Nanotechnology is one of the fastest growing sectors of the scientific economy. The term nanoparticle refers to any small particle with all three dimensions less than 100 nanometers (nm) in size. Its use in contaminant remediation may be attributed to its small size and large surface area per unit mass. The main focus of this paper is on the use of immobilized zerovalent metal nanoparticles in pollutant degradation/transformation thereby reducing their toxicity. Various supports reported in literature include chitosan, calcium alginate, organic hydrogels and cellulose. Due to their unique properties, the synthesized nanoparticles are able to effectively eliminate or transform recalcitrant pollutants such as chlorinated organic compounds, nitroaromatics, nitrates and hexavalent chromium that can be found in aquatic environments (e.g., groundwater aquifers).
Zerovalent metals, nanoscale, chitosan, alginate, hydrogel, bacterial cellulose
