Adsorption-Oriented Processes Using Conventional and Non-conventional Adsorbents for Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The removal of contaminants from wastewaters is a matter of great interest in the field of water pollution. Amongst the numerous techniques of con- taminant removal, adsorption using solid materials (named adsorbents) is a simple, useful and effective process. The adsorbent may be of mineral, organic or biological origin. Activated carbon is the preferred material at industrial scale and is exten- sively used not only for removing pollutants from wastewater streams but also for adsorbing contaminants from drinking water sources (e.g. rivers, lakes or reservoirs). However, its widespread use is restricted due to high cost. In the last three decades, numerous approaches have been studied for the development of cheaper and more effective adsorbents capable to eliminate pollutants at trace levels. This chapter gives a general overview of liquid-solid adsorption processes using conventional and non-conventional materials for pollutant removal. It outlines some of the principles of adsorption and proposes a classification for the different types of materials. Finally, the chapter discusses different mechanisms involved in the adsorption phenomena.