Environ Sci Pollut Res

DOI 10.1007/s11356-015-5491-6

REVIEW ARTICLE

Recent trends in nanomaterials applications in environmental

monitoring and remediation
Sumistha Das 1 & Biswarup Sen 1 & Nitai Debnath 1

Received: 4 June 2015 / Accepted: 21 September 2015

# Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Abstract Environmental pollution is one of the greatest prob- Introduction

lems that the world is facing today, and it is increasing with
every passing year and causing grave and irreparable damage Technological progress brought by industrial revolution and
to the earth. Nanomaterials, because of their novel physical highly efficient capitalist business practices is probably the
and chemical characteristics, have great promise to combat main cause of fathomless exploitation of natural resources.
environment pollution. Nanotechnology is being used to de- Ever expanding human population and urbanization have
vise pollution sensor. A variety of materials in their nano form stretched the use of natural resources to the maximum and
like iron, titanium dioxide, silica, zinc oxide, carbon nanotube, ultimately this overuse of natural resources is leading to na-
dendrimers, polymers, etc. are increasingly being used to ture’s degradation. Today, the air is filled up with numerous
make the air clean, to purify water, and to decontaminate soil. pollutants like carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, vola-
Nanotechnology is also being used to make renewable energy tile organic compounds, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides.
cheaper and more efficient. The use of nanotechnology in Water and soil are contaminated with arsenic, heavy metals,
agriculture sector will reduce the indiscriminate use of agro- and chlorinated compounds. Sewage water, industrial efflu-
chemicals and thus will reduce the load of chemical pollutant. ents, indiscriminate use of pesticides, fertilizers, and oil spills
While remediating environment pollution with nanomaterials, are some of the major reasons for water and soil degradation.
it should also be monitored that these materials do not con- As contaminants are mostly found as mixtures, there is a
tribute further degradation of the environment. This review need for technologies that are capable of monitoring, recog-
will focus broadly on the applications of nanotechnology in nizing, and treating such small amount of contaminants in air,
the sustainable development with particular emphasis on re- water, and soil. In this context, we need a technology which
newable energy, air-, water-, and soil-remediation. Besides, can sense, reduce, prevent, and treat environment contamina-
the review highlights the recent developments in various types tion. Nanotechnology has the potential to provide sustainable
of nanomaterials and nanodevices oriented toward pollution solution to the global challenges related to protecting water,
monitoring and remediation. soil, and providing cleaner air. Nanoscience allows designing
and manipulating materials at the atomic and molecular level.
These materials can be fabricated with specific functionalities
Keywords Nanoparticles . Pollutants . Nanosensors . that can recognize a particular pollutant within a mixture. The
Sustainable development . Solar cell . Nanocides small size of nanoparticles (NPs), together with their high
surface-to-volume ratio, can lead to very sensitive detection.
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues These novel properties of NPs will allow developing highly
miniaturize, accurate, and sensitive pollution-monitoring de-
* Nitai Debnath vices (nanosensors) to detect pollutants in air and water
nitai.debnath@gmail.com (Mohammadian et al. 2013; Zhang et al. 2012a, b). Many
researchers have fabricated different NPs which actively inter-
1
Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, act with a pollutant and decompose it in less toxic substance
Gurgaon 122413, India (Kanel et al. 2006; Li and Zhang 2007; Celebi et al. 2007).
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

