Nanoengineered catalysts for sustainable pollutant removal from industrial effluents

Our ecological balance is being disrupted by the growing population and industrial waste, which causes pollution and climate change. Our health is at risk from these toxins, which can lead to illnesses. These contaminants must degrade, but some are difficult to break down and take longer to remediate. To solve the urgent problem of environmental pollution, nanotechnology can assist in converting harmful toxins into innocuous ones or appropriately remediating them. This draws attention to the drawbacks of traditional wastewater treatment methods and the need for new technologies. Nano-engineered catalysts possess unique properties and a large surface area that provide greater reactivity and selectivity for the degradation of pollutants. This review will discuss several different categories of nano-catalysts, including metal-based nanoparticles (e.g., Fe2O3 and Ag-NPs) and polymeric nanomaterials, and examine their applications and performance in pollutant removal, with an emphasis on heavy metals, organic compounds, and dye removal. Discussing the combination of catalytic and biocatalytic processes to develop hybrid systems that are more effective in degrading and removing pollutants. Major developments in industrial wastewater treatment technologies, including hybrid, biocatalytic, and nano catalyst technologies, have been explored and investigated for their potential to improve pollutant degradation whilst preserving environmental sustainability. Long-term stability, cost-effectiveness, and scalability concerns are further addressed to open up novel opportunities for the study and use of nano-engineered catalysts in wastewater treatment. Graphical Abstract