Facile synthesis of graphene wool doped with oleylamine-capped silver nanoparticles (GW-αAgNPs) for water treatment applications

The facile synthesis of graphene wool doped with oleylamine-capped silver nanoparticles (GW-αAgNP) was achieved in this study. The effect of concentration, pH, temperature and natural organic matter (NOM) on the adsorption of a human carcinogen (benzo(a)pyrene, BaP) was evaluated using the doped graphene wool adsorbent. Furthermore, the antibacterial potential of GW-αAgNP against selected drug-resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains was evaluated. Isotherm data revealed that adsorption of BaP by GW-αAgNP was best described by a multilayer adsorption mechanism predicted by Freundlich model with least ERRSQ < 0.79. The doping of graphene wool with hydrophobic AgNPs coated with functional moieties significantly increased the maximum adsorption capacity of GW-αAgNP over GW based on the qmax and qm predicted by Langmuir and Sips models. π-π interactions contributed to sorbent-sorbate interaction, due to the presence of delocalized electrons. GW-αAgNP-BaP interaction is a spontaneous exothermic process (negative $$\Delta H^\circ$$ and $$\Delta G)$$ , with better removal efficiency in the absence of natural organic matter (NOM). While GW is more feasible with higher maximum adsorption capacity (qm) at elevated temperatures, GW-αAgNP adsorption capacity and efficiency is best at ambient temperature, in the absence of natural organic matter (NOM), and preferable in terms of energy demands and process economics. GW-αAgNP significantly inhibited the growth of Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis strains, at 1000 mg/L dosage in preliminary tests, which provides the rationale for future evaluation of this hybrid material as a smart solution to chemical and microbiological water pollution.