The emergence of nanotechnology in mitigating petroleum oil spills

The world has witnessed the circumstances shaped by the oil spill for many decades that cause serious environmental problems and adverse effects on human health. Many techniques and remediation methods are followed for efficient oil spill cleanups but with the limitations and environmental issues, these procedures were not completely efficient. The "nanotechnology" word itself has fascinated not only the researchers but also many industries and the global race is on to tap its potential and to derive benefit from it. Their small size and exceptional properties have proven their potential in providing technological solutions to engineering problems. This study focuses on the scope of nanotechnology in oil spill cleanups and shows how the limitations presented by conventional methodologies can be overcome. This paper categorizes and thoroughly reviews the application of nanotechnology in oil spill cleanups in different forms and also focuses on the environmental aspects of it.