Graphene based advanced materials in the remediation of aquatic environment contaminated with fluoride: Newer insights and applicability

Abstract Graphene possesses unique physicochemical properties viz., high specific surface area, thermal stability, enormous electron mobility, mechanical flexibility, large elasticity, etc. Due to these distinctive properties, many researchers focused on the modification of graphene or the preparation of graphene-based materials for diverse applications. The review addresses recent advances in the design, synthesis and applications of graphene-based materials in the remediation of aquatic environment contaminated with potential water pollutant fluoride. Overview of major factors influencing the fluoride removal viz., solution pH, temperature, co-existing ions etc. have been included extensively. The fluoride removal mechanisms as investigated with the help of advanced analytical tools viz., Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) are comprehensively demonstrated. Further, regeneration and reusability of the materials are broadly summarized in the review. This review attempted to investigate the updated knowledge of fluoride contamination and remediation with available data and greatly demonstrated the challenges in the existing methods. Therefore, future aspects of studies in intended use of graphene and graphene based advanced materials is elaborated for the greater applicability of the review.