Visible light photocatalytic reduction of toxic chemical organophosphate monocrotophos using reduced graphene oxide derived from bamboo leaves

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized from waste bamboo leaves using a pyrolysis and ultra-sonication technique. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a prominent absorption peak at 230 nm, while Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of characteristic D-band (1340 cm⁻¹) and G-band (1596 cm⁻¹). XRD analysis showed a peak at 11.5°, corresponding to a lattice spacing of 3 nm, and SEM/TEM imaging demonstrated the formation of multi-layered graphene sheets. The synthesized GO was evaluated for the photocatalytic degradation of the organophosphate pesticide monocrotophos under visible light. At a concentration of 25 mg/L, graphene exhibited a removal efficiency of 98 % with a degradation rate of 0.036 ppm/min, following a Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The significance of this study lies in the potential environmental application, offering an economical and sustainable solution for the decontamination of pesticide-contaminated water sources. The method could contribute significantly for reducing environmental pollution and addressing global water safety challenges.