v
Preface
Water is a major earth component controlling the well-being of ecosystems.
However, water quality is actually threatened by pollution with metals, pesticides,
drugs and pathogens issued from rising urbanisation and industrialisation. There are
more that 700 organic, inorganic and microbial pollutants responsible for water pollution. Pollutants of concern include inorganic elements such as antimony, arsenic,
mercury, cadmium and platinum and organic compounds such as polybromonated
diphenyl ethers, drug residues, pesticides, plasticizers and some phenols. As a consequence, there is a need for advanced, sustainable methods to clean waters. There
are two main strategies to clean water: degradation of the pollutant by chemical and
biological methods and pollutant removal by adsorption. Adsorption is gaining
interest because all inorganic and some organic pollutant cannot be degraded under
common conditions. Adsorption is usually cost effective and easy to handle.
Research has recently focused on the development of greener adsorbents, which are
both cheap and renewable, to replace classical, fossil fuel-derived adsorbents. Green
adsorbents would indeed better meet the objective of the future circular economy
where there will be no ‘waste’. This books presents advanced methods and adsorbents for the removal of metals and dyes. Adsorbents include carbon nanostructures,
biomass, cellulose, polymers, clay, composites and chelating materials.
Chapter 1 by Oladipo et al. details the synthesis of activated carbon for heavy
metals removal with a major focus on application in the aqueous phase. Types of
activated carbons and various factors influencing their performance are discussed.
Adsorption mechanisms and isotherms are also presented. Chapter 2 by Sabir et al.
discusses polymeric absorbents for heavy metal removal. Chapter 3 by VencesAlvarez et al. reviews technologies to remove arsenate and fluoride for water,
including processes used in full-scale water treatment. Recent advances in the synthesis of highly efficient adsorbents are highlighted. Chapter 4 by Hızal and
Yılmazoğlu explains why the montmorillonite clay is well-adapted to remove metal
ions. The latest environmental applications of montmorillonite composites are discussed. Properties and applications of cellulosic materials are presented in Chap. 5
by Nag and Biswas, where adsorption mechanisms and metal toxicity are elaborated. Chapter 6 by Yurekli covers the recovery of heavy metals using membrane
Preface
Water is a major earth component controlling the well-being of ecosystems.
However, water quality is actually threatened by pollution with metals, pesticides,
drugs and pathogens issued from rising urbanisation and industrialisation. There are
more that 700 organic, inorganic and microbial pollutants responsible for water pollution. Pollutants of concern include inorganic elements such as antimony, arsenic,
mercury, cadmium and platinum and organic compounds such as polybromonated
diphenyl ethers, drug residues, pesticides, plasticizers and some phenols. As a consequence, there is a need for advanced, sustainable methods to clean waters. There
are two main strategies to clean water: degradation of the pollutant by chemical and
biological methods and pollutant removal by adsorption. Adsorption is gaining
interest because all inorganic and some organic pollutant cannot be degraded under
common conditions. Adsorption is usually cost effective and easy to handle.
Research has recently focused on the development of greener adsorbents, which are
both cheap and renewable, to replace classical, fossil fuel-derived adsorbents. Green
adsorbents would indeed better meet the objective of the future circular economy
where there will be no ‘waste’. This books presents advanced methods and adsorbents for the removal of metals and dyes. Adsorbents include carbon nanostructures,
biomass, cellulose, polymers, clay, composites and chelating materials.
Chapter 1 by Oladipo et al. details the synthesis of activated carbon for heavy
metals removal with a major focus on application in the aqueous phase. Types of
activated carbons and various factors influencing their performance are discussed.
Adsorption mechanisms and isotherms are also presented. Chapter 2 by Sabir et al.
discusses polymeric absorbents for heavy metal removal. Chapter 3 by VencesAlvarez et al. reviews technologies to remove arsenate and fluoride for water,
including processes used in full-scale water treatment. Recent advances in the synthesis of highly efficient adsorbents are highlighted. Chapter 4 by Hızal and
Yılmazoğlu explains why the montmorillonite clay is well-adapted to remove metal
ions. The latest environmental applications of montmorillonite composites are discussed. Properties and applications of cellulosic materials are presented in Chap. 5
by Nag and Biswas, where adsorption mechanisms and metal toxicity are elaborated. Chapter 6 by Yurekli covers the recovery of heavy metals using membrane