Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Natural Res. Dept., Asian Studies and Res. Inst., Zagazig Univ., Egypt
2
Zool. Dept., Fac. Sci., Zagazig Univ., Egypt
Abstract
The results reached by the research confirm and point outthat the expansion of industry's economic capacity and the transition to market mechanisms for the development of the economy cause a reductionin reserves of clean water, shallowing of mountain and trans-boundary rivers, the decline of fish stocks, and the emergence of a real threat of a water ecological crisis in the republic.The increasing water demand with stringent health standard and emerging contaminants caused that the traditional water/wastewater treatment technologies remain ineffective for providing adequate safe water.Now, nanotechnology-based multi-functional and highly efficient processes are providing affordable solutions to water/wastewater treatments that do not rely on large infrastructures or centralized systems. The present study is briefly discussed the availability and practice of different nano-materials (particles or fibers) for removal of bacteria, inorganic solutes, heavy metals, metal ions, complex organic compounds, natural organic matter, nitrate, and other pollutants found in surface water, ground water, and/or industrial water.Recently, nano-technology and nano-scienceare greatly developedand produced environmentally-safe, economical, and efficient materials for environmental engineering, these engineered nano-materials are promising for water treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties that enable the heavy metals scavenging with high adsorption capacity and selectivity even at very low concentrations.Efficient heavy metals removal from water was reached via the simple adsorption technique. The current review discussed the heavy metals were removed by using various Nano-materials like zeolite, polymers, chitosan, metal oxides, and metals under different conditions. The new studies focused on nano-materials functionalization in order to improve properties of separation, stability, and adsorption capacity. Different molecules such as bio-molecules, polymers, inorganic materials were used in functionalization process. By providing the magnetic properties to the adsorbent, its separation becomes easier via magnetic separation techniques. This review provided precious information regarding the use of engineered nano-materials for the removal of toxic heavy metals that will guide the researchers intending to fabricate new nano-materials for water/wastewater remediation. It should be noted, that all experiments are conducted at lab-scale for toxic metals in aqueous solutions and studies are needed to evaluate the process efficiency at pilot and large scale using real wastewater
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