Nanotechnology can also be used to reduce production of absorbent relies on the fact that absorption of gas molecules
harmful wastes in manufacturing process by reducing the on the surface of CNTs change the shape of CNTs and trigger
amount of material used and by employing less toxic com- redistribution of electrons, leading to a macroscopic change in
pounds. If we consider the agriculture sector, precision farm- resistance (Zhang et al. 2010). Scientists of the University of
ing and development of slow release pesticide (Cao et al. Queensland are researching CNTs for trapping greenhouse
2005), fertilizers are expected to reduce soil and water pollu- gas emissions caused by coal mining and power generation.
tion by these harmful chemicals. Nanotechnology can provide CNT can trap gases up to a hundred times faster than other
more cost-efficient and cost-effective water treatment and de- methods, allowing integration into large-scale industrial plants
salination technologies, and enable the development of renew- and power stations. Unlike conventional membranes that can
able energy sources, including highly efficient solar energy only separate or process gaseous substances, this CNT-based
conversion systems (Wang et al. 2013; Wallentin et al. technology can do the both for large volumes of gas effective-
2013). From the very beginning, the National Nanotechnolo- ly. The substances filtered out still present a problem for dis-
gy Initiative (NNI) in the USA had the aim to maintain indus- posal because waste removed from the air only return to the
trial sustainability by significant reductions in materials and ground and there is no net benefit. Uchida et al. found a way to
energy use, reducing sources of pollution, and increasing op- collect the soot filtered out of diesel fuel emissions and recycle
portunities for recycling, and these were documented as an it into manufacturing material for CNT (Uchida et al. 2006).
important goal of the NNI in the 1999 Nanotechnology Re- The diesel soot is used to synthesize the SWCNT filter
search Directions Report (Roco 2001). In this review, we have through laser vaporization, thus the filtered waste becomes
highlighted and discussed the application of nanotechnology the filter.
to combat air and water pollution in particular (Table 1). Ap- Silica-titania nanocomposites are being investigated for the
plication of nanotechnology in soil treatment, sustainable ag- removal of mercury vapors such as those coming from com-
riculture, and production of renewable energy is also reviewed bustion sources (Pitoniak et al. 2005). Here, high surface area
(Table 1). Application of different nanomaterials in environ- of nanosilica and unique photoctalytic property of titania mol-
mental remediation, monitoring, and efficient renewable ener- ecules has been amalgamated to make novel nanocomposite
gy production is summarized in Fig. 1. for improved mercury absorption. Moreover, it is shown that
superior mercury removal efficiency was ensured with signif-
icant reduction of contact angle up to 10° by this silica-titania
Remediation of air pollution nanocomposite.
Researchers have also developed new materials that inex-
Nanotechnology can be used to clean the air in several ways. pensively capture CO2 efficiently and selectively. They have
One is through the use of nanocatalysts with increased surface used materials based on metalorganic frameworks (MOFs) to
area for gaseous reactions. These catalysts transform harmful make tiny Bcages^ capable of capturing CO2. These MOFs are
vapors from cars and industrial plants into harmless gases. 2–3 times more efficient in absorbing CO2 compared to con-
Catalysts currently in use include a nanofiber catalyst made ventional sorbents. This CO2 can be released from the MOF
of manganese oxide NP that removes volatile organic com- by pull of a vacuum and can then be pumped deep into the
pounds from industrial smokestacks. Gold NP has promising Earth where it becomes stable in the form of carbonate min-
catalytic activity in converting highly toxic CO to CO2. Chen erals. This particular work has been pioneered by the Yaghi
and Goodman hypothesized that the quantum size effect of Group, relies on organic ligand molecules that can associate
gold NP is responsible for the oxidation of highly toxic CO with multiple metal ion bonding which form an extended po-
into CO2 (Chen and Goodman 2006). rous network (Yaghi et al. 1995). It can be made from inex-
Another approach is to use nanostructured membranes that pensive source material in a very mild condition. MOF 210,
have pores small enough to separate methane or CO2 from having highest surface area and an amine functionalized
exhaust. It has been reported that nanostructured membranes mmen-CuBTri MOF having highest heat absorption and se-
composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can lectivity are being mostly used for this purpose.
efficiently be utilized as nanoscale vessels for selective encap-
sulation of tetrafluromethane at 300 K and operating external
pressure of 1 bar. The rate of adsorption is directly related to Waste water and industrial effluent treatment
the pore size of the nanotubes (Kowalczyk and Holyst 2008).
Due to their unique structural features with abundant pores, Increasing industrial and agricultural pollution has led to a
large surface-to-volume ratio, and strong adsorption and de- greater need for processes that remove specific pollutants such
sorption capabilities for gases, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are as nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, heavy metals, and
being exhaustively studied for their role in purification of air. chlorinated compounds. NPs have very high flexibility for
The hypothesis behind the use of CNTs as efficient gas both in situ and ex situ purification of waste water and
Environ Sci Pollut Res

Table 1 Application of different nanomaterials in environment remediation

Nanoparticle Application Reference

Carbon nanotube Sensor for H2S, SO2 Zhang et al. (2012c)

Absorption of tetrafluoromethane Kowalczyk and
Holyst (2008)
Absorption of Zn(II) from water Lu and Chiu (2006)
Absorption of Fluoride from water Li et al. (2003a, 2003b)
Adsorption of dichlorobenzene from water Peng et al. (2003)
Adsorption of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cb2+ ions Li et al. (2003a, 2003b)
Fuel cells Liu et al. (2002)
Adsorption of Carbon tetrachloride Kondratyuk and Yates (2005)
Graphene Efficient solar cell Wang et al. (2013)
Iron Removal of Barium ions Celebi et al. (2007)
Nickel sequestration in water Li and Zhang (2007)
Arsenic removal Kanel et al. (2006)
In situ dehalogenation of dense, non-aqueous phase liquids containing tri- Quinn et al. (2005)
chloroethene
Removal of Pb, Cr Ponder et al. (2000)
Removal of nitrate from water Choe et al. (2000)
Dechlorination of trichloroethene, polychlorinated biphenyls Wang and Zhang (1997)
Iron sulphide Degradation of lindane from drinking water Paknikar et al. (2005)
Bimetallic Iron/Palladium Dechlorination of chlorinated ground water Elliott and Zhang (2001)
Titanium dioxide Improved photovoltaic performance of solar cells Sun et al. (2012a, 2012b)
Photovoltaic cell Chen et al. (2012)
Removal of benzene and toluene Chuang et al. (2008)
Self cleaning surface Euvananont et al. (2008)
Degradation of dye Srinivasan and White (2007)
Degradation of Butachlor in aqueous solution Mahmoodi et al. (2007)
Sonochemical degradation of parathion Wang et al. (2006)
Photocatalysis of dye Peng et al. (2005)
Photocatalysis of water, polluted from dyeing and printing process Chen et al. (2003)
Photodecomposition of phenol Andersson et al. (2002)
Zirconium and Niobium-doped titanium Photoinduced decomposition of acetone Mattson et al. (2009)
oxide
Core-shell titanium dioxide /strontium fer- Magnetic catalysis of fluid Fu et al. (2006)
rite
Titanium dioxide/PVDF membrane Oxidization of nitrobenzene Sun et al. (2012a, 2012b)
Silica Treating grasserie disease of silkworm Das et al. (2013)
Biosafe insecticide Debnath et al. (2010)
Thermal insulation Schmidt and Schwertfeger
(1998)
Silica-titania nanocomposite Mercury vapor removal Pitoniak et al. (2005)
Zinc oxide Solar cell Al-Juaid and Merazga (2013)
Antifungal agent Patra et al. (2012)
Gold thin film Conversion of CO to CO2 Chen and Goodman (2006)
Core-shell gold-silica Plasmon-enhanced light absorption in solar cell Brown et al. (2011)
Platinum nanoparticle Fuel cell Gebauer et al. (2014)
Bimetallic Palladium-gold Dechlorination of TCE Nutt et al. (2005)
Microporous metalorganic framework Trapping of aromatic compounds Yaghi et al. (1995)
Bimetallic nickel-iron Dechlorination of TCE Schrick et al. (2002)
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

