Nanoparticles for targeted removal of emerging contaminants in wastewater: mechanisms and sustainable practices

Abstract The increasing prevalence of emerging contaminants in wastewater, including pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and heavy metals, poses significant environmental and health challenges. This study investigates sustainable nanoparticle-based solutions for EC removal, with particular focus on biogenic synthesis methods and their practical implementation. We systematically evaluate the efficacy of biologically synthesized nanoparticles (e.g., plant-derived silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles) for targeted pollutant degradation, while critically assessing their scalability and economic feasibility for industrial wastewater treatment. Our approach combines a comprehensive review of green synthesis methodologies with experimental validation of nanoparticle performance in EC removal. The findings indicate that biogenic nanoparticles, such as silver nanoparticles synthesized from Ficus carica leaf extract, demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, while titanium dioxide nanoparticles from Annona muricata L. extract showed promising photocatalytic efficiency for degrading organic pollutants. However, challenges such as low product yield in microbial electrosynthesis were identified, highlighting the need for optimization in production processes. The study provides essential insights for transitioning these methods from experimental systems to practical applications, offering a framework for more sustainable wastewater treatment. Graphical abstract