Removal of Pesticides from Waters by Adsorption: Comparison between Synthetic Zeolites and Mesoporous Silica Materials. A Review

Pesticides are pollutants found in wastewater due to increasing agricultural activities over the years. Inappropriate dosing of pesticides results in the dispersal of active ingredients in the environment. The complete removal of pesticides from wastewater is an immediate concern due to their high toxicity and mobility. At present, adsorption is one of the most widely used methods for pesticide removal, in which synthetic zeolites and mesoporous silica materials are extensively applied. This article presents a systematic and comparative review of the applications and comparison of these adsorbents, based on the data reported in the literature. The paper summarizes the information collected from various studies, including the type of adsorbents and pesticides used, experimental conditions, and results of each work. The studies analyzed were laboratory-based and show potential advantages for the treatment of pesticide-bearing waters using functionalized and unfunctionalized synthetic zeolites and mesoporous silica materials. As a whole, functionalized materials are reported to exhibit better removal performance for different pesticides than conventional materials. It is expected that the results of this review will help researchers to establish a powerful strategy for the abatement of pesticides in wastewater.