et al. 2016), rigorous packed nanoparticle membranes (Kim and Van der Bruggen
2010) or membranes of nanocomposites. Silk nanofibrils based nanofiber
membranes performed filtration of proteins, Nps colloidal and dyes such as Rhodamine B from contaminated water with the efficiency enhancement factor of more
than 1000 times than its commercial counterparts (Ling et al. 2016). Oil-water
separation has been successfully achieved using TiO 2 nanostructures because of
higher water capturing potential of membrane layers along with its property of selfcleaning (Tan et al. 2015). Composite membranes such as MgSi@RGO/PAN put in
force the physical sieving and electrostatic interaction for selective rejection of small
molecules of dye and neutral solutes from waste water (Liang et al. 2016). Regeneration potential of the membrane, achieved by just autoclavation or ultrasonication
has provided it an extra admiration in pollution removal context (Srivastava et al.
2004).
CNTs has been used as nanofilter for the eradication of poliovirus (Madaeni et al.
1995) and MS2 virus (Mostafavi et al. 2009) with highest possible efficiency. Many
organic compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, DDT, phenols and
pesticides are found susceptible to these CNTs (Gotovac et al. 2006; Yang et al.
2006; Zhou et al. 2006).
Widespread use of personal care and pharmaceutical products pave their way into
surface water (Wu et al. 2015) and ground water (Gottschall et al. 2012) with
considerable concentrations of ng/L-μg/L and ng/mg respectively, thus detrimentally
affecting aquatic organisms. The toxic metals leached out from them are being
captured and tried to remediate with the help of nanotechnology. CeO 2 Nps show
the potential of capturing chromium (IV) on its surface thus treating chromium
loaded water. Organic load is successfully unloaded with the help of highly photooxidant TiO 2 nanostructures (Wilcoxon 2000). Surface coating of ethylenediamine
on TiO 2 is efficient to decontaminate ground water containing anionic metal content
(Mattigod et al. 2005). Nps can reduce the toxic content of contaminants by initiating
their breakdown cycle or by settling them via sedimentation or by adsorbing them
onto their surface areas (Deng et al. 2017).
3.4.2 Nanotechnology in Atmosphere
To separate pollutants and toxic gases from the air, nanoadsorbents are proved to be
an efficient and promising method. Nanoproducts are being commercialized as
building blocks, self-cleaning gases and architectural coatings because of their
property of eliminating metal contaminants which are dispersed in air. The increasing assembly and complexities of the nanomaterials to form morphologies of
nanotubes and nano-meshes is found to augment air purification manifolds.
Adsorption works on the principle of surface attachment, which occurs when
toxicants pass through the surface of nanomaterials (Nowack 2010; Qu et al. 2013;
Gehrke et al. 2015). Nanoadsorbents are solids with tunable pore sizes on their larger
surface areas and having dispersion distance of the magnitude of short intraparticle
size to separate and collect adsorbates on their surfaces (Sharma et al. 2009; Qu et al.
52
T. Jasrotia et al.
2010) or membranes of nanocomposites. Silk nanofibrils based nanofiber
membranes performed filtration of proteins, Nps colloidal and dyes such as Rhodamine B from contaminated water with the efficiency enhancement factor of more
than 1000 times than its commercial counterparts (Ling et al. 2016). Oil-water
separation has been successfully achieved using TiO 2 nanostructures because of
higher water capturing potential of membrane layers along with its property of selfcleaning (Tan et al. 2015). Composite membranes such as MgSi@RGO/PAN put in
force the physical sieving and electrostatic interaction for selective rejection of small
molecules of dye and neutral solutes from waste water (Liang et al. 2016). Regeneration potential of the membrane, achieved by just autoclavation or ultrasonication
has provided it an extra admiration in pollution removal context (Srivastava et al.
2004).
CNTs has been used as nanofilter for the eradication of poliovirus (Madaeni et al.
1995) and MS2 virus (Mostafavi et al. 2009) with highest possible efficiency. Many
organic compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, DDT, phenols and
pesticides are found susceptible to these CNTs (Gotovac et al. 2006; Yang et al.
2006; Zhou et al. 2006).
Widespread use of personal care and pharmaceutical products pave their way into
surface water (Wu et al. 2015) and ground water (Gottschall et al. 2012) with
considerable concentrations of ng/L-μg/L and ng/mg respectively, thus detrimentally
affecting aquatic organisms. The toxic metals leached out from them are being
captured and tried to remediate with the help of nanotechnology. CeO 2 Nps show
the potential of capturing chromium (IV) on its surface thus treating chromium
loaded water. Organic load is successfully unloaded with the help of highly photooxidant TiO 2 nanostructures (Wilcoxon 2000). Surface coating of ethylenediamine
on TiO 2 is efficient to decontaminate ground water containing anionic metal content
(Mattigod et al. 2005). Nps can reduce the toxic content of contaminants by initiating
their breakdown cycle or by settling them via sedimentation or by adsorbing them
onto their surface areas (Deng et al. 2017).
3.4.2 Nanotechnology in Atmosphere
To separate pollutants and toxic gases from the air, nanoadsorbents are proved to be
an efficient and promising method. Nanoproducts are being commercialized as
building blocks, self-cleaning gases and architectural coatings because of their
property of eliminating metal contaminants which are dispersed in air. The increasing assembly and complexities of the nanomaterials to form morphologies of
nanotubes and nano-meshes is found to augment air purification manifolds.
Adsorption works on the principle of surface attachment, which occurs when
toxicants pass through the surface of nanomaterials (Nowack 2010; Qu et al. 2013;
Gehrke et al. 2015). Nanoadsorbents are solids with tunable pore sizes on their larger
surface areas and having dispersion distance of the magnitude of short intraparticle
size to separate and collect adsorbates on their surfaces (Sharma et al. 2009; Qu et al.
52
T. Jasrotia et al.