Real textile wastewater treatment using nano graphene-based materials: Optimum pH,dosage, and kinetics for colour and turbidity removal

Textile effluent is one of the most hazardous types of wastewater for both the environment and human health when discharged without proper treatment. This work stands out as one of the first to evaluate the parameters for the application of graphene oxide (GO) to treat real textile wastewater. A comparative analysis was conducted to investigate the removal efficiencies of turbidity and apparent colour from raw textile wastewater using GO. The effects of different parameters, such as GO dosage, pH, and contact time were discussed, considering a removal mechanism based on the salting out effect. Results regarding treatment using GO followed by centrifugation showed that in >1 hour nearly 90% turbidity was decreased, and an apparent colour removal efficiency over 76% was recorded, which is twice the value obtained with the conventional treatment applied in textile mills. Over 60% chemical oxygen demand was reduced. Tests using GO followed by sedimentation also revealed promising results, showing removal efficiencies of 66% and 88% for apparent colour and turbidity, respectively. These results suggest that GO could be promising for real wastewater treatment.