Development of Sulfur and Nitrogen-Doped Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots for Hydroquinone Sensing Murli Dhar Mitra, Dibya Ranjan Rout, Aditya Kumar Luminescence, 2026 This study reports a facile hydrothermal synthesis of fluorescent sulfur‐ and nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots (S‐N‐CQDs) using cost‐effective solid precursors such as L‐methionine, malonic acid, and ethylenediamine. The S‐N‐CQDs exhibited a high quantum yield of 43%, measured with quinine sulfate as the reference standard. Various characterizations using HRTEM, XRD, XPS, zeta potential analysis, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence lifetime measurements. The S‐N‐CQD particles have a size range of 2–3.5 nm and a zeta potential of −24.4 mV. The fluorescence of S‐N‐CQDs remained stable across a broad range of pH and under continuous UV irradiation (365 nm). Further S‐N‐CQDs were successfully employed as a fluorescent probe for hydroquinone (HQ) detection, showing concentration‐dependent fluorescence quenching. The probe demonstrated a detection limit of 75 nM, with a linear response in the range 10–40 μM ( R 2 = 0.998), and exhibited excellent selectivity toward HQ. The application and reliability associated with fluorescent probes were demonstrated for the examination of HQ in real water samples. The results found that the one‐pot hydrothermal synthesis method shows high sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for the detection of HQ, highlighting its potential for environmental monitoring and practical applications.
Graphene-, GO-, and rGO-supported photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants: A comprehensive review Dibya Ranjan Rout, Hara Mohan Jena, Aditya Kumar, Omirserik Baigenzhenov, Ahmad Hosseini-Bandegharaei Environmental Technology and Innovation, 2025 Water scarcity and contamination are critical global concerns, with organic pollutants such as dyes, phenolic compounds, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides increasingly entering aquatic systems and posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health. Among various treatment technologies, photocatalysis has emerged as a sustainable and effective strategy for wastewater purification, particularly for degrading persistent organic contaminants. However, conventional metal-semiconductor photocatalysts suffer from inherent drawbacks, including limited visible-light absorption, sluggish surface kinetics, and rapid electron–hole recombination, which restrict their large-scale applicability. These challenges can be addressed by incorporating graphene and its derivatives graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) which provide high surface area, excellent electron mobility, and tunable chemical functionality, making them ideal co-catalyst supports. Unlike numerous reviews that broadly summarize graphene-based photocatalysts, the present work adopts a pollutant-specific comparative framework. It systematically evaluates the performance of graphene, GO, and rGO-based composites in degrading four major categories of contaminants: dyes, phenolic compounds, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the role of operational parameters such as pH, oxidizing agents, light wavelength, photocatalyst dosage, and pollutant concentration in influencing degradation outcomes. Mechanistic insights, recyclability, and efficiency trends are critically examined through case studies, highlighting both synergies and limitations across pollutant classes. By adopting this targeted approach, the review not only underscores key advancements but also identifies existing knowledge gaps, offering valuable perspectives for designing next-generation graphene-based photocatalysts tailored to specific water pollutants.
Efficient adsorption of malachite green dye using novel reduced graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin epichlorohydrin composite: batch and fixed-bed studies Dibya Ranjan Rout, Hara Mohan Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2024 A novel ternary composite (RGO-βCD-ECH) consisting of epichlorohydrin (ECH) cross-linked beta-cyclodextrin polymer (βCD-ECH) with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a carrier was synthesised and used for the removal of malachite green (MG) dye from water. The adsorption performance was systematically investigated in batch mode, and the optimised parameters were as follows: initial MG dye concentration 100 mg/L, solution pH 8.0, contact time 90 min, adsorbent dosage 0.4 g/L, and temperature 30°C. The adsorption data follow the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.998) and the maximum sorption capacity (qm) was 902.125 mg/g. The kinetic data of adsorption follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.999). The positive value of ΔHo = 102.047 kJ/mol indicates the endothermic nature of the adsorption process. The effects of bed height (2–4 cm) and MG dye flow rate (5–15 mL/min) were investigated in the fixed-bed column study. The exhaustion time (te), breakthrough time (tb), and bed capacity (qbed) of the column increases with bed height increases, and the value decreases with flow rate increases. The most important feature of this adsorbent is it could efficiently and easily regenerate from the MG dye loaded composite with a negligible effect on percentage removal. These characteristics of these novel composites could exhibit a bright future in the application of MG dye removal from wastewater.
