Advanced Nanomaterials for Water Engineering and Treatment: Nano-Metal Oxides and Their Nanocomposites

Background

Access to safe and adequate water is the right of every individual living in this world but still 0.8 billion people according to WHO do not have access to quality drinking water and further 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation. The industrial revolution in addition to bestowing us with amenities of life had also resulted in the production of diverse nature of new chemicals and materials which degradation is becoming a serious concern. Hence, loading of water with these diverse nature of pollutants including disinfectants and their byproducts, inorganic and organic chemicals, radionuclides and even resistant strains of microbes has not only limited the fresh water availability but has greatly impacted the water quality. All this resulted in inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, which are estimated to cause more than 0.8 million diarrheal disease deaths per year and contribute substantially to several other diseases. Loading of the above-mentioned diverse range of pollutants and emerging of new contaminants also requires new treatment technologies to address the provision of safe water – the search lead to utilization of nanotechnology for water cleanup and remediation.