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ISSN: 2912-1309
Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
AbstractMethods for treating industrial They represent serious threats to the human
wastewater containing heavy metals often involve population and the fauna and flora of the receiving
technologies for reduction of toxicity in order to water bodies ([1]. They can be absorbed and
meet technology-based treatment standards. This accumulated in human body and caused serious
article was focused on the recently developed and health effects like cancer, organ damage, nervous
newly applicable various treatment processes for system damage, and in extreme cases, death. Also it
the removal of heavy metals from industrial reduces growth and development. Industrial
wastewater. Physico-chemical removal processes wastewater streams containing heavy metals are
such as; adsorption on new adsorbents, ion produced from different industries. Heavy metals such
exchange, membrane filtration, electrodialysis, as cadmium, zinc, lead, chromium, nickel, copper,
reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and photocatalysis vanadium, platinum, silver, and titanium are generated
were discussed. Their advantages and drawbacks in electroplating, electrolysis depositions, conversion-
in application were evaluated. coating, and anodizing-cleaning, milling, and etching
industries. Significant amount of heavy metals wastes
In the processes of biological treatments like Tin, lead, and nickel result from printed circuit
microorganisms play a role of settling solids in board (PCB) manufacturing. Wood processing
the solution. Activated sludge, trickling filters, industries where a chromated copper-arsenate wood
stabilization ponds are widely used for treating treatment produces arsenic containing wastes;
industrial wastewater. Bioadsorption is a new inorganic pigment manufacturing producing pigments
biological method and various low cost contain chromium compounds and cadmium sulfide;
bioadsorbents (agricultural waste, forest waste, petroleum refining generates conversion catalysts
industrial waste, algae etc.) are used for maximum contaminated with nickel, vanadium, and chromium;
removal of heavy metals from wastewater. and photographic operations producing film with high
Bioadsorption techniques are eco friendly best concentrations of silver and ferrocyanide. All of these
solutions for removing heavy metals from generators produce a large quantity of wastewaters,
wastewater rather than physic-chemical methods. residues, and sludge that can be categorized as
But chemical methods are most suitable hazardous wastes requiring extensive waste
treatments for toxic inorganic compounds treatment [2]. As the low amounts of these metals are
produced from various industries which cannot highly toxic, removal of heavy metals from wastewater
removed from any biological and physical has recently become the subject of considerable
techniques. interest owing to strict legislations. Wastewater
regulations were established to minimize human and
Keywordsheavy metals; removal techniques; environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals.
bioadsorption; physico-chemical treatments These include limits on the types and concentration of
I. INTRODUCTION heavy metals that may be present in the discharged
wastewater. The Maximum Contaminated Level
The environmental issues due to globalization and (MCL) standards, for those heavy metals, established
rapid industrialization are becoming more and more by USEPA [3] are summarized in Table 1. Therefore it
nuisance for human being. Therefore efficient and is necessary to treat metal contaminated wastewater
effective methods are needed especially for chemical prior to its discharge to the environment.
industries. Heavy metals present in wastewater and Heavy metal removal from inorganic effluent can be
industrial effluent is major concern of environmental achieved by conventional treatment processes.
pollution. Heavy metals are generally considered Removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters
those whose density exceeds 5 g per cubic can be accomplished through various treatment
centimeter. Most of the elements falls into this options, including such unit operations as chemical
category are highly water soluble, well-known toxics precipitation, coagulation, complexation, activated
and carcinogenic agents. Heavy metals are carbon adsorption, ion exchange, solvent extraction,
considered to be the following elements: Copper, foam flotation, electro-deposition, cementation, and
Silver, Zinc, Cadmium, Gold, Mercury, Lead, membrane operations. This paper describes these
Chromium, Iron, Nickel, Tin, Arsenic, Selenium, various treatment strategies and methodologies
Molybdenum, Cobalt, Manganese, and Aluminum. employed for heavy metal removal.
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Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science Studies (JMESS)
ISSN: 2912-1309
Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
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Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science Studies (JMESS)
ISSN: 2912-1309
Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
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Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science Studies (JMESS)
ISSN: 2912-1309
Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
process cationic forms of heavy metals are first Results show that increasing voltage and temperature
complexed by a macro-ligand in order to increase their improved cell performance and separation percentage
molecular weight with a size larger than the pores of decreased with an increasing flow rate. This offers
the selected membrane [33, 34]. The advantages of advantages for the treatment of highly concentrated
complexationfiltration process are the high separation wastewater laden with heavy metals to recovery
selectivity due to the use of a selective binding and undesirable impurities from water.
low-energy requirements involved in these processes.