Chitosan cross-linked polyaniline grafted graphene oxide composite: a new adsorbent to remove phenol and cationic dye from aqueous solutions Dibya Ranjan Rout, Hara Mohan Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2024 Rapid industrialisation has led to severe environmental pollution, mainly due to the discharge of organic pollutants into the waterbodies. The removal of organic compounds such as dyes and phenolic pollutants from the industrial effluents before it is discharged should be the top priority. This article synthesised a novel chitosan cross-linked polyaniline grafted graphene oxide (CS-PANI@GO) composite with variable morphology, enhanced surface area, low cost, biocompatibility, and notable characteristics of high malachite green (MG) and phenol adsorption capacity. The physicochemical properties of CS-PANI@GO were studied by FESEM, FTIR, XRD, RAMAN, BET, and BJH pore size distribution. FESEM analysis demonstrated that the surface of CS-PANI@GO composite is porous in nature. The BET surface area of the composite is 88.91 m2/g. The effect of various parameters such as temperature, pH of the solution, initial concentration of MG and phenol, adsorption time, and dosage were investigated, and the optimal values were recorded. The adsorption performance of CS-PANI@GO composite for both MG and phenol follows the pseudo-second-order model suggests chemisorption occurs in the process. For MG dye, the adsorption equilibrium data follows the Freundlich model and for phenol, the data follows the Langmuir model. The maximum uptake for MG dye and phenol were 699.022 mg/g and 198.254 mg/g, respectively. Thermodynamic data demonstrated that the process of MG and phenol adsorption was spontaneous, endothermic, and feasible. The recyclability study shows that after five cycles of regeneration, the composite has excellent adsorption performance. The adsorption mechanism is also proposed to be hydrogen bond, π-π interaction, and electrostatic attraction. Based on the present adsorption results under various parameter conditions, the synthesised novel CS-PANI@GO composite could be applied as an efficient adsorbent for the treatment of dyes and phenolic pollutants from wastewater.
Phosphoric acid modified activated carbon prepared from Fox nutshell for adsorption of phenol: batch and continuous studies Arvind Kumar, Dibya Ranjan Rout, Hara Mohan Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2024 The advancement in industrial and agricultural activities and the discharge of improperly treated effluent increase the pollution load on the environment. In this regard, organic contamination has posed a severe concern; among various organic pollutants, phenol is a highly toxic pollutant. For the adsorption of phenol, a low-cost activated carbon (AC) was prepared from fox nutshell using H3PO4 as an activating agent in a N2 atmosphere. Fox nutshell is an agricultural waste containing only 5% ash content, which is beneficial for the adsorption of phenol. The optimum conditions used for preparing AC were: 1 h of carbonization time, 700 oC of carbonization temperature, and a 3:1 impregnation ratio. The prepared AC is named ACPA-700-1.5. The physicochemical properties of prepared ACPA-700-1.5 were: yield 30.38%, average pore diameter 2.32 nm, pore volume 1.53 cm3/g, and surface area 2636 m2/g. Finally, batch and fixed-bed column adsorption tests were performed using ACPA-700-1.5. The best-fitting isotherm model was the Freundlich isotherm model, indicating heterogeneous adsorption. Pseudo-second-order was the best-fitting kinetics model. The results showed that the prepared ACPA-700-1.5 exhibited a maximum capacity of 101.83 mg/g. The column adsorption study showed that a lower flow rate and a higher bed height were suitable for maximum adsorption performance. The maximum bed capacity of 75.64 mg/g was achieved at a bed height of 4 cm and a flow rate of 5 mL/min. Given its high adsorption capacity and extremely fast adsorption rate, ACPA-700-1.5 is a promising adsorbent for removing phenolic contaminants from wastewater.
