NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR WATER PURIFICATION: DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE FILTRATION SYSTEMS TO REMOVE HEAVY METALS AND MICROPLASTICS

Abstract

The increasing contamination of water sources by heavy metals and microplastics has become a significant environmental concern, necessitating the development of effective water purification technologies. This study investigates the use of nanomaterials, particularly hybrid composites, for the removal of heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium) and microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene) from contaminated water. Various nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and a hybrid composite, were synthesized and evaluated for their removal efficiencies. Experimental results demonstrate that hybrid composites outperform single nanomaterials through their superior performance which achieves a 96% removal rate for admixed heavy metal and microplastic contamination during water purification.  The hybrid composite achieved 95% removal of polystyrene and 94% removal of polyethylene together with 95% removal of lead and 90% removal of arsenic and 92% removal of cadmium.  The nanomaterials used in the hybrid composite exhibited excellent 95% regeneration efficiency for multiple filtering cycles.  Data showed that the hybrid composite exhibited 280 m²/g surface area and 0.55 cm³/g pore volume through physical property analysis which contributed to its improved adsorption capacity.  Testing under environmental impact evaluation showed the hybrid composite exhibits the lowest leaching rate at 0.5% together with minimal toxicity to aquatic life which supports its potential application as sustainable material.  The study demonstrates the effectiveness of hybrid nanomaterials as solutions for dual heavy metal and microplastic water pollution thereby creating possibilities for large-scale water purification systems.  Further study must conduct to analyze the long-term environmental effects and scalability of these materials when put into practical usage.