osteoporosis, and muscular dystrophy (Jaishankar et al. 2014; Zahir et al. 2005) and
acute disorders include nausea, numbness, falling into coma. Based on their immediate and future threat to environment and human health, there is imperative need to
phase out these contaminants from the environment. Several physical, chemical, and
biological methods were employed for the removal of these life threatening
compounds which encompass heat treatment, electro-remediation, precipitation,
ion exchange, chemical extraction and oxidation, bioleaching, phytoremediation,
etc. (Gunatilake 2015). These technologies have several limitations such as low
efficiency, unstable by-products, and not cost efficient. Therefore alternative and
effective technology is essential for the population of such hazardous compounds
and more importantly restoration of natural environment. From the last decades
nanotechnology has been increasingly used for the remediation because of their
exceptional properties like large surface area to volume ratio, morphology, chemical
composition, and size depended properties. Thus this technology provides an exceptional flexibility for the treatment of heavy metals. Nanotechnology is defined as the
technology materialized at nano scale, with size range of 1–100 nm (Paul and
Robeson 2008). The elemental science is termed as nanoscience. It includes
nanomaterial, nanofabrication, and application in the physical, biological, and
chemical system (Kunduru et al. 2012). Due to its unique capabilities nanoscience
is employed for the attenuation of environmental pollutants.
6.2
Sources of Heavy Metal Contamination
Heavy metals are found in the earth crust in the form of trace elements and rocks.
Due to the weathering phenomenon, rocks are get broken down and release heavy
metals into the ecosystem. Rapid technical and industrial growth has led to the over
utilization of these compounds for various industrial processes. When these metal
waste from industries get disposed of without any prior treatment this leads to environmental pollution. The sources of heavy metal pollution have been depicted in the
Fig. 6.2 below.
6.3
Impacts of Heavy Metal Pollution on Human Health
Heavy metals play a very crucial role in the proper functioning of the human body if
taken in trace amount. However technological development and over-exploitation of
natural resources by mining and other processes have transformed the geochemical
cycles. These alterations of natural phenomenon muddle up the environmental
balance hence leads to heavy metal pollution. When these pollutants come in contact
to living organisms and human beings they induce numerous health issues which are
enlisted in Table 6.1 (Engwa et al. 2019).
6 Nanotechnology for the Remediation of Heavy Metals
147
acute disorders include nausea, numbness, falling into coma. Based on their immediate and future threat to environment and human health, there is imperative need to
phase out these contaminants from the environment. Several physical, chemical, and
biological methods were employed for the removal of these life threatening
compounds which encompass heat treatment, electro-remediation, precipitation,
ion exchange, chemical extraction and oxidation, bioleaching, phytoremediation,
etc. (Gunatilake 2015). These technologies have several limitations such as low
efficiency, unstable by-products, and not cost efficient. Therefore alternative and
effective technology is essential for the population of such hazardous compounds
and more importantly restoration of natural environment. From the last decades
nanotechnology has been increasingly used for the remediation because of their
exceptional properties like large surface area to volume ratio, morphology, chemical
composition, and size depended properties. Thus this technology provides an exceptional flexibility for the treatment of heavy metals. Nanotechnology is defined as the
technology materialized at nano scale, with size range of 1–100 nm (Paul and
Robeson 2008). The elemental science is termed as nanoscience. It includes
nanomaterial, nanofabrication, and application in the physical, biological, and
chemical system (Kunduru et al. 2012). Due to its unique capabilities nanoscience
is employed for the attenuation of environmental pollutants.
6.2
Sources of Heavy Metal Contamination
Heavy metals are found in the earth crust in the form of trace elements and rocks.
Due to the weathering phenomenon, rocks are get broken down and release heavy
metals into the ecosystem. Rapid technical and industrial growth has led to the over
utilization of these compounds for various industrial processes. When these metal
waste from industries get disposed of without any prior treatment this leads to environmental pollution. The sources of heavy metal pollution have been depicted in the
Fig. 6.2 below.
6.3
Impacts of Heavy Metal Pollution on Human Health
Heavy metals play a very crucial role in the proper functioning of the human body if
taken in trace amount. However technological development and over-exploitation of
natural resources by mining and other processes have transformed the geochemical
cycles. These alterations of natural phenomenon muddle up the environmental
balance hence leads to heavy metal pollution. When these pollutants come in contact
to living organisms and human beings they induce numerous health issues which are
enlisted in Table 6.1 (Engwa et al. 2019).
6 Nanotechnology for the Remediation of Heavy Metals
147