Chapter 1 - An overview of treatment technologies for the removal of emerging and nanomaterials contaminants from municipal and industrial wastewater

Abstract

The increase in the production of engineered nanomaterials and their introduction in the current consumer products have augmented the demand in the removal of nanomaterials from municipal and industrial wastewater systems. With the rapid emergence of nanotechnology, application-based development of products includes nanoparticles substantially that are anticipated to upsurge in the future. The existence of nanomaterials is soon going to be persistent in our atmosphere driving our concern toward its detrimental effect on the ecosystem and human health. However, we are still outlying the efficient and appropriate analytical methods/tools to obtain the standard statistics on the characteristics of chemicals, its concentration, and their transport in the environment that eventually resolve in the aquatic system. There has been no establishment so far for absolute treatment and protection from the very exposure of these nanomaterials. Thus, efficient removal processes are necessary for classifying the various categories of nanomaterials and their analysis in the context of developing future treatment technologies for the eradication of these nanomaterials from industrial and municipal wastewater bodies. A more detailed investigation is needed to demonstrate the complex interface interactions between the water dissolved species and nanomaterials to completely change the environment for clearance. Based on the previous perspective, efforts have been made to put forward the potential risks of nanomaterials, their source in water streams, and solution in terms of treatment technologies.