Back to all available

Health risks of drinking water contamination: Emerging Nanotechnology and green synthesized nanoparticles for chemical and microbial remediation

environmental-contamination-and-remediation
green-chemistry
environmental-health

Abstract

Contamination of drinking water is a significant global public health issue, caused mainly by rapid industrialization, agricultural runoff, insufficient sanitary infrastructure, and unregulated waste disposal. A wide variety of pollutants, including heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, and microbiological agents, significantly contribute to disease loads, including acute diarrheal diseases and chronic systemic disorders such as cancer and neurological degeneration. Marginalized groups, especially in impoverished areas, are disproportionately impacted by hazardous water sources. Conventional treatment technologies have shown limited success but frequently fail to eliminate trace-level contaminants or tackle growing risks such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria and endocrine disruptors. Recent advancements in nanotechnology have transformational prospects for revolutionizing water quality management. Engineered nanomaterials, such as metal nanoparticles (NPs), carbon-based adsorbents, and metal-organic frameworks, have remarkable efficacy in eliminating heavy metals and microbiological agents owing to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics. Nanosensor-based detection systems provide real-time pollution monitoring at ultra-trace levels, improving surveillance and enabling swift reaction. This study synthesizes existing research about the health effects of drinking water contamination and emphasizes the burgeoning significance of nanotechnology in treatment and monitoring approaches. Confronting this complex dilemma necessitates a comprehensive strategy amalgamating cutting-edge technology, legislative reform, and community-driven solutions to guarantee equal access to potable water globally.
Ask to review this manuscript

Notes for potential reviewers

  • Volunteering is not a guarantee that you will be asked to review. There are many reasons: reviewers must be qualified, there should be no conflicts of interest, a minimum of two reviewers have already accepted an invitation, etc.
  • This is NOT OPEN peer review. The review is single-blind, and all recommendations are sent privately to the Academic Editor handling the manuscript. All reviews are published and reviewers can choose to sign their reviews.
  • What happens after volunteering? It may be a few days before you receive an invitation to review with further instructions. You will need to accept the invitation to then become an official referee for the manuscript. If you do not receive an invitation it is for one of many possible reasons as noted above.
  • PeerJ does not judge submissions based on subjective measures such as novelty, impact or degree of advance. Effectively, reviewers are asked to comment on whether or not the submission is scientifically and technically sound and therefore deserves to join the scientific literature. Our Peer Review criteria can be found on the "Editorial Criteria" page - reviewers are specifically asked to comment on 3 broad areas: "Basic Reporting", "Experimental Design" and "Validity of the Findings".
  • Reviewers are expected to comment in a timely, professional, and constructive manner.
  • Until the article is published, reviewers must regard all information relating to the submission as strictly confidential.
  • When submitting a review, reviewers are given the option to "sign" their review (i.e. to associate their name with their comments). Otherwise, all review comments remain anonymous.
  • All reviews of published articles are published. This includes manuscript files, peer review comments, author rebuttals and revised materials.
  • Each time a decision is made by the Academic Editor, each reviewer will receive a copy of the Decision Letter (which will include the comments of all reviewers).

If you have any questions about submitting your review, please email us at [email protected].