Nanotechnology-based filtration membranes for removal of pollutants from drinking water

Abstract The rapid increase in global population, urbanization, and industrialization has limited the resource of clean drinking water, significantly highlighting the importance of water purification technologies across the world. The conventional methods employed in water purification require chemicals and infrastructure that make them troublesome, costly, time-consuming, and not eco-friendly. Hence, the requirements for drinking water to be produced in safe, cost-effective and energy-efficient manners call for sustainably developed new and innovative techniques. Nanotechnology has emerged as an efficient and cost-effective long-term solution through the adaption of advanced filtration membranes. They are composed of various nanomaterials, such as carbonaceous nanomaterials, metal oxide nanoparticles, zeolites, and so forth, incorporated into a polymeric matrix that enhances the performance of conventional polymeric membranes. It has remarkably improved thermal and mechanical traits, water permeability, antifouling property, and solute selectivity, with low energy consumption and more cost-effectiveness than conventional polymeric filtration membranes. This extensive literature review demonstrates the excellent performance of nanomaterial-based membranes as compared to traditional forms. Donnan, transport, dielectric, and steric effects play important roles during nanofiltration (NF) membrane separation. This chapter explores the removal of pollutants from drinking water via nanomaterial-based membranes.