Bionanohybrids for Removal of Heavy Metals

This book comprehensively reviews the latest technology of bionanohybrids for application in the removal of heavy metal pollutants from industrial wastewater. The chapters in this book is written by leading experts in field and it provides detailed explanation for the synthesis, characterization and functionalization of bionanohybrids, their advantages and applications for removal of heavy metals from aqueous matrices. This book also provides insight into tools, tricks and challenges associated with fabrication techniques and future challenges and risks.

Biopolymeric nanocomposites possess high surface area, more porous structure, high reactivity and less water solubility, giving it a great adsorption capacity towards heavy metals. Biopolymeric materials are also abundant, low cost, biodegradable and possess different functional moieties (carboxyl, amine, hydroxyl and carbonyl) which play role to adsorb metal ions through various interactions such as electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, ion exchange and chelation. In that light, this book covers various biopolymer based nanohybrids such as cellulose, gelatin, chitin and chitosan, lignin, pectin, alginate, dextran and carrageenan, starch and guar-gum, silk, collagen and keratin; and their properties, mechanism and efficiency in removing heavy metal pollutants from industrial wastewater. The book also highlights the challenges and limitations of this technology which is interesting to early researchers, academics and industrial practitioners who interested in the bioremediation of heavy metal pollutants present in the environment due to rapid industrialization and urbanization.

Dr. Komal Rizwan is currently working as Assistant Professor in Chemistry Department - Faculty of Science University of Sahiwal Pakistan. She earned Ph.D. in chemistry from Government college University Faisalabad Pakistan in 2017 and also carried out research work at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States. She recently completed her Postdoc from Perleman School of Medicine, University University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States. She has won 3 prestigeous scholarships from Higher education commission, Pakistan. She has published more than 100 scientific contributions in form of research, reviews and Book chapters in various areas of sciences, printed in world, s leading scientific socities including, ACS, Wiley, Taylor Francis and Elsevier. She has H-index of 36 along with 4000 citations. She is serving as lead editor of two books and serves as scientific reviewer in numerous peer reviewed journals. Dr Rizwan’s research group is working in multiple research directions mainly focused on material chemistry, environmental chemistry, organic synthesis, visible light photoredox couplings, transition metal catalyzed cross couplings and click chemistry. Her group is also focusing on synthesis of nonlinear optical compounds and computational part of her lab contributes to a fundamental understanding of the electronic structure and properties of nonlinear optical materials that are being considered in the design of electro-optics.

Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir is currently working as Vice chancellor of University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore. He formerly served as chairperson of Punjab higher education commission (PHEC) Pakistan and Vice chancellor of University of Jhang. He did his PhD from University of Leeds, UK. He participated in more than 200 international/National conferences and workshops. His area of research is energy production from Biomass and remediation of toxic pollutants for environment protection and his research work has been published in international and national journals of high impact factor. He has published more than 60 impact factor research articles in different world leading journals with accumulative impact factor of around 120. His research interests include Environmental technology, chemical modifications and bioremediation of hazardous and emerging pollutants, liquid, and solid waste management - valorization of agro-industrial wastes and biomaterials for bioenergy.