Nano-engineered composites based on carbon nitride as potential agents for the remediation of water with micropollutants

This chapter addresses the elaboration and application of nano-engineered composites based on carbon nitride (CN) as potential materials to remediate water contaminated with micropollutants, especially dyes and phenol-based compounds, and residual antibiotics. It starts by presenting the current problem of water contamination by micropollutants, the low efficiency of conventional treatment methods, and the advantages of nano-based technologies with CN related to its adsorbing and photocatalytic properties. It then explains how the synthesis routes can provide a synergistic combination of CN with some nanocompounds to produce composites with multiple functionalities and enhanced properties. The suitability of the nanocomposites in micropollutants removal and degradation is demonstrated by several laboratory-scale studies. By the end of the chapter the merits and limitations of the application of nano-engineered materials in large-scale setups for water remediation are briefly discussed.