Adsorption and Conventional Technologies for Environmental Remediation and Decontamination of Heavy Metals: An Overview

The global growing of chemical and related industries using heavy metals containing materials as raw materials for production, generating hazardous wastes containing these toxic materials and discharging them into the environment have become an environmental issue and thing of concern. To minimize the health risks of these metals discharged into the environment, several technologies which include ion exchange, solidification/stabilization, electrokinetics, bio-remediation, chemical treatments, electrochemical treatments, coagulation/flocculation, Membrane-filtration and adsorption technologies have been developed by various scientists. These technologies have been applied successfully in industries for remediation of heavy metals contaminated wastes. This review paper presents an insight into these techniques that have been successfully applied for heavy metals remediation in both terrestrial and aquatic environments; their advantages and drawbacks.