Effect of nanomaterials on remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils: A review

The remediation of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil is always an important topic since exposure to contaminated soil with carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic potential can result in serious health effects. With respect to the remediation of PAHs contaminated soil, nanomaterials (NMs) have recently received a great deal of attention due to the special characteristics arising from their nanoscale sizes. However, the usefulness and potency of these NMs depend on their adaption to specific site conditions and soil properties. Since there is no comprehensive review of the applications of NMs, it is of great importance to analyze, discuss, and interpret the latest progress in the application of NMs for the remediation of contaminated soils containing PAHs. This overview essentially captures the novel advances made in nano zero valent-iron (nZVI), metal oxides, carbon-based NMs, and polymer-based materials. Each characteristic of NMs that contributes to the enhancement of the process is highlighted. Moreover, operational conditions in which the best-obtained results are achieved qualitatively summarize. This review is also given special attention to the type of soil and pollutant, which are major influential factors to affect the performance of the process. Furthermore, the potential implication of NMs and PAHs on soil properties is reviewed in terms of the changes in migration behavior of pollutants, plant phytotoxicity, and soil microbial community composition. Discussion on future perspectives is presented on the use and prospects for the application of NMs in contaminated soils.