Organic Water Pollutants: Sources, Impacts, and Nano-Enabled Remediation—A Comprehensive Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65486/atggse79Keywords:
Environmental Remediation, nanoadsorbents, nanotechnology, organic water pollutants, water treatmentAbstract
Purpose:
Water pollution from organic pollutants has emerged as a critical environmental challenge due to its harmful effects on ecosystems and human health. The purpose of this review is to investigate the sources, impacts, and treatment approaches for organic pollutants in water, with a particular focus on nanotechnology-based remediation strategies.
Method:
This study provides a comprehensive review of existing literature on organic pollutants and remediation technologies. It examines the contribution of different human activities—industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, and domestic waste—to the presence of organic pollutants in water systems. Furthermore, the review evaluates conventional treatment techniques, such as biological, chemical, and physical methods, alongside recent advancements in nanotechnology-driven solutions, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials, and polymeric nanocomposites.
Results:
The findings highlight that organic pollutants—including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial solvents, and personal care products—pose significant risks due to their toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and endocrine-disrupting properties. Conventional treatment methods often fail to fully eliminate these contaminants because of their complex nature. In contrast, nanotechnology-based remediation has demonstrated superior performance in adsorption, catalytic degradation, and selective removal of organic pollutants. Recent studies confirm the effectiveness of nano-enabled techniques, although challenges such as scalability, cost, and environmental safety remain.
Practical Implications:
The integration of nanotechnology into water treatment systems offers a pathway to more efficient, sustainable, and reliable solutions for managing organic pollutants. Adoption of these advanced technologies can improve water quality, protect aquatic ecosystems, and reduce public health risks associated with contaminated water. Policymakers, engineers, and researchers can leverage these insights to develop and implement next-generation treatment infrastructures.
Originality/Novelty:
This review consolidates and critically evaluates the latest progress in nano-enabled remediation of organic water pollutants, offering a forward-looking perspective on their mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and future opportunities. By highlighting the potential of nanotechnology as a transformative tool, the study contributes original insights that can guide the development of innovative and long-term water treatment strategies.
Downloads
References
[1]. Ahamed, M. I., & Lichtfouse, E. (Eds.). (2021). Water pollution and remediation: organic pollutants (Vol. 54). Cham,
Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
[2]. Ali, I., Asim, M., & Khan, T. A. (2012). Low cost adsorbents for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater. Journal
of Environmental Management, 113, 170-183.
[3]. Arnot, J. A., & Gobas, F. A. (2006). A review of bioconcentration factor (BCF) and bioaccumulation factor (BAF)
assessments for organic chemicals in aquatic organisms. Environmental Reviews, 14(4), 257-297.
[4]. Asahi, R., Morikawa, T., Ohwaki, T., Aoki, K., & Taga, Y. (2001). Visible-light photocatalysis in nitrogen-doped titanium
oxides. Science, 293(5528), 269-271.
[5]. Baig, N., Sajid, M., & Saleh, T. A. (2019). Graphene-based adsorbents for the removal of toxic organic pollutants: a
review. Journal of Environmental Management, 244, 370-382.
[6]. Borgå, K., Fisk, A. T., Hoekstra, P. F., & Muir, D. C. G. (2004). Biological and chemical factors of importance in the
bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of persistent organochlorine pollutants in Arctic marine food webs. Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(10), 2367-2385.
[7]. Bundschuh, M., Filser, J., Lüderwald, S., McKee, M. S., Metreveli, G., Schaumann, G. E., ... & Schulz, R. (2018).
Nanoparticles in the environment: Where do we come from, where do we go to? Environmental Sciences Europe, 30(1),
1-17.
[8]. Carpenter, S. R., Caraco, N. F., Correll, D. L., Howarth, R. W., Sharpley, A. N., & Smith, V. H. (1998). Nonpoint pollution
of surface waters with phosphorus and nitrogen. Ecological Applications, 8(3), 559-568.
[9]. Carvalho, F. P. (2017). Pesticides, environment, and food safety. Food and Energy Security, 6(2), 48-60.
[10]. Crini, G., & Lichtfouse, E. (2019). Advantages and disadvantages of techniques used for wastewater
treatment. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 17(1), 145-155.
[11]. Das, R., Ali, M. E., Hamid, S. B. A., Ramakrishna, S., & Chowdhury, Z. Z. (2014). Carbon nanotube membranes for water
purification: A bright future in water desalination. Desalination, 336, 97-109.
[12]. Diamanti-Kandarakis, E., Bourguignon, J. P., Giudice, L. C., Hauser, R., Prins, G. S., Soto, A. M., ... & Gore, A. C. (2009).
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: An Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocrine Reviews, 30(4), 293-342.
