Graphene or graphene-based nanomaterials have emerged as novel scaffolds
for developing robust bio-catalytic systems and a fast-developing
promising contender for bioremediation. The interaction of bacteria and
graphene is such an elusive issue that its implication in environmental
biotechnology is unclear. The complexity and recalcitrant nature of the
dyes make the conventional techniques inadequate and remain a challenge
for industrial effluent treatment. Many scientists have developed hybrid
processes and hybrid materials to enhance the treatment processes to
satisfy increasingly stringent laws and criteria related to effluent
discharge. The current study explicitly focuses on immobilization and
growth of dye-degrading marine bacterial isolates on graphene oxide and
their application in methylene blue dye degradation. The synergistic
effects of adsorption and biodegradation achieved a unique clean-up
performance that the counterpart-free bacteria could not fulfill.
Further, toxicity analysis of intermediates also confirmed the non-toxic
nature of the intermediates formed after synergistic treatment. This
work has the potential to lead to zero effluent treatment processes.