GO/BiVO4 NANOCOMPOSITES FOR Escherichia coli K12 PHOTOCATALYTIC INACTIVATION

Graphene oxide, a carbon-based nanomaterial has gained a wide attraction in the antibacterial field due to its large surface area, surface charge density, and various physicochemical properties. In this work, water disinfection using Graphene oxide/Bismuth vanadate (GO/BiVO
₄
) composite was studied against Escherichia coli K12 (E. coli K12), where the composite was developed through a facile and simple blending method at room temperature. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO
₄
) nanoparticles synthesized through the sol-gel method having a particle size of 21.3 nm was used to decorate over graphene oxide (GO) sheets. The composites whereof five different combinations namely, 0.5 %, 1 %, 1.5 %, 2 % and 2.5 % of GO/BiVO
₄
(wt.% of GO). The as-synthesized composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the crystal structure, Raman spectroscopy for the structural analysis, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance (DR) to determine the bandgap of GO/BiVO
₄
semiconducting composites. The antibacterial ability of all the synthesized five different composites was tested under a visible-light-driven home-made photoreactor. The results revealed the efficiency of 1.5% GO/BiVO
₄
nanocomposite in 0.1 g/L was giving 90% disinfection in 30 mins under visible light irradiation.