Synergetic interaction in Z-Scheme Mn2O3@ GO-Fe2O3 composite: Driving in-situ H2O2 production and rapid antibiotic degradation DR Rout, MD Mitra, A Kumar Applied Catalysis A: General, 121049 , 2026 2026
Development of Sulfur and Nitrogen‐Doped Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots for Hydroquinone Sensing MD Mitra, DR Rout, A Kumar Luminescence 41 (2), e70431 , 2026 2026
Enhanced energy density supercapacitive study of Copper-Silver composite phosphate electrode (Cu2PO4OH and Ag3PO4) material GC Mohanty, DR Rout, A Kumar Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 186265 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
A GO-supported Fe2O3-Mn2O3 ternary composite and a process for the preparation thereof DR Rout, A Kumar IN Patent App. 202,531,097,103 , 2025 2025
Graphene-, GO-, and rGO-supported photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants: A comprehensive review DR Rout, HM Jena, A Kumar, O Baigenzhenov, A Hosseini-Bandegharaei Environmental Technology & Innovation, 104560 , 2025 2025 Citations: 10
A GO-supported Mn2O3 and MoS2 ternary composite for green hydrogen generation and a process for the preparation thereof DR Rout, A Kumar IN Patent 569,771 , 2025 2025
A novel ternary Mn 2 O 3 decorated GO-MoS 2 heterostructure for enhanced tetracycline degradation and green H 2 production under visible light DR Rout, A Kumar, S Rtimi Journal of Materials Chemistry A 13 (38), 32300-32321 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Phosphoric acid modified activated carbon prepared from Fox nutshell for adsorption of phenol: batch and continuous studies A Kumar, DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (18), 6979-6996 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Chitosan cross-linked polyaniline grafted graphene oxide composite: a new adsorbent to remove phenol and cationic dye from aqueous solutions DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (16), 3800-3820 , 2024 2024 Citations: 24
Efficient adsorption of malachite green dye using novel reduced graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin epichlorohydrin composite: batch and fixed-bed studies DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (2), 456-474 , 2024 2024 Citations: 27
Facile synthesis of novel Z-scheme GO-modified ternary composite as photocatalyst for enhanced degradation of bisphenol-A under sunlight DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 147, 104914 , 2023 2023 Citations: 13
Graphene-based materials for effective adsorption of organic and inorganic pollutants: A critical and comprehensive review DR Rout, HM Jena, O Baigenzhenov, A Hosseini-Bandegharaei Science of The Total Environment 863, 160871 , 2023 2023 Citations: 186
Synthesis of graphene oxide-modified porous chitosan cross-linked polyaniline composite for static and dynamic removal of Cr (VI) DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30 (9), 22992-23011 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
Polyethylene glycol functionalized reduced graphene oxide coupled with zinc oxide composite adsorbent for removal of phenolic wastewater DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental research 214, 114044 , 2022 2022 Citations: 45
Batch and continuous studies on adsorptive removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] using reduced graphene oxide DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Chinese Chemical Society 69 (10), 1779-1793 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
Enhanced Cr(VI) adsorption using ZnO decorated graphene composite: Batch and continuous studies DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 140, 104534 , 2022 2022 Citations: 32
Synthesis of novel epichlorohydrin cross-linked β-cyclodextrin functionalized with reduced graphene oxide composite adsorbent for treatment of phenolic wastewater DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29 (48), 73444-73460 , 2022 2022 Citations: 30
Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of malachite green using manganese oxide doped graphene oxide/zinc oxide (GO-ZnO/Mn2O3) ternary composite under sunlight irradiation DR Rout, S Chaurasia, HM Jena Journal of environmental management 318, 115449 , 2022 2022 Citations: 65
Removal of phenol from aqueous solution using reduced graphene oxide as adsorbent: isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29, 32105-32119 , 2022 2022 Citations: 61
Synthesis of novel reduced graphene oxide decorated β-cyclodextrin epichlorohydrin composite and its application for Cr (VI) removal: Batch and fixed-bed studies DR Rout, HM Jena Separation and Purification Technology 278, 119630 , 2021 2021 Citations: 60