Table 1 (continued)

Nanoparticle Application Reference

Bimetallic nickel-iron Degradation of carbon tetrachloride, chloroform Feng and Lim (2005)
Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) Removal of copper from soil Xu and Zhao (2005)
dendrimer Separation of heavy metals Rether and Schuster (2003)
Removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution Diallo et al. (1999)
Amorphous alumina/carbon nanotube Absorption of Fluoride from water Li et al. (2001)
Jacobsite (MnFe2O4) Removal of Cr(VI) Hu et al. (2005)
Amphiphilic polyurethane Decontamination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons from ground water Tungittiplakorn et al. (2004)
Poly(ethylene) glycol modified urethane Decontamination of aquifer from phenanthrine Tungittiplakorn et al. (2005)
acrylate
Indium phosphide nanowire Efficiency increase of solar cell Wallentin et al. (2013)

industrial effluents. For example, NPs can easily be deployed lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) which is one of the major
in ex situ slurry reactors for the treatment of contaminated organic pollutants found in drinking water (Paknikar et al.
soils, sediments, and solid wastes. Alternatively, they can be 2005). This Fe0 NP can also be used to combat arsenic pollu-
anchored onto a solid matrix such as carbon, zeolite, or mem- tion from drinking water (Kanel et al. 2006). Li and Zhang
brane for enhanced treatment of waste water. utilized core-shell iron NP as a sorbent and reductant to re-
The use of zero-valent iron (Fe0) NPs for the remediation of move Ni(II) ion from aqueous solution (Li and Zhang 2007),
contaminated groundwater and soil is a good example of whereas Celebi et al. showed that this NP can also efficiently
nanotechnology-mediated environmental remediation. When remove Ba2+ ion from water (Celebi et al. 2007). One of the
exposed to air, oxidized iron easily turns to rust; however, innovative uses of iron NP is in the degradation of halogenat-
when it is oxidized around contaminants such as trichloroeth- ed organic compounds, like chlorinated aromatics, chlorinated
ylene (TCE), carbon tetrachloride, and dioxins, these organic aliphatics, and polychlorinated biphenyls (Wang and Zhang
compounds are broken into simple, far less toxic carbon com- 1997).
pounds. Ponder et al. found that 10–30-nm-sized Fe0 NPs can Bimetallic iron NPs have been shown to be even more
be used for separation and immobilization of Cr (VI) and Pb active and stable than Fe0 NPs. These bimetallic NPs could
(II) from aqueous solution by reduction of Cr and Pb (Ponder be anchored on solid supports such as activated carbon or
et al. 2000). Fe0 nanopowder can be used for removal of silica for the ex situ treatment of contaminated water or indus-
nitrate from water (Choe et al. 2000). FeS NP can degrade trial wastes. In some newer studies, it was found that

Environmental remediation,
monitoring, and energy efficiency

Air Wastewater Soil & land Pollution Solar cell Energy

pollution & industrial management monitoring & efficiency storage
effluent sustainable enhancement
treatment agriculture

Carbon Fe NP Fe NP Carbon Al2O3 NP TiO2 NP

nanotubes FeS NP Ferrihydrite nanotubes Cu oxides NP Al2O3 NP
Silica titania Bimetallic Ni- NP Graphene ZnO NP ZnO NP
nanocompo Fe, Al2O3-TiO2 Dendrimer Magnetic NP Fe oxides NP Carbon
site NP Polymeric Ag NP TiO2 NP nanotube
Au NP TiO2 NP NP Silica NP Core shell Au- Porous
Carbon ZnO NP SiO2 NP Silica NP
nanotube IrO2 NP InP nanowire Pt NP
Dendrimer Co-coated
graphene
sheet

Fig. 1 Application of nanomaterials in environmental remediation, monitoring, and energy efficiency

