The role of terminal groups in dendrimer systems for the treatment of organic contaminants in aqueous environments

A typical water treatment process consists of a physical, biological, or chemical route or a combination of these options. However, the use of conventional techniques has been challenged due to the diversification of waterborne pollutants. In response, various nanomaterials with advanced functions have been developed to provide effective remediation options. Among such materials, dendrimers have received attention due to their enhanced treatment capacities and multifunctional structures formed by the modification of terminal groups. This review offers comprehensive insight into dendrimers with respect to their practical applications. In particular, we focus on the interactions between dendrimer terminal groups and contaminants in relation to their structures to meaningfully describe the associated mechanisms. To meet this goal, the performances of dendrimers and their composites were evaluated in terms of partition coefficient (PC) values. Accordingly, the best results were observed for chitosan grafted PPI dendrimers (e.g., 6214 mg/g·μM against reactive black 5). Finally, we also addressed the present limitations of dendrimer technology and their prospects in water treatment.