Incorporation of nanotechnology in wastewater remediation: Advancement and challenges

Abstract

Water is a basic human necessity, and its availability is crucial to the growth of every community and any economy. Water pollution and contamination have become widespread problems due to rapid population growth, increasing industrialization, increasing urbanization, and intensive agricultural operations. Diseases spread by drinking water contaminated with harmful bacteria kill millions of people annually. Despite the fact that several wastewater treatment systems have been investigated over the last few decades, their widespread implementation is obstruct by a number of drawbacks. The removal of heavy metals and other impurities from polluted water using nanotechnology has been shown to be a sustainable technique. However, because to high operational expenses, this technique is not commonly employed in waste wastewater treatment plants. Studies are focusing on environmentally friendly methods for production of nanoparticles which have increased in response to rising demand for their use in wastewater treatment, where nanotechnology promises significant cost reducing. It has also been observed that biological techniques of nanoparticle synthesis are promising and cost-effective. It has been proven in certain research that recycled nanoparticles may be used at a lower cost than newly manufactured nanoparticles. In this chapter we will discuss sustainable wastewater treatment with nanomaterials. Nanoparticles (NPs) have characteristics that might make them a viable alternative to traditional approaches in this context. This chapter provides an in-depth look of the NPs now in use for wastewater treatment, the benefits of doing so, the drawbacks of utilizing nanotechnology, and the research needs for commercial applications. © 2024 Elsevier Inc.