Chitosan-Based Polymer Nanocomposites for Environmental Remediation of Mercury Pollution

Abstract

Mercury is a well-known heavy metal pollutant of global importance, typically found in effluents (lakes, oceans, and sewage) and released into the atmosphere. It is highly toxic to humans, animals and plants. Therefore, the current challenge is to develop efficient materials and techniques that can be used to remediate mercury pollution in water and the atmosphere, even in low concentrations. The paper aims to review the chitosan-based polymer nanocomposite materials that have been used for the environmental remediation of mercury pollution since they possess multifunctional properties, beneficial for the adsorption of various kinds of pollutants from wastewater and the atmosphere. In addition, these chitosan-based polymer nanocomposites are made of non-toxic materials that are environmentally friendly, highly porous, biocompatible, biodegradable, and recyclable; they have a high number of surface active sites, are earth-abundant, have minimal surface defects, and are metal-free. Advances in the modification of the chitosan, mainly with nanomaterials such as multi-walled carbon nanotube and nanoparticles (Ag, TiO2, S, and ZnO), and its use for mercury uptake by batch adsorption and passive sampler methods are discussed.

Preparation of Eco-Friendly Chelating Resins and Their Applications for Water Treatment

“…Wastewater from chemical processes containing high concentrations of toxic metals should not be discharged into the aquatic environment without proper treatment. To solve this issue, the development of new eco-friendly materials for metal ion removal is an intensely debated issue by worldwide scientific researchers [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The efficient removal of metal ions from polluted wastewater is one of the most important steps in the de-pollution process.…”

New modified heterocyclic-magnetite chitosan nanocomposite for efficient alizarin red dye removal: adsorption analysis and antibacterial activity.

“…By adding 0.03 g of dry composite to a series of flasks, the influence of time on the adsorption process was studied. Each flask contains 25 With the help of two kinetic models, the Lagergren pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, the adsorption kinetics of AR onto Modified chitosan composite (AOC@MC) are examined. One of the most used adsorption rate equations for solute adsorption from a liquid solution is the Lagergren rate equation.…”

Indoor Air Quality Treatment Using Polymer Nanocomposite Adsorbents

“…Efficiency of adsorbents for indoor air purification depends on the adsorption capacity of the material used, which is directly affected by their surface area [23][24][25]. Recently, polymers and polymeric nanocomposites have been researched as low-cost promising adsorbents for indoor pollutants [26]. The amalgamation of polymers and nanoparticles has enhanced the effectiveness of removing the pollutants from air [27].…”