Colloidal properties and stability of graphene oxide nanomaterials in the aquatic environment

Sunlight affects aggregation and deposition of graphene oxide in the aquatic environment

In this study, we investigate the role of simulated sunlight on the physicochemical properties, aggregation, and deposition of graphene oxide (GO) in aquatic environments. Results show that light exposure under varied environmental conditions significantly impacts the physicochemical properties and aggregation/deposition behaviors of GO. Photo-transformation has negligible effects on GO surface charge, however, GO aggregation rates increase with irradiation time for direct photo-transformation under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, photo-reduced GO has a greater tendency to form aggregates than under aerobic conditions. Aggregation of photo-transformed GO is notably influenced by ion valence, with higher aggregation found in the presence of divalent ions versus monovalent, but adding natural organic matter (NOM) reduces it. QCM-D studies show that deposition of GO on surfaces coated with organic matter decreases with increased GO irradiation time, indicating a potential increase in GO mobility due to photo-transformation. General deposition trends on Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA)-coated surfaces are control GO > aerobically photo-transformed GO ≈ anaerobically photo-transformed GO. The release of deposited GO from SRHA-coated surfaces decreases with increased irradiation time, indicating that photo-transformed GO is strongly attached to the NOM-coated surface.

Adsorption and desorption of U(VI) on functionalized graphene oxides: a combined experimental and theoretical study

The adsorption and desorption of U(VI) on graphene oxides (GOs), carboxylated GOs (HOOC-GOs), and reduced GOs (rGOs) were investigated by batch experiments, EXAFS technique, and computational theoretical calculations. Isothermal adsorptions showed that the adsorption capacities of U(VI) were GOs > HOOC-GOs > rGOs, whereas the desorbed amounts of U(VI) were rGOs > GOs > HOOC-GOs by desorption kinetics. According to EXAFS analysis, inner-sphere surface complexation dominated the adsorption of U(VI) on GOs and HOOC-GOs at pH 4.0, whereas outer-sphere surface complexation of U(VI) on rGO was observed at pH 4.0, which was consistent with surface complexation modeling. Based on the theoretical calculations, the binding energy of [G(···)UO2](2+) (8.1 kcal/mol) was significantly lower than those of [HOOC-GOs(···)UO2](2+) (12.1 kcal/mol) and [GOs-O(···)UO2](2+) (10.2 kcal/mol), suggesting the physisorption of UO2(2+) on rGOs. Such high binding energy of [GOs-COO(···)UO2](+) (50.5 kcal/mol) revealed that the desorption of U(VI) from the -COOH groups was much more difficult. This paper highlights the effect of the hydroxyl, epoxy, and carboxyl groups on the adsorption and desorption of U(VI), which plays an important role in designing GOs for the preconcentration and removal of radionuclides in environmental pollution cleanup applications.

Measurements of nanomaterials in environmentally relevant water matrices using liquid nebulization/differential mobility analysis

A liquid nebulization-differential mobility analysis methodology was evaluated for the measurement of the size distribution and quantitative mass concentration of nanomaterials in environmentally relevant aqueous media. The analysis time is 8 min, and the method requires little routine sample preparation and less than 8 mL of sample. The method can be used for rapid, direct analysis of nanomaterials in aqueous media with a particular application to dose verification in ecotoxicology studies, analysis of manufacturing process waste streams, and raw material analysis. Twelve reference materials having a diameter traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology were spiked into 6 different aqueous matrices that included drinking water, groundwater, industrial wastewater, as well as the algae and daphnia media used in ecotoxicology testing. Measurement of the diameter of a reference material was within the expected range for the reference material. Individual response factors for each reference material were determined in each medium and the accuracy and precision of the concentration measurements evaluated. In ecotoxicology test media, measurements of the concentration of nanoparticles having diameter ≥ 30 nm, had corresponding accuracies and precisions of 103% and 7%, respectively. Over 28 d 86% of the samples had concentrations within 20% of the initial concentration. The method limit of quantification depended primarily on matrix complexity and particle diameter; the limit of quantification ranged from 0.01 mg/L to 3 g/L.