Environ Sci Pollut Res

palladized iron can completely dechlorinate many chlorinated catalysts were more efficient in relation to dye pollutant re-
aliphatic compounds to hydrocarbons (Wang and Zhang moval in comparison with commercial and other powdered
1997). Nickel/Iron NP can be used for reduction of chlorinat- TiO 2 . Nano-TiO 2 along with polyvinylidene fluoride
ed compounds (Schrick et al. 2002; Feng and Lim 2005). (PVDF) membrane is also being used for successful oxidation
Palladium NP, supported on gold NP, can also reduce chlori- and removal of nitrobenzene molecules under ozonation. Ef-
nated compounds from water (Nutt et al. 2005). Porous tita- fect of pH, concentration of nitrobenzene, and nano-TiO2/
nium silicate and alumina nanocomposite (Al2O3/TiO2) can PVDF membrane combination was found to have direct rela-
be utilized for the removal of heavy metals, particularly Pb2+ tion with nitrobenzene removal. This pH-dependent mecha-
and Cd2+. nism was showing maximum oxidation at pH 10 (Sun et al.
Since tetravalent Ti carries two negative charges, which 2012a). Benzene and toluene removal is another important
should be neutralized by two monovalent cations, it has great breakthrough for pollution control using carbonized bamboo
ion exchange or adsorption property. So TiO2 NP is now being (Phyllostachys pubescens) coated with TiO2 NPs. Sorption
widely studied for its property to purify water. It is being used mechanism of benzene and toluene by this technology is
in removal of toxic phenol contamination by wet oxidation based on hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction, observed by
technique from waste water through photocatalytic activity depletion of untreated bamboo (UB) carbohydrates during
of both rutile and anatase forms of TiO2 NP (Andersson carbonization (Chuang et al. 2008).
et al. 2002). Next level advancement in this field came from Nanotechnology can also be employed for the fabrication
development of a composite reactor consisting of a UV lamp of nanofilters, nanoadsorbents, and nanomembranes with spe-
and TiO2 NPs (Chen et al. 2003). UV lamp is used to provide cific properties to be used for decontaminating water. In prin-
energy to excite photocatalyst nano-TiO2 molecules to pro- ciple, Bnanotraps^ can be designed for a certain contaminant.
duce electron hole pairs. This system in turn accumulates Researchers in Rice University have developed iron oxide
H2O2 molecules which ultimately help in degradation of rho- ceramic membranes (ferroxane membrane) that are capable
damine contamination in polluted water coming from dyeing of remediating organic waste in water (Cortalezzi et al.
and printing process. Mesopororous TiO2 molecules are also 2005). Dendrimers, which are highly branched polymers and
being developed for rhodamine removal by Peng et al. (Peng obviously in nanoscale dimension, can be designed to act as
et al. 2005). Catechols are one of the most abundant organic Bcages^ and trap metal ions and zero-valent metals, making
pollutants of our environment. Chen et al. reported a very them soluble in appropriate media, and able to bind to certain
unique complete mineralization of catechol pollutants using surfaces. Diallo et al. first explored the potential of poly ami-
photocatalytic oxidation and ozonization by carbon-black- doamine (PAMAM) dendrimers for removal of copper from
modified nano-TiO2 thin films supported on alumina sheet water (Diallo et al. 1999). A water-soluble benzoylthiourea-
(Chen et al. 2003). modified ethylenediamine core PAMAM dendrimer devel-
Application of external magnetic field is an alternative for oped by Rether and Schuster can be used for selective removal
separation and recycling of photocatalyst molecules for cost- and enrichment of toxic heavy metal ions (Rether and
effective usage. For this core, SrFe12O19 NPs within TiO2 Schuster 2003). Diaminobutane poly (propylene imine)
nanocrystals were developed as the magnetic photocatalytic dendrimers functionalized with long aliphatic chains can re-
particles (Fu et al. 2006). Ultrasonic energy is also coming out move organic impurities like polycyclic aromatic hydrocar-
as emerging technology to activate sonocatalytic nano-TiO2 bons from water.
molecules after vigorous treatment with high temperature for CNTs have excellent adsorption capability for removal of
increasing the organic pollutant degradation activity (Wang heavy metals such as Pb, Cu, Co, Cd, Zn, Mn, etc. Li et al.
et al. 2006). Mahmoodi et al. studied the effect of immobilized found that oxidized CNTs have enhanced cadmium (II) ad-
TiO2 NP on the removal of Butachlor (N-butoxymethyl-2- sorption capacity in comparison with normal CNTs, due to the
chloro-2, 6-diethylacetanilide) which is one of the organic functional groups introduced by oxidation process (Li et al.
pollutants in agricultural soil and waste water (Mahmoodi 2003a). Commercial SWCNTs and multi-walled carbon nano-
et al. 2007). Similar immobilization-based technology was tubes (MWCNTs) were purified by Lu et al. with the help of
also used in removal of two other major agricultural pollutants sodium hypochlorite solutions, and these were used as adsor-
(Diazinon and Imidacloprid as N-heterocyclic aromatics) bent for the removal of zinc from water (Lu and Chiu 2006).
(Mahmoodi et al. 2007). The advantage of this technology Similarly amorphous alumina supported on CNT was used to
relies on easy separation and recycling of nano-TiO2 mole- adsorb fluoride from drinking water (Li et al. 2001). A new
cules from aquatic environment. Accelerated type of CNT, synthesized from catalytic degradation of xy-
photodegradation of m ethylene blue over t hree- lene, can also be used for removal of fluoride from water (Li
dimensionally ordered macroporous titania (pore sizes 0.5 et al. 2003b). CNTs also show adsorption capability for the
and 1 μm) was demonstrated by Srinivasan and White removal of pollutants like 1,2-dichlorobenzene, trihalometh-
(2007). It showed that the macroporous anatase nano-TiO2 anes, n-nonane, etc. from water (Peng et al. 2003; Kondratyuk
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

