Adsorptive removal of arsenic from water/wastewater using nano-sized metal oxides: A review

The discharge of arsenic metal contamination onto ecological settlements is a significant factor contributing to contemporary environmental concerns. The requirement to prioritize water security has emerged as a relatively recent societal concern. Nano sized oxides of metals like Fe, Al, Ti, Zn, etc. have garnered significant attention and research as promising adsorbents for efficient arsenic removal from wastewater because to their effective surface active sites, abundant availability, porous architectures, wide surface area, cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and chemical stability. This article examines the recent advancements made in the field of eliminating arsenic from wastewater by the utilization of Nano sized metal oxides and their derivatives, with a critical perspective. The comparative study shows that mesoporous aluminium magnesium oxide was found to be the best adsorbent for arsenite As(III) and arsenate As(V) with adsorption capacity of 813 mg/g at pH 7 and 912 mg/g at pH 3, respectively, that has been synthesized and used for arsenic removal to date. This article also provides descriptions of adsorption mechanism, behaviour and regeneration. The enhancement of adsorption efficacy is emphasized by focusing on future prospects and technological challenges. The assessment encompassed the commercial feasibility of real-time applications, as well as their potential utilization on a large-scale industrial level, in addition to the projected outlook for these applications.