Environmental Nanotechnology and Applications

By Prof. Remya Neelancherry | IIT Bhubaneswar

Learners enrolled: 184

ABOUT THE COURSE:

Environmental Nanotechnology and Applications course aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the principles of nanotechnology, nanomaterial synthesis and characterization techniques, as well as applications of nanotechnology in addressing environmental challenges. The application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology-based approaches in water and wastewater treatment will be explored in this course. The application of nanotechnology in adsorption, photocatalysis, filtration and disinfection will be covered in detail. Further, environmental health and safety aspects of nanomaterials, the potential risks and benefits of nanomaterials to human health and the environment will be covered in this course. By the end of the course, students should be gain knowledge skills in synthesizing and characterizing nanomaterials and will be able to critically evaluate the benefits as well as potential risks of nanotechnology in environmental contexts and apply this knowledge to real-world problems.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: PG/PhD students of Environmental/Civil Engineering

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Industries with high concentration of bio refractory pollutants in the effluent like textile/ printing/ pharmaceutical/ leather industries.

Startups like Neer Shakti Systems Private Limited, Novorbis, NoPo Nanotechnologies, E-Spin Nanotech

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Elective
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	8 weeks
Category :	Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Environmental Sciences Environment Energy and Environment
Credit Points :	2
Level :	Postgraduate
Start Date :	18 Aug 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	18 Aug 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	29 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	02 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Nanotechnology – Introduction, classification based on dimension or type of nanomaterial, impact of nanoscale on material properties

Lecture 1: Introduction of Nanomaterials
Lecture 2: Types and properties of nanomaterials/nanocomposites

Week 2: Synthesis of nanomaterials – Bottom-up and top-down approach, Modes of synthesis for size and shape control, green synthesis of nanomaterial

Lecture 3: Nanomaterial synthesis through different methods
Lecture 4: Green synthesis of nanomaterials

Week 3: Characterization of nanomaterials and nanocomposites – Environmentally relevant characterization using SEM, TEM, BET, XRD, XPS etc

Lecture 5: Characterization of nanomaterials - I
Lecture 6: Characterization of nanomaterials - II

Week 4: Application of nanomaterials in environmental remediation – Briefing the conventional water/wastewater treatment units, Potential modification of water and wastewater treatment using by employing nanomaterials

Lecture 7: Conventional water wastewater treatment units
Lecture 8: Nanotechnology in water/wastewater treatment units

Week 5: Nanotechnology in adsorptive removal of pollutants- Synthesis of nano-adsorbents, Optimization of nano-adsorption unit for operating parameters, adsorption capacity of pollutants, adsorptive removal efficiency.

Lecture 9: Synthesis and properties of nano-adsorbent
Lecture 10: Nano-adsorbent in pollutant removal from water/wastewater

Week 6: Nanomaterials in photocatalysis - Photocatalyst preparation, modification, UV/solar photocatalytic system, photocatalytic treatment of wastewater, photocatalytic hydrogen production

Lecture 11: Photocatalysis – principle, nano photocatalyst preparation and modification
Lecture 12: Photocatalysis for wastewater treatment
Lecture 13: Photocatalysis for waster splitting and hydrogen production

Week 7: Removal of pollutants using nanofiltration techniques – Principle of nanomembrane filtration, synthesis and characterization of nanomembranes, design of nano filtration unit, water/wastewater treatment efficiency using nanomembrane unit.

Lecture 14: Basics of membrane filtration
Lecture 15: Nanomembrane synthesis and characterization
Lecture 16: Nanomembranes in water and wastewater treatment

Week 8: Nanomaterial based disinfection – Selection of nano-disinfectants, synthesis, modification, disinfection kinetics

Environmental impacts of nanomaterials – Exposure and risk assessment, Dose-response, mechanisms of toxicity; ecotoxicological impacts of nanomaterials.

Lecture 17: Nano disinfectants for wastewater treatment
Lecture 18: Nanomaterial leaching and risk assessment

Books and references

Wiesner M., Bottero J-Y., Environmental Nanotechnology : Applications and Impacts of Nanomaterials Applications and Impacts of Nanomaterials, McGraw Hill Professional. 2007
Pradeep T., Textbook of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, McGraw Hill Education (India) Private Limited
Mittal V., Nanocomposites with Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Future perspectives., Oxford University Press
Diallo, M., Duncan, J., Savage, N., Street, A., and Sustich, R. (Eds). “Nanotechnology Applications for 3 Clean Water” William Andrew. 2008
Lead J., and Smith, E. “Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Nanotechnology” John Wiley & Sons. 2009

Instructor bio

Prof. Remya Neelancherry

IIT Bhubaneswar

Prof. Remya Neelancherry is an associate professor at the school of infrastructure, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. She pursued her PhD in Environmental Engineering at National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan and MTech in Environmental Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras India & RWTH Aachen University Germany (DAAD scholar). She has expertise in development of novel nano-catalyst and characterization of catalysts for bio-refractory pollutant removal, nanomaterial/nanocomposite application in wastewater treatment, advanced oxidation process for water and wastewater treatment. She has completed or ongoing research projects funded by SERB, WTI, ERC. She has published two books and has several publications in reputed international journals, books and conference proceedings. She has two patents to her credit. She received the Innovation award in National Green Charcoal Hackathon, India, and Outstanding Women in Engineering Award, Women Researcher Award, and Golden Bamboo Scholarship from National Chiao Tung University Taiwan, German Academic Exchange Fellowship, and European Research Council Mobility Grand etc. She has taught several courses related in environmental/civil engineering such as Environmental nanotechnology and applications; Environmental chemistry and microbiology; Environmental impact assessment; Environmental design sessional; Water and wastewater engineering; Environmental pollution management; Geo-environmental management; Water and Wastewater Engineering Laboratory etc.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams : November 02, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 6 assignments out of the total 8 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kharagpur. It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team