Use of a pro-fibrogenic mechanism-based predictive toxicological approach for tiered testing and decision analysis of carbonaceous nanomaterials

Engineered carbonaceous nanomaterials (ECNs), including single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphene, and graphene oxide (GO), are potentially hazardous to the lung. With incremental experience in the use of predictive toxicological approaches, seeking to relate ECN physicochemical properties to adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), it is logical to explore the existence of a common AOP that allows comparative analysis of broad ECN categories. We established an ECN library comprising three different types of SWCNTs, graphene, and graphene oxide (two sizes) for comparative analysis according to a cell-based AOP that also plays a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. SWCNTs synthesized by Hipco, arc discharge and Co-Mo catalyst (CoMoCAT) methods were obtained in their as-prepared (AP) state, following which they were further purified (PD) or coated with Pluronic F108 (PF108) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) to improve dispersal and colloidal stability. GO was prepared as two sizes, GO-small (S) and GO-large (L), while the graphene samples were coated with BSA and PF108 to enable dispersion in aqueous solution. In vitro screening showed that AP- and PD-SWCNTs, irrespective of the method of synthesis, as well as graphene (BSA) and GO (S and L) could trigger interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) production in myeloid (THP-1) and epithelial (BEAS-2B) cell lines, respectively. Oropharyngeal aspiration in mice confirmed that AP-Hipco tubes, graphene (BSA-dispersed), GO-S and GO-L could induce IL-1β and TGF-β1 production in the lung in parallel with lung fibrosis. Notably, GO-L was the most pro-fibrogenic material based on rapid kinetics of pulmonary injury. In contrast, PF108-dispersed SWCNTs and -graphene failed to exert fibrogenic effects. Collectively, these data indicate that the dispersal state and surface reactivity of ECNs play key roles in triggering a pro-fibrogenic AOP, which could prove helpful for hazard ranking and a proposed tiered testing approach for large ECN categories.

Photochemical transformation of graphene oxide in sunlight

Graphene oxide (GO) is promising in scalable production and has useful properties that include semiconducting behavior, catalytic reactivity, and aqueous dispersibility. In this study, we investigated the photochemical fate of GO under environmentally relevant sunlight conditions. The results indicate that GO readily photoreacts under simulated sunlight with the potential involvement of electron-hole pair creation. GO was shown to photodisproportionate to CO2, reduced materials similar to reduced GO (rGO) that are fragmented compared to the starting material, and low molecular-weight (LMW) species. Kinetic studies show that the rate of the initially rapid photoreaction of GO is insensitive to the dissolved oxygen content. In contrast, at longer time points (>10 h), the presence of dissolved oxygen led to a greater production of CO2 than the same GO material under N2-saturated conditions. Regardless, the rGO species themselves persist after extended irradiation equivalent to 2 months in natural sunlight, even in the presence of dissolved oxygen. Overall, our findings indicate that GO phototransforms rapidly under sunlight exposure, resulting in chemically reduced and persistent photoproducts that are likely to exhibit transport and toxic properties unique from parent GO.

Heteroaggregation of graphene oxide with minerals in aqueous phase

Upon release into waters, sediments, and soils, graphene oxide (GO) may interact with fine mineral particles. We investigated the heteroaggregation of GO with different minerals, including montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite, in aqueous phase. GO significantly enhanced the dispersion of positively charged goethite (>50%) via heteroaggregation, while there was no interaction between GO and negatively charged montmorillonite or kaolinite. Electrostatic attraction was the dominant force in the GO-goethite heteroaggregation (pH 4.0-8.5), and the dissolved Fe ions (<0.16 mg/L) from goethite were unable to destabilize GO suspension. The GO-goethite heteroaggregation was further quantitatively investigated through GO adsorption study. All adsorption isotherms of GO at different solution pH (4.0 and 6.5) followed the Linear model. The apparent intercept (1.0-6.9 mg/g) was observed for all the adsorption isotherms, indicating that this fraction of adsorbed GO was difficult to desorb from goethite (defined here as irreversible adsorption) under the tested conditions. Desorption hysteresis was observed, which could be explained by the formation of multilayered GO-goethite complex with high configurational stability. These findings are useful for understanding the interaction of GO with mineral surfaces, and potential fate and toxicity of GO under natural conditions in aquatic environments, as well as in soils and sediments.

Aggregation behaviour of engineered nanoparticles in natural waters: characterising aggregate structure using on-line laser light scattering

Adsorption of natural organic matter, aggregation and disaggregation have been identified as three of the main processes affecting the fate and behaviour of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in aquatic environments. However, although several methods have been developed to study the aggregation behaviour of ENPs in natural waters, there are only a few studies focusing on the fate of such aggregates and their potential disaggregation behaviour. In this study, we proposed and demonstrated a simple method for characterising the aggregation behaviour and aggregate structure of ENPs in different natural waters. Both the aggregate size of ENPs and their adsorption capacity for dissolved organic matter (DOM) were strongly related (R(2)>0.97, p<.05) to the combined effect of initial concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and the ionic strength of the natural waters. The structure of the formed aggregates was strongly correlated (R(2)>0.95, p<.05) to the amount of DOM adsorbed by the ENPs during the aggregation process. Under high ionic strength conditions, aggregation is mainly governed by diffusion and the aggregates formed under these conditions showed the lowest stability and fractal dimension, forming linear, chain-like aggregates. In contrast, under low ionic strength conditions, the aggregate structure was more compact, most likely due to strong chemical binding with DOM and bridging mechanisms involving divalent cations formed during reaction-limited aggregation.

