The specifications of runoff entered the pavement has an essential role in the severity of moisture damage of asphalt concretes. Changing the pH of runoff has a negative impact on moisture damage and intensifies this damage in asphalt concretes. Accordingly, in this study, the impact of nanographene oxide (NGO) as a contaminant adsorbent and bitumen modified to decrease the destructive impacts of acidity changes in runoff has been investigated. For this purpose, limestone and siliceous aggregates, PG 64–16 bitumen, and NGO in two different contents (0.3 % and 0.5 % of the weight of bitumen) were utilized. To asses the strength of asphalt concretes with different runoff pH conditions, hydrochloric acid and sodium oxide were used to simulate acidic and basic runoffs, respectively. The indirect tensile strength (ITS) of asphalt concretes in different environmental states was tested to compare the severity of moisture sensitivity. Moreover, the surface free energy (SFE) elements of bitumen and aggregates were calculated utilizing the Wilhelmy Plate (WP) and the Universal Sorption Device (USD), respectively. The parameters of SFE theory were used to assess the mechanisms of water damage potential. The SFE results showed that NGO decreased the debonding energy (DE) of the mixtures. Changes in DE in neutral environments were minor, but with the polarization of environmental conditions, especially in basic states, these changes intensified. The application of NGO improved the total bitumen SFE, which reduced the possibility of moisture sensitivity as a cohesive failure. The results of mechanical methods indicated that the use of NGO in specimens with limestone and siliceous aggregate increased the indirect tensile strength ratio (TSR) in moisture conditions with different degrees of acidity. The mechanical experiment results also confirmed the SFE method's results that the effect of using NGO on increasing the TSR index at pH equal to 7 was minor, and it was intensified in acidic and basic waters. •NGO enhances the properties of asphalt, its non-polar and adhesive characteristics.•NGO reduces the debonding energy and the stripping potential of asphalt mixes.•Acidic and basic conditions in water have a more stripping detrimental.•NGO increases the resistance of HMA, especially under harsh moisture conditions.