Present status of hybrid materials for potable water decontamination: a review

Drinking water pollution is one of the major problems the world is facing today. Various technologies have been developed for the removal of various contaminants from aquatic streams. In recent times hybrid materials have gained wide attention in different energy and environmental applications including sorption of pollutants from aquatic medium. In this review article, first the classification of hybrid materials is discussed followed by the methodologies for their synthesis in brief. Different types of hybrids are synthesised by dispersion of building blocks in polymeric networks, sol-gel process, and self-assembly of unit building blocks through layered structures or interpenetrating networks. A series of hybrid materials having application in decontamination of water have been reviewed extensively in this article. The sorptive properties of the hybrids were summarised with special emphasis on the removal of conventional pollutants (trace and heavy elements), radionuclides, dyes, organic pollutants (pharmaceuticals, insecticides, solvents) and nanoparticles.