Impact of Nanotechnology in Separation of Plant Colorants and Their Appliance for Wastewater Remediation

People have used natural pigments for everything from food coloring to painting for ages. Interest in these pigments as natural and long-lasting replacements for synthetic dyes has been revitalized thanks to nanotechnology. Nanotechnology has applications in many fields, including agriculture, energy, wastewater treatment, environmental studies, industrial sector, consumer items, medical field, etc. Nanotechnology has renewed interest in these pigments as eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to synthetic dyes. Nanoparticles may improve natural pigments’ durability and color intensity and allow them to be used in various materials. When natural pigments are combined with nanotechnology, a sustainable and high-performance material may be created with minimal environmental adverse effects. The biogenetic process of nanoparticles is more advantageous when plants or plant extracts are used to create nanoparticles since it permits exact control of nanoparticle size, distribution, and shape. This chapter throws light on the importance of natural colorants and the role of nanotechnology in the extraction of natural colorants. The applications of phyto-extracted nanomaterials in the removal of heavy metals and toxic dyes have been discussed in detail. Different challenges concerned with nano-sized natural colorants have also been given.