Adsorption of Arsenic on Graphene Oxide, Reduced Graphene Oxide, and their Fe3O4 Doped Nanocomposites

Abstract

Adsorption of arsenic on graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and nanocomposites with iron oxide nanoparticles were examined in an aqueous medium. All the nanoparticles and nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized in the usual manner. Water samples were collected from groundwater outlets in the Chakdaha block of West Bengal, India. The adsorption was modeled using various isotherms. The nanocomposites with iron oxides showed higher efficiency in adsorbing arsenic species vis-à-vis individual graphene-based nanoparticles. The present data shows As removal efficiency of 71.64% and 78.84% for GO and rGO, respectively, and 76.07% and 81.6% for their nanocomposites with iron oxide, respectively. While further work is needed to optimize As adsorption by the nanocomposites, the data can be used to develop low-cost water filtering kits for use in the affected areas.