The characteristic and performance of reduced graphene oxide by marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. CF10-13

Abstract Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has attracted enormous interest because of its excellent physicochemical properties compared to graphene oxide (GO). However, rGO applications are greatly restricted by the aggregation of graphene sheets, risks of sophisticated violent processes, environmental concerns, and high costs of GO reduction. In this study, a mild, eco-friendly, and simplified method for rGO material preparation was developed via a marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. CF10-13 (CF10-13) under facultative anaerobic conditions. Results showed that bacterial reduced graphene oxide (BRGO) had low oxygen content and decreased interlayer space (d-spacing 0.4 nm). The increased D band to G band ratio was 1.3 and a typical hexagonal crystal structure was observed. The prepared biocompatible three-dimensional hydrogel (BRGO balls) could decolorize both cationic dye (methyl blue) and azo dye (Congo red), with respective efficiencies of 87% and 92% and the equilibrium adsorptions were 72.5 mg/g and 76.0 mg/g at an initial dye concentration of 50 mg/L, respectively. This study provides one operable option for producing BRGO with better physicochemical properties with potential as a wastewater treatment method.