Chapter 7 MXene-based hybrid nanomaterials for the removal of pharmaceutical-based pollutants

In recent years, environmental pollution has become a major concern and has received worldwide attention. Pharmaceuticals are emerging pollutants wreaking havoc on the natural environment across the world as a result of their widespread use, particularly in developing countries where self-medication is prevalent. These drugs or their degraded active metabolites infiltrate water bodies through many pathways, causing a persistent hazard to the entire ecological system. MXenes (two-dimensional (2D) early transition metal carbides/nitrides), a relatively new family of nanomaterials, have recently gained tremendous attention due to their large surface area, interlayer spacing, thermal conductivity, and environmental flexibility. This chapter elaborates the recent advancement of MXene-based hybrid materials for water treatment, including adsorption, photocatalysis, and redox processes. An overview of the most advanced developments in MXene-based nanomaterials techniques for the detection of pharmaceutically active residues is presented.