Enviro-friendly Nanomaterial Synthesis and Its Utilization for Water Purification

Abstract

The enhanced development of modern technologies results in severe problems for resources needed for life, such as water, air, land, etc. Water is a crucial and essential resource for living organisms (humans, plants, animals, etc.), and the demand for fresh water is increasing with the growth in the human population and the rise in living standards. When water is contaminated with hazardous chemicals (organic and inorganic), this causes a severe threat to human health and the ecosystem. Therefore, water treatment and reducing pollution is a challenging issue. Over the years, several technologies have been developed and utilized for the removal of contaminants from water: for instance, reverse osmosis, precipitation, filtration, ion exchange, coagulation, photocatalysis, and adsorption. Among these, photocatalysis and adsorption processes are well recognized for removing organic and inorganic pollutants. However, most materials utilized in these processes for water purification have an additional environmental problem, due to the complex synthesis procedures for photocatalysts and adsorbents following traditional methods. To avoid further pollution problems, alternative green synthesis approaches are required. Because green synthesis methods are less toxic or non-toxic and eco-friendly to the environment, in this chapter we aim to provide a comprehensive review of recent progress achieved in green synthesis approaches for the synthesis of different nanosized materials, such as metals, metal oxides, polymers, carbon-based materials, and zeolites, and their capability to remove organic and inorganic pollutants in wastewater treatment. In addition, future perspectives and challenges related to using green synthesis methods for novel materials in water treatment are presented.