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. 2022 Aug 11;380(5):44. doi: 10.1007/s41061-022-00397-3

Table 1.

Carbonaceous nanomaterials in wastewater remediation

Nanomaterial Contaminant Mechanism Sorption/catalytic capacity Studied conditions Cycles References
pH Time Temp °C
(MWCNT) Co2+ Sorption 78.94 mg/g 10 38.6 [181]
γ-alumina 75.78 mg/g 10 35.5
(MWCNT) Cr(III) Sorption 8.4 mg/g 30 20 [182]
Magnetic tubular carbon nanofibers (MTCFs) Cu2+ Sorption 375.93 mg/g 6 10 25 6 [183]
Lanthanum hydroxide-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (La(OH)3-OxMWCNTs) p-Nitrophenol Electrochemical determination 95.62–110.75% 7 [184]
Sulfur-coated magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (S-M-MWCNTs) Hg(II) Sorption  > 90% 4–8 180 8 [185]
Carbon nanotubes grafted with polyethylene glycol (CNT/PEG) Phenol Sorption 21.23 mg/g 6 30 25 [186]
Magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified with polyaluminum chloride (M-PAC-MWCNTs) Humic acid Sorption 98.57% 7 30 25 [187]
Linear β-cyclodextrin-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-CDP) U(VI) Sorption 89.54 mg/g 6 180 70 [188]
Amine-modified magnetic, multi-walled carbon nanotubes Bisphenol-A Sorption 43.48 mg/g 12 45 30 5 [189]
Fungal mycelium coupled with carbon nanotubes (FM-CNTs) Cu2+ Sorption 342.22 mg/g 5 [190]
Barium chromate and multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite MWCNT/BaCrO4) Evans blue Photocatalytic degradation 8 4 [191]
Oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Se(VI) Sorption 1.865 mg/g 7 30 [192]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Cu(II) Sorption 3.19 × 10–5 mol/g 5 30 [193]
Activated carbon 2.31 × 10–4 mol/g
Graphene oxide 1.18 × 10–3mol/g
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Direct blue 53 Sorption 409.4 mg/g 2 240 50 5 [194]
Powdered activated carbon (PAC) 135.2 mg/g
Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) Direct Congo red Sorption 148 mg/g 3 120 [195]
Reactive green HE4BD 152 mg/g 5
Golden yellow MR 141 mg/g 7
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Humic acid Sorption 31.37 mg/g 4 180 [196]
Nitrogen-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-ttpy) Pb2+ Sorption 36.23 mg/g 4.5 1440 20 [197]
Zn2+ 32.60 mg/g 5.5
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes/iron oxide composites (MIO–CNTs) As(V) Sorption 47.41 mg/g 8 25 [198]
As(III) 24.05 mg/g
Multi-walled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide composite combined with polyaniline and doped with para toluene sulfonic acid (p-TSA-Pani@GO-CNT) Cr(IV) Sorption 142.8 mg/g 2 30 [199]
Congo red 66.66 mg/g 5
Nitric acid-modified carbon nanotubes (MCNT-HNO3) Cd(II) Sorption 26.88 mg/g 5.6 300 [200]
Zero-valent iron nanoparticles immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (nZVI/MWCNTs) Direct red 23 Sorption 100% 4 10 40 [201]
Magnetic oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes Rhodamine B Sorption 33.42 mg/g 6 120 25 5 [202]
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Reactive blue 4 Sorption 567.7 mg/g 2 240 25 [203]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) 502.5 mg/g
Β-cyclodextrin grafted multi-walled carbon nanotube/iron oxide (CD/MWCNT/iron oxide) Zn(II) Sorption 44.43 mg/g 6.5 360 70 6 [204]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Triclosan Sorption 166.8 mg/g 3 15 [205]
Modified magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNTs) Pb2+ Sorption 67.25 mg/g 5 25 [206]
Zn2+ 3.75 mg/g
Magnesium oxide anchored carbon nanotubes Sulfadiazine Photocatalytic degradation 45 mg/L 11 180 6 [207]
Magnetic carbon nanotube (M-CNT) Direct red 23 Photocatalytic degradation 100% 60 25 [208]
Direct red 31
Direct Red 81
Magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes/cerium dioxide nanocomposite (MMWCNTs-CeO2) Methylene blue Photocatalytic degradation 97.5% 5 [209]
Palladium nanocubes supported multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs/Pd) Methyl orange Photocatalytic degradation 99% 8 [210]
Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) Acid red 14 Photocatalytic degradation Up to 100% 3 60 25 [211]
Acid red 18
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Basic red 46 Sorption 38.35 mg/g 9 80 25 [212]
Carboxylate-functionalized SWCNTs (SWCNT-COOH) 49.45 mg/g
Graphene 30.52 mg/g 90
Graphene oxide 55.57 mg/g
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes Alizarin red S Sorption 161.2 mg/g 1 30 30 [213]
Morin 26.2 mg/g
Acid-oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) Mn(VII) Sorption 100% 240 [214]
Cr(VI) 180
Azo dyes (toluidine blue, methylene blue, methyl green and bromopyrogallol red) 5
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Eriochrome cyanine R Sorption 95.2 mg/g 2 10 25 [215]
Activated carbon (AC) 40.6 mg/g 3 41
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Arsenazo III Sorption 30.58 mg/g 1 15 25 [216]
Activated carbon (AC) Arsenazo III 10.2 mg/g 1 50
Methyl red 46.29 mg/g 7 15
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Reactive red M-2BE Sorption 335.7 mg/g 2 25 4 [217]
Powdered activated carbon (PAC) 260.7 mg/g
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Reactive blue 29 Sorption 66.3% 5 240 [218]

