Removal of Commercial Textile Dye DRMD from Wastewater Using Two-Dimensional Mesoporous Graphene Oxide Adsorbent

Abstract

Environmental toxins from textile effluents, including organic contaminants, heavy metals, and dyes, pose significant health risks such as renal illness, allergies, dermatitis, and cancer when released into the aquatic environment. While various dye removal methods exist, adsorption is highlighted as a potentially effective solution due to its low cost, simplicity, and ease of use. An adsorbent of two-dimensional mesoporous Graphene Oxide (GO) was produced using Hummer’s method from cost-effective graphite powder. This was then utilized to eliminate the Doracryl Red MD (DRMD) textile dye from the aqueous system. To characterize the synthesized material, XRD, FTIR, and SEM analyses were performed. Zeta Potential and AFM analysis were used to determine surface charge and roughness, respectively. BET analysis was performed to obtain information regarding the surface area and porosity of the mesoporous GO. The highest adsorption capacity for the adsorption of the dye DRMD was found at 917.62 mg/gm. A variety of factors, including the influence of solution pH, adsorbent dosage, adsorption temperature, concentration of dye solution, and contact time, were thoroughly investigated. Adsorption data best fit the Langmuir model and demonstrated pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics. After repeatedly washing used adsorbents with 2% HCl solution, 88.62% of its initial adsorption capacity was retained after the 4th cycle. Hence, the enhanced adsorption capacity and recyclability of Graphene Oxide (GO) render it a promising candidate for the treatment of wastewater polluted with organic dyes.