[13]. Encarnação, T., Pais, A. A., Campos, M. G., & Burrows, H. D. (2019). Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Impact on human
health, wildlife and the environment. Science progress, 102(1), 3-42.
[14]. Esfahani, M. R., Aktij, S. A., Dabaghian, Z., Firouzjaei, M. D., Rahimpour, A., Eke, J., ... & Koutahzadeh, N. (2019).
Nanocomposite membranes for water separation and purification: Fabrication, modification, and applications. Separation
and Purification Technology, 213, 465-499.
[15]. Feng, J., Ran, X., Wang, L., Xiao, B., Lei, L., Zhu, J., ... & Li, R. (2022). The synergistic effect of adsorption-photocatalysis
for removal of organic pollutants on mesoporous Cu2V2O7/Cu3V2O8/g-C3N4 heterojunction. International Journal of
Molecular Sciences, 23(22), 14264.
[16]. Fujishima, A., Zhang, X., & Tryk, D. A. (2008). TiO₂ photocatalysis and related surface phenomena. Surface Science
Reports, 63(12), 515-582.
[17]. Gogoi, A., Mazumder, P., Tyagi, V. K., Chaminda, G. T., An, A. K., & Kumar, M. (2017). Occurrence and fate of emerging
pollutants in water environment: A review. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 6, 169-180.
[18]. Gupta, V. K., & Nayak, A. (2012). Cadmium removal and recovery from aqueous solutions by novel adsorbents prepared
from orange peel and Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Chemical engineering journal, 180, 81-90.
[19]. Gupta, V. K., Agarwal, S., & Saleh, T. A. (2011). Synthesis and characterization of alumina-coated carbon nanotubes and
their application for lead removal. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 185(1), 17-23.
[20]. Haghshenas, N., Falletta, E., Cerrato, G., Giordana, A., & Bianchi, C. L. (2023). Tuning the visible-light-driven
photocatalytic properties of multi-decorated TiO2 by noble metals towards both propionic acid and NOx degradation.
Catalysis Communications, 181, 106728.
[21]. Hoffmann, M. R., Martin, S. T., Choi, W., & Bahnemann, D. W. (1995). Environmental applications of semiconductor
photocatalysis. Chemical Reviews, 95(1), 69-96.
[22]. Hotze, E. M., Phenrat, T., & Lowry, G. V. (2010). Nanoparticle aggregation: Challenges to understanding transport and
reactivity in the environment. Journal of Environmental Quality, 39(6), 1909-1924.
[23]. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Cambridge
University Press.
[24]. Iravani, S., Korbekandi, H., Mirmohammadi, S. V., & Zolfaghari, B. (2014). Synthesis of silver nanoparticles: Chemical,
physical and biological methods. Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9(6), 385-406.
[25]. Jones, K. C., & de Voogt, P. (1999). Persistent organic pollutants (POPs): State of the science. Environmental Pollution,
100(1-3), 209-221.
[26]. Jun, L. Y., Mubarak, N. M., Yee, M. J., Yon, L. S., Bing, C. H., Khalid, M., & Abdullah, E. C. (2018). An overview of
functionalised carbon nanomaterial for organic pollutant removal. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 67,
175-186.
[27]. Khan, S., Naushad, M., Lima, E. C., Zhang, S., Shaheen, S. M., & Rinklebe, J. (2020). Global soil pollution by toxic
elements: Current status and future perspectives on the risk assessment and remediation strategies—A review. Journal
of Hazardous Materials, 417, 126039.
[28]. Khin, M. M., Nair, A. S., Babu, V. J., Murugan, R., & Ramakrishna, S. (2012). A review on nanomaterials for environmental
remediation. Energy & Environmental Science, 5(8), 8075–8109.
[29]. Klaine, S. J., Alvarez, P. J. J., Batley, G. E., Fernandes, T. F., Handy, R. D., Lyon, D. Y., ... & Lead, J. R. (2008).
Nanomaterials in the environment: Behavior, fate, bioavailability, and effects. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry,
27(9), 1825-1851.
[30]. Kümmerer, K. (2009). The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment due to human use—Present knowledge and
future challenges. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(8), 2354-2366.
[31]. Liu, N., Chen, X., Zhang, J., & Schwank, J. W. (2014). A review on TiO2-based nanotubes synthesized via hydrothermal
method: Formation mechanism, structure modification, and photocatalytic applications. Catalysis Today, 225, 34-51.
[32]. Luo, Y., Guo, W., Ngo, H. H., Nghiem, L. D., Hai, F. I., Zhang, J., ... & Wang, X. C. (2014). A review on the occurrence of
micropollutants in the aquatic environment and their fate and removal during wastewater treatment. Science of the Total
Environment, 473, 619-641.
[33]. Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2016). Four billion people facing severe water scarcity. Science Advances, 2(2),
e1500323.
