Metal Oxide Nanocatalysts for Water Purification Processes

Water is indispensable for several human activities, not limited to bathing, cooking, drinking, and many other household activities. The quality of available water to man, therefore, influences the quality of life greatly. Besides the role water is playing in domestic activities, clean water is also indispensable in numerous industries, not limited to chemical, healthcare, pharmaceutical, etc. Access to clean potable water is therefore of utmost importance for good health. This underscores the importance of water purification, and it explains why several sectors, including agriculture and manufacturing, rely on access to clean water for their activities. Efficient water purification systems promote economic growth by ensuring continuous access to a pure water supply. Thus, nanotechnology has recently found applicability in water treatment and water purification. This has expectedly attracted researchers and stakeholders. Some of the properties of nanocatalysts being taken advantage of for effective water purification and treatment include adsorption, catalysis, high surface area, and reactivity. Today, metal oxide nanocatalysts (MONCs) are at the vanguard of innovative water purification technologies. The MONCs are certain to continue research to address environmental remediation and public health challenges presently facing water treatment and purification. This review outlines in-depth the merits and limitations of MONCs for the degradation of organic pollutants, heavy metals, and emerging contaminants like pesticides and pharmaceutical products in the water system.