Chapter 6 - Advantages of nanoadsorbents, biosorbents, and nanobiosorbents for contaminant removal

Abstract

Freshwater makes up 3% of the world's total water sources. Human and industrial activities generate many pollutants containing heavy metals, dyes, and oils and discharge them into the water sources, which harms human health and the environment. The adsorption process is a suitable and eco-friendly method to eliminate contaminants from water. This method has advantages over conventional procedures. There are many biosorbents and nanoadsorbents for the removal of contaminants from water, including microbial biomass (e.g., algae biomass), agricultural wastes (e.g., activated carbon derived from the leaves and wood of trees), nano-MgO, Fe3O4 nanoparticles, CaO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles as well as a combination of nanoadsorbents and bioadsorbents such as activated carbon/Fe3O4 nanocomposite. The mix of bioadsorbents and nanoadsorbents have shown a high sorption capacity for removing different pollutants from water. This chapter focuses on different types of contaminants like heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, and drugs in wastewater and the advantages and disadvantages of bioadsorbents and nanoadsorbents in removing different contaminants from wastewater. Also, future perspectives for the removal of contaminants by bioadsorbents and nanoadsorbents are presented.