Polymers-based nanocomposites for decontamination of water matrices

In recent years, various types of organic pollutants, including dyes, pesticides, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products are being released into the water systems. Many of these pollutants are very challenging to be removed by the present-day treatment plants. These pollutants unenviably compromise the quality of water and manifest a serious threat to human beings and aquatic life. Different kinds of hybrid materials have been used for the treatment of wastewater. A variety of materials at the nanoscale from activated charcoal, oxide, polymers, hybrid, and bio-sorbents are widely used due to their robust environmental applications. Polymers-based hybrid and bio-sorbents display excellent potential, compared to other materials, in the removal of toxic metals such as Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg, Pb2+, etc., with promising removal efficiency. The polymer-based nanocomposites are being preferred over other materials due to their beneficial properties like abundance in nature, low costs, durability and non-toxic nature, stability, and high sorption activity towards cationic as well anionic contaminants. In recent times, a high interest has been observed in the utilization of polymer-based nanocomposites/sorbents for the remediation of wastewater bodies. The incorporation of nanotechnology has further strengthened the applicability of polymers-based sorbents. This chapter comprehensively covers the pertinency of polymer-based nanocomposites/sorbents in the treatment of wastewater via the process of adsorption, which is considered an effective and economically proven method.