Industrial Solid Wastes as Promising Low-cost Adsorbents for Removal of Environmental Pollutants

Environmental contamination by wastes generated through industrial activities has received global attention. Among industrial wastes, solid ones have caused serious problems for human health and living organisms. These problems have emerged in the forms of heavy and toxic metals released in surface and underground water, toxic and odorous and in some cases flammable gaseous emissions to the air, organic compounds and dyestuff-contaminated effluents. On the other hand, industrial communities always seek cost-effective methods to reduce or minimize their environmental pollution. Among the methods, adsorption process is a popular one especially when it uses low-cost and efficient adsorbents. Application of solid wastes as low-cost and promising sorbents with and without additional treatment provides a two-fold advantage, finally resulting in cleaner environment. The present paper takes a look at the use of some industrial solid wastes globally generated in large amounts as potential sorbents for the removal of environmental pollution.

Industrial waste, Sorption, Adsorbent, Environmental pollution