Use of reduced graphene oxide based sensors for analysis of emerging contaminants after bioremediation treatment

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths worldwide. As a way to control this disease, numerous drugs were tested, however, even without proper scientific evidence, some of them were widely consumed by the Brazilian population. Another problem in evidence during this period was the increase in cases of depression and anxiety caused by contamination prevention methods, which led to an increase in sales of antidepressants. The exacerbated consumption of these medicines exposes the fauna, flora and population of the country to risks of contamination, and traditional methods of water treatment are not able to treat them efficiently. To enhance decontamination, monitoring methods that have high sensitivity, reproducibility and greater accessibility are also needed. This doctoral project aims to monitor and reduce the indexes of chloroquine and escitalopram in natural waters. Therefore, the development of electrochemical sensors based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and the use of bioremediation techniques on a laboratory scale are being proposed in order to detect and decontaminate the described drugs efficiently, with lower cost and greater sustainability. (AU)