Conventional versus Modern—Novel Materials in Environmental Depollution

With the development of human activities, industries and agriculture, water pollution has become a challenging problem since decades. Most of the pollutants found in water bodies are environmentally persistent and resistant to conventional wastewater treatments. Heavy metals, occupying a significant place in the category of inorganic pollutants, are non-biodegradable and tend to accumulate in living organisms, causing biological and physical complications such as liver, lungs and nervous system disfunctions. Nanoscale adsorbents are a sustainable and safe method for heavy metals’ removal from polluted water, due to their high adsorption capacity and stability.