Polyaniline/ZnO Nanocomposite: A Novel Adsorbent for the Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution

In recent years with the rapid economic globalization, pollution by industries and agriculture has increased, which results in decrease in the quality of ground and surface water. Pollution by heavy metals has become a serious health issue world-wide due to their nonbiodegradable and persistent nature. Therefore, extensive research has been done to develop ecofriendly and effective methods for removal of heavy metals, such as chemical precipitation, ion exchange, electrodialysis, membrane filtration, and adsorption. Among these methods, adsorption is the most recognized technique for wastewater treatment due to high-removal efficiency and ease in operation without yielding harmful by-products. Recently, nanocomposites based on biopolymer-grafted synthetic adsorbent have been used in various industrial applications including wastewater treatment. Therefore, the present chapter will be devoted for the removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater by using bionanocomposite.