Highly efficient removal of pathogenic bacteria with magnetic graphene composite

Magnetic Fe3O4/graphene composite (abbreviated as G-Fe3O4) was synthesized successfully by solvothermal method to effectively remove both bacteriophage and bacteria in water, which was tested by HRTEM, XRD, BET, XPS, FTIR, CV, magnetic property and zeta-potential measurements. Based on the result of HRTEM, the single-sheet structure of graphene oxide and the monodisperse Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of graphene can be observed obviously. The G-Fe3O4 composite were attractive for removing a wide range of pathogens including not only bacteriophage ms2, but also various bacteria such as S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella, E. Faecium, E. faecalis, and Shigella. The removal efficiency of E. coli for G-Fe3O4 composite can achieve 93.09%, whereas it is only 54.97% with pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Moreover, a detailed verification test of real water samples was conducted and the removal efficiency of bacteria in real water samples with G-Fe3O4 composite can also reach 94.8%.

Specific nanotoxicity of graphene oxide during zebrafish embryogenesis

Graphene oxide (GO) has shown great potential for biological, medical, energy and electronic applications. As a consequence of these diverse applications, GO release into the ecosystem is inevitable; however, the corresponding risks are largely unknown, particularly with respect to the critical period of embryogenesis. This study revealed that GO adhered to and enveloped the chorion of zebrafish embryos mainly via hydroxyl group interactions, blocked the pore canals of the chorionic membrane, and caused marked hypoxia and hatching delay. Furthermore, GO spontaneously penetrated the chorion, entered the embryo via endocytosis, damaged the mitochondria and primarily translocated to the eye, heart and yolk sac regions, which are involved in the circulatory system of zebrafish. In these organs, GO induced excessive generation of reactive oxygen species and increased oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis. Graphene oxide also induced developmental malformation of the eye, cardiac/yolk sac edema, tail flexure and heart rate reduction. In contrast to the common dose-effect relationships of nanoparticles, the adverse effects of GO on heart rate and tail/spinal cord flexure increased and then decreased as the GO concentration increased. These findings emphasize the specific adverse effects of GO on embryogenesis and highlight the potential ecological and health risks of GO.

Fate and Transport of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanomaterials in Sand Columns

Research and development of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) (e.g., molybdenum disulfide [MoS₂]) in electronic, optical, and catalytic applications has been growing rapidly. However, there is little known regarding the behavior of these particles once released into aquatic environments. Therefore, an in-depth study regarding the fate and transport of two popular types of MoS₂ nanomaterials, lithiated (MoS₂-Li) and Pluronic PF-87 dispersed (MoS₂-PL), was conducted in saturated porous media (quartz sand) to identify which form would be least mobile in aquatic environments. The electrokinetic properties and hydrodynamic diameters of MoS₂ as a function of ionic strength and pH were determined using a zeta potential analyzer and dynamic light scattering techniques. Results suggest that the stability is significantly decreased beginning at 10 and 31.6 mM KCl, for MoS₂-PL and MoS₂-Li, respectively. Transport study results from breakthrough curves, column dissections, and release experiments suggest that MoS₂-PL exhibits a greater affinity to be irreversibly bound to quartz surfaces as compared with the MoS₂-Li at a similar ionic strength. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory was used to help explain the unique interactions between the MoS₂-PL and MoS₂-Li surfaces between particles and with the quartz collectors. Overall, the results suggest that the fate and transport of MoS₂ is dependent on the type of MoS₂ that enters the environment, where MoS₂-PL will be least mobile and more likely be deposited in porous media from pluronic-quartz interactions, whereas MoS₂-Li will travel greater distances and have a greater tendency to be remobilized in sand columns.

Noncovalent magnetic control and reversible recovery of graphene oxide using iron oxide and magnetic surfactants

The unique charging properties of graphene oxide (GO) are exploited in the preparation of a range of noncovalent magnetic GO materials, using microparticles, nanoparticles, and magnetic surfactants. Adsorption and desorption are controlled by modification of pH within a narrow window of <2 pH units. The benefit conferred by using charge-based adsorption is that the process is reversible, and the GO can be captured and separated from the magnetic nanomaterial, such that both components can be recycled. Iron oxide (Fe2O3) microparticles form a loosely flocculated gel network with GO, which is demonstrated to undergo magnetic compressional dewatering in the presence of an external magnetic field. For composites formed from GO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles, it is found that low Fe2O3:GO mass ratios (<5:1) favor flocculation of GO, whereas higher ratios (>5:1) cause overcharging of the surfaces resulting in restabilization. The effectiveness of the GO adsorption and magnetic capture process is demonstrated by separating traditionally difficult-to-recover gold nanoparticles (d ≈ 10 nm) from water. The fully recyclable nature of the assembly and capture process, combined with the vast adsorption capacity of GO, presents obvious and appealing advantages for applications in decontamination and water treatment.

