Nanosilver-decorated nanographene and their adsorption performance in waste water treatment

Abstract

Background: Water, a precious resource for all living organisms has become a diminishing source in the present world. Reuse of water is a way of combating the scarcity of water. The remedy for the polluted water through eco-friendly approaches is a major challenging task for the researchers. Nanotechnology is expected to provide a better solution than the existing methods. Graphene, a novel carbonaceous material widely used in the field of nanotechnology is a promising substance in the treatment of polluted water. Results: The present work deals with the bio-reduction of graphene oxide using the aqueous extract of Amaranthus polygonoides. The synthesized graphene was embedded with silver nanoparticles and Moringa oleifera pulverized seed powder. This modified graphene was used as adsorbent for simulated textile, tannery and paper mill effluents. The adsorption efficacy of graphene and modified graphene was compared with that of a commonly available adsorbent activated charcoal by analysing the water quality parameters before and after treatment. Conclusions: The results revealed that the graphene loaded with the silver nanoparticles and M. oleifera seed powder possessed excellent adsorbent properties and showed good efficacy on reusability compared to conventional activated charcoal.