Removal effect of recycled solid wastes and clay minerals on graphene oxide from water

Graphene oxide (GO), a hydrophilic nanomaterial with a high surface area, offers broad utility in aqueous systems, but poses critical environmental risks due to its stability, persistence, and resistance to degradation. To combat GO-related water pollution, this study reviews the efficacy of clay minerals (e.g., illite, sepiolite) and solid wastes (e.g., basalt powder, iron tailings) as sustainable, low-cost adsorbents. Key findings reveal that these materials exhibit strong adsorption capacities for GO, driven by van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding. Illite and sepiolite significantly reduce GO concentrations, whereas basalt powder outperforms other solid wastes in adsorption efficiency. Composite adsorbents, which combine clay with carbon-based materials or metal oxides, can improve the removal rate of GO and introduce catalytic degradation capabilities to break down adsorbed GO, thereby addressing long-term environmental persistence issues. There are still challenges in optimizing adsorption conditions, deepening mechanism understanding, and designing environmentally friendly GO derivatives. Combining pollution source control with advanced adsorption-catalytic mixing systems can reduce the risk of GO contamination. Overall, clay minerals and solid waste show great potential as scalable, renewable GO removal solutions. By further optimizing their properties and combining them with sustainable technologies, these materials can effectively protect aquatic ecosystems while advancing innovation in green water treatment.