Decontamination of bisphenol A from aqueous solution by graphene adsorption

The decontamination of bisphenol A (BPA) from aqueous solution by graphene adsorption was investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity (q(m)) of graphene for BPA obtained from a Langmuir isotherm was 182 mg/g at 302.15 K, which was among the highest values of BPA adsorption compared with other carbonaceous adsorbents according to the literature. Both π-π interactions and hydrogen bonds might be responsible for the adsorption of BPA on graphene, and the excellent adsorption capacity of graphene was due to its unique sp(2)-hybridized single-atom-layer structure. Therefore, graphene could be regarded as a promising adsorbent for BPA removal in water treatment. The kinetics and isotherm data can be well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm, respectively. The thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and exothermic process. Besides, the presence of NaCl in the solution could facilitate the adsorption process, whereas the alkaline pH range and higher temperature of the solution were unfavorable.