Removal of sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin from aqueous solutions by graphene oxide

As a promising nanomaterial, graphene-oxide (GO) has shown great sorption potential for environmental contaminants. This study evaluated the ability and mechanism of GO to remove sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solution. Experimental and modeling results showed that GO effectively sorbed both CIP and SMX with maximum sorption capacity of 379 and 240 mg g(-1), respectively. The sorption of CIP was mainly controlled by the electrostatic attractions; while SMX sorption was mainly though π-π EDA attraction on the basal planes of the GO. Solution pH showed strong effect on the sorption ability of GO to the two antibiotics: at pH of 2, GO sorption ability decreased for both CIP and SMX; at pH of 9, GO completely lost SMX sorption ability but still showed strong sorption to CIP. Both NaCl and CaCl2 decreased CIP sorption onto GO and CaCl2 showed high efficiency even at low ionic strength. The effect of NaCl and CaCl2 on SMX sorption was weaker, but higher ionic strength also reduced the sorption of SMX onto GO. At solution pH of 2, sorption of CIP destabilized GO suspension to form aggregates. Results obtained from this work demonstrated that GO can be used as an effective adsorbents to removal antibiotics from water.

Retracted Article: Tuning the chemistry of graphene oxides by a sonochemical approach: application of adsorption properties

The change in the chemical properties of graphene oxides (GOs) can be tuned by the sonochemical approach.

Environmentally benign bio-inspired synthesis of Au nanoparticles, their self-assembly and agglomeration

The synthesis and characterization of stable gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) from gold chloride in soluble protein extracts of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) leaves is demonstrated.

Graphene oxide–TiO2 composite as a novel adsorbent for the preconcentration of heavy metals and rare earth elements in environmental samples followed by on-line inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry detection

GO–TiO₂ composite as a novel adsorbent for the preconcentration of heavy metals and rare earth elements in environmental samples.

Transport, retention, and size perturbation of graphene oxide in saturated porous media: effects of input concentration and grain size

Accurately predicting the fate and transport of graphene oxide (GO) in porous media is critical to assess its environmental impact. In this work, sand column experiments were conducted to determine the effect of input concentration and grain size on transport, retention, and size perturbation of GO in saturated porous media. The mobility of GO in the sand columns reduced with decreasing grain size and almost all GO were retained in fine sand columns for all of the tested conditions. This result can be explained with colloid filtration and XDLVO theories. Input concentration also influenced the retention and transport of GO in the sand columns because of the 'blocking' mechanism that reduces the particle retention rate. After passing through the column, average GO sizes increased dramatically. In addition, the sizes of GO retained in the sand also increased with travel distance. These results suggested that transport through the porous media induced GO aggregation. A mathematical model based on the advection-dispersion equation coupled with the second-order kinetics to reflect the blocking effect simulated the experimental data well.

Transformation and destabilization of graphene oxide in reducing aqueous solutions containing sulfide

The colloidal stability of carbon nanomaterials is a key factor controlling their fate and bioavailability in natural aquatic systems. The authors report that graphene oxide nanoparticles could be destabilized in reducing aqueous solutions containing a low concentration (0.5 mM) of sulfide, a naturally occurring reductant. Spectroscopic characterization using combined X-ray photoelectron, Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and Raman analyses revealed that the surface oxygen-containing groups (mainly epoxy groups) of graphene oxide were significantly reduced after reacting with sodium sulfide. The destabilization of graphene oxide was likely caused by the enhanced surface hydrophobicity of the reduced graphene oxide, whereas electrostatic repulsion played a minimal role. Solution pH was found to affect both the deoxygenation process and the aggregation behavior of graphene oxide. Coexisting humic acid reduced the reaction efficiency and stabilized graphene oxide through steric hindrance. These findings suggest for the first time that the colloidal behavior of carbon nanomaterials might change drastically when they enter natural reducing environments containing sulfide such as anaerobic aquifers and sediments.

