Graphene Oxide@Heavy Metal Ions (GO@M) Complex Simulated Waste as an Efficient Adsorbent for Removal of Cationic Methylene Blue Dye from Contaminated Water

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) was heavily used in the adsorption process of various heavy metal ions (such as copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) ions), resulting in a huge waste quantity of graphene oxide@metal ions complex. In this research, the authors try to solve this issue. Herein, the GO surface was loaded with divalent (Cu2+) and trivalent (Fe3+) heavy metal ions as a simulated waste of the heavy metal in various removal processes to form GO@Cu and (GO@Fe) composites, respectively. After that, the previous nanocomposites were used to remove cationic methylene blue (MB) dye. The prepared composites were characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), transition electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR), Raman, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) before and after the adsorption process. Various adsorption factors of the two composites towards MB-dye were investigated. Based on the adsorption isotherm information, the adsorption process of MB-dye is highly fitted with the Langmuir model with maximum capacities (mg g−1) (384.62, GO@Cu) and (217.39, GO@Fe). According to the thermodynamic analysis, the adsorption reaction of MB-species over the GO@Cu is exothermic and, in the case of GO@Fe, is endothermic. Moreover, the two composites presented excellent selectivity of adsorption of the MB-dye from the MB/MO mixture