Nanocellulose-Based Membranes for Water Purification
Résumé
The basic constituent of all living organisms is water, and it is also a universal solvent. Its scarcity and contamination demand an effective, ecofriendly, and innovative solution to filter it out to make it potable. Recent studies on nanocellulose (NC) open up a way into the future of water decontamination in a sustainable manner. The raw material for preparing NC being the basic structural component of all plants, its availability and cost are of no concern. The characteristics of NC can be altered by suitable means to make it adaptable to any situation where the contamination levels are very high and/or with multiple impurities. The ability to filter out a variety of contaminants, biodegradability, high surface area, high water flux, hydrophilicity, good mechanical strength, reusability, and variable porosity of NC makes it suitable in every aspect of filtration technology. This chapter gives an insight into the characteristics of NC for its applicability in water filtration and eco-friendliness for a sustainable practice. The drawback of current water purification techniques, such as secondary pollution, high energy consumption, high cost, etc., for the effective removal of toxic impurities, can be effectively remedied by the use of NC with or without modification. The efficacy of NC is compared with other purification methods currently in use to get an overview of its future scope.