Engineered two-dimensional nanofluidics for integrated enrichment, sensing, separation, and degradation of wastewater pollutants

The accelerating discharge of wastewater pollutants poses long-term threats to public health and global ecosystems. Developing technologies that integrate enrichment, sensing, separation, and degradation is therefore of importance for achieving low-energy, high-efficiency removal of wastewater pollutants. However, conventional approaches remain constrained by the lack of synergistic effects of unit operations. Two-dimensional (2D) nanofluidics has emerged as a promising methodology addressing these issues because of its extreme nanoconfinement, ultrafast mass transport, and integrated advantages in the removal of wastewater pollutants. Here, we propose future pathways for the underlying mechanisms, strategies, and processes of enrichment, sensing, separation, and degradation using 2D nanofluidics. The advances in integrated system design and identifying key challenges are highlighted. We propose that AI-driven intelligent feedback and multidisciplinary system integration will be essential to translating this technology toward next-generation wastewater treatment.