Recent Advances of Nanotechnology in Mitigating Emerging Pollutants in Water and Wastewater: Status, Challenges, and Opportunities

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution Vol. 233; no. 5
• Main Authors: Naskar, Jishnu, Boatemaa, Mercy Adusei, Rumjit, Nelson Pynadathu, Thomas, George, George, P. J., Lai, Chin Wei, Mousavi, Seyyed Mojtaba, Wong, Yew Hoong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.05.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Carbon nanotubes; Catalysis; Cholera; Climate change; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Contamination; Demography; Detectors; Earth and Environmental Science; Engineering; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Fresh water; Freshwater; Freshwater resources; Gastroenteritis; Graphene; Health aspects; Hepatitis; Hydrogeology; Industrial development; Industrialization; Inland water environment; Liver diseases; Malnutrition; Nanocomposites; Nanofibers; Nanomaterials; Nanosensors; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Pesticides; Pollutants; Pollution detection; Public health; Purification; Remediation; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory disorders; Sewage; Soil Science & Conservation; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Wastewater; Wastewater pollution; Wastewater purification; Wastewater treatment; Water pollution; Water purification; Water quality; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water treatment; Waterborne diseases; Photocatalytic nanomaterials; Bioremediation; Nanocomposites; Nanomembranes; Nanoadsorbents
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-022-05611-y

Availability of clean and safe freshwater has become a looming global concern. The accelerated demography, industrialization, and climate changes contaminate the meager freshwater reserves. Pollution of water bodies is significantly detrimental to health, ecology, economy, and society. The rising number of malnutrition cases, stunted growth, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, skin ailments, cholera, respiratory disorders, liver malfunction, eye infections, and mortality have been attributed to exposure to compromised water. Thus, optimized, durable, and inexpensive wastewater treatment and remediation processes are necessary. Current conventional treatment strategies suffer from several drawbacks, which may be mitigated through nanotechnological intercession, promising sustainability. Nanomaterials include nanosorbents, carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites, nanofibers, graphene, nanodendrimers, nanomembranes, and nanocatalysts. They have unique properties that make attractive alternatives for wastewater remediation, purification, and contamination detection through pollutant-specific nanosensors and detectors. This review discusses water pollution, its impacts, conventional treatment strategies, nanotechnological contributions, venture possibilities, and associated commercial opportunities.