Carbon-Based Material in Pesticide Remediation

Abstract

Pesticides play a vital role in safeguarding crops from biological threats in agriculture, but their excessive usage disrupts environmental balance and poses risks to human health. Consequently, there's a pressing need for efficient methods to remove pesticides from contaminated environments. Carbonaceous materials, particularly activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, biochar, and graphene nanosheets, offer promising solutions due to their high adsorption capacity and scalability. These materials, extensively researched and developed, possess properties essential for effective adsorption, such as porous structures and functional surface groups. They also offer advantages over other materials, including tunable selectivity and large surface areas for contaminant interaction. This chapter explores carbon-based adsorbents in wastewater treatment and pollutant remediation, discussing their environmental and health impacts, current removal methods, and their effectiveness in sustainable remediation. Remaining challenges and future research directions are also addressed.