CHAPTER 10: Modified and New Adsorbents for Removal of Heavy Metals from Wastewater Check Access

In the environment, heavy metals are persistent, non-biodegradable and they can be accumulated in living tissues, causing various diseases and disorders. There is a need to come up with eco-friendly and sustainable treatment technologies using renewable resources. In recent years, various methods for heavy metal removal from wastewater have been extensively studied. These technologies include chemical precipitation, ion-exchange, adsorption, membrane filtration, coagulation–flocculation, flotation and electrochemical methods. Adsorption has become one of the alternative treatment techniques for wastewater laden with heavy metals. This chapter demonstrates various low-cost modified adsorbents, derived from natural materials, industrial byproducts, agricultural wastes and biopolymers. These materials have been recently developed and applied for the removal of heavy metals from metal-contaminated wastewater. Their advantages and limitations in application are evaluated. The main operating conditions such as pH and treatment performance are presented.