Management of nanomaterial waste

Abstract

Nanomaterials (NMs) have size less than 100 nm in one, two, or three dimensions. Devicesusing NMs lead to nanotechnology. NMs show enhanced and different properties than theconventional bulk materials. Nanotechnology is a developing area of science and technology,and much research is being carried out in the fields of energy, manufacturing, healthcare, wastetreatment, and so on [13]. A variety of diverse materials, such as nanofibers, nanoclays, graphene,and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), are being produced that are lighter and stronger aswell as having more prominent chemical reactivity at the nano scale. Because of the specialproperties of NMs, they have applications in fabrication of various materials and products suchas thermoelectric materials, sensors, dye-sensitized solar cells, photocatalysts, cosmetics, packingmaterials, sprays, paints, cleaning agents, plastics, coatings, sunscreens, films, and nutraceuticals.Applications of nanotechnology in our daily life have become important. The contributions ofnanotechnology show the starting of a new era, leading to a point of significant discontinuitybetween the past and the present [4,5]. However, when they enter the end-of-life phase afteruse, these materials and products become NW. Different NMs used for different applicationsare converted to different types of NW (Fig. 7.1). Safe disposal of NW is a big concern.The effects of NW on environment and health have not yet been studied in detail.The literature is scattered. In this chapter, attempts are made to summarize the availableliterature on NW and its management.