Interfacial phenomena in nanotechnological applications for water remediation

Water is essential for innumerable natural, technological, and industrial activities. The advent of nanotechnology has allowed a better understanding of water at the nanoscale and its interaction with bio-organic, inorganic, and nanostructured interfaces. This knowledge offers clues to designing new nanomaterials or nanotechnological devices. Nowadays, a wide range of nanomaterials provides very efficient and tunable interfacial processes that can be exploited for many applications, including water remediation. Therefore, in this article, we survey the more representative nanomaterials and interfacial phenomena to enhance water purification processes. The article starts with the fundamental concepts of water at the nanoscale and its crucial role in interacting with surfaces. Then we discuss relevant nanointerfacial strategies to alleviate the problem of water pollution and shortage.