How Effective Are Nanomaterials for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Water and Wastewater?

Efficient removal of heavy metals from water and wastewater is a necessity for human and environmental well-being. Agricultural, domestic, and industrial waste discharges increase with the increase in the global population. Discharges are loaded with toxic metallic substances that inevitably reach water sources. Conventional treatment methods are in many cases inadequate in their removal efficiencies. Alternatively, recently developed advanced treatment approaches, such as nanotechnologies, offer advantages in water treatment. Nanotechnology brought about materials with high specific surface areas and adsorption capacities for the removal of undesirable heavy metals present in water. A detailed review of the use of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions is presented in this study. Limitations, research gaps, and suitability of nanotechnology in water treatment for the removal of heavy metals at a large scale are discussed, and relevant conclusions are accordingly deduced.