Nanomembranes-Affiliated Water Remediation: Chronology, Properties, Classification, Challenges and Future Prospects

Abstract

Water contamination has become a global crisis, affecting millions of people worldwide and causing diseases and illnesses, including cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis A. Conventional water remediation methods have several challenges, including their inability to remove emerging contaminants and their high cost and environmental impact. Nanomembranes offer a promising solution to these challenges. Nanomembranes are thin, selectively permeable membranes that can remove contaminants from water based on size, charge, and other properties. They offer several advantages over conventional methods, including their ability to remove evolving pollutants, low functioning price, and reduced ecological influence. However, there are numerous limitations linked with the applications of nanomembranes in water remediation, including fouling and scaling, cost-effectiveness, and potential environmental impact. Researchers are working to reduce the cost of nanomembranes through the development of more cost-effective manufacturing methods and the use of alternative materials such as graphene. Additionally, there are concerns about the release of nanomaterials into the environment during the manufacturing and disposal of the membranes, and further research is needed to understand their potential impact. Despite these challenges, nanomembranes offer a promising solution for the global water crisis and could have a significant impact on public health and the environment. The current article delivers an overview on the exploitation of various engineered nanoscale substances, encompassing the carbonaceous nanomaterials, metallic, metal oxide and metal–organic frameworks, polymeric nano-adsorbents and nanomembranes, for water remediation. The article emphasizes the mechanisms involved in adsorption and nanomembrane filtration. Additionally, the authors aim to deliver an all-inclusive review on the chronology, technical execution, challenges, restrictions, reusability, and future prospects of these nanomaterials.

Efficient Metal Extraction from Dilute Solutions: A Review of Novel Selective Separation Methods and Their Applications

“…The selectivity coefficients and the intended applications of the final product determine which process is applied. The removal of metal ions from solutions has been extensively studied using CP [27][28][29], membranes [30][31][32][33][34][35], SA [36][37][38][39][40][41], and IX [42] processes.…”

Current Status and Advancement of Nanomaterials within Polymeric Membranes for Water Purification

“…Organic pollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine-disrupting compounds can be challenging to remove using conventional filtration methods. Nanomaterials within polymeric membranes can be designed with specific properties to adsorb and remove these organic contaminants from water supplies 118 by effectively trapping and blocking the passage of these organic pollutants with the aid of the nanoscale pores in the membrane. Also, functionalizing the polymeric membranes with nanoparticles such as TiO 128 and AgNPs enhances their adsorption capability and specificity to remove organic contaminants from water.…”

“…Desalination is the removal of salt and minerals from seawater to make it clean and fresh . Nanomaterials within polymeric membranes have shown great potential in water desalination due to their unique properties that enable the effective separation of salts and other impurities from water, producing fresh drinking water. , Nanomaterials within polymeric membranes with remarkable efficiency in desalinating seawater have been developed through the utilization of nanocellulose and cellulose derivatives derived from renewable sources like plants, wood, bacteria, and algae. , Thanks to their transport channels customized at the surface level, the polymeric membranes derived from cellulose exhibit the capability to offer recovery and separation, making them integral to the advancement of membranes designed for the process of seawater desalination. Functionalizing these cellulosic membranes with inorganic fillers such as carbon nanofibers and graphene oxide, among others, has led to the improvement of their performance, as illustrated in Figure …”