Glucose-Reduced Nano-Graphene Oxide with Excellent Accumulation Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Water

摘要

Accumulation and removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) such as naproxen, ibuprofen and oxybenzone, bezafibrate, clofibric acid, carbamazepine, diclofenac from aqueous solutions was investigated using glucose-reduced nano-graphene oxide (nrGO) under UV light. Graphite oxide was firstly oxidized by nitronium ions (NO2+) solution using microwave heating to get nano-GO (nGO) with about 50 nm of diameter, and then nGO was reduced in glucose at 135°C for 30 min to get nrGO with about 40 nm of diameter. The nrGO under UV light was very effective in removing pharmaceuticals, exhibits excellent accumulation and removal of diclofenac, naproxen and carbamazepine by more than 95%, while bezafibrate, ibuprofen and oxybenzone was eliminated by 80%. Clofibric acid was more stable, only eliminated by 60%. The synthesis mechanism of nrGO nanocomposite was tested and characterized with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM) image analysis, UV-Vis spectra, X-ray diffraction patterns, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The adsorption capacity of diclofenac, naproxen and carbamazepine to nrGO nanocomposite was the highest (approx. 500.0 mgg-1, 493.4 mgg-1, 490.5 mgg-1). The calculated maximum adsorption capacities of bezafibrate, ibuprofen, oxybenzone and Clofibric acid under UV light were 325.5, 348.2, 315.8, and 245.3 mg/g, respectively).