Development of Sample Preparation and Analytical Methods

Dear Colleagues,

Inexorable industrialization aimed at improving the quality of life is unfortunately a threat to scarce natural resources like water. Numerous studies have detected a number of toxic organic and inorganic contaminants in environmental water bodies and attributed their occurrence to both domestic and industrial activities. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and heavy metals have attracted widespread interest from researchers. Alarming concerns about environmental pollution have led to more research being focused on the development of methodologies for environmental analysis, monitoring and remediation. However, the fate and impact of emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment are not well-documented nor understood. Many researchers have reported the application of nanotechnology in environmental analytical chemistry owing to the advantage of utilizing a variety of nanomaterials with distinct properties and flexibility. Nanomaterials are used to profile the occurrence and distribution of pollutants in water systems, and to ascertain the contaminant concentration levels. Such materials lead to improved selectivity, adsorption, and extraction efficiency toward the target analytes, and enhance the sensitivity of the complete analytical method. In environmental analysis, the use of nanomaterials has received considerable attention because they can provide substantial simplification of the analytical procedures.

Prof. Dr. Philiswa Nosizo Nomngongo
Prof. Dr. Lawrence Mzukisi Madikizela
Prof. Dr. Vusumzi E. Pakade
Guest Editors

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