Nanoparticles in water purification: multifunctional roles, challenges, and sustainable applications

Abstract

Advanced nanoparticles represent a new direction in water purification technology because they remove water pollutants which traditional methods cannot handle effectively. This review examines the diverse functionality of nanoparticles that combines adsorption properties with photoreactivity and nanomembrane composition features, high surface area and reactivity, among other characteristics. The water purification efficiency can be significantly improved by using nanoparticles including iron, titanium dioxide, and metal oxides because these materials demonstrate strong potential for removing heavy metals and organic pollutants. The filtration process using graphene oxide membranes achieves pathogenic bacteria and salt removal exceeding 98%. Water treatment using nanoparticles faces three main disadvantages including expensive fabrication methods, limited scalability and unclear toxicity and lasting effects of nanoparticles. The review emphasizes sustainable nanoparticle analysis by warning that researchers must carefully examine these applications to prevent environmental harm. This paper presents the challenges related to nanotechnology applications in water treatment while providing recommendations for future research studies.