The wide use of pesticides in modern agriculture and other areas results in an urgent need for their efficient removal from the environment.

Growing pollution is making it necessary to find new strategies and materials for the removal of undesired compounds from the environment. Adsorption is still one of the simplest and most efficient routes for the remediation of air, soil, and water. However, the choice of adsorbent for a given application ultimately depends on its performance assessment results. Here, we show that the uptake of and capacity for dimethoate adsorption by different viscose-derived (activated) carbons strongly depend on the adsorbent dose applied in the adsorption measurements. The specific surface areas of the investigated materials varied across a wide range from 264 m² g⁻¹ to 2833 m² g⁻¹. For a dimethoate concentration of 5 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ and a high adsorbent dose of 10 mg mL⁻¹, the adsorption capacities were all below 15 mg g⁻¹. In the case of high-surface-area activated carbons, the uptakes were almost 100% under identical conditions. However, when the adsorbent dose was reduced to 0.01 mg mL⁻¹, uptake was significantly reduced, but adsorption capacities as high as 1280 mg g⁻¹ were obtained. Further, adsorption capacities were linked to adsorbents’ physical and chemical properties (specific surface area, pore size distribution, chemical composition), and thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption process were evaluated. Based on the Gibbs free energy of the adsorption process, it can be suggested that physisorption was operative for all studied adsorbents. Finally, we suggest that a proper comparison of different adsorbents requires standardization of the protocols used to evaluate pollutant uptakes and adsorption capacities.

Esters of organophosphorus acids (OPs) are widely used nowadays. They have an application as pesticides, drugs or chemical warfare agents. Their acute toxicity is ascribed to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key enzyme in the transmission of nerve impulses in mammals. Their toxic effects are manifested by the accumulation of acetylcholine and can lead to the paralysis or death. OPs poisoning therapy is based on the application of specific antidotes as well as non-specific and symptomatic procedures. In this contribution, recent achievements concerning the protection from OPs activity and an overview of the methods for their removal from the environment and decontamination of contaminated persons were presented.

Graphene oxide (GO), with its unique surface chemistry, adjustable oxidation degree, and large specific surface area, has emerged as a highly promising platform for environmental remediation. Among hazardous contaminants, organophosphates pose a significant global concern due to their persistence, high toxicity, and widespread presence in aquatic systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the synthesis and functionalization of GO and GO-based composites specifically tailored for organophosphate removal. Particular emphasis is placed on strategies that optimize GO surface chemistry, defect engineering, and porosity control, which are critical determinants of adsorption efficiency and selectivity. In addition to its sorptive role, GO’s role in photocatalytic and electrochemical degradation of organophosphates is discussed, demonstrating its multifunctionality as both an adsorbent and a catalytic support. Finally, challenges related to scalability, regeneration, and environmental safety of GO-based systems are examined, along with perspectives for future research aimed at developing sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly technologies to mitigate the risks associated with neurotoxic organophosphates.

The extensive use of pesticides requires innovative approaches to remove these compounds from the environment. Carbon materials are traditionally used as adsorbents for removing pesticides, and the development of the new sorts of carbon materials allows more advanced approaches in environmental applications. Using density functional calculations, we have predicted chemical reaction between the S(O)=P moieties of the organophosphates with point defects in graphene ? single vacancies, Stone?Wales defects and epoxy- -groups. The reaction was confirmed using ultra high performance chromatography for two graphene oxide samples and dimethoate as a representative of organophosphates. The exact reaction mechanism is still elusive, but it is unambiguously confirmed that no selective oxidation of dimethoate to more toxic oxo-analog occurs. The presented results can help to develop novel systems for the irreversible conversion of organophosphates to non-toxic compounds, without using aggressive chemical agents or external physical factors like UV radiation.