Magnetic Nanocomposites as Emerging Paradigm for Mitigation of Arsenic from Aqueous Sources

The rapid urbanization of modern society has undeniably driven human progress, but it has also introduced a wide array of environmental contaminants, including hazardous heavy metals like arsenic, which adversely affects the public health. The contamination of drinking water and other aquatic sources with elevated concentrations of arsenic is a significant environmental and public health concern. To address this issue, the decontamination of arsenic-containing water is essential. In recent years, nano-adsorbents have emerged as a promising solution for the effective removal of arsenic from water. However, a key challenge lies in the separation of these nano-adsorbents from the treated water, which hinders their practical applications in natural water systems. To mitigate this limitation, researchers have increasingly focused on magnetic nanocomposite adsorbents which offer the dual advantage of surface functionalization– enabling their ability to precisely target and adsorb arsenic– and easy magnetic separation, significantly improving their potential for real-world water treatment applications. Magnetic nano-adsorbents exhibit several key attributes, including high surface area, small particle size, excellent chemical stability, superparamagnetic, and strong magnetic susceptibility, making them ideal candidates for separation via external magnetic fields. This research article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in magnetic nano-adsorbents, focusing on various modification strategies using different support matrices for the remediation of arsenic-contaminated water. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of the different synthetic methodologies, primary characterization techniques, the underlying adsorption mechanism, and the influence of the different parametric variables that affect the arsenic removal efficiency are systematically presented. Moreover, this study examines the practical applications, regeneration and proper stabilization options of these nano-adsorbents which is crucial for waste management. Furthermore, the toxicological assessment studies, potential research challenges and future perspective pertaining to the large-scale utilization in industries are also highlighted, offering critical insights for the further advancement of magnetic nanocomposites in arsenic-laden wastewater remediation.