Application of Nanocatalysts in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Wastewater Purification: Challenges and Future Prospects

The increase in population demands for industrialization and urbanization which led to the introduction of novel hazardous chemicals in our environment. The most significant parts of these harmful substances found in water bodies remain in the background, causing a health risk to humans and animals. It is critical to remove these toxic chemicals from the wastewater to keep a cleaner and greener environment. Hence, wastewater treatment is a challenging area these days to manage liquid wastes effectively. Therefore, scientists are in search of novel technologies to treat and recycle wastewater, and nanotechnology is one of them, thanks to the potential of nanoparticles to effectively clean wastewater while also being ecologically benign. However, there is relatively little information about nanocatalysts’ applicability, efficacy, and challenges for future applications in wastewater purification. This review paper is designed to summarize the recent studies on applying various types of nanocatalysts for wastewater purification. This review paper highlights innovative work utilizing nanocatalysts for wastewater applications and identifies issues and challenges to overcome for the practical implementation of nanocatalysts for wastewater treatment.