Environmental remediation and application of carbon-based nanomaterials in the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water: A review

Abstract

Nanotechnology is an advanced area of research that can solve a wide range of environmental issues by regulating the size and shape of materials on the nanometer scale. Because of their benign makeup, large surface area, ease of biodegradation, and special utility in environmental clean-up, carbon nanoparticles are exceptional. Around 25% of diseases that affect humans, according to the World Health Organisation, are caused by environmental pollution in the form of contaminated water, soil, and air. Among these, wastewater has been a major worldwide issue that has had a significant impact on many nations in different ways. Water contaminated with heavy metals is a serious issue that puts people's health at risk. Due to their exceptional physicochemical qualities that may be used for sophisticated treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water, carbon nanomaterials are gaining more and more attention. Due to their large surface area, nanoscale size, availability of various functionalities, and ease of chemical modification and recycling, carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphene, graphene oxide, and activated carbon have great potential for the removal of heavy metals from water. The use of these carbon nanoparticles in treating water polluted with heavy metals has recently advanced, and we have examined these developments in this paper. We have also emphasised their use in environmental remediation. There has also been discussion of the toxicological concerns of carbon-based nanoparticles.