New Adsorbent Materials and Chelating Agents for the Removal/Sequestration of Water Pollutants

Dear Colleagues,

The development of new technologies for the treatment of polluted waters is a crucial topic for both developed and developing countries, and involves a great number of scientists worldwide.

Toxic metal ions, hydrocarbons, pesticides, drugs, and dyes are some of the most common pollutants found at different concentration levels in wastewaters, and in different water bodies near industrialized and urban areas. A great challenge for scientists involved in this research area is the setting up of an environmentally sustainable technique capable of removing the pollutant, or, in any case, to reduce or eliminate its toxic effects towards humans, animals and plants. In this contest, the use of new adsorbent materials and sequestering agents able to selectively bind the pollutants from contaminated waters seems to be two valid solutions to the problem.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the knowledge of new adsorbent materials and sequestering agents able to remove/sequestrate organic and inorganic pollutants from waters. 

Although the literature reports a consistent number of articles and reviews on this topic, in the works of many authors, some crucial aspects are neglected. In particular, the choice of the adsorbent or the sequestering agent must be done on the basis of several considerations: i) the characteristics of the polluted water (pH, salinity, ionic strength, temperature); ii) the chemical speciation of the pollutant at the experimental conditions of the water system; iii) the acid-based properties of the binding groups present on the adsorbent surface or in the chelating agent; iv) the morphology of the adsorbent; v) the affinity and the selectivity of adsorbent/sequestering agent towards the pollutant; v) the kinetic of adsorption/sequestration.

Dr. Salvatore Cataldo
Dr. Gabriele Lando
Dr. Sofia Gama
Guest Editors

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• bio-materials
• adsorption
• pollutant removal
• toxic metal ions
• organic pollutants
• sequestration
• chemical speciation