Nanotechnology in environmental remediation: Transforming pollution control across diverse matrices

Environmental pollution, encompassing water contamination, air degradation, and microplastic proliferation, poses significant threats to ecosystems and human health, necessitating advanced remediation strategies. Nanotechnology, leveraging the unique physicochemical properties of materials at the nanoscale, offers transformative solutions for addressing complex pollutants in industrial effluents, wastewater, drinking water, acid mine drainage, microplastics, and air. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature to trace nanotechnology’s evolution from its conceptual origins in the mid-twentieth century to current applications and future prospects. Fundamental mechanisms, including adsorption, photocatalysis, and chemical reduction, are elucidated, highlighting their efficacy in achieving near-complete contaminant removal with minimal waste. Key advancements include titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation, zero-valent iron nanoparticles for heavy metal reduction, and graphene-based membranes for filtration. Challenges such as nanomaterial toxicity, scalability, and regulatory gaps are critically examined, alongside innovative solutions like green synthesis and hybrid system integration. Case studies demonstrate practical applications, such as 99% antibiotic degradation and 95% microplastic removal. The review underscores nanotechnology’s potential to align with global sustainability goals, advocating for interdisciplinary efforts to ensure safe, scalable, and eco-friendly remediation technologies.