A study conducted between Mexico and France found that graphene oxide can enhance light-driven water disinfection. The material used in the research was supplied by Mexican company Energeia-Graphenemex.

Water treatment is increasingly turning to advanced materials and light-based technologies in the search for more efficient ways to control microorganisms and other contaminants.

One promising material is graphene oxide (GO), a graphene-derived nanomaterial with a large surface area and chemical properties that allow it to interact with water and other materials.

A 2021 research project conducted between Mexico’s CINVESTAV-IPN and the University of Le Mans in France explored the use of graphene oxide combined with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) to activate photocatalytic reactions under visible light.

The graphene oxide used in the research was supplied by Energeia-Graphenemex, a Mexican producer of graphene and graphene oxide.

To better understand the significance of the research and what it could mean for the development of graphene-based technologies, we spoke with Dr. Dania Hernández, Head of Department at Graphenemex, and Amílcar Sala Arceo, Commercial Director of Graphenemex.

(The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.)

Q: Dania, what makes graphene oxide interesting for water treatment?

Dania Hernández: Graphene oxide is particularly interesting because of its surface and chemical properties. It can interact with water and can also be combined with other materials to create structures with new functions.

In this research, the important point was not simply using graphene oxide on its own, but combining it with semiconductor materials. The goal was to help manage the electrical charges generated when those materials are exposed to light, improving the conditions for photocatalytic reactions.

In simple terms, the material helps create a system in which light can be used to trigger chemical processes capable of damaging microorganisms.

Q: What did the researchers actually achieve?

Dania: One of the most notable results involved Escherichia coli K12, which was used as a model microorganism.

A formulation containing 1.5% graphene oxide combined with TiO₂ achieved 99.9% bacterial inactivation after 30 minutes under visible light, at a concentration of 1.05 grams per liter.

For comparison, TiO₂ without graphene oxide produced approximately 20% inactivation under the same conditions.

The researchers also tested graphene oxide combined with BiVO₄. That formulation reached approximately 89% inactivation after 60 minutes, compared with about 30% for BiVO₄ alone.

These results are interesting because they show how combining materials can produce effects that are substantially different from using each material individually.

Q: The study also examined microalgae. Why is that important?

Dania: Excessive microalgal growth can affect aquatic ecosystems and, in some cases, be associated with the production of harmful substances.

The researchers therefore explored whether similar light-activated materials could affect microalgae. They developed compact materials containing graphene oxide and TiO₂ and tested them with freshwater and marine microalgae.

The experiments showed a strong loss of photosynthetic activity in the exposed samples, while the control group was able to recover after being returned to light.

That is scientifically relevant because it suggests that these materials can be investigated beyond bacterial disinfection and potentially in other water-treatment applications.

Q: What is particularly significant about the fact that the graphene oxide came from Mexico?

Dania: The graphene oxide used in the study was purchased from Energeia-Graphenemex and used as a raw material without requiring an additional purification step.

For us, this is important because it demonstrates the relevance of having nanomaterials that can be produced through an established industrial process and supplied consistently for scientific research.

There is often a significant distance between producing a material in a laboratory and having a material that can be reproduced and supplied beyond the laboratory scale. Having an industrially produced material provides researchers with another starting point for continuing to develop and optimize these technologies.

Q: Amílcar, what does this research mean from an industrial perspective?

Amílcar Sala Arceo: It is significant to see a material produced in Mexico being incorporated into research involving institutions in Mexico and France.

Graphenemex’s role was as a supplier of the graphene oxide; the company did not conduct or participate in the scientific research itself. However, the fact that our material was selected as a raw material demonstrates the potential connection between industrial nanomaterial production and advanced research.

For us, the objective is to continue making graphene and graphene oxide available for researchers and industries exploring applications in areas such as energy, construction, advanced materials and environmental technologies.

Q: What is the next challenge for technologies like this?

Dania: The most important step is moving from controlled laboratory experiments toward real-world conditions.

The research itself identified challenges that still need to be addressed, including the mechanical stability of compacted materials and the possibility of material loss during use.

So, while the results are promising, more research is necessary before these systems can be considered for large-scale water-treatment applications.

What is important is that we are seeing how graphene oxide can function as a platform for developing new materials rather than simply as an isolated nanomaterial. That opens many possibilities for future research.

From Mexican nanomaterials to global research

The study illustrates how graphene-based materials are being explored for environmental applications, while also highlighting the growing connection between Mexican nanomaterial production and international scientific research.

For Graphenemex, the participation of its graphene oxide as a raw material in the Mexico-France study represents one example of how industrially produced nanomaterials can contribute to research seeking practical solutions to environmental challenges.

The technology is still being investigated, but the results point toward an intriguing possibility: using graphene-based materials and visible light to develop new approaches to water disinfection.

The research was published in 2021 in the peer-reviewed journal Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry. The study, “Graphene oxide decorated TiO₂ and BiVO₄ nanocatalysts for enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic bacterial inactivation,” was authored by Thomas and colleagues.