Thomas J
TJ
McDonald
Department of Environmental Engineering, The University of Seoul, 90 Jeonnong-dong Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-743, Republic of Korea.
Hyunook
H
Kim
Institute of Physics, University of Brasília, 70919-970 Brasília, DF, Brazil.
Vijayendra K
VK
Garg
D000327:Adsorption; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; C000499:ferric oxide; D006108:Graphite
Arsenic; Carbon; Magnetic adsorbent; Metals; Organics