Heavy Metal(loid) Remediation Using Bio-Waste

Abstract

Heavy metal(loid)s are hazardous, biologically non-essential, non-biodegradable and persistent in nature, which can accumulate in plants and animals as well as in environment especially agri- and aqua- culture ecosystems. It is severely responsible for causing several health hazards problems in human, such as, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, nephrological, dermatological, neurological disorders as well as carcinogenic effects. Removal of these heavy metals from living systems is extensively expensive and also unsuccessful in sent percent removal. Therefore, in order to protect the environment, the removal of heavy metal(loid)s from polluted effluents is essential before discharging into environment. Besides various treatment technologies, sorption of metal(loid)s using bio-wastes are highly potent alternatives in recent years. The present chapter deals with the removal efficiencies of various bio-wastes, orange peels, waste tea leaves, rice husk, wheat stalk, sugar cane bagasse, coconut husk, sun flower stalk, corn cob, nut shell, water hyacinth, crab shell particle, activated carbons etc. The present discussion has also revealed that bio-waste could be a low-cost eco-friendly and green emerging alternative technology in treating the metal(loid)s contaminated environment without posing any further adverse environmental impacts.