Detection of UV-induced mutagenic thymine dimer using graphene oxide

In this paper, we report for the first time that graphene oxide (GO) can interact with mutagenic DNA but not intact DNA. After UV-irradiated fluorophore-linked DNA containing thymine repeats was mixed with GO, a decrease in fluorescence was observed in a time-dependent manner. In contrast, no fluorescence change was observed with intact DNA, indicating that UV irradiation of DNA resulted in the formation of mutagenic bases. Because GO is known to act as a fluorescence quencher, the decreased fluorescence implies adsorption of the UV-irradiated DNA onto GO. It appears that the decreased fluorescence might result from the greater accessibility of hydrophobic methyl groups and phenyl rings of thymine dimers to GO and from deformed DNA structures with less effective charge shielding under salt-containing conditions. Using this affinity of GO for mutagenic DNA, we could detect UV-irradiated DNA at concentrations as low as 100 pM. We were also able to analyze the ability of phototoxic drugs to catalyze the formation of mutagens under UV irradiation with GO. Because our method is highly sensitive and feasible and does not require the pretreatment of DNA, we propose that it could accelerate the screening of potential phototoxic drug candidates that would be able to sensitize mutagenic dsDNA.

Graphene oxide enhances cellular delivery of hydrophilic small molecules by co-incubation

The delivery of bioactive molecules into cells has broad applications in biology and medicine. Polymer-modified graphene oxide (GO) has recently emerged as a de facto noncovalent vehicle for hydrophobic drugs. Here, we investigate a different approach using native GO to deliver hydrophilic molecules by co-incubation in culture. GO adsorption and delivery were systematically studied with a library of 15 molecules synthesized with Gd(III) labels to enable quantitation. Amines were revealed to be a key chemical group for adsorption, while delivery was shown to be quantitatively predictable by molecular adsorption, GO sedimentation, and GO size. GO co-incubation was shown to enhance delivery by up to 13-fold and allowed for a 100-fold increase in molecular incubation concentration compared to the alternative of nanoconjugation. When tested in the application of Gd(III) cellular MRI, these advantages led to a nearly 10-fold improvement in sensitivity over the state-of-the-art. GO co-incubation is an effective method of cellular delivery that is easily adoptable by researchers across all fields.

Aqueous aggregation and surface deposition processes of engineered superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for environmental applications

Engineered, superparamagnetic, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have significant potential as platform materials for environmental sensing, imaging and remediation due to their unique size, physicochemical and magnetic properties. To this end, controlling the size and surface chemistry of the materials is crucial for such applications in the aqueous phase, and in particular, for porous matrixes with particle-surface interaction considerations. In this study, superparamagnetic, highly monodispersed 8 nm IONPs were synthesized and transferred into water as stable suspensions (remaining monodispersed) by way of an interfacial oleic acid bilayer surface. Once stabilized and characterized, particle-particle and model surface interactions (deposition and release) were quantitatively investigated and described systematically as a function of ionic strength (IS) and type with time-resolved dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and real-time quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements. The critical coagulation concentration (CCC) for oleic acid bilayer coated iron oxide nanoparticles (OA-IONPs) were determined to be 710 mM for NaCl (matching DLVO predictions) and 10.6 mM for CaCl2, respectively. For all conditions tested, surface deposition kinetics showed stronger, more favorable interactions between OA-IONPs and polystyrene surfaces compared to silica, which is hypothesized to be due to increased particle-surface hydrophobic interactions (when compared to silica surfaces).

Directed assembly of bifunctional silica-iron oxide nanocomposite with open shell structure

The synthesis of nanocomposite with controlled surface morphology plays a key role for pollutant removal from aqueous environments. The influence of the molecular size of the polyelectrolyte in synthesizing silica-iron oxide core-shell nanocomposite with open shell structure was investigated by using dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Here, poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) was used to promote the attachment of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) onto the silica surface to assemble a nanocomposite with magnetic and catalytic bifunctionality. High molecular weight PDDA tended to adsorb on silica colloid, forming a more extended conformation layer than low molecular weight PDDA. Subsequent attachment of IONPs onto this extended PDDA layer was more randomly distributed, forming isolated islands with open space between them. By taking amoxicillin, an antibiotic commonly found in pharmaceutical waste, as the model system, better removal was observed for silica-iron oxide nanocomposite with a more extended open shell structure.

Graphene in the aquatic environment: adsorption, dispersion, toxicity and transformation

Graphene-family nanomaterials (GFNs) including pristine graphene, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and graphene oxide (GO) offer great application potential, leading to the possibility of their release into aquatic environments. Upon exposure, graphene/rGO and GO exhibit different adsorption properties toward environmental adsorbates, thus the molecular interactions at the GFN-water interface are discussed. After solute adsorption, the dispersion/aggregation behaviors of GFNs can be altered by solution chemistry, as well as by the presence of colloidal particles and biocolloids. GO has different dispersion performance from pristine graphene and rGO, which is further demonstrated from surface properties. Upon exposure in aquatic environments, GFNs have adverse impacts on aquatic organisms (e.g., bacteria, algae, plants, invertebrates, and fish). The mechanisms of GFNs toxicity at the cellular level are reviewed and the remaining unclear points on toxic mechanisms such as membrane damage are presented. Moreover, we highlight the transformation routes of GO to rGO. The degradation of GFNs upon exposure to UV irradiation and/or biota is also reviewed. In view of the unanswered questions, future research should include comprehensive characterization of GFNs, new approaches for explaining GFNs aggregation, environmental behaviors of metastable GO, and the relationship between dispersion of GFNs and the related adsorption properties.