and Yates 2005). Hu et al. developed surface-functionalized only for soil, but these tiny NPs (Fe0 or bimetallic NPs like iron
MnFe2O4 NP as a novel adsorbent for rapid removal of Cr NP coated with catalytic metals such as Pd and Pt etc.) can also
(VI) from waste water (Hu et al. 2005). be used for sediment and solid waste treatment. Moreover, they
Nanotechnology is not only being used for treatment of are also capable of aqueous phase remediation including re-
waste water but also for purifying drinking water. Researchers moval of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (Elliott and Zhang
from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have 2001; Quinn et al. 2005).
developed a nanomembrane which can be used in form of new Ferritin, a kind of iron storage protein present in animal,
reverse osmosis membrane for sea water desalinization and plant, and microbial kingdom, pays a pivotal role in iron stor-
waste water remediation [http://oip.ucla.edu/quantumflux- age and sequestration like a protein cage. After assembly of
reverse-osmosis]. The membrane is made of a uniquely iron molecules in cage-like protein structure, they undergo
cross-linked matrix of polymers and engineered nanoparticles, mineralization and translate into a NP of ferrihydrite, a ferric
drawing ions in water but repels contaminants. This is possi- oxyhydroxide of 5 to 7.5 nm (Kim et al. 2002). It has been
ble due to the nanosize of the holes forming the membrane reported that ferritin can be used for remediation of toxic com-
which are Btunnels^ accessible to water molecules, but the pounds like chlorocarbons (Moretz 2004). Report also
NPs embedded in the membrane repels organics and bacteria. showed the probable application of this technology is to re-
Compared with conventional RO membrane, these ones are mediate groundwater that has been contaminated from the
thus less prone to clogging, which increase the membrane slow leakage of nuclear waste. PAMAM is also attracting
lifetime with an obvious economic benefit. much interest in waste water and soil management like Cu
removal (Diallo et al. 1999). The presence of high concentra-
tion of nitrogen bonds within internal branches of these
Management of waste, soil, and land treatment dendrimers makes it appropriate for metal ion chelation func-
tionalities (Xu and Zhao 2005). Apart from these, polymeric
Reduction of waste in manufacturing process, reduction in the NPs like polyurethane acrylate anionomer (UAA) and poly(-
use of harmful chemicals, reduction in the emission of green- ethylene glycol)-modified urethane acrylate (PMUA)-based
house gases, and use of degradable plastic are only few of the NPs have great potential in the field of toxic pollutant reme-
many approaches that can be taken to reduce the pollution of diation of hydrophobic organic compounds and polycyclic
the environment. Moreover, there are highly efficient, nano- aromatic hydrocarbons because of their surfactant micelle-
technology-enabled, modular and multifunctional processes like properties (Tungittiplakorn et al. 2004, 2005). Micron-
for waste water treatment and management that relies least sized zeolites are experimented to be efficient to remediate
on high throughput instrumentation and labor-intensive ap- waste water containing cationic species, such as ammonium
proaches (Qu et al. 2013a, b). Nanocatalysts, having increased and heavy metals, as well as chemicals, such as 137Cs and 90Sr.
Bactive surface,^ have greater reaction efficiency. Studies are also there in lab scale to identify the potential role
Nanocatalysis is being investigated for desulfurizing fuels, of nanosized crystalline zeolite compounds in toxic pollutant
with the aim of developing clean fuel containing very low removal.
sulfur products. A commercial example is Oxonica’s Envirox Nanotechnology can also be used to produce biodegradable
fuel which uses nanosized cerium oxide as a catalyst to en- plastics made of polymers that have a molecular structure op-
hance efficiency [http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi? timal for degradation, and many other environment friendly
story_id=07726]. It was found that vehicles need less products like nontoxic nanocrystalline composite materials to
amount of this fuel in comparison with control ones. replace lithium-graphite electrode in rechargeable battery, self-
Iron NPs are widely being used in environmental pollution cleaning glasses, etc. (Massawe 2013). Self-cleaning glass is
remedial management for their unique physicochemical prop- covered with TiO2 nanocrystals and when this glass is exposed
erties developed from extremely small size and high surface to daylight, it reacts in two ways. First, it breaks down any
area to volume ratio. A huge number of pollutants can be re- organic dirt deposits on the glass and second, when exposed
moved from waste with the use of these NP, as for example Cd, to water, it allows the loosened dirt to be washed away very
chloroform, DDT, chlorobenzene, trichloroethane, arsenic, per- easily. Sea water very often becomes polluted with crude oil
chlorate, nitrate, dichlorobenzene, lindane, trichloroethane, etc. spilled from the oil tankers. Nanoscience researchers are con-
(Zhang 2003). Particles of iron also can be used in ex situ slurry stantly trying to find out nanotechnology-mediated ways to oil
reactors to treat soil, sediment, and solid waste. In cases of spill cleanup. Scientists at MIT developed a mat of nanowires
water and/or waste water treatment, anchoring NPs onto a solid that can absorb up to 20 times its weight in oil [http://www.
matrix, such as activated carbon, can prove extremely effective nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=20215.php]. The oil will
(Zhang 2003). The most challenging part in this technology is evaporate if this membrane is heated above boiling point of
the application of these nanotools in the ground. It provides the oil. The vapor can then be condensed back into liquid,
coverage of greater surface area under remedial benefits. Not and the nanowire membrane can also be reused.
Environ Sci Pollut Res

