Fate and Behaviour of Carbon Nanomaterials in the Aquatic Environment: A Case of Graphene and Graphene Oxide

Abstract

Graphene and graphene oxide are emerging nanomaterials with a rising number of innovative applications in nanotechnology. The entry of graphene and its derivatives into the environment seems an unavoidable consequence of their increasing relevance in industry and academia and, in this context, it is important to carefully assess the environmental risk of these emitted carbon nanomaterials. The present chapter aims to summarise the recent advances in the study of the colloidal behaviour of graphene and graphene oxide dispersions in artificial and natural waters, focusing on the environmental factors that dictate their stability in the water column and/or their distribution in the sediments. The analytical approaches that are currently employed to analyse graphene and graphene oxide aggregates will also be reviewed.