How Can Dangerous Levels of Nitrogen in Water be Remediated Using Nanofibers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.215Keywords:
Nitrogen, Water Treatment, NanofibersAbstract
Freshwater is vital for plant, animal, and human life. Due to increased demand for agricultural and animal products, excess reactive nitrogen species are seen in the environment as synthetic fertilizers. Consequently, increased instances of eutrophication occur in surface waters coupled with increased levels of nitrates in groundwaters. Both of these are common drinking water sources. Current nitrate treatment technologies require expensive infrastructure to build and maintain, have long treatment periods due to biological processes, and can generate copious amounts of waste and byproducts (ex: granular activated carbon and anion exchange resins). Safe, affordable, and sustainable reactive nitrogen removal water treatment technologies are needed. Nanotechnologies are an emerging, novel treatment for the removal of reactive nitrogen species in the form of nitrate in both drinking water and wastewater. In particular, chitosan nanofiber mats with algal substrate show promise in removing nitrate from water sources and have the added benefit of providing a sustainable source of biofuel. This article includes a review of nitrate contamination in the environment and chitosan nanofiber mats with an algal substrate possible solution.
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