Review

Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications

Number: 013 August 31, 2026
TR EN

Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications

Abstract

Pollution from heavy metals in the mining and geological environment is one of the major environmental issues, which result in chronic effects on the ecosystem and human beings. The mining process, ore concentration, metallurgy processing, and acid mine drainage results in the release of environmentally relevant metals and metalloids such as Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb, As, Cr, Zn, and Hg into the soil and water environment. Although conventional treatment methods are effective in some extent, they are faced with the disadvantages of being expensive, non-selective, and resulting in secondary waste. It is for this reason that nanomaterials play an increasingly important role in heavy metal removal because of their large specific surface area, controllable surface chemistry, high adsorption capacity, and reusability. This review focuses on the sources of heavy metal contamination in mining and geological systems, the environmental impact of such contamination, and the major elements of such contamination; the performances of metal oxide, magnetic, carbonaceous, silica- and clay-based, biopolymer-based, MOF/COF and hybrid nanomaterials in terms of removal of heavy metals have been compared. Moreover, removal mechanisms, including electrostatic interactions, ion-exchange, surface complexation, precipitation, and physical adsorption, as well as nanotechnology-related enhancement methods and environmental applications have been considered. It can be concluded that the use of nanotechnology-based methods is promising in view of both efficiency and sustainability regarding heavy metal contamination in mining and geological systems. However, before the implementation of such methods on an industrial scale, the stability, environmental safety, reusability, and cost-effectiveness of nanomaterials should be assessed in detail.

Keywords

References

  1. [1] M. B. Mensah, D. J. Lewis, N. O. Boadi, and J. A. M. Awudza, “Heavy metal pollution and the role of inorganic nanomaterials in environmental remediation,” R. Soc. Open Sci., vol. 8, no. 10, p. 201485, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.1098/RSOS.201485.
  2. [2] A. Alengebawy, S. T. Abdelkhalek, S. R. Qureshi, and M. Q. Wang, “Heavy Metals and Pesticides Toxicity in Agricultural Soil and Plants: Ecological Risks and Human Health Implications,” Toxics, vol. 9, no. 3, p. 42, Mar. 2021, doi: 10.3390/TOXICS9030042.
  3. [3] K. Gupta, P. Joshi, R. Gusain, and O. P. Khatri, “Recent advances in adsorptive removal of heavy metal and metalloid ions by metal oxide-based nanomaterials,” Coord. Chem. Rev., vol. 445, p. 214100, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.1016/J.CCR.2021.214100.
  4. [4] H. Ali, E. Khan, and I. Ilahi, “Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology of Hazardous Heavy Metals: Environmental Persistence, Toxicity, and Bioaccumulation,” J. Chem., vol. 2019, no. 1, p. 6730305, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.1155/2019/6730305.
  5. [5] D. K. Nordstrom, “Acid rock drainage and climate change,” J. Geochemical Explor., vol. 100, no. 2–3, pp. 97–104, Feb. 2009, doi: 10.1016/J.GEXPLO.2008.08.002.
  6. [6] Ü. Gemici, G. Tarcan, C. Helvaci, and A. M. Somay, “High arsenic and boron concentrations in groundwaters related to mining activity in the Bigadiç borate deposits (Western Turkey),” Appl. Geochemistry, vol. 23, no. 8, pp. 2462–2476, Aug. 2008, doi: 10.1016/J.APGEOCHEM.2008.02.013.
  7. [7] S. Rajendran et al., “A critical and recent developments on adsorption technique for removal of heavy metals from wastewater-A review,” Chemosphere, vol. 303, p. 135146, Sep. 2022, doi: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2022.135146.
  8. [8] S. Ethaib, S. Al-Qutaifia, N. Al-Ansari, and S. L. Zubaidi, “Function of Nanomaterials in Removing Heavy Metals for Water and Wastewater Remediation: A Review,” Environ. 2022, Vol. 9, Page 123, vol. 9, no. 10, p. 123, Sep. 2022, doi: 10.3390/ENVIRONMENTS9100123.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Nanomaterials, Geology of Engineering

Journal Section

Review

Publication Date

August 31, 2026

Submission Date

July 20, 2026

Acceptance Date

August 17, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 013

APA
Işık, C. E., & Maran, F. N. (2026). Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications. Journal of Scientific Reports-C, 013, 57-86. https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW
AMA
1.Işık CE, Maran FN. Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications. Journal of Scientific Reports-C. 2026;(013):57-86. https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW
Chicago
Işık, Cumhur Eren, and Fatma Nur Maran. 2026. “Nanomaterials Used for Remediating Heavy Metal Contamination in Mining and Geological Environments: Adsorption, Treatment, and Environmental Applications”. Journal of Scientific Reports-C, nos. 013: 57-86. https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW.
EndNote
Işık CE, Maran FN (August 1, 2026) Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications. Journal of Scientific Reports-C 013 57–86.
IEEE
[1]C. E. Işık and F. N. Maran, “Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications”, Journal of Scientific Reports-C, no. 013, pp. 57–86, Aug. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW
ISNAD
Işık, Cumhur Eren - Maran, Fatma Nur. “Nanomaterials Used for Remediating Heavy Metal Contamination in Mining and Geological Environments: Adsorption, Treatment, and Environmental Applications”. Journal of Scientific Reports-C. 013 (August 1, 2026): 57-86. https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW.
JAMA
1.Işık CE, Maran FN. Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications. Journal of Scientific Reports-C. 2026;:57–86.
MLA
Işık, Cumhur Eren, and Fatma Nur Maran. “Nanomaterials Used for Remediating Heavy Metal Contamination in Mining and Geological Environments: Adsorption, Treatment, and Environmental Applications”. Journal of Scientific Reports-C, no. 013, Aug. 2026, pp. 57-86, https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW.
Vancouver
1.Cumhur Eren Işık, Fatma Nur Maran. Nanomaterials used for remediating heavy metal contamination in mining and geological environments: Adsorption, treatment, and environmental applications. Journal of Scientific Reports-C [Internet]. 2026 Aug. 1;(013):57-86. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA65JD89LW