Synthesis of graphene oxide from biomass waste: Characterization and volatile organic compounds removal

This research study focuses on analyzing the effects of graphene oxide (GO) synthesized from subabul, pine, and copperpod biomass waste for the adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Five different VOCs i.e., benzene, xylene, carbon tetrachloride, n-hexane, and toluene were utilized for the sorption experiment. A modified Hummers process was carried out for the successful GO production from biomass waste and the obtained GO was confirmed using SEM, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, and XRD. The existence of 2D-mode and G-mode in Raman spectroscopy as well as O-H and C=O groups in the FTIR confirmed the GO synthesis. The sorption efficiency of SGO, PGO, and CGO for different VOCs was in the range 82–146, 74–144, and 126–166 mg g−1, respectively. The sorption of VOCs was also affected by feedstock type, contact time, and dose of GO. The sorption efficiency of GO increased with a long contact time and higher surface area. Furthermore, for statistical analysis, ANOVA was used. For the kinetics of VOCs sorption, the pseudo-second-order model was utilized, which well fitted with the findings of this research study. The excellent sorption performance of GO produced from biomass waste made it a potential adsorbent for the sorption of VOCs.