A review: Application of tourmaline in environmental fields

Heavy metals and organic pollutants could pose long-term threats to the ecosystem and human health, so it is urgent for us to find a friendly and efficient material to remove pollutants in environment. Since tourmaline is widely distributed in natural environment and has many excellent physical and chemical properties including radiating far infrared energy, permanently releasing negative ions, producing an electrostatic field, releasing rare microelements, and stimulating the growth and metabolism of microorganisms and plants, tourmaline had been conducted to alleviate environmental pollution. This review summarizes the application of tourmaline in aqueous solutions and soil polluted by heavy metals and organic pollutants, the factors that affect the removal of pollutants by tourmaline and the removal mechanisms. In addition, to ensure the safe use of tourmaline, this review also elaborates the environment risks of tourmaline through its toxicity indexes to soil and plant.