Sustainable remediation technologies for removal of pesticides as organic micro-pollutants from water environments: A review

Abstract

Pesticides usage has tremendously increased to enhance crop production; however some pesticides are toxic and harmful to human health and the environment. This review discusses the eco-toxicological impacts of pesticides on the environment. This study extensively evaluates various sustainable remediation technologies such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), electrochemical processes, membrane separation, and adsorbent types (carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofiber, carbon aerogel, graphene oxide, carbon dot, biochar, biosorbents, polymers, metal-organic framework, and nanocomposite) that are used for removal of toxic pesticides from aqueous bodies. Further, various equilibrium isotherm and kinetic models that are used for understanding the mechanisms along with challenges in the techniques are discussed. From the studies, it is observed that the nanocomposites could degrade and remove pesticides efficiently due to their unique properties, making them promising adsorbents for water and wastewater remediation. This review will be an inclusive paper for readers to easily define research gaps and develop novel treatment methods for removing pesticide-contaminated waters.