Nanotechnology and Its Applications in Environmental Remediation

Decontamination of pollutants from soil, air, and water is a challenging quest in contemporary society due to the recalcitrant, bioaccumulative, and bio-resistant nature of such contaminants. Remediation processes of these environmental contaminants relies on a number of processes including adsorption, photocatalysis, redox transformations, and filtration among other chemical reactions. The use of nanotechnology to enhance the performance of remediation processes has developed research interest in modern day due to the high reactivity and environmental friendliness associated with nanoparticles. This chapter explores the science behind the application of nanotechnology in environmental remediation, the processes used in decontaminating environmental media, and the various categories of nanomaterials. Various examples based on literature are used to enhance insight on the subject.