Carbon-based nanocomposite materials with multifunctional attributes for environmental remediation of emerging pollutants.

Abstract

Carbon-based materials are among the most biosynthesized nanocomposites with excellent tunability and multifunctionality features, that other materials fail to demonstrate. Naturally occurring materials, such as alginate (Alg), can be combined and modified by linking the active moieties of various carbon-based materials of interest, such as graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and mesoporous silica nanocomposite (MSN), among others. Thus, several types of robust nanocomposites have been fabricated and deployed for environmental remediation of emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceutical compounds, toxic dyes, and other environmentally hazardous contaminants of emerging concern. Considering the above critiques and added features of carbon-based nanocomposites, herein, an effort has been made to spotlight the synergies of GO, CNTs, and MSN with Alg and their role in mitigating emerging pollutants. From the information presented in this work, it can be concluded that Alg is a material that has excellent potential. However, its use still requires further tests in different areas and other materials to carry out a holistic investigation that exploits its versatility for environmental remediation purposes.