Saleem Haleema, Zaidi Syed Javaid
Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2020 Sep 7;10(9):1764. doi: 10.3390/nano10091764.
Nanotechnology is an uppermost priority area of research in several nations presently because of its enormous capability and financial impact. One of the most promising environmental utilizations of nanotechnology has been in water treatment and remediation where various nanomaterials can purify water by means of several mechanisms inclusive of the adsorption of dyes, heavy metals, and other pollutants, inactivation and removal of pathogens, and conversion of harmful materials into less harmful compounds. To achieve this, nanomaterials have been generated in several shapes, integrated to form different composites and functionalized with active components. Additionally, the nanomaterials have been added to membranes that can assist to improve the water treatment efficiency. In this paper, we have discussed the advantages of nanomaterials in applications such as adsorbents (removal of dyes, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and organic contaminants from water), membrane materials, catalytic utilization, and microbial decontamination. We discuss the different carbon-based nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene oxide, fullerenes, etc.), and metal and metal-oxide based nanomaterials (zinc-oxide, titanium dioxide, nano zerovalent iron, etc.) for the water treatment application. It can be noted that the nanomaterials have the ability for improving the environmental remediation system. The examination of different studies confirmed that out of the various nanomaterials, graphene and its derivatives (e.g., reduced graphene oxide, graphene oxide, graphene-based metals, and graphene-based metal oxides) with huge surface area and increased purity, outstanding environmental compatibility and selectivity, display high absorption capability as they trap electrons, avoiding their recombination. Additionally, we discussed the negative impacts of nanomaterials such as membrane damage and cell damage to the living beings in the aqueous environment. Acknowledgment of the possible benefits and inadvertent hazards of nanomaterials to the environment is important for pursuing their future advancement.
由于纳米技术具有巨大的潜力和经济影响，目前它是几个国家最重要的研究优先领域之一。纳米技术最有前景的环境应用之一是在水处理和修复方面，各种纳米材料可以通过多种机制净化水，包括吸附染料、重金属和其他污染物，灭活和去除病原体，以及将有害物质转化为危害较小的化合物。为了实现这一目标，人们制备了多种形状的纳米材料，将它们集成形成不同的复合材料，并使用活性成分进行功能化处理。此外，纳米材料还被添加到膜中，有助于提高水处理效率。在本文中，我们讨论了纳米材料在吸附剂（从水中去除染料、重金属、药物和有机污染物）、膜材料、催化利用和微生物净化等应用中的优势。我们讨论了用于水处理应用的不同碳基纳米材料（碳纳米管、石墨烯、氧化石墨烯、富勒烯等），以及金属和金属氧化物基纳米材料（氧化锌、二氧化钛、纳米零价铁等）。可以注意到，纳米材料有能力改善环境修复系统。对不同研究的考察证实，在各种纳米材料中，具有巨大表面积、更高纯度、出色的环境兼容性和选择性的石墨烯及其衍生物（例如，还原氧化石墨烯、氧化石墨烯、石墨烯基金属和石墨烯基金属氧化物），在捕获电子时显示出高吸附能力，避免了电子的复合。此外，我们还讨论了纳米材料对水环境中生物的负面影响，如膜损伤和细胞损伤。认识到纳米材料对环境可能带来的益处和意外危害，对于推动其未来发展至关重要。
