Abstract
Nanocelluloses are promising bio-nano-materials for use as water treatment materials in environmental protection and remediation. Over the past decades, they have been integrated via novel nanoengineering approaches for water treatment processes. This review aims at giving an overview of nanocellulose requirements concerning emerging nanotechnologies of waster treatments and purification, i.e., adsorption, absorption, flocculation, photocatalytic degradation, disinfection, antifouling, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis. Firstly, the nanocellulose synthesis methods (mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological), unique properties (sizes, geometries, and surface chemistry) were presented and their use for capturing and removal of wastewater pollutants was explained. Secondly, different chemical modification approaches surface functionalization (with functional groups, polymers, and nanoparticles) for enhancing the surface chemistry of the nanocellulose for enabling the effective removal of specific pollutants (suspended particles, microorganisms, hazardous metals ions, organic dyes, drugs, pesticides fertilizers, and oils) were highlighted. Thirdly, new fabrication approaches (solution casting, thermal treatment, electrospinning, 3D printing) that integrated nanocelluloses (spherical nanoparticles, nanowhiskers, nanofibers) to produce water treatment materials (individual composite nanoparticles, hydrogels, aerogels, sponges, membranes, and nanopapers) were covered. Finally, the major challenges and future perspectives concerning the applications of nanocellulose based materials in water treatment and purification were highlighted.
Highlights
Nowadays, treatment and purification of sanitation and industrial water are very critical to the survival of people and the planet
This review provides an overview of types, classifications, and unique properties of nanocelluloses as well as the recent methods for nanocellulose synthesis and control of their sizes, aspect ratio of a geometric shape, and pathways to rationalize their surface properties for filtration via size exclusion, absorption/adsorption, flocculation, photocatalytic degradation, disinfection, and antifouling
Production of nanocellulose from plant sources is generally based on multi-step, topdown techniques that include physical, chemical, biological, and hybrid methods [43,44]
Summary
Treatment and purification of sanitation and industrial water are very critical to the survival of people and the planet. The favorable characteristics of nanocellulose for employment in wastewater treatment are justified through their unique physicochemical properties (Table 2), i.e., high surface area, high aspect ratio, high mechanical stiffness, high crystalline degree, susceptible to surface functionalization, stability in water, and high surface tension. Production of nanocellulose from plant sources is generally based on multi-step, topdown techniques that include physical (e.g., refining, mechanical grinding, ultrasonic grinding, thermal treatment), chemical (e.g., acid hydrolysis, alkali treatment, and chemical modification), biological (e.g., enzymatic hydrolysis and production of cellulose nanofibers from bacteria), and hybrid methods [43,44]. ~60 mJ m−2 ) of nanocellulose-based adsorbents by water improve the wetting characteristics and reduce the bio-fouling [51]
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