Polymer nanocomposites based on alginate and their blends for remediation of pollutants from wastewater

Among all contaminants, heavy metal ions and dyes are the most dangerous environmental pollutants. The entering of these pollutants into surface and groundwater creates potential hazards to humans and the ecosystem. Among water treatment methods, the adsorption as an efficient approach has been discussed in particular. Super absorbent hydrogels have a three-dimensional hydrophilic polymeric backbone that can absorb enormous quantities of water relative to their own mass. These materials are extensively utilized in numerous areas such as medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, and water treatment. In order to help the water treatment industry, hydrogel nanocomposites are synthesized as films or beads for the uptake of the pollutants from contaminated water. The alginate hydrogel is one of the most frequently used polymer matrixes for the manufacture of nanocomposites. This chapter will review the performance of the alginate-based nanocomposites as strong adsorbents to remove the pollutants (heavy metal ions as well as dyes) from water.