Utilization of graphene and rGO membranes for water and wastewater treatments

Abstract

Water and wastewater treatment is crucial to meet the global demand for clean drinking water and attaining environmental sustainability. Using graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) membranes for wastewater and water treatment is innovative in tackling water pollution and water scarcity worldwide. Graphene-based membranes have been proven advantageous and effective in water purification due to their unique qualities such as increased surface area, mechanical and thermal durability, adsorbability, and antifouling and antibacterial capabilities. This chapter discusses the synthesis of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide membranes and their hybrid derivatives. It also discusses their applicability and challenges in wastewater purification. Ongoing research is necessary to optimize these membranes, as challenges persist in the large-scale cost-effective production for widespread use in water treatment plants.