Environmental applications of polypyrrole—and polyaniline–bacterial extracellular polysaccharide nanocomposites

Nanotechnology is the engineering and art of developing new materials on a nanoscale. Due to its unique properties, the application of nanoparticles in various scientific fields, including environmental sciences, has increased greatly— numerous nanomaterials have been used for the treatment of wastewaters too. However, easy escaping and ecological risk associated with the nanomaterials limited the application in industrial scale. Recently, there has been considerable interest in the synthesis of nanocomposites from different chemical and biological materials—an important area of nanocomposite research because of its wide application in environmental sciences. Polypyrrole–bacterial extracellular polysaccharides (PPy–EPS) and polyaniline–bacterial extracellular polysaccharides (Pn–EPS) are nanocomposites with chemical and biological polymers and are good adsorbents for the removal of reactive dyes and detoxification of Cr(VI) from wastewaters. This chapter compiles the application of PPy–EPS and Pn–EPS nanocomposites in wastewater treatment.