Alkali-activated carbon nanotubes

CNTs-A

 Methyl orange Sorption 149 mg/g 2 [219]
Methylene blue 399 mg/g
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Reactive red 120 Sorption 426.49 mg/g 5 180 25 [220]
Acidified ammonium persulfate-treated single-walled carbon nanotubes (t-SWNTs) Bisphenol A Sorption 8 mg/g 7.5 [221]
17β-Estradiol 27.4 mg/g
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) Cephalexin Sorption Up to 97.6% 5 [222]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Tetracycline Sorption 269.54 mg/g 4.8 20 20 [223]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Atenolol, caffeine, diclofenac and isoproturon Sorption 3–9 [224]
Activated carbon (AC)
Carbon nanofibers (CNFs)
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Ethidium bromide Sorption 36.10% 3 25 [225]
Carboxylate-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-COOH) 38.42% 6
MWCNT-stabilized Pd/Fe nanocomposites 2,4-Dichlorophenol Sorption Up to 95% 4 120 30 3 [226]
Cyclodextrin-phosphorylated MWCNT polymer Co Sorption 67.7% [227]
4-Chlorophenol 87%
KOH-activated carbon nanotubes (CNTs-KOH) Toluene Sorption 87.12 mg/g 6 20 [228]
Ethylbenzene 322.05 mg/g
m-xylene 247.83 mg/g
Ammonia-functionalized micron-sized activated carbon fibers (ACF) Phenol Sorption 200 mg/g 38 [229]
Pb2+ More
Carbon nanofibers/activated carbon multiscale web (ACF/CNF) Pb2+ Less
Phenol 150 mg/g
Carbon nanofibers Ciprofloxacin Sorption 0.68 ± 0.04 mmol/g 2–6 [230]
Bisphenol 4.82 ± 0.22 mmol/g
2-chlorophenol 6.18 ± 1.64 mmol/g
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) Cd2+ Sorption 2.02 mg/g 7 120 [231]
Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) 1.22 mg/g
Activated carbon (AC) 1.98 mg/g
Fly ash (FA) 1.58 mf/g
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Tetracycline Sorption 253.38 mg/g 5–7 120 20 [232]
Carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) Amoxicillin Sorption 99.1% 45 50 [233]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Diuron Sorption 29.75 mg/g 7 25 [234]
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Perflourooctane sulfonate Sorption 0.71 mmol/g [235]
Perfluorooctanoic acid 0.32 mmol/g
Perfluorooctanesulfonamide 1.37 mmol/g
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid 0.79 mmol/g
4-n-Nonylphenol (4-nanoparticle) 0.83 mmol/g
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) Amoxicillin Sorption 22.9 mg/g 4.6 120 [236]

Activated carbon with different oxy-acids pf phosphorus

AC-H3PO4

 Trimethoprim Sorption 1.1478 10 [237]
AC-H4P2O7 1.1896
AC-HPO3 0.4098
AC-H3PO3 0.4084
Carbon nanofibers decorated with iron nanoparticles, porous carbon microbeads Cr(VI) Sorption 41 mg/g 2 1200 5 [238]