The conventional method of synthesizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO), a promising material for water purification, is expensive and produces toxic gases. In this study, rGO was synthesized from durian rind and sugarcane bagasse using a novel, eco-friendly, simple and low-cost process. The rGO synthesized from durian rind was comparable to commercial activated carbon in removing methylene blue, a toxic dye, and is 32% more effective than commercial activated carbon in adsorbing copper(II) ions. The rGO synthesized can be incorporated into filters for the removal of dyes and metal ions.

Inspired by a previous study that synthesized graphene oxide (GO) from agricultural waste, we modified the process to obtain reduced graphene (rGO) as a product instead, from durian rind, a novel source of waste native to Southeast Asia.