general, the flexible and highly porous structure of MOFs allows guest species such
as metal ions to diffuse into their bulk structure. The shape and size of the pores lead
to selectivity over the guests that may be adsorbed. These features make MOFs an
ideal sorbent in solid phase extraction of heavy metals. However, there is little
information about MOFs as an adsorbent.
Nanomaterials are well known to possess excellent electrical, optical, thermal,
catalytic properties and strong mechanical strength, which offer great opportunities
to construct nanomaterials-based sensors or devices for monitoring environmental
contaminations in air, water, and soil. Various nanomaterials, such as carbon
nanotubes (Forzani et al. 2006), gold nanoparticles, silicon nanowires, and quantum
dots, have been extensively explored in detecting and measuring toxic metal ions,
toxic gases, pesticides, and hazardous industrial chemicals with high sensitivity,
selectivity and simplicity (Kim et al. 2009; Patzke et al. 2002; Wen et al. 2010,
2011). CNTs and graphene have been extensively studied for nanodevices or
nanosensors (Bagheri et al. 2012; Douglas and Alexander 2008; Kong et al. 2000;
Guo and Dong 2011; Goh and Pumera 2011; He et al. 2010; Male et al. 2007).
Many metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs), have been used in the received in chemical and biological
sensors (Zhao et al. 2011b), medical diagnostics, and therapeutics and biological
imaging (Rosi et al. 2006; Sperling et al. 2008; Daniel and Astruc 2004). AuNPs or
AgNPs exhibit high extinction coefficients and strong size- and distance-dependent
optical properties, and are considered as a new class of reporters and have been
applied in colorimetric sensing (Lee et al. 2007, 2008; Daniel et al. 2009; Xue et al.
2008; Liu and Lu 2003, 2004; Liu et al. 2007; Mirkin et al. 1996; Chen et al. 2010;
He et al. 2008). Silicon-based nanomaterials are an important type of nanomaterial,
which have been extensively studied due to their with single-molecule sensitivity
(Li et al. 2010a, b; Nie and Emory 1997; Cao et al. 2002; Liu et al. 2012; Dasary
et al. 2009; Zamarion et al. 2008; Wang and Irudayaraj 2011).
Other nanomaterials also have been used in environmental monitoring, such as
Fe 3 O 4 (Liu et al. 2008; Zuo et al. 2009), SiO 2 (Zhang et al. 2006), ZrO 2 (Du et al.
2011; Liu and Lin 2005), etc.
4.6
Conclusion
Clean and fresh water and air are essential for the existence for life. Water and air are
two vital components of life on earth; the existence of life on earth is made possible
largely because of their importance to metabolic processes within body. Decontamination is the reduction or removal of chemical and biological agents by means of
physical, chemical neutralization, or detoxication techniques. More than half of the
world is facing problem of water purification. This condition is worse in the
developing countries. Nanomaterials are being used in more than 1600 commercial
products including food, and the consumers are already exposed to these
nanomaterials. Nanotechnology revolution will play an essential role in solving
the problem of rising demands of clean water and decreasing of the available
4 Nanoscavengers for the Waste Water Remediation
83
as metal ions to diffuse into their bulk structure. The shape and size of the pores lead
to selectivity over the guests that may be adsorbed. These features make MOFs an
ideal sorbent in solid phase extraction of heavy metals. However, there is little
information about MOFs as an adsorbent.
Nanomaterials are well known to possess excellent electrical, optical, thermal,
catalytic properties and strong mechanical strength, which offer great opportunities
to construct nanomaterials-based sensors or devices for monitoring environmental
contaminations in air, water, and soil. Various nanomaterials, such as carbon
nanotubes (Forzani et al. 2006), gold nanoparticles, silicon nanowires, and quantum
dots, have been extensively explored in detecting and measuring toxic metal ions,
toxic gases, pesticides, and hazardous industrial chemicals with high sensitivity,
selectivity and simplicity (Kim et al. 2009; Patzke et al. 2002; Wen et al. 2010,
2011). CNTs and graphene have been extensively studied for nanodevices or
nanosensors (Bagheri et al. 2012; Douglas and Alexander 2008; Kong et al. 2000;
Guo and Dong 2011; Goh and Pumera 2011; He et al. 2010; Male et al. 2007).
Many metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver
nanoparticles (AgNPs), have been used in the received in chemical and biological
sensors (Zhao et al. 2011b), medical diagnostics, and therapeutics and biological
imaging (Rosi et al. 2006; Sperling et al. 2008; Daniel and Astruc 2004). AuNPs or
AgNPs exhibit high extinction coefficients and strong size- and distance-dependent
optical properties, and are considered as a new class of reporters and have been
applied in colorimetric sensing (Lee et al. 2007, 2008; Daniel et al. 2009; Xue et al.
2008; Liu and Lu 2003, 2004; Liu et al. 2007; Mirkin et al. 1996; Chen et al. 2010;
He et al. 2008). Silicon-based nanomaterials are an important type of nanomaterial,
which have been extensively studied due to their with single-molecule sensitivity
(Li et al. 2010a, b; Nie and Emory 1997; Cao et al. 2002; Liu et al. 2012; Dasary
et al. 2009; Zamarion et al. 2008; Wang and Irudayaraj 2011).
Other nanomaterials also have been used in environmental monitoring, such as
Fe 3 O 4 (Liu et al. 2008; Zuo et al. 2009), SiO 2 (Zhang et al. 2006), ZrO 2 (Du et al.
2011; Liu and Lin 2005), etc.
4.6
Conclusion
Clean and fresh water and air are essential for the existence for life. Water and air are
two vital components of life on earth; the existence of life on earth is made possible
largely because of their importance to metabolic processes within body. Decontamination is the reduction or removal of chemical and biological agents by means of
physical, chemical neutralization, or detoxication techniques. More than half of the
world is facing problem of water purification. This condition is worse in the
developing countries. Nanomaterials are being used in more than 1600 commercial
products including food, and the consumers are already exposed to these
nanomaterials. Nanotechnology revolution will play an essential role in solving
the problem of rising demands of clean water and decreasing of the available
4 Nanoscavengers for the Waste Water Remediation
83