CHAPTER 14: Use of Industrial and Agricultural Waste in Removal of Heavy Metals Present in Water Check Access

Most of the commercialized/traditional methods used to treat heavy metal contamination are expensive and produce sludge as a by-product. A promising alternative is to use industrial and agricultural waste products as a remediation agent (e.g., a sorbent) for heavy metals in water. The research on this subject so far has shown that using biowaste products for heavy metal sorption is inexpensive, highly effective and produces less sludge. In this chapter, we will present a comprehensive review of the literatures on: (1) industrial and agricultural waste materials and heavy metals that have been studied; (2) the mechanism behind the heavy metal removal by these waste products; (3) potential for commercial scale applications; and (4) future directions for research.