Photoreduction of Cr(VI) and degradation of bisphenol A by magnetically recoverable CoFe2O4/waste-derived graphene: Insights into real sewage disinfection
Surfaces and Interfaces, cilt.97, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 97
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.surfin.2026.110004
- Dergi Adı: Surfaces and Interfaces
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, INSPEC
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Agricultural biowaste, Antibacterial activity, Cr(VI) reduction, Magnetic waste derived graphene, Photocatalytic degradation
- Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Potato peel waste was valorized as a sustainable carbon source to produce waste‑derived graphene (WG), which was obtained by carbonization followed by a modified Hummers’ oxidation. WG was then combined with solvothermally synthesized CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles to form a magnetically recoverable CoFe₂O₄-WG nanocomposite for wastewater treatment. The prepared materials were characterized by XRD, Raman, XPS, FESEM-EDS, HRTEM, BET, UV–Vis, and VSM analyses, confirming the successful formation of few-layer graphene and its hybridization with spinel CoFe₂O₄. The CoFe₂O₄-WG composite exhibited magnetic separability, mesoporosity, and improved photocatalytic properties under visible light. For pollutant removal, in separate single-pollutant experiments CoFe₂O₄-WG achieved 82.2% reduction of Cr(VI) within 180 min and 82.9% degradation of bisphenol A within 240 min, outperforming pure WG and CoFe₂O₄ under identical conditions. The enhanced performance was attributed to synergistic effects between graphene and CoFe₂O₄, including improved adsorption and suppressed electron-hole recombination. The composite also retained good reusability, showing 72.8% Cr(VI) removal after five cycles. In antibacterial tests, light exposure markedly improved activity, and complete bacterial inactivation in sewage samples (corresponding to a reduction of at least ∼6 log₁₀ units, below the detection limit of the plate-count assay) was observed after 4 h of visible-light treatment. These findings demonstrate that CoFe₂O₄-WG is a promising, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable material for multifunctional wastewater remediation.