Efficient Removal of Representative Chemical Agents by Rapid and Sufficient Adsorption via Magnetic Graphene Oxide Composites

Abstract

Chemical agents pose a significant threat to social security, highlighting the crucial role of representative chemical agents adsorption in ensuring the safety our environment. This study explored the application of Magnetic Graphene Oxide Nanoplatelet Composites (MGONCs) in adsorbing the representative chemical agents such as Lewisite (L), O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX), Sarin (GB), and Soman (GD). MGONCs were synthesized through a physical blending method, with the combination of graphene oxide (GO) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles at a mass ratio of 1:1. Optimization of the adsorption process involved investigating the effects of contact time, temperature, and adsorbent dosage. Remarkably, the adsorption rate of L and VX exceeded 99% when the dosage of MGONCs was 2.5 mg, with a contact time of 30 s at room temperature. Furthermore, GB and GD achieved maximum adsorption rates after a contact time of 20 min, with the dosages of MGONCs at 10 mg and 20 mg, respectively. Characterization of the magnetic composite was accomplished through XRD, TEM, VSM, FTIR, TGA, and BET analyses. Kinetical analysis revealed that the adsorption mechanism of GB and GD on MGONCs followed pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetics, exhibiting a high regression coefficient. The calculated qe values were 0.103125 mg/g and 0.081349 mg/g, respectively. This research demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing MGONCs as highly efficient adsorbents for representative chemical agents, particularly in on-site sampling scenarios.