Nanomaterials for removal of toxic elements from water

Water pollution becomes a critical issue around the world, and heavy metals, organic and inorganic compounds and bio-organisms contribute to major pollution in water. The application of nanomaterials (NMs) for the removal of pollutants from water has attracted significant attention. Until now there are numerous publications related to water remediation including conventional technologies and emerging developments such as nanotechnology and bio-strategy, for which a number of reviews exist focusing on conventional methods, transitional metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, carbon nanotube, graphene, etc. This review article systematically summarizes the application of NMs for the removal of toxic elements in water and focuses on inorganic NMs, organic polymer NMs and organic polymer-supported nanocomposites. The goal of this review is to provide an up-to-date analysis and references in the field of emerging nanotechnology and NMs for the removal of toxic elements from water for researchers and industry. Note that the detailed procedure of preparation and characterization of NMs and remediation for organic/bio-pollutants such as detergents, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals are beyond the scope of this review.