[34]. Mishra, A. K. (2020). Nanomaterials for water remediation. C. M. Hussain, & S. B. Mishra (Eds.). De Gruyter.
[35]. Nel, A., Xia, T., Mädler, L., & Li, N. (2006). Toxic potential of materials at the nanolevel. Science, 311(5761), 622-627.
[36]. Puri, N., Gupta, A., & Mishra, A. (2021). Recent advances on nano-adsorbents and nanomembranes for the remediation
of water. Journal of Cleaner Production, 322, 129051.
[37]. Qu, X., Alvarez, P. J. J., & Li, Q. (2013). Applications of nanotechnology in water and wastewater treatment. Water
Research, 47(12), 3931-3946.
[38]. Rafeeq, H., Hussain, A., Ambreen, A., Waqas, M., Bilal, M., & Iqbal, H. M. (2022). Functionalized nanoparticles and their
environmental remediation potential: a review. Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry, 12(6), 1007-1031.
[39]. Ray, P. Z., & Shipley, H. J. (2015). Inorganic nano-adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals and arsenic: A review.
RSC Advances, 5(38), 29885-29907.
[40]. Richardson, S. D. (2009). Water analysis: emerging pollutants and current issues. Analytical chemistry, 81(12), 4645-
4677.
[41]. Richardson, S. D., & Ternes, T. A. (2018). Water analysis: Emerging pollutants and current issues. Analytical Chemistry,
90(1), 398-428.
[42]. Ritter, L. (1998). Persistent organic pollutants. International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) within the framework
of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOMC).
[43]. Rizzo, L., Malato, S., Antakyali, D., Beretsou, V. G., Đolić, M. B., Gernjak, W., ... & Mascolo, G. (2019). Consolidated vs
new advanced treatment methods for the removal of pollutants of emerging concern from urban wastewater. Science of
the Total Environment, 655, 986-1008.
[44]. Santhosh, C., Velmurugan, V., Jacob, G., Jeong, S. K., Grace, A. N., & Bhatnagar, A. (2016). Role of nanomaterials in
water treatment applications: A review. Chemical Engineering Journal, 306, 1116-1137.
[45]. Savage, N., & Diallo, M. S. (2005). Nanomaterials and water purification: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of
Nanoparticle Research, 7(4-5), 331-342.
[46]. Schwarzenbach, R. P., Egli, T., Hofstetter, T. B., von Gunten, U., & Wehrli, B. (2010). Global water pollution and human
health. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 35, 109-136.
[47]. Schwarzenbach, R. P., Escher, B. I., Fenner, K., Hofstetter, T. B., Johnson, C. A., von Gunten, U., & Wehrli, B. (2006).
The challenge of micropollutants in aquatic systems. Science, 313(5790), 1072-1077.
[48]. Shannon, M. A., Bohn, P. W., Elimelech, M., Georgiadis, J. G., Mariñas, B. J., & Mayes, A. M. (2008). Science and
technology for water purification in the coming decades. Nature, 452(7185), 301-310.
[49]. Theron, J., Walker, J. A., & Cloete, T. E. (2008). Nanotechnology and water treatment: Applications and emerging
opportunities. Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 34(1), 43-69.
[50]. United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
[51]. United Nations. (2019). World Water Development Report 2019: Leaving No One Behind. UNESCO.
[52]. Wang, N., Zheng, T., Zhang, G., & Wang, P. (2016). A review on Fenton-like processes for organic wastewater treatment.
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 4(1), 762-787.
[53]. Wang, S., Sun, H., Ang, H. M., & Tadé, M. O. (2013). Adsorptive remediation of environmental pollutants using novel
graphene-based nanomaterials. Chemical Engineering Journal, 226, 336-347.
[54]. Wei, H., & Wang, E. (2013). Nanomaterials with enzyme-like characteristics (nanozymes): Next-generation artificial
enzymes. Chemical Society Reviews, 42(14), 6060-6093.
[55]. World Health Organization, & United Nations Children's Fund. (2021). Progress on household drinking water, sanitation
and hygiene 2000-2020: five years into the SDGs. World Health Organization.
[56]. Zhang, W. X. (2003). Nanoscale iron particles for environmental remediation: An overview. Journal of Nanoparticle
Research, 5(3-4), 323-332.
[57]. Zhang, W., Zhang, D., & Liang, Y. (2019). Nanotechnology in remediation of water contaminated by poly-and
perfluoroalkyl substances: A review. Environmental pollution, 247, 266-276.
[58]. Zhang, Y., Wu, B., Xu, H., Liu, H., Wang, M., He, Y., & Pan, B. (2016). Nanomaterials-enabled water and wastewater
treatment. NanoImpact, 3, 22-39.