Detection and monitoring of environmental et al. 2013). Recently, Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors
pollutants group from Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology in Bellaterra,
Spain has developed unique low-cost, user friendly, and effi-
Nanoscale devices are being used for enhanced sensing, cient bacterial cellulose nanopaper (BC)-based sensors
treating, and remediating environmental contaminants. The (Morales-Narváez et al. 2015). A highly sensitive Leishmania
unique characteristics of nanomaterials used in nanoscale de- DNA detection platform, made up of iridium oxide NP and
vices may be used to monitor unforeseen environmental prob- polythionine thin film, was developed by the same group
lems. Continuous and highly specific air pollution measure- (Mayorga-Martinez et al. 2015). Aptamer-based electrochem-
ment is one of the basic strategic movements for controlling ical sensor is also another emerging technique to detect toxic
environment pollution. NP-based sensors can be a suitable contaminants (Hayat and Marty 2014).
tool for rapid detection of air pollutants. Much progress in this The cost of establishing and implementing ordinary moni-
regard has been made with the invention of intelligent dust, toring systems is extremely high; the use of analytical instru-
composed of a set of very light computerized nanosensors, ments are time-consuming, expensive, and can seldom be ap-
which can easily remain in the atmosphere for hours plied for real-time monitoring in the field, even though these
(Mohammadian et al. 2013). Apart from being smaller and can give a precise analysis (Lee and Lee 2001). Hence, a new
sensitive than others, these nanosensors have the advantages generation of detectors, solid state gas sensors, offer an excel-
of being cost effective due to very limited power utilization lent alternative for environmental monitoring due to low-cost,
and efficient execution. light weight, extremely small size, and also due to the reason
Majority in this aspect is contributed by carbon-based that they can be deployed anywhere so as to receive data that
nanosensors for label-free sensing of environmental pollutants can eventually be transmitted through a wireless network sys-
(Ramnani et al. 2015). CNT-based nanosensors are being de- tem as a rapid monitoring tool to the general public. This
signed to sense even very few amount of pernicious and killer portable device, comprising solid state gas sensors integrated
gases present in the environment industrial effluents. Accord- to a personal digital assistant (PDA) linked through Bluetooth
ing to the report of Kong et al., SWCNTs can be synthesized communication tools and global positioning system (GPS),
and deposited on Si substrates that can detect very minute will allow rapid dissemination of information on pollution
amount of NO2 (2–200 ppm) and NH3 (0.1–1 %) present in levels at multiple sites simultaneously. The air quality report
air (Kong et al. 1998). Reduction of conductivity of SWCNT generated can be then published using Internet GIS to provide
after absorption of NH3 is used to detect the presence of this a real-time information service for the PCD, for increased
gas in air. These CNT-based gas sensors are reported to be public awareness and enhanced public participation. The local
ensuring faster response, greater sensitivity, and lower work- deterministic and geostatistical interpolation methods have
ing temperature than conventional sensors (Zhang et al. been used for spatial prediction, and to find out the most
2012a, b). Graphene, another carbon-based structure, is also suitable method for studying air pollution, based on observa-
getting intense importance in devising nanosensor for their tions at each monitoring site.
fascinating optical and electrochemical properties (Wu et al.
2013). Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(PNNL), USA in partnership with PANalytical B.V., USA, Sustainable agriculture
developed functionalized nanoporous thin films (FNTF).
The technology is a low-cost, highly selective means for de- Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals in the form of pesticides,
tecting heavy metals in aqueous environments. It allows test- herbicides, fertilizers, etc. is one of the major sources of pol-
ing for virtually every heavy metal (including Hg, Pb, and Cd) luting soil and ground water, which ultimately pollutes the
with potential to negatively affect human health and the envi- whole ecosystem. Nanotechnology promises to reduce pesti-
ronment, and increases sensitivity by more than a thousand cide use, improve plant and animal breeding, and create new
times the previous capability. Unique optical properties of nano-bioindustrial products. It promises higher yields and
silver NP are utilized to develop highly sensitive Hg2+ sensor lower input costs. It also offers the potential to employ less
(Wu et al. 2012; Ahmed et al. 2014). Similarly, plasmonic skilled and therefore cheaper, farm machinery operators.
properties of gold NPs have facilitated their use as colorimet- Precision farming has been a long-desired goal to maxi-
ric detection agent of nitrate and nitrite contaminations (Dan- mize agriculture output (i.e., crop yields) while minimizing
iel et al. 2009; Ye et al. 2015). Novel bimetallic Pt NP (PtM input (i.e., fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc.) through
(M = Ru, Au, and Ir)) based biosensor was found to have more monitoring environmental variables and applying targeted ac-
efficiency than Pt catalyst alone for target-specific H2O2 de- tion. Nanotechnology will have a large impact on future pre-
tection (Zhang et al. 2012c). Magnetic NP-mediated sensors cision farming methodologies enabled by tiny sensors and
(polydopamine-coated Fe3O4 NPs) are recently being devel- monitoring systems. Precision farming makes use of com-
oped for direct detection of small pollutant molecules (Ma puters, GPS, and remote sensing devices to measure highly
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

