Nano-Engineered Hybrid Materials for Decontamination of Hazardous Organics

Abstract

Hybrid materials combine different materials’ properties to enhance their performance for specific applications. They are vastly used in decontamination of wastewater by hazardous organic substances, such as dyes and drugs. The necessity for the development of novel materials with higher efficiency and selectivity derives from the persistent increase in contamination due to society’s progress. Adsorption, biodegradation, electrochemical oxidation, filtration, and photocatalysis are techniques used to mitigate the effects of the hazardous organic on wastewater with several possible hybrid materials developed and used for such applications. Materials such as silica-based, activated carbon, and graphene-based materials show paramount relevance on adsorption processes. Biomaterials, mostly enzymes and bacteria, can be used for decontamination via biodegradation. For electrochemical processes, the selection of electrode material is fundamental – the most commonly discussed being boron-doped diamond, titanium based, and also carbon based, like reduced graphene oxide and carbon felt. On filtration processes, the material selection is focused towards the membrane that is mainly made up of polymeric materials. This chapter will discuss the recent relevant developments on hybrid materials for the removal of organic pollutants using the cited decontamination techniques.