Synthesis and characterization of RGO/zeolite composites for the removal of arsenic from contaminated water

Abstract

In this study, composites of Cu-exchanged zeolite/RGO (reduced graphene oxide) with different zeolites (clinoptilolite, ZEA, and ZSM-5) were synthesized. Cu-ZEA/RGO composites with different ratios (namely, 1 : 1 and 3 : 1) were also prepared. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses showed that Cu-zeolite/RGO composites were successfully synthesized. The morphologies of the obtained samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) technique was used to measure the specific surface area of the samples. The synthesized composites were evaluated as an adsorbent to remove arsenic from contaminated water. According to the results of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), the use of ZEA for preparing the mentioned composite (Cu-exchanged zeolite/RGO) can produce a more efficient performance compared with other zeolites (clinoptilolite and ZSM-5). The Cu-ZEA/RGO composite with 1 : 1 Cu-ZEA/RGO ratio exhibited the best performance in the removal of arsenic.