localized environmental conditions thus determining whether pathogens. In all these cases, nanoformulations proved to be
crops are growing at maximum efficiency or precisely identi- much more effective than their pathogenic counterpart (Patra
fying the nature and location of problems. By using central- et al. 2012). Das et al. showed that lipophilic nanosilica caused
ized data to determine soil conditions and plant development, physical distortion to the polyhedral wall of Bombyx mori
seeding, fertilizer, chemical, and water use can further lower nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV), the dreaded virus caus-
the production costs and potentially increase the production. It ing 100 % mortality of silkworm larvae (Das et al. 2013).
can also help reduce agricultural waste and keep environmen- Treating BmNPV with lipophilic nanosilica reduced the viru-
tal pollution to the minimum. Nanotechnology-enabled de- lence of this virus to a great extent (survivability of treated
vices will increase use of autonomous sensors linked to a BmNPV-infected silkworm larvae was increased to 70 %).
GPS system for real-time monitoring. These nanosensors Detailed toxicological study both in vitro and in vivo model
can be suitably placed in the field to monitor soil conditions systems revealed that all these nanoformulations are almost
and crop growth. Multilayer silver NP-modified optical fiber nontoxic to mammalian system, if applied in physiologically
tip has already been developed as sensing device that can relevant dosage. Moreover, toxicogenomics study in wild-
detect 200 nM of the Rhodamine 6G dye in remote sensing type Drosophila melanogaster established that these
mode (Fan et al. 2011). Similar study has also resulted in nanocides did not perturb the genome (Das et al. 2012).
nanomaterial-based portable sensing device to detect polyphe-
nolic antioxidants in remote locations without the need of high
throughput instrumentation (Sharpe et al. 2014; Sharpe and Efficiency enhancement of renewable energy systems
Andreescu 2015). Recently, NP-based sensors for trapping
toxic metal cations in environmental samples have been de- Secure, affordable, and clean energy supply is fundamental to
veloped. The working principle of this nanosensor is based on global economic growth and human development and pre-
the measurement of the tunneling current across cross-linked sents huge challenges for the whole world. Moreover, the
films of NPs, decorated with striped monolayers of organic popular sources of generating energy like combustion of fossil
ligands (Rurack 2012; Cho et al. 2012). fuel produce green house gases. In this scenario, solar energy
It is well known that prolonged exposure to chemical pes- is the most suitable alternative for cleaner energy source to
ticides like organophosphates, pyrethroides, and fumigants cater the energy demand of human civilization. Nanotechnol-
may lead to neuronal and hormonal disorders, and also lead ogy can be used to make solar power cheaper and more effi-
to environmental contamination (Haviland et al. 2009; Bou- cient. Development of B3D graphene^ in which the graphene
chard et al. 2010; Harari et al. 2010). One such commonly sheets are held apart by lithium carbonate to replace the plat-
used fumigant methyl bromide is directly implicated in deple- inum in a dye-sensitized solar cell has achieved 7.8 % conver-
tion of ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol has banned its use sion of sunlight to electricity (Wang et al. 2013). Another
in developed countries and its use is restricted in developing report from researchers at MIT, USA, have shown that solar
countries (USDA 2000). Slow release agrochemicals will ob- cell composed of graphene coated with ZnO nanowires is
viously reduce the dosage of these hazardous chemicals and moving toward the development of low-cost flexible solar
will ultimately reduce the load of pollutant (Cao et al. 2005). cells at high enough efficiency [http://mitei.mit.edu/news/
Our research group has made a host of NPs to protect crops nanowires-and-graphene-keys-low-cost-flexible-solar-cells].
from insect and microbe attack. For example, Debnath et al. Aerotaxy is another breakthrough of nanotechnology in solar
showed that surface-functionalized nanosilica can be an alter- energy development where semiconducting nanowires are
native to the commercially available insecticides (Debnath growing on gold NPs to use self-assembly techniques to align
et al. 2010, 2011). It was found that these nanosilica-based these nanowires, leading toward formation of highly efficient
insecticides are extremely effective against different grain solar cell or other electrical devices (Wallentin et al. 2013).
storage pests like Sitophilus oryzae (Fig. 2), Tribolium Incorporation of core-shell gold-silica (Au-SiO2) NPs into
castaneum, etc. and also field insect pests like Spodoptera dye-sensitized solar cells along with an active layer (thinner
litura (Fig. 3), Lipaphis pseudobrassicae, etc. These physical- than the wavelength of light) resulted in entrapment of most of
ly active nanocides disrupt the cuticular water barrier of in- the light in the solar cell and also eliminated losses due to
sects and the insects begin to lose water and they ultimately reflection of light. The entrapment was due to plasmon-
die due to desiccation. Toxicological studies in murine model enhanced light absorption and photocurrent (Brown et al.
system revealed that these nanocides are nontoxic to human 2011).
beings if applied in physiologically relevant dosage (Debnath Metal oxide semiconductors are today the most promising
et al. 2012). materials for photoelectrochemical production as they absorb
Patra et al. demonstrated that nano zinc oxide could cause photons from the solar light exiting the electron to a higher
ROS-mediated damage to fungal hyphae of Aspergillus niger energy level, leaving a positive Bhole.^ Both the electron and
and Fusarium oxysporum, two fungi of important agricultural hole then move to the surface where the energy can be utilized
Environ Sci Pollut Res

