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The role of graphene oxide and graphene oxide-based nanomaterials in the removal of pharmaceuticals from aqueous media: a review

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Abstract

In this review paper, the ill effects of pharmaceuticals (PhAs) on the environment and their adsorption on graphene oxide (GO) and graphene oxide-based (GO-based) nanomaterials have been summarised and discussed. The adsorption of prominent PhAs discussed herein includes beta-blockers (atenolol and propranolol), antibiotics (tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole), pharmaceutically active compounds (carbamazepine) and analgesics such as diclofenac. The adsorption of PhAs strictly depends upon the experimental conditions such as pH, adsorbent and adsorbate concentrations, temperature, ionic strength, etc. To understand the adsorption mechanism and feasibility of the adsorption process, the adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics and kinetic studies were also considered. Except for some cases, GO and its derivatives show excellent adsorption capacities for PhAs, which is crucial for their applications in the environmental pollution cleanup.

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Abbreviations

AA:

Amoxicillin

AC:

Activated carbon

AOPs:

Advanced oxidation processes

APAP:

Acetaminophen

ASA:

Aspirin

ATL:

Atenolol

BFs:

Biomass fibres

BOD:

Biological oxygen demand

BSA:

Bovine serum albumin

CA:

Calcium alginate

CAF:

Caffeine

CBZ:

Carbamazepine

CIP:

Ciprofloxacin

CNTs:

Carbon nanotubes

CPC:

Chemically prepared carbon

CSC:

China Scholarship Council

CTC:

Chlortetracycline

CVD:

Chemical vapour deposition

CX:

Carbon xerogel

DOC:

Doxycycline

DOM:

Dissolved organic matter

Dorzo:

Dorzolamide

DOX:

Doxorubicin hydrochloride

D-R:

Dubinin–Radushkevich

EDCs:

Endocrine disrupting compounds

GO/CSA:

GO/poly(acrylic acid) grafted with chitosan

GO:

Graphene oxide

GO-MPs:

Graphene oxide functionalized magnetic nanoparticles

GONPs:

Graphene oxide nanoplatelets

HA:

Humic acid

IBU:

Ibuprofen

IHM:

Improved Hummer’s method

KEP:

Ketoprofen

MCGO:

Magnetic chitosan-grafted graphene oxide nanocomposite

MHM:

Modified Hummer’s method

MMCC:

Magnetic mesoporous carbon composite

Mont:

Montmorillonite

NOR:

Norfloxacin

OCFGs:

Oxygen-containing functional groups

OTC:

Oxytetracycline

PhAs:

Pharmaceuticals

PRO:

Propranolol

SAs:

Sulfonamides

SDBS:

Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate

SMX:

Sulfamethoxazole

SPY:

Sulfapyridine

SSA:

Specific surface area

STZ:

Sulfathiazole

TC:

Tetracycline

WWTPs:

Wastewater treatment plants

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Acknowledgements

The support from the Chinese government under China Scholarship Council (CSC) for foreign postgraduate students, NSFC (21225730, 91326202, 21577032), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JB2015001), the Kunlun Scholarship of Qinghai province, the Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, 102206, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Ayub Khan, Jian Wang, Jun Li, Xiangxue Wang, Zhongshan Chen & Xiangke Wang

  2. NAAM Research Group, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed Alsaedi, Tasawar Hayat & Xiangke Wang

  3. Department of Mathematics, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    Tasawar Hayat

  4. Department of Chemistry, Qinghai Normal University, 810008, Xining, Qinghai, People’s Republic of China

    Yuantao Chen

  5. Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions and School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Xiangke Wang

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  1. Ayub Khan
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Khan, A., Wang, J., Li, J. et al. The role of graphene oxide and graphene oxide-based nanomaterials in the removal of pharmaceuticals from aqueous media: a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 7938–7958 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8388-8

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