Application of Nanoparticles for Environmental Remediation

Abstract

In the last decades, numerous research studies have been focused on the mitigation of different classes of contaminants by varying types of NPs. Treatment mechanisms were controlled by properties of contaminants (e.g., organic vs inorganic, molecular size, and hydrophobicity, etc.), NPs (e.g., surface charge, area, pore size, and surface functional groups, etc.), and aqueous water (e.g., organic matter types, pH, ionic strength, surfactants, and temperature). Therefore, this chapter includes (1) a literature summary for the removal of contaminants by carbon- and metal-based NPs, (2) a discussion on the controlling mechanisms for the mitigation of contaminants by carbon- and metal-based NPs, and (3) an evaluation on the application and implication of carbon- and metal-based NPs in environmental studies. This chapter also identifies future research needs and challenges on the application of carbon- and metal-based NPs for environmental remediation.