Composites for wastewater purification: A review

Chemosphere. 2020 May:246:125788. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125788. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Abstract

The review deals with different kinds of composites which have been used for wastewater treatment. The use of different types of composites ranging from nanocomposites, activated charcoal composites, polymer composites, oxide-based composites, hybrid composites, and biosorbent composites, etc. has been dealt with in detail, and presented as a central source of knowledge. The paper incorporates water purification explicitly via adsorption process, which has proven to be economical and efficient. These composites have been explored for treating or elimination of various hazardous substances like heavy metal species, different classes of colored contaminants (dyes), several organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. The composites discussed have successfully eliminated Zn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Hg, etc. In some instances the removal percentage of the contaminants was almost 100%. The presented data reveals the efficiency of composite materials in wastewater treatment over the conventional singular materials.

Keywords: Adsorption; Composites; Heavy metals; Kinetics; Wastewater; Water treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Charcoal
  • Mercury
  • Metals, Heavy / analysis
  • Nanocomposites
  • Oxides
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Wastewater*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Purification

Substances

  • Metals, Heavy
  • Oxides
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Charcoal
  • Mercury