Transport of graphene oxide nanoparticles in saturated sandy soil

We examined the transport properties of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) in saturated sandy soil, under different solution chemistry conditions and flow velocities. GONPs exhibited high mobility in soil, even at 50 mM NaCl. While at relatively high ionic strength GONPs were less mobile in soil than in quartz sand, the differences were not significant. At a concentration of 0.5 mM, Ca(2+) significantly inhibited the transport of GONPs in soil, but only slightly inhibited the transport in quartz sand. This was because by complexing with the surface O-functionalities of both GONPs and soil components, Ca(2+) could enhance the aggregation of GONPs and bridge GONPs and soil grains. Increasing pH from 4 to 9 only slightly enhanced the transport of GONPs in soil, probably because the mobility of GONPs was already high at low pH. The presence of 10 mg L(-1) Suwannee River humic acid significantly enhanced the transport of GONPs in quartz sand at 35 mM, but only had a small effect for the transport in soil. This was possibly linked to the much smaller grain sizes and much more heterogeneous nature of the soil. Flow velocity had marked effects on the transport in soil, but essentially no effects on the transport in quartz sand. A two-site transport model incorporating both the blocking-affected attachment process and straining effects can effectively model the transport of GONPs. The high mobility of GONPs may have important implications for their environmental fate and effects.

Interactions of graphene oxide nanomaterials with natural organic matter and metal oxide surfaces

Interactions of graphene oxide (GO) nanomaterials with natural organic matter (NOM) and metal oxide surfaces were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Three different types of NOM were studied: Suwannee River humic and fulvic acids (SRHA and SRFA) and alginate. Aluminum oxide surface was used as a model metal oxide surface. Deposition trends show that GO has the highest attachment on alginate, followed by SRFA, SRHA, and aluminum oxide surfaces, and that GO displayed higher interactions with all investigated surfaces than with silica. Deposition and release behavior of GO on aluminum oxide surface is very similar to positively charged poly-L-lysine-coated surface. Higher interactions of GO with NOM-coated surfaces are attributed to the hydroxyl, epoxy, and carboxyl functional groups of GO; higher deposition on alginate-coated surfaces is attributed to the rougher surface created by the extended conformation of the larger alginate macromolecules. Both ionic strength (IS) and ion valence (Na(+) vs Ca(2+)) had notable impact on interactions of GO with different environmental surfaces. Due to charge screening, increased IS resulted in greater deposition for NOM-coated surfaces. Release behavior of deposited GO varied significantly between different environmental surfaces. All surfaces showed significant release of deposited GO upon introduction of low IS water, indicating that deposition of GO on these surfaces is reversible. Release of GO from NOM-coated surfaces decreased with IS due to charge screening. Release rates of deposited GO from alginate-coated surface were significantly lower than from SRHA and SRFA-coated surfaces due to trapping of GO within the rough surface of the alginate layer.

Stability and Transport of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles in Groundwater and Surface Water

The effects of groundwater and surface water constituents (i.e., natural organic matter [NOM] and the presence of a complex assortment of ions) on graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) were investigated to provide additional insight into the factors contributing to fate and the mechanisms involved in their transport in soil, groundwater, and surface water environments. The stability and transport of GONPs was investigated using dynamic light scattering, electrokinetic characterization, and packed bed column experiments. Stability results showed that the hydrodynamic diameter of the GONPs at a similar ionic strength (2.1±1.1 mM) was 10 times greater in groundwater environments compared with surface water and NaCl and MgCl2 suspensions. Transport results confirmed that in groundwater, GONPs are less stable and are more likely to be removed during transport in porous media. In surface water and MgCl2 and NaCl suspensions, the relative recovery was 94%±3% indicating that GONPs will be very mobile in surface waters. Additional experiments were carried out in monovalent (KCl) and divalent (CaCl2) salts across an environmentally relevant concentration range (0.1-10 mg/L) of NOM using Suwannee River humic acid. Overall, the transport and stability of GONPs was increased in the presence of NOM. This study confirms that planar "carbonaceous-oxide" materials follow traditional theory for stability and transport, both due to their response to ionic strength, valence, and NOM presence and is the first to look at GONP transport across a wide range of representative conditions found in surface and groundwater environments.

