Chapter 3 - Graphene quantum dots application in bacterial and viral pathogen disinfection

Abstract

Access to clean water has become one of the most important challenges of the present era due to fast population growth and industrialization worldwide. Besides the adulteration of organic and inorganic pollutants, microbial contamination in water has affected human health as a result of its high pathogenic hazards. Treatment of microbial contamination (bacterial and viral pathogens) using carbon-based two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials (graphene quantum dots) has attracted considerable attention owing to its significant treatment efficiency along with thermal and chemical stability. Graphene-based quantum dots have been prepared via different top-down and bottom-up chemical approaches. Feasible synthesis of the route of quantum dots, having various advantages in terms of nontoxicity and low-cost, renewable resources, as well as their straightforward processing time, make them a potential candidate that could be effectively employed in wastewater treatment. Moreover, unique electronic, optical, and functional characteristics of quantum dots highlight use in other fields, namely paramedical sciences, disease diagnosis, biosensors, bioanalytical assays and bioimaging, photocatalyst, and antimicrobial agent for disinfectant of other pollutants. The present chapter focuses on the possible application of graphene quantum dots (GQD) for the disinfection of bacterial and viral pathogen in wastewater. Based on significant microbial removal efficiency, it is expected that carbon-based GQD nanomaterials are projected to open new applications in controlling water pollution.