electronics etc. As the size of the nanomaterials should be one dimension i.e., less
than 100 nm, and because of this they have increased reactivity for adsorption,
oxidation/reduction and catalysis of several contaminant groups such as heavy
metals (e.g., chromium), organics (e.g., chloroethenes), and inorganics (e.g., nitrate)
present in the waste (Qu et al. 2013).
To get success in waste management, nanotechnology mainly depends on how
the nanomaterials are selected to target the contaminants. Nowadays, the most
commonly used nanomaterial is the metal (mostly iron) or carbon-based
nanomaterials. For example—zerovalent iron (nZVI) is mostly used in the industries
for the protection of the environment.
Nanotechnology can be used for various waste management processes, some of
which are discussed as
1. Water treatment
2. Leachate treatment
3. Waste recycling
12.5 Nanotechnology for Water Treatment
The water is considered as the most important thing for any human development. As
the development is increasing, the demand for the water is also increasing. This
increase results in the destruction of the water resources as a result the level of clean
water is going below day by day (Hillie and Hlophe 2007). According to statistics,
only 2.5% of the world’s oceans and seas cover the fresh water, (salts concentration
of <1 g/L). Along with this, 70% of the fresh water is present as frozen ice (Kunduru
et al. 2012) and only <1% of fresh water can be used for drinking. From this, it is
estimated that in the globe about 663 million people have no drinking water (WHO
2015). The main reason for the contamination of the water is the anthropogenic
activities which include the use of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal health
care products (Ali et al. 2019). These contaminants can be organic, inorganic, and
biological in nature. They are very toxic and carcinogenic to the humans, animals
and to the whole ecosystem (Ali 2012). The main contaminants composition consist
of the heavy metals such as the arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, zinc,
nickel, copper, etc. having a high rate of the toxicity (Ali 2012; Tambe Patil 2005).
There are some other heavy metals also present such as nitrates, sulfates, phosphates,
fluorides, chlorides, etc. which are harmful only when their concentration increases
and they are able to change the taste of the water (Kunduru et al. 2012). Therefore, to
remove these pollutants from the water and also to clean up the industrial effluent,
the society needs the high quality water purification system. And to fulfill this need,
the nanotechnology has been introduced because of its high efficiency, modular, and
multifunctional nature. By this process, the nanoparticles have the capability to
remove the contaminants such as the metal ions, anions, organic compounds, and
even the microorganisms. This process has high performance and provides the
affordable solution for the wastewater treatment because only a small amount of
12 Management of Waste Using Nanotechnology
261
than 100 nm, and because of this they have increased reactivity for adsorption,
oxidation/reduction and catalysis of several contaminant groups such as heavy
metals (e.g., chromium), organics (e.g., chloroethenes), and inorganics (e.g., nitrate)
present in the waste (Qu et al. 2013).
To get success in waste management, nanotechnology mainly depends on how
the nanomaterials are selected to target the contaminants. Nowadays, the most
commonly used nanomaterial is the metal (mostly iron) or carbon-based
nanomaterials. For example—zerovalent iron (nZVI) is mostly used in the industries
for the protection of the environment.
Nanotechnology can be used for various waste management processes, some of
which are discussed as
1. Water treatment
2. Leachate treatment
3. Waste recycling
12.5 Nanotechnology for Water Treatment
The water is considered as the most important thing for any human development. As
the development is increasing, the demand for the water is also increasing. This
increase results in the destruction of the water resources as a result the level of clean
water is going below day by day (Hillie and Hlophe 2007). According to statistics,
only 2.5% of the world’s oceans and seas cover the fresh water, (salts concentration
of <1 g/L). Along with this, 70% of the fresh water is present as frozen ice (Kunduru
et al. 2012) and only <1% of fresh water can be used for drinking. From this, it is
estimated that in the globe about 663 million people have no drinking water (WHO
2015). The main reason for the contamination of the water is the anthropogenic
activities which include the use of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal health
care products (Ali et al. 2019). These contaminants can be organic, inorganic, and
biological in nature. They are very toxic and carcinogenic to the humans, animals
and to the whole ecosystem (Ali 2012). The main contaminants composition consist
of the heavy metals such as the arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, lead, zinc,
nickel, copper, etc. having a high rate of the toxicity (Ali 2012; Tambe Patil 2005).
There are some other heavy metals also present such as nitrates, sulfates, phosphates,
fluorides, chlorides, etc. which are harmful only when their concentration increases
and they are able to change the taste of the water (Kunduru et al. 2012). Therefore, to
remove these pollutants from the water and also to clean up the industrial effluent,
the society needs the high quality water purification system. And to fulfill this need,
the nanotechnology has been introduced because of its high efficiency, modular, and
multifunctional nature. By this process, the nanoparticles have the capability to
remove the contaminants such as the metal ions, anions, organic compounds, and
even the microorganisms. This process has high performance and provides the
affordable solution for the wastewater treatment because only a small amount of
12 Management of Waste Using Nanotechnology
261