A multifunctional graphene oxide–zinc oxide (GO–ZnO) nanohybrid was developed to tackle two significant challenges in wastewater treatment: the removal of malachite green (MG) and the inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms. Under optimized conditions (25 mg L −1 MG, pH = 9.0, 18 mg adsorbent, 25 °C, 12 min), this material achieved a remarkable 96.54% removal of MG. The adsorption process was well-described by the Langmuir isotherm (Q max = 131.91 mg g −1 ) and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating that the mechanism involved chemisorption through electrostatic attraction, π–π interactions, and hydrogen bonding. The process was spontaneous, endothermic, and driven by entropy changes. Notably, the nanohybrid maintained an adsorption efficiency of over 87% after four regeneration cycles, using only 1 mL of methanol per cycle. It also demonstrated robust performance in real water samples, including tap water, river water, and industrial wastewater, retaining an MG removal efficiency of over 88% despite the complexity of these matrices. In addition to its adsorption capabilities, the nanohybrid exhibited potent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 0.313 mg mL⁻¹ against a clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii , 0.625 mg mL −1 against Escherichia coli (ATCC), and 1.25 mg mL −1 against Staphylococcus aureus and fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans . This dual functionality stems from synergistic mechanisms: ROS generation mediated by ZnO and physical membrane disruption induced by GO. Overall, the ultrafast kinetics, high reusability, environmental resilience, and integrated detoxification-disinfection capabilities highlight the GO–ZnO nanohybrid as a promising and sustainable solution for advanced water purification, meeting the urgent demand for multifunctional materials in hazardous contaminant management.
Ebrahimi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: