Nanotechnology for environmental remediation

Environmental remediation primarily depends on the use of diverse technologies such as chemical reactions, adsorption, photocatalysis, absorption and filtration to remove toxins from different environmental media. In the field of environmental remediation, nanotechnology-based materials have the ability to remove pollutants and biological contaminants more efficiently due to their improved characteristics and effectiveness. In addition to this, nanoremediation is a sustainable alternative to eliminating emerging pollutants and a promising strategy defined as engineered materials used to clean up the environment. It is a cost-effective, fast, easy and efficient technology for dealing with chronic compounds including pesticides, chlorinated solvents, halogen-containing chemicals, or heavy metals. Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing area that encompasses a wide range of technologies that are currently being developed at the nanoscale. Nanoparticles demonstrated variety of applications in environmental biotechnology, including pollution reduction, remediation, water treatment, dye degradation, and water purification development. Nanomaterials show a better performance in environmental remediation than other conventional techniques because of their high surface area (surface-to-volume ratio) and their associated high reactivity. This review aims to discuss the applications of nanomaterials in the context of water, soil, and air treatment, presenting current studies and also gives an overview of the applications of nanomaterials in environmental remediation.