Heavy metal pollution results in enormous environmental
impacts
and significant human health problems. Because of their extreme toxicity
and lack of biodegradability, heavy metal ions in water are considered
problematic. Although the removal of various heavy metal ions from
wastewater has been widely investigated, heavy metal contamination
still requires effective and suitable remediation. With special attention
on heavy metal removal, this study reviews recent advances, breakthroughs,
and potential applications of various physical, chemical, and biological
methods. Each treatment method has specific mechanisms of interaction
with metal ions, which are described in this review. The discussion
in this review leads to the conclusion that adsorption has the best
potential which leads to the sustainable remediation of heavy metals.
In summary, the review provides a new perspective on heavy metal reduction
and encourages the development of innovative strategies for heavy
metal removal. The main current problems and prospects in this field
are highlighted in this review.
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