Advances in nanomaterials for phosphates removal from water and wastewater: a review

Abstract

Phosphate is considered one of the major natural nutrients associated with the sustainment of life on earth. However, its presence in excessive amounts in water bodies may induce adverse environmental impacts. Among the various treatment techniques practiced for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions, adsorption is considered the most effective. Compared to other phosphate treatment methodologies, adsorption is characterized by its high removal efficiency and economic feasibility. Accordingly, many sorbents, specifically nano-sorbents, have been synthesized and modified for application in the removal of phosphate from water. Out of the numerously utilized nano-sorbents, metal oxides and chitosan have shown to be very effective sorbents when applied for the removal of phosphates from aqueous solutions. The present study covers a review of recent developments and applications of nano-sorbents, in particular the fore-mentioned nano-sorbents, for the removal of phosphates while discussing the removal mechanisms associated with their application. A critical assessment related to the recent studies and their shortfalls is also explored. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.