Impact of Al2O3 on the aggregation and deposition of graphene oxide

To assess the environmental behavior and impact of graphene oxide (GO) on living organisms more accurately, the aggregation of GO and its deposition on Al2O3 particles were systematically investigated using batch experiments across a wide range of solution chemistries. The results indicated that the aggregation of GO and its deposition on Al2O3 depended on the solution pH and the types and concentrations of electrolytes. MgCl2 and CaCl2 destabilized GO because of their effective charge screening and neutralization, and the presence of NaH2PO4 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) improved the stability of GO with the increase in pH values as a result of electrostatic interactions and steric repulsion. Specifically, the dissolution of Al2O3 contributed to GO aggregation at relatively low pH or high pH values. Results from this study provide critical information for predicting the fate of GO in aquatic-terrestrial transition zones, where aluminum (hydro)oxides are present.

Adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by graphene and graphene oxide nanosheets

The adsorption of naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene onto graphene (GNS) and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets was investigated to probe the potential adsorptive sites and molecular mechanisms. The microstructure and morphology of GNS and GO were characterized by elemental analysis, XPS, FTIR, Raman, SEM, and TEM. Graphene displayed high affinity to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), whereas GO adsorption was significantly reduced after oxygen-containing groups were attached to GNS surfaces. An unexpected peak was found in the curve of adsorption coefficients (Kd) with the PAH equilibrium concentrations. The hydrophobic properties and molecular sizes of the PAHs affected the adsorption of G and GO. The high affinities of the PAHs to GNS are dominated by π-π interactions to the flat surface and the sieving effect of the powerful groove regions formed by wrinkles on GNS surfaces. In contrast, the adsorptive sites of GO changed to the carboxyl groups attaching to the edges of GO because the groove regions disappeared and the polar nanosheet surfaces limited the π-π interactions. The TEM and SEM images initially revealed that after loading with PAH, the conformation and aggregation of GNS and GO nanosheets dramatically changed, which explained the observations that the potential adsorption sites of GNS and GO were unusually altered during the adsorption process.

Factors controlling transport of graphene oxide nanoparticles in saturated sand columns

The authors conducted column experiments and a modeling study to understand the effects of several environmental factors on the aggregation and transport of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) in saturated quartz sand. The GONPs were negatively charged and stable under the test conditions (0-50 mM NaCl; pH 4.8-9.0), and the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) calculation indicated that deposition of GONPs was under unfavorable attachment conditions. The GONPs exhibited high mobility even at an ionic strength of 25 mM NaCl. The transport of GONPs was insensitive to the changes of pH (from 5.1 to 9.0), but the presence of 10 mg/L Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA) considerably enhanced transport at high ionic strength (35 mM NaCl), likely via enhanced steric repulsion and significantly inhibited stacking of GO flakes. Varying flow velocity also enhanced transport at high ionic strength. In general, GONPs exhibit greater mobility compared with other carbon nanoparticles because the aggregation and transport of GONPs are more resilient to changes in solution chemistry and hydrodynamic forces that favor aggregation and deposition of nanoparticles. A 2-site transport model incorporating both the blocking-affected attachment process and straining effects can effectively model the transport of GONPs. The high mobility of GONPs should be given full consideration in assessing their environmental risks.

Strong and selective adsorption of lysozyme on graphene oxide

Biosensing methods and devices using graphene oxide (GO) have recently been explored for detection and quantification of specific biomolecules from body fluid samples, such as saliva, milk, urine, and serum. For a practical diagnostics application, any sensing system must show an absence of nonselective detection of abundant proteins in the fluid matrix. Because lysozyme is an abundant protein in these body fluids (e.g., around 21.4 and 7 μg/mL of lysozyme is found in human milk and saliva from healthy individuals, and more than 15 or even 100 μg/mL in patients suffering from leukemia, renal disease, and sarcoidosis), it may interfere with detections and quantification if it has strong interaction with GO. Therefore, one fundamental question that needs to be addressed before any development of GO based diagnostics method is how GO interacts with lysozyme. In this study, GO has demonstrated a strong interaction with lysozyme. This interaction is so strong that we are able to subsequently eliminate and separate lysozyme from aqueous solution onto the surface of GO. Furthermore, the strong electrostatic interaction also renders the selective adsorption of lysozyme on GO from a mixture of binary and ternary proteins. This selectivity is confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy.

