Water is a crucial natural resource for human and ecosystem health. However, rapid industrialization, urban expansion, and exploitation of natural resources have negatively impacted water quality. Effluents, containing various contaminants, negatively impact water quality. Various techniques have been used to treat effluents, but these methods have drawbacks such as incomplete removal, energy demands, and hazardous sludge generation. T Adsorption is an efficient method for wastewater treatment due to its abundant adsorbents, exceptional performance in pollutant removal, straightforward operational procedures, and cost-effectiveness. The reusability of adsorbents is crucial for financial feasibility. The sorption approach also offers advantages such as the proliferation of sorbents within the ecosystem, their capacity for sorption, remarkable recyclability, regeneration, cost-effectiveness, and the facile desorption of contaminants. This chapter aims to assess the efficacy of nanocomposites in remediating organic pollutants from aquatic ecosystems.
TopIntroduction
Water is an indispensable natural resource that plays a vital role in ensuring the survival of the living organisms. The availability of uncontaminated water is of utmost importance, not only for human well-being but also for the overall health and balance of the ecosystem (Nicola et al., 2020). However, over the past few decades, the quality of water has been adversely impacted by the steady growth of the population, rapid industrialization, expanding urban areas, and irresponsible exploitation of natural resources. Freshwater resources across the globe are inherently constrained, posing significant challenges for sustaining human existence (Odoemelam, Oji, Okon, et al., 2023). The impact of industrialization and the rapid advancement of technology has led to a concerning decline in water sources and a simultaneous rise in the quantity of contaminated water (Garg, Garg, Sillanpää, et al., 2023). The annual occurrence of diseases in humans and animals is attributed to the presence of contaminants in water. Polluted water not only jeopardises human well-being, but also endangers the integrity of the entire ecosystem (Rani et al., 2022).
Effluents contain a diverse array of contaminants, encompassing toxic ions, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, organic matter, nutrients, plastics, nanoparticles, organic compounds, pharmaceutical and personal care products, dyes, pesticides, radionuclides, and pathogens (Figure 1). The existence of these pollutants, particularly inorganic and organic substances, exerts a negative impact on the overall quality of water (Kalantari et al., 2015). To date, numerous techniques have been employed for the treatment of effluents, encompassing sedimentation, flotation, electrolysis, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis, distillation, chemical precipitation, flocculation, ion exchange, solvent extraction, microfiltration, oxidation, catalytic procedures, and adsorption (Garg, Garg, Khan, et al., 2023). The treatment methods, such as electrochemical removal, chemical precipitation, and ion exchange, exhibit several drawbacks in the context of environmental conservation (Garg et al., 2022). These drawbacks encompass incomplete removal of pollutants, substantial energy demands, and the generation of hazardous sludge (Sherlala et al., 2019). The challenges that may arise are closely linked to the financial and technical resources needed for the establishment, functioning, and upkeep of these technologies leading to insufficient implementation (Andelescu et al., 2018). Hence, it is imperative to formulate efficacious and ecologically conscious remedies, encompassing techniques such as adsorption utilising biopolymers, biological interventions, and nanotechnology strategies.
Figure 1. Various types of contaminants present in wastewater