Current Approaches of Nanotechnology for Potential Drinking Water Purification

Abstract

Uninterrupted supply of adequate and clean drinking water is a fundamental human necessity, and essential to maintain the healthy surroundings. It also influences the development and economic growth, specifically in developing countries. It provides an excellent opportunity for treatment of surface water, groundwater, and wastewater contaminated by toxic metal ions, organic and inorganic solutes, and microorganisms. It facilitates an opportunity to optimize the current conventional techniques and to offer novel and innovative methods of water purification. Various nanomaterials on which purification of contaminated drinking water is based includes nanostructured catalytic membranes, nanosorbents, nanocatalysts, and bioactive nanoparticles. Current and potential applications of nanotechnology in water purification are adsorption, membrane separation processes, photocatalysis, disinfection, and microbial control. This chapter reviews the recent research efforts accomplished in the area of nanotechnology for drinking water purification.