H. Biological Methods
Water-soluble polymeric ligands have shown to be
powerful substances to remove trace metals from Biological removal of heavy metals in wastewater
aqueous solutions and industrial wastewater through involves the use of biological techniques for the
membrane processes. elimination of pollutants from wastewater. In this
processes microorganisms play a role of settling solids
Reverse osmosis (RO) is a separation process that
in the solution. Activated sludge, trickling filters,
uses pressure to force a solution through a membrane
stabilization ponds are widely used for treating
that retains the solute on one side and allows the pure
wastewater. Activated sludge is the most common
solvent to pass to the other side. The membrane here
option uses microorganisms in the treatment process
is semipermeable, meaning it allows the passage of
to break down organic material with aeration and
solvent but not for metals. The membranes used for
agitation, and then allows solids to settle out. Bacteria-
reverse osmosis have a dense barrier layer in the
containing activated sludge is continually re-
polymer matrix where most separation occurs.
circulated back to the aeration basin to increase the
Reverse osmosis can remove many types
rate of organic decomposition. Most of the research on
of molecules and ions from solutions, including
heavy metals removal in biological systems has been
bacteria, and is used in both industrial processes.
directed towards the suspended growth activated
Reverse osmosis involves a diffusive mechanism, so
sludge process. Trickling Filters which consist beds of
that separation efficiency is dependent on solute
coarse media (often stones or plastic) 3-10 ft. deep
concentration, pressure, and water flux rate [35].
help to grow microorganisms. Wastewater is sprayed
G. Electrodialysis into the air (aeration), then allowed to trickle through
the media and microorganisms break down organic
Electrodialysis (ED) is a membrane separation in
materials in the wastewater. Trickling filters drain at the
which ionized species in the solution are passed
bottom and the wastewater is collected and then
through an ion exchange membrane by applying an
undergoes sedimentation. Stabilization ponds or
electric potential. The membranes are thin sheets of
lagoons are slow, cheap, and relatively inefficient,
plastic materials with either anionic or cationic
biological method that can be used for various types of
characteristics. When a solution containing ionic
wastewater. They rely on the interaction of sunlight,
species passes through the cell compartments, the
algae, microorganisms, and oxygen.
anions migrate toward the anode and the cations
toward the cathode, crossing the anion exchange and Biosorption is another method that can use to
cation-exchange membranes [36]. A noticeable remove heavy metals from wastewater. Sorption
disadvantage is membranes replacement and the process is transfer of ions from solution phase to the
corrosion process [37]. Using membranes with higher solid phase, actually describes a group of processes,
ion exchange capacity resulted in better cell which includes adsorption and precipitation reactions.
performance. Effects of flow rate, temperature and Adsorption has become one of the alternative
voltage at different concentrations using two types of treatment techniques for wastewater. Basically,
commercial membranes, using a laboratory ED cell, on adsorption is a mass transfer process and substances
lead removal were studied [38]. bound by physical and or chemical interactions to solid
surface [3]. Various low-cost adsorbents, derived from
agricultural waste, industrial by-product, natural
material, or modified biopolymers, have been recently
developed and applied for the removal of heavy metals
from metal-contaminated water. Use of activated
carbon in water and wastewater treatment has been
oriented towards organics removal [39]. Research
efforts on inorganics removal by activated carbon,
specifically metallic ions, have been markedly 1imited
[39] Selective adsorption by red mud [40], coal [41],
photocatalyst beads [42], nano-particles [43] fertilizer
industrial waste [44], biomass [45], activated sludge
. biomass [46], algae [47, 48] etc. has generated
Fig. 1 Electrodialysis principles (Chen, 2004) CM cation exchange increasing excitement.
membrane, D-dialute chamber, e1 and e2-electrode chambers, AM-anion Industrial by-products such as fly ash [49], waste
exchange membrane and K-concentrate chamber iron, iron slags [50], hydrous titanium oxide [51, 52],
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Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science Studies (JMESS)
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Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
can be chemically modified to enhance its removal very effective methods with higher percentage of
performance for metal removal from wastewater. removal. Although biological methods are low cost and
environmental friendly techniques they need large
Recently, research for the removal of heavy metals
areas and proper maintenance and operation.
from industrial effluent has been focused on the use of
agricultural by-products as adsorbents through IV. CONCLUSION
biosorption process. New resources such as hazelnut
Biological treatments are eco friendly, best removal
shell, rice husk, pecan shells, jackfruit, maize cob or
and low cost methods. Lot of bio adsorbents can be
husk, rice straw, rice husk, coconut shell etc can be
found in nature. Physical and other most common
used as an adsorbent for heavy metal uptake after
chemical methods are produced toxic sludge which is
chemical modification or conversion by heating into
unable to settle within industries. Although chemical
activated carbon or biochar [3, 53]. They found that
cost is high chemical treatments is one of the most
the maximum metal removal occurred by those
suitable treatments for toxic inorganic compounds
biomass due to containing of cellulose, lignin,
produced from various industries which cannot
carbohydrate and silica in their adsorbent [54].
removed from any biological and physical techniques.
Biopolymers are posse a number of different
V. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
functional groups, such as hydroxyls and amines,
which increase the efficiency of metal ion uptake [55]. The financial support given by the Nation Research
They are widely use in industrially as they are capable Council is highly appreciated.
of lowering transition metal ion concentrations to sub-
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Vol. 1 Issue 1, November - 2015
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