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Graphene-based materials for effective adsorption of organic and inorganic pollutants: A critical and comprehensive review DR Rout, HM Jena, O Baigenzhenov, A Hosseini-Bandegharaei Science of The Total Environment 863, 160871 , 2023 2023 Citations: 186
Removal of malachite green dye from aqueous solution using reduced graphene oxide as an adsorbent DR Rout, HM Jena Materials Today: Proceedings 47, 1173-1182 , 2021 2021 Citations: 84
Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of malachite green using manganese oxide doped graphene oxide/zinc oxide (GO-ZnO/Mn2O3) ternary composite under sunlight irradiation DR Rout, S Chaurasia, HM Jena Journal of environmental management 318, 115449 , 2022 2022 Citations: 65
Removal of phenol from aqueous solution using reduced graphene oxide as adsorbent: isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29, 32105-32119 , 2022 2022 Citations: 61
Synthesis of novel reduced graphene oxide decorated β-cyclodextrin epichlorohydrin composite and its application for Cr (VI) removal: Batch and fixed-bed studies DR Rout, HM Jena Separation and Purification Technology 278, 119630 , 2021 2021 Citations: 60
Polyethylene glycol functionalized reduced graphene oxide coupled with zinc oxide composite adsorbent for removal of phenolic wastewater DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental research 214, 114044 , 2022 2022 Citations: 45
Graphene oxide (GO) supported palladium (Pd) nanocomposites for enhanced hydrogenation DR Rout, P Senapati, H Sutar, DC Sau, R Murmu Graphene 8 (03), 33-51 , 2019 2019 Citations: 38
Enhanced Cr(VI) adsorption using ZnO decorated graphene composite: Batch and continuous studies DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 140, 104534 , 2022 2022 Citations: 32
Synthesis of novel epichlorohydrin cross-linked β-cyclodextrin functionalized with reduced graphene oxide composite adsorbent for treatment of phenolic wastewater DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29 (48), 73444-73460 , 2022 2022 Citations: 30
Efficient adsorption of malachite green dye using novel reduced graphene oxide/β-cyclodextrin epichlorohydrin composite: batch and fixed-bed studies DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (2), 456-474 , 2024 2024 Citations: 27
Chitosan cross-linked polyaniline grafted graphene oxide composite: a new adsorbent to remove phenol and cationic dye from aqueous solutions DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (16), 3800-3820 , 2024 2024 Citations: 24
Synthesis of graphene oxide-modified porous chitosan cross-linked polyaniline composite for static and dynamic removal of Cr (VI) DR Rout, HM Jena Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30 (9), 22992-23011 , 2023 2023 Citations: 19
Facile synthesis of novel Z-scheme GO-modified ternary composite as photocatalyst for enhanced degradation of bisphenol-A under sunlight DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 147, 104914 , 2023 2023 Citations: 13
Graphene-, GO-, and rGO-supported photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants: A comprehensive review DR Rout, HM Jena, A Kumar, O Baigenzhenov, A Hosseini-Bandegharaei Environmental Technology & Innovation, 104560 , 2025 2025 Citations: 10
Phosphoric acid modified activated carbon prepared from Fox nutshell for adsorption of phenol: batch and continuous studies A Kumar, DR Rout, HM Jena International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry 104 (18), 6979-6996 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
Batch and continuous studies on adsorptive removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] using reduced graphene oxide DR Rout, HM Jena Journal of the Chinese Chemical Society 69 (10), 1779-1793 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
A novel ternary Mn 2 O 3 decorated GO-MoS 2 heterostructure for enhanced tetracycline degradation and green H 2 production under visible light DR Rout, A Kumar, S Rtimi Journal of Materials Chemistry A 13 (38), 32300-32321 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Enhanced energy density supercapacitive study of Copper-Silver composite phosphate electrode (Cu2PO4OH and Ag3PO4) material GC Mohanty, DR Rout, A Kumar Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 186265 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Synergetic interaction in Z-Scheme Mn2O3@ GO-Fe2O3 composite: Driving in-situ H2O2 production and rapid antibiotic degradation DR Rout, MD Mitra, A Kumar Applied Catalysis A: General, 121049 , 2026 2026
Development of Sulfur and Nitrogen‐Doped Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots for Hydroquinone Sensing MD Mitra, DR Rout, A Kumar Luminescence 41 (2), e70431 , 2026 2026