Fig. 2 SEM images of a control

and b nanosilica-treated
Sitophilus oryzae showing
mortality

for different molecular reactions. So the whole process is de- reduce platinum usage as catalyst. It has been found that the
pendent on optimization of photocatalyst, optimized band spacing between platinum NPs affected the catalytic be-
structures, defined particle size for surface charge distribution, havior, and the amount of platinum needed in a fuel cell
and crystallinity. Recent advancement in this field came from can be reduced by controlling the packing density of the
development of hybrid nanostructure based on doped and platinum NPs (Liu et al. 2002; Gebauer et al. 2014).
non-doped TiO2, ZnO, and Fe2O3. Hybrid complex made Graphene sheet coated with cobalt is also being used as
from the combination of silver nanowires, TiO2 NPs, and a an alternative catalyst to fuel cell that totally eliminates
polymer that absorbs infrared light makes solar cell about the usage of platinum.
70 % transparent to visible light. These solar cells are much Proton exchange membrane fuel cells with silicon-based
cheaper and even can be used in windows (Mattson et al. inorganic–organic membrane offers high potential for appli-
2009; Richter et al. 2007; Service 2013; Aroutiounian et al. cations in energy conversion and energy storage with respect
2005). to conventional Nafion-based fuel cell membrane due to
Fossil fuel is another natural source of energy to mankind higher proton conductivity, and membrane electrode assembly
which is also limiting with ever-increasing global need. In this construction capabilities (Pengwang et al. 2010). Here, the
context, development of low-cost fuel cell is another chal- proton exchange membrane uses a silicon layer with pores
lenge to the living world. Conventional fuel cell utilizes highly of about 5 nm in diameter capped by a layer of porous silica.
expensive platinum as catalyst to produce hydrogen ions from The silica layer is designed to ensure that water stays in the
fuel sources like hydrogen and methanol, and also they use nanopores making the fuel cell more efficient. Since we are
costly membranes to selectively pass through only hydrogen consuming disproportionate amount of energy, conservation
ions limiting other atoms or ions, such as oxygen. Researchers of energy is of utmost importance. Several NP-based applica-
are using nanotechnology to create alternative for platinum- tions have been developed for this specific sector to improve
based catalyst and more efficient membranes that will allow the strength and efficiency of construction components, ener-
them to build lighter and longer lasting inexpensive fuel cells. gy efficiency, and safety of the buildings. TiO2, Al2O3, and
In this regard, platinum NPs can be a suitable alternative to ZnO NPs are now being used widely as durable and pollutant-

a b

110
100
90
80 Control
70
Mortality

60 SNP-Hydrophilic
50 SNP-Lipophilic
40
30 SNP-Hydrophobic
20
10
0
0.125mg cm-2 0.25mg cm-2 0.5mg cm -2 1mg cm -2
Dosage

Fig. 3 a Mortality of surface functionalized nanosilica-treated Spodoptera litura larvae after 24 h of treatment. b Control larva was flaccid (a), whereas
dead bodies of nanosilica-treated larvae (b–e) dehydrated and shrunk
 Environ Sci Pollut Res

resistant coating on construction ceramics and photovoltaic Brown MD, Suteewong T, Kumar RSS, D’Innocenzo V, Petrozza
A, Lee MM, Wiesner U, Snaith HJ (2011) Plasmonic dye-
cells as well (Euvananont et al. 2008; Sun et al. 2012a, b;
sensitized solar cells using core-shell metal-insulator nanopar-
Chen et al. 2012; Al-Juaid and Merazga 2013; Hoex et al. ticles. Nano Lett 11:438–445
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Cao Y, Huang L, Chen J, Liang J, Long S, Lu Y (2005) Development of a
dicating greater surface area and thus better heat transfer. This
controlled release formulation based on a starch matrix system. Int J
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nanoparticles of zero-valent iron. J Hazard Mater 148:761–
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767
showed substantially higher thermal conductivities than the Chen M, Goodman DW (2006) Catalytically active gold: from nanopar-
same liquids without NPs (Lee et al. 1999). Similar study also ticles to ultrathin films. Acc Chem Res 39:739–746
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towards polluted water treatment combined with electro-
augmented by up to 40 % for a nanofluid consisting of 0.3 %
photochemical method. Water Res 37:3815–3820
(v/v) nanosized copper particles (10 nm) (Eastman et al. Chen Y, Zhou JC, Zhao BX, Sun JJ (2012) sputtered TiO2 films for
2007). Silica-based aerogels consisting of nanopores filled photovoltaic cell’s antireflection coating. Int J Nanosci 11:
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Patashinski AZ, Glotzer SC, Stellacci F, Grzybowski BA (2012)
home, electronic components, clothing, and even spacecraft Ultrasensitive detection of toxic cations through changes in the
(Schmidt and Schwertfeger 1998). tunnelling current across films of striped nanoparticles. Nat Mater
11:978–985
Choe S, Chang YY, Hwang KY, Khim J (2000) Kinetics of reductive
denitrification by nanoscale zero-valent iron. Chemosphere 41:
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Chuang CS, Wang MK, Chia-Chih Ou CK, Wu C (2008) Removal of
benzene and toluene by carbonized bamboo materials modified with
Due to novel physicochemical properties, NPs have huge po- TiO2. Bioresour Technol 99:954–958
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Daniel WL, Han MS, Lee JS, Mirkin CA (2009) Colorimetric nitrite and
environment remedies are still in R&D stage. Only a few nitrate detection with gold nanoparticle probes and kinetic end
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there will be numerous nanotools for environmental remedia- Nanoparticles influence on expression of cell cycle related
genes in Drosophila: a microarray-based toxicogenomics
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Nanoparticle induced morphological transition of Bombyx
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grasserie disease. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 97:6019–6030
Debnath N, Das S, Chandra R, Sudan S, Brahmachary RL, Goswami A
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