Research progress in synthesis strategies of magnesium oxide nanoparticles for water treatment application

Abstract

Magnesium oxide (MgO) is widely applied in various applications due to its fascinating properties, which allow its use in different scientific areas. In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in developing and using MgO for various kinds of pollutant removal. The present review summarizes the development of MgO and its use in water treatment. The removal of heavy metals, anions, microbes, and organic dyes and their removal mechanism are reviewed based on the target pollutants. The MgO morphology and pore structure are factors that directly affect the removal capacity of anionic contaminants. The cation exchangeability and surface functional groups play a key role in removing heavy metals using MgO. Moreover, surface functional groups are the key factors affecting the enhanced removal of dyes. However, less attention has been paid to the potential use of MgO to remove microorganisms, which needs more in-depth research. Furthermore, the application of MgO for treating real wastewater or river water needs to be explored to utilize such a low-cost and highly efficient material for real-time water treatment application.