Cellulose nanomaterials: promising sustainable nanomaterials for application in water/wastewater treatment processes

In recent years, sustainable nanomaterials, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), jointly referred to as cellulose nanomaterials (CNs), have been explored for application in water/wastewater treatment processes. Unique properties of CNs coupled with the global quest...

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Published inEnvironmental science. Nano Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 623 - 658
Main Authors Mohammed, Nishil, Grishkewich, Nathan, Tam, Kam Chiu
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 2018
Subjects
Carbon footprint
Catalysis
Cellulose
Disinfection
Environmental impact
Flocculation
Membrane filtration
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanotechnology
Researchers
Sustainability
Wastewater
Wastewater treatment
Water purification
Water treatment
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Summary:In recent years, sustainable nanomaterials, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), jointly referred to as cellulose nanomaterials (CNs), have been explored for application in water/wastewater treatment processes. Unique properties of CNs coupled with the global quest to develop low carbon footprint alternatives as aids for water treatment processes have been the driving force for the increasing interest among researchers worldwide. There are several reviews that describe the chemistry and modification of CNs; however, a comprehensive review on the potential application of CNs in water/wastewater treatment processes is scarce. Thus, this review provides a detailed overview of pristine, surface-functionalized CNs and CN-incorporated nanocomposites for applications in various water/wastewater treatment processes, such as sorption, membrane filtration, and flocculation. The latest advances and developments on other processes using CNs, such as catalytic degradation and disinfection, are also discussed. The mechanism responsible for the performance of CN-based systems in all these water treatment processes is also elucidated. The key challenges and knowledge gaps that limit the practical application of CNs in water treatment processes are examined, which offer appropriate perspectives to researchers working in this field. Schematic diagram showing the various water/wastewater treatment processes in which CN-based systems can be utilized.
Bibliography:and has also published more than 300 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Nathan Grishkewich received his Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 2014. In the same year, he started his Ph.D. studies in Chemical Engineering under the guidance of Prof. Kam Chiu Tam, also at the University of Waterloo. His current research interests include the design and development of water treatment processes, as well as the development of functional nanomaterials from natural sources for water treatment applications.
Prof. Kam Chiu Tam is a Professor and University Research Chair at the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada. He received his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University in 1991. Following an eighteen-month postdoctoral fellowship at McMaster University, Tam joined Nanyang Technological University in 1992 as a Lecturer and was promoted to Professor in 2004. He was a fellow in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering program under the Singapore-MIT Alliance. His research interests focus on sustainable nanomaterials, self-assembly systems, surfactants, and block copolymers. He is also a strong advocate for the use of sustainable nanomaterials in advanced engineering applications. He is an associate editor of
Dr. Nishil Mohammed is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology and the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada. He obtained his doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada in 2017 under the guidance of Prof. Kam Chiu Tam. Nishil received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Anna University and Amrita University, India in 2010 and 2012, respectively. His research primarily focusses on the design and development of sustainable technologies and processes for water/wastewater treatment.
ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
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SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:2051-8153
2051-8161
DOI:10.1039/c7en01029j