Graphene-based materials functionalized with elastin-like polypeptides

Graphene-based materials commonly require functionalization for biological applications in order to control their physical/colloidal properties and to introduce additional capabilities, such as stimuli-responsiveness and affinity to specific biomolecules. Here, we functionalized CVD-grown graphene and graphene oxide with a genetically engineered elastin-like polypeptide fused to a graphene binding peptide and then showed that the resulting hybrid materials exhibit thermo- and photoresponsive behaviors. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our genetic engineering strategy allows for the facile introduction of bioactivity to reduced graphene oxide. The stimuli-responsiveness and genetic tunability of our graphene-protein nanocomposites are attractive for addressing future biomedical applications.

Deposition and release of graphene oxide nanomaterials using a quartz crystal microbalance

Interactions of graphene oxide (GO) with silica surfaces were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Both GO deposition and release were monitored on silica- and poly-l-lysine (PLL) coated surfaces as a function of GO concentration and in NaCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2 as a function of ionic strength (IS). Under favorable conditions (PLL-coated positive surface), GO deposition rates increased with GO concentration, as expected from colloidal theory. Increased NaCl concentration resulted in a greater deposition attachment efficiency of GO on the silica surface, indicating that deposition of GO follows Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory; GO deposition rates decreased at high IS, however, due to large aggregate formation. GO critical deposition concentration (CDC) on the silica surface is determined to be 40 mM NaCl which is higher than the reported CDC values of fullerenes and lower than carbon nanotubes. A similar trend is observed for MgCl2 which has a CDC value of 1.2 mM MgCl2. Only a minimal amount of GO (frequency shift <2 Hz) was deposited on the silica surface in CaCl2 due to the bridging ability of Ca(2+) ions with GO functional groups. Significant GO release from silica surface was observed after adding deionized water, indicating that GO deposition is reversible. The release rates of GO were at least 10-fold higher than the deposition rates under similar conditions indicating potential high release and mobility of GO in the environment. Under favorable conditions, a significant amount of GO was released which indicates potential multilayer GO deposition. However, a negligible amount of deposited GO was released in CaCl2 under favorable conditions due to the binding of GO layers with Ca(2+) ions. Release of GO was significantly dependent on salt type with an overall trend of NaCl > MgCl2 > CaCl2.

Aggregation kinetics of graphene oxides in aqueous solutions: experiments, mechanisms, and modeling

Although graphene oxide (GO) has been used in many applications to improve human life quality, its environmental fate and behavior are still largely unknown. In this work, a novel approach that combines experimental measurements and theoretical calculations was used to determine the aggregation kinetics of GO sheets in aqueous solutions under different chemistry conditions (e.g., cation valence and pH). Experimental data showed that both cation valence and pH showed significant effect on the aggregation of GO sheets. The measured critical coagulation concentrations were in good agreement with the predictions of the extended Schulze-Hardy rule. Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) were more effective than Na(+) in aggregating the GO sheets, which could be attributed to the cross-linking between GO sheets by the divalent cations through "bridging" the functional groups at the edges of the GO sheets. When solution pH increases, deprotonation of carboxylic groups was found to play a key role in increasing GO sheet stability and surface charge development. These results suggested that edge-to-edge and face-to-face interactions were the dominant modes of GO aggregation in the presence of divalent metal ions and H(+), respectively. A modified attachment efficiency (α) model was developed on the basis of the Maxwell approach with considerations of both primary and secondary minima. The model predictions matched the experimental measurements of the aggregation kinetics of GO sheets in aqueous solutions under all of the tested experimental conditions well.

Effects of material morphology on the phototoxicity of nano-TiO2 to bacteria

Nanostructured titania (nano-TiO2) is produced in diverse shapes, but it remains largely unknown how tuning the morphology of nano-TiO2 may alter its toxicity. Herein, we show that material morphology plays a critical role in regulating the phototoxicity of nano-TiO2 to bacteria. Low-dimensional nano-TiO2, including nanotubes, nanorods, and nanosheets, were synthesized hydrothermally, and their effects on the bacterial viability of Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila were compared to spherical nanostructures (anatase nanospheres and P25). Results reveal that TiO2 nanotubes and nanosheets are less phototoxic than their rod- and sphere-shape counterparts under simulated solar irradiation. None of the tested nano-TiO2 shows toxicity in the dark. In contrast to their diminished phototoxicity, however, TiO2 nanotubes and nanosheets exhibit comparable or even higher photoactivity than other nanostructures. Observations by scanning transmission electron microscopy suggest that material morphology influences nano-TiO2 phototoxicity by governing how nano-TiO2 particles align at the bacterial cell surface. Overall, when comparing materials with different morphologies and dimensionality, nano-TiO2 phototoxicity is not a simple function of photocatalytic reactivity or ROS production. Instead, we propose that the evaluation of nano-TiO2 phototoxicity encompasses a three-pronged approach, involving the intrinsic photoactivity, aggregation of nano-TiO2, and the nano-TiO2/bacteria surface interactions.