The Role of Nanotechnologies in Drinking
Water Purification
(Review)
Aghasamid Isayev1 
, Sevinj Sadigova2 , Irada Naghieva2 ,
Irada Zarbaliyeva2*
Abstract. The presented review article comprehensively examines the application of various nanomaterials in drinking water purification — including graphene and its derivatives, adsorbents for pollutant adsorption, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), iron-based (Fe) nanomaterials, and membrane technologies. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of nanomaterials in removing a wide range of water pollutants, including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens. The research revealed that each material analyzed possesses unique characteristics. Specifically, graphene and its derivatives (graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)) demonstrate high performance in water purification due to their high surface area, mechanical strength, and versatile surface chemistry, while carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) excel in the adsorption of organic pollutants and heavy metals from water. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) exhibit strong antimicrobial properties, enabling them to neutralize a broad spectrum of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Membrane nanomaterials significantly improve the performance of filtration technologies. Integrating TiO₂, ZnO, or graphene-based nanomaterials into membranes substantially enhances their fouling resistance, mechanical strength, and selectivity toward contaminants.
Keywords: drinking water, carbon nanotubes, adsorbent, nanotechnology, membrane technologies