Porous materials obtained from nonconventional sources used in wastewater treatment processes

Abstract

The acute problem of (agro)industrial waste generation is reaching alarming values. Most of this waste is not properly treated and often disposed in landfills where they contribute to the environmental pollution due to the production of harmful leachates. However, novel synthetic approaches are being nowadays explored to produce functional porous materials starting from (agro)industrial waste, also called nonconventional sources, to fabricate eco-materials that can be utilized in decontamination processes imparting to such materials and added (ecologic and economic) value. Recent advances in the production of zeolites using industrial waste streams as precursors and biosorbent materials generated from agroindustrial waste will be addressed in this chapter, as well as their potential use in wastewater treatment.