Mxene-Based Hybrid Nano-Architectures for Environmental Remediation and Sensor Applications - Chapter 6: MXene-based nanomaterials to remove toxic heavy metals

Heavy metal pollution-related water contamination is one of the most difficult issues in the field of water management. Because to their bioaccumulation in higher trophic levels of the food chain, heavy metals as Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg, and others could be dangerous to human health. The kidneys, lungs, central nervous system, and other vital organs could be harmed by these heavy metals. Heavy metal poisoning in humans at high concentrations can be acute or chronic. It has been suggested that two-dimensional (2D) MXene is a hotspot for effectively removing heavy metal ions from wastewater. MXenes are the excellent candidate for uses in environmental remediation due to their exceptional properties, including high surface area, active metallic hydroxide sites, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, strong metallic conductivity, and hydrophilicity. For several water contaminants, MXenes have shown significant sorption selectivity and effective reduction capabilities. The importance of various MXene-based hybrid nanomaterial types in the elimination of heavy metals from wastewater is highlighted in this chapter. Future research directions may also be discussed in this chapter.