CNTs or chitosan nanocomposite by sonicating the chitosan and CNTs suspension;
then cross linked with glutaraldehyde. After that these composites packed with glass
column for the remediation various different heavy metal like Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni from
the adulterated solution. Bentonite is also considered to be the most desirable material
in the treatment of heavy metals if present in large concentrations because of its high
adsorptive nature and cation exchange ability (Miyazak et al. 2013). Zeolite, another
astonishing material, has high surface area, chemical stability, ion exchange
properties, and eco-friendly characteristics. It is also used for the treatment of lead
and cadmium (Kosuge et al. 2016; Peyravi et al. 2014).
6.8.2 Organic Polymer-Supported Nanocomposites
Polymeric supportive nanocomposite is another type of nanomaterial which has been
used for the remediation purpose from many years. It has many extraordinary
properties, such as excellent mechanical strength, versatile functional groups, regeneration power, eco-friendly, and degradable properties which make it an attractive option
to use (Zhao et al. 2018). It is divided into two types: biopolymer supported
nanocomposite and Synthetic organic polymer-supported nanocomposite. The fabrication these nanocomposites could be achieved by two ways, direct compounding and
in situ synthesis.The synthetic organic polymers such as polyaniline, polystyrene, etc.
are used for the fabrication purpose and widely used for the eradication of heavy
metals. Apart from organic polymer nanocomposite, biopolymers were chitosan,
alginate cellulose are used to support nanocomposites. But cellulose is a kind of
material which possess various functional groups like hydroxyl groups which provide
active biding sites for the removal of heavy metals. Another example is chitosan which
has –NH 2 and –OH groups in its structure which provides sites for the adsorption of
various kinds of heavy metals. Thus polymerase-based nanocomposite has shown
great potential in the removal of pollutants from the wastewater.
6.8.3 Magnetic NanoComposites
Magnetic nanocomposite has multi-layered component structure containing nanosized magnetic materials in order to get the response from the external source. It is
gaining attention because of its extraordinary capability of easy separation and high
surface area. These nanocomposites were made from different polysaccharides
encompass of biological materials. These materials can be functionalized with the
aid of different biopolymers like gum arabic, chitosan, cellulose, hence makes more
efficient for the eviction of heavy metals. Fabrication of these polymers can be done
in three different ways: (1) core-like structure can be acquired by the encapsulation
of iron and its oxide nanomaterials with different materials like humic acid,
polyrhodanine, polyprrole, MnO 2 , (2) surface modification by addition of functional
groups –NH 2, –SH. (Song et al. 2011; Kim et al. 2013; Lu et al. 2018), and
(3) coating of nanoparticles on porous materials such as CNTs, graphene (Zhang
et al. 2013). Various biological materials like starch polymers are added with iron
6 Nanotechnology for the Remediation of Heavy Metals
157
then cross linked with glutaraldehyde. After that these composites packed with glass
column for the remediation various different heavy metal like Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni from
the adulterated solution. Bentonite is also considered to be the most desirable material
in the treatment of heavy metals if present in large concentrations because of its high
adsorptive nature and cation exchange ability (Miyazak et al. 2013). Zeolite, another
astonishing material, has high surface area, chemical stability, ion exchange
properties, and eco-friendly characteristics. It is also used for the treatment of lead
and cadmium (Kosuge et al. 2016; Peyravi et al. 2014).
6.8.2 Organic Polymer-Supported Nanocomposites
Polymeric supportive nanocomposite is another type of nanomaterial which has been
used for the remediation purpose from many years. It has many extraordinary
properties, such as excellent mechanical strength, versatile functional groups, regeneration power, eco-friendly, and degradable properties which make it an attractive option
to use (Zhao et al. 2018). It is divided into two types: biopolymer supported
nanocomposite and Synthetic organic polymer-supported nanocomposite. The fabrication these nanocomposites could be achieved by two ways, direct compounding and
in situ synthesis.The synthetic organic polymers such as polyaniline, polystyrene, etc.
are used for the fabrication purpose and widely used for the eradication of heavy
metals. Apart from organic polymer nanocomposite, biopolymers were chitosan,
alginate cellulose are used to support nanocomposites. But cellulose is a kind of
material which possess various functional groups like hydroxyl groups which provide
active biding sites for the removal of heavy metals. Another example is chitosan which
has –NH 2 and –OH groups in its structure which provides sites for the adsorption of
various kinds of heavy metals. Thus polymerase-based nanocomposite has shown
great potential in the removal of pollutants from the wastewater.
6.8.3 Magnetic NanoComposites
Magnetic nanocomposite has multi-layered component structure containing nanosized magnetic materials in order to get the response from the external source. It is
gaining attention because of its extraordinary capability of easy separation and high
surface area. These nanocomposites were made from different polysaccharides
encompass of biological materials. These materials can be functionalized with the
aid of different biopolymers like gum arabic, chitosan, cellulose, hence makes more
efficient for the eviction of heavy metals. Fabrication of these polymers can be done
in three different ways: (1) core-like structure can be acquired by the encapsulation
of iron and its oxide nanomaterials with different materials like humic acid,
polyrhodanine, polyprrole, MnO 2 , (2) surface modification by addition of functional
groups –NH 2, –SH. (Song et al. 2011; Kim et al. 2013; Lu et al. 2018), and
(3) coating of nanoparticles on porous materials such as CNTs, graphene (Zhang
et al. 2013). Various biological materials like starch polymers are added with iron
6 Nanotechnology for the Remediation of Heavy Metals
157