MXenes based advanced next generation materials for sequestration of metals and radionuclides from aqueous stream

Water contamination caused by heavy metal ions and organic compounds has become a major concern around the world. Adsorption is a cost-effective and efficient wastewater treatment method among advanced oxidation, reverse osmosis, and photodegradation processes. Various researchers have focused on producing low-cost materials for hazardous metal adsorption from aqueous streams. The discovery of MXenes has sparked a new and exciting area of research in water treatment. MXenes, a fast-growing and diverse family of two-dimensional materials with a plethora of different applications, have generated a lot of interest in recent years. MXenes are promising materials as adsorbents for removing heavy metals and radionuclides from aqueous systems due to their increased surface area, ease of functionalization, multiple surface terminations, electron-richness, active metallic hydroxide sites and hydrophilic nature. In this aspect, a thorough understanding of the adsorptive activity of MXene and MXene-based materials is required to elucidate how they remove various pollutants from water. This article summarizes MXenes and surface modified MXenes for remediation of wastewater contaminated with toxic heavy metals and radionuclides. Adsorption kinetics, mechanism and factors affecting the adsorption process are also described. Adsorption is due to the chemical affinities between contaminants and surface functional groups of MXenes. MXenes with surface modifications have the potential to be good adsorbent materials for removal of heavy and radioactive metals from water and wastewater. The effects of several conditions on the adsorption capability of the MXene-based materials are examined. Finally, the prospects for producing MXenes as effective, low-cost, and non-toxic water remediation materials are discussed. • Metals and radionuclides contamination are a major cause of water pollution. • Mxenes displayed excellent adsorption performance towards metals and radionuclides decontamination. • Brief discussion on synthesis and characterisation of Mxenes materials. • Review of Mxene-based nanoadsorbents for metals and radionuclides removal from aqueous medium. • Engineering advances and future perspective were highlighted.