article · Frontiers in Nanotechnology
Waterborne pathogens present major hazards to public health and the environment, while conventional water treatment approaches struggle with issues such as microbial resistance and harmful disinfection by-products. Nanoparticles offer alternative solutions for water treatment because of their antimicrobial efficacy and distinct physicochemical traits. Commonly utilised materials include silver, copper, titanium dioxide, and carbon-based nanoparticles. These materials deactivate microorganisms by disrupting cell membranes, generating reactive oxygen species, and disturbing metabolic functions. Relevant treatment areas encompass drinking water disinfection, wastewater processing, biofilm control, and decentralised purification systems for remote communities. However, the release of nanoparticles into aquatic environments raises ecological concerns regarding persistence, toxicity to non-target organisms, and compliance with environmental regulations. Future deployment relies on advancing stable nanoparticle synthesis, integrating nanomaterials with existing treatment infrastructure, and developing sustainable, safe practices to mitigate ecological risks.
Conventional water disinfection often fails to eliminate resistant pathogens and can generate unwanted chemical by-products. Exploring nanomaterials provides new pathways for purifying drinking water and treating wastewater more thoroughly, including in remote areas. Understanding both their antimicrobial capabilities and their environmental footprint is critical to ensuring that future water purification technologies safeguard public health without inadvertently damaging natural ecosystems.
Potential applications centre on drinking water disinfection, wastewater processing, biofilm management, and purification systems for remote areas. Target users include municipal water utilities, industrial wastewater operators, and developers of off-grid filtration equipment. The technology remains largely in the research and development phase, facing hurdles related to synthesis, stability, integration with existing treatment infrastructure, environmental persistence, and safety regulations for non-target organisms.
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Waterborne microbial contamination poses significant threats to public health and environmental sustainability. Traditional water treatment methods, while effective to a certain extent, are often limited in their ability to completely eradicate microbial pathogens and mitigate emerging challenges such as disinfection by-products and microbial resistance. In recent years, nanoparticles have emerged as promising candidates for microbial control in water treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties and antimicrobial efficacy. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the use of nanoparticles for microbial control in water treatment, focusing on their antimicrobial mechanisms, applications, and ecological implications. The review discusses the types of nanoparticles commonly used in water treatment, including silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and carbon-based nanoparticles, and examines their antimicrobial mechanisms, such as cell membrane damage, reactive oxygen species generation, and interference with microbial metabolic processes. Furthermore, the review explores the applications of nanoparticles in the disinfection of drinking water, wastewater treatment, water purification in remote areas, and biofilm control. Additionally, the ecological implications of nanoparticle-based water treatment, including nanoparticle release into the environment, environmental persistence, toxicity to non-target organisms, and regulatory challenges, are critically evaluated. Finally, future perspectives and challenges in nanoparticle-based water treatment, such as enhanced nanoparticle synthesis and stability, development of sustainable treatment technologies, integration with conventional methods, and addressing knowledge gaps, are discussed. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the potential of nanoparticles as innovative tools for addressing microbial contamination in water treatment while highlighting the need for further research and sustainable practices to ensure their safe and effective implementation.
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DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2024.1427843
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