Removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from water using nanomaterials: current scenario and future prospects
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REVIEW ARTICLE
Removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from water using nanomaterials: current scenario and future prospects Vinod Kumar 1,2 & Deeksha Katyal 1 & SwayangSiddha Nayak 2 Received: 25 February 2020 / Accepted: 3 August 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract There is an increase in concern about the hazardous effects of radioactivity due to the presence of undesirable radioactive substances in our vicinity. Nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) have further raised concerns towards such incidents which have led to contamination of water bodies. Conventional methods of water purification are less efficient in decontamination of radioisotopes. They are usually neither cost-effective nor environmentally friendly. However, nanotechnology can play a vital role in providing practical solutions to this problem. Nano-engineered materials like metal oxides, metallic organic frameworks, and nanoparticle-impregnated membranes have proven to be highly efficient in treating contaminated water. Their unique characteristics such as high adsorption capacity, large specific surface area, high tensile strength, and excellent biocompatibility properties make them useful in the field of water purification. This review explores the present status and future prospects of nanomaterials as the next-generation water purification systems that can play an important role in the removal of heavy metals and radioactive contaminants from aqueous solutions. Keywords Nuclear accidents . Radioisotopes . CBRN . Nanoadsorbents . Nanocomposites . Nanocatalysts
Introduction The increasing use of radioactive materials in nuclear power plants, agriculture, industry, research, and nuclear medicine has led to an increased probability of radioactive contamination of water (Cuttler and Pollycove 2009; Keepax et al. 2009). In the past, there have been several nuclear incidents that have caused direct radioactive contamination in water. These include K-19 (1961) in the North Atlantic, Kyshtym nuclear power plant explosion in Russia (1975), Three Mile Island accident in the USA (1979), Chernobyl disaster in Russia (1986), and the Fukushima Diiachi nuclear power plant accident in Japan (2011) (Gebl 2018; Kabakchi et al. 1995; Wasserman 2009; Huchthausen 2002). Among these, the Chernobyl and Responsible Editor: Georg Steinhauser * Deeksha Katyal [email protected] 1
University School of Environment Management (USEM), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, Delhi 110078, India
2
Division of CBRN Defense, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Timarpur, Delhi 110054, India
Fukushima nuclear power plant accidents were the most disastrous, both classified as category 7 of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). The catastrophic Chernobyl disaster affected the reservoir system with radioisotopes of 131 I (iodine) and 137 Cs (cesium) (Chernobyl: Assessment of Radiological and Health Impact 2002). Bioaccumulation of radioactive contaminant
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