Abstract—This study investigated the comparative adsorption performance of Graphene Oxide (GO) and Ethylenediamine-Functionalized Graphene Oxide (EDA/GO) for the removal of Arsenic (As), Copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn) from contaminated water. Removal efficiency was systematically evaluated under acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions (pH 3, 7, and 9), representing environmentally relevant pH ranges. GO was synthesized using the modified Hummers’ method and subsequently functionalized with ethylenediamine to introduce nitrogen-containing coordination sites. Structural characterization using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the successful oxidation of graphite to GO and the subsequent incorporation of amine functionalities into EDA/GO. Batch adsorption experiments conducted with an adsorbent dosage of 0.5 wt.% revealed distinct pH-dependent removal behavior. EDA/GO exhibited higher adsorption efficiencies across all conditions, achieving near-quantitative removal of Cu and Zn (~100% and 95%, respectively) under neutral to alkaline conditions, and enhanced As removal (~96%) even under acidic conditions. The improved adsorption performance of EDA/GO is due to increased surface disorder, amine-metal coordination, and enhanced charge tunability, which collectively facilitate electrostatic interactions and chelation. These findings demonstrate that EDA functionalization enhances the metal-binding affinity and kinetics of GO, supporting its potential applicability for multi-metal remediation in groundwater treatment systems.
Keywords—graphene oxide, ethylenediamine, heavy metals, adsorption, remediation
Cite: Shui-Wen Chang Chien, Yu-Xuan Huang, and Saroj Adhikari, "Comparative Evaluation of Graphene Oxide and Ethylenediamine-functionalized Graphene Oxide for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Water ," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 312-318, 2026.
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