Nanomaterials in pollution trace detection and environmental improvement

Clean environment is essential to human health. The world is facing formidable challenges in meeting rising requirement to clean environment. Recently, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, etc. pollutants in water and soil are the key factors which make the environment worse. Even trace pollutants can enter human body and do harm to human health. Trace detection and treatment of these pollutants become an eagerly solved problem. Nanomaterials and nanotechnology provide a powerful method for detection and treatment of trace pollutants in the environment. This article reviews the recent progress of detection and treatment of POPs and heavy metal by using nanomaterials and analytical nanotechnology. And the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology through enhancement of Raman scattering, surface plasmon resonance, fluorescent detection and electrochemical detection were described. We highlight recent advances on the development of novel nanomaterials and nanostructures and processes for treatment of POPs and heavy metals in water and soil. We also discussed the mechanisms of POPs degradation and heavy metal treatment. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.