A review on effective removal of emerging contaminants from aquatic systems: Current trends and scope for further research.

Environmental pollution is a major issue, yet actual remediation techniques are limited. Carbon-based materials are increasingly used to treat air and water. Here we review the applications of carbon nanomaterials made of biochar, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene for the adsorption of toxic gases, the removal of pollutants from ecosystems, and the improvement of anaerobic digestion. Carbon materials have been found efficient in removing nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceutical compounds and other pollutants from the environment, with adsorption efficiencies reaching 80% and degradation efficiencies up to 99%. Biochar addition induces a 60% improvement in biogas production. Similarly, in composting, up to 60% less ammonia emissions were observed when biochar was added. Biomass-based carbon materials appear economical, sustainable and eco-friendly.

Environmental applications of carbon-based materials: a review

Increased industrial and domestic activities have induced pollution, global warming and resources depletion, calling for advanced remediation techniques. For instance, biochar synthesized from waste materials is an ecofriendly and low-cost material for the remediation of contaminants, yet raw biochar is poorly efficient. Therefore, biochar properties can be improved by ultrasonication, metal impregnation, surfactant modification, microwave, electrochemical and plasma treatment techniques. Biochar properties include adsorption capacity, active surface area, uniform distribution of pores, chemical attributes and mechanical stability. Engineered biochar thus exhibits high contaminant removal efficiency of 90–99%, tolerance to wide range of pH of 3–9 and high specific surface area of more than 400 cm3/g. For example, modified cornstalk biochar displays mercury adsorption capacity of 269.4 mg/g. The usage of magnetic biochar allows a β-estradiol adsorption capacity of 98.8 mg/g. Engineered biochar can act as an ecofriendly soil amendment and a highly efficient tool to recover contaminants from water systems.

Production, characterization, activation and environmental applications of engineered biochar: a review

Toxicity changes of wastewater during various advanced oxidation processes treatment: An overview

Advanced applications of Zr-based MOFs in the removal of water pollutants.

The deterioration of water quality by pollutants is a major health issue. Actual remediation methods are limited, and, as a consequence, there is a need for new remediation technologies. In particular, nanomaterials of unique properties have been recently developed for remediation. Here, we review mechanisms and applications of carbon-based nanomaterials for the adsorption and photocatalytic removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in wastewaters. Nanomaterials allow enhanced adsorption due to strong interactions between pollutants and adsorption sites. In photocatalysis, enhanced efficiency is attributed to the improved light harvesting and reduced recombination of photo-induced electrons and holes.

Carbon-based nanomaterials for remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. A review

Nanotechnology has received a significant amount of interest in the scientific sector due to its abundant applications in various areas. Recently, green nanotechnology has emerged as a multidisciplinary field that uses procedures that are clean, safe, and environmentally friendly. The use of green approach to synthesize nanomaterials for various applications has received tremendous attention from researchers in view of their simplicity, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness as compared to the currently used methods such as chemical and physical methods. The present chapter provides information about the use of the various green method to synthesize nanomaterials. Chapter begins with a brief overview of the background of nanotechnology and nanomaterials followed by introduction of the methods used for the synthesis of various nanomaterials and their drawbacks. The concept of green synthesis approach is introduced with examples of nanomaterials synthesized using the green synthesis approach and their applications in various fields. Chapter concludes with the application of green nanomaterials in the field of environmental water pollution remediation.

N. Madima

Papers

Carbon-based nanomaterials for remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. A review

Nanotechnology and green materials: Introduction, fundamentals, and applications