Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Pablo Borbon Main II, Alangilan Batangas City
College of Engineering, Architecture & Fine Arts
www.batstate-u.edu.ph Tel. No. (043) 425-0139 loc. 118

Chemical and Food Engineering Department

GRAPHENE OXIDE/ALGINATE COMPOSITE HYDROGEL AS A BROAD-SPECTRUM

ADSORBENT FOR WATER PURIFICATION AND ITS PHYSICOCHEMICAL-MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES

Nicole Ysabelle S. Aguda

Jeanel L. Aldovino
John Bryan A. Aldovino

ChE 4102
I. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

Due to the industrial processes of modernization, the threat of heavy metals as

contaminants in the environment is one of the concerns worldwide. Heavy metals being present in

our water resources pose a significant threat that must be addressed. Many researchers have

studied different ways of water purification which will also open an avenue for a more cost-

effective, efficient, and attainable ways of purification.

Another pollutant that is present in the industry today is the dye wastewater from the

textile factories. Synthetic dyes are highly used in the textile industry and a large amount of

wastewater from it is being discharge constantly. With this, the photosynthetic functions of plants

are being affected greatly by this highly colored wastewater. Due to low light penetration and

higher oxygen demand, marine life will also be affected. Furthermore, there are component

metals and chlorine present in the synthetic dye that is potentially lethal to certain forms of

marine life so this wastewater must be treated first before it is discharge on bodies of water.

With this, water is polluted with variety of contaminants such as dyes and heavy metal

ions. It is also known that heavy metal can affect the health of people and inflicting sickness or

even death. However, it is important that people drink clean water and nowadays, there is a

decrease in the clean water that we can utilize for our daily lives.

Bioadsorption is one of the thought alternatives in the adsorption of heavy-metals from

other conventional ways of eliminating contaminants in an aqueous solution. Constantly seeking

for a solution is crucial in order to find ways in purifying and conserving water as well as

preventing water pollution.

Due to this, a cheap solution for the water pollution must be constantly studied and be

refined for efficiency and optimization This is the reason why the researchers are eager to

conduct a study on creating an adsorption material that can potentially be used in adsorbing heavy

metals and dyes in wastewater from the industry.

 II. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study aims to create an adsorbent material that has a broad spectrum of high

adsorption capacity in heavy metals and dyes. The study also aims to determine the capacity of

the hydrogel such as its surface area of adsorption, porosity, tensile strength, and other

mechanical properties. The researchers also want to determine the physicochemical properties of

the hydrogel composite. Finally, the researchers aim to conduct also a simulation which will give

data for the study.

III. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

The researchers will produce a laboratory synthesized graphene oxide by the use of a

modified Hummers Method. In this method, the researchers will use 27 ml of sulfuric acid

(H2SO4) and 3 ml of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) (volume ratio 9:1) which are mixed and stirred

for several minutes. Then 0.225 g of graphite powder is added into the mixing solution under

stirring condition. 1.32 g of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) is added slowly into the solution.

This mixture is stirred for 6 hours until the solution became dark green. To eliminate excess of

KMnO4, 0.675 ml of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is dropped slowly and stirred for 10 minutes.

The exothermic reaction occurred and let it to cool down. 10 ml of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and

30ml of deionized water (DIW) is added and centrifuged using Eppendorf Centrifuge 5430R at

5000 rpm for 7 minutes. Then, the supernatant is decanted away and the residual is then rewashed

again with HCl and DIW for 3 times. The washed GO solution is dried using oven at 90 C for 24

hours to produce the powder of GO. After the synthesis of the graphene oxide, the GO powder

will be introduced on the sodium alginate hydrogel. Simulation will be utilized in order to

measure the adsorption capacity of the hydrogel in both dyes and heavy metal ions.
IV. CONCLUSION

In this study, the proponents are planning to produce a water purifier in a form of

hydrogel containing graphene oxide (GO) and alginate cross-linked to produce a hydrogel. The

purpose of this hydrogel composite is to produce a material with high adsorption capacity towards

different contaminants especially heavy metal ions such as Cd, Cr, and Cu and synthetic dyes

which in this study, methylene blue will be utilized for simulation. The study will observe the

adsorption capacity of the hydrogel to dyes and heavy metals. Other studies are able to make also

a composite of GO-SA but in a form of an aerogel; however, in this study, we are producing a

composite in a hydrogel form. With this, we will be able to optimize the surface area of

adsorption and porosity of the material as an adsorbent. Furthermore, other study suggested a

modified hummers method in synthesizing graphene oxide which is also efficient and will be

used in this study. Researches about the composite of GO-SA only characterized the mechanical

strength of the material, but in this study the researchers are going to measure the adsorption

capacity of the material towards heavy metals and dyes and the physicochemical-mechanical

properties of the hydrogel composite.