Multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles in water and wastewater treatment

Abstract

Currently, scientists worldwide have the challenge of solving the problem of water pollution. Pollutants coming mainly from industrial activity, including toxic metals, dyes, and antibiotics, reach and contaminate water bodies. In this context, effluent treatments are key to preserve the environment. Various technologies have been used over the years with this purpose, showing drawbacks related with large periods of time, low efficiencies, and high costs. In recent years, the development of nanomaterials applied to water and wastewater treatment has allowed to improve the weaknesses of conventional technologies. Among them, magnetic nanoparticles have highlighted for their easy manipulation thanks to their intrinsic magnetism, especially those formed by metal oxides. The tendency of the metal oxides to agglomerate has been resolved through surface modification by chemical functionalization, which in turn allows the removal of specific pollutants through selective interactions with certain functional groups. This book chapter proposes a review of the most recent advances on functionalized magnetic nanoparticles used as adsorbents for the removal of toxic metals and organic compounds from water and wastewater samples. Parameters that allow to understand the removal processes are discussed, along with their reusing capacity, magnetism, synthesis methods, and characterization techniques.