Advanced Treatment Technologies for Industrial Wastewater

Abstract

Exponential growth in industrial development has resulted in the generation of huge quantities of wastewater with a number of organic and inorganic pollutants. As the concentration of these pollutants is continuously increasing with the introduction of new recalcitrant pollutants, environmental statutory bodies are urging industries to move beyond the conventional method of wastewater treatment and orient towards more efficient and sustainable alternatives. Thus, there is an utmost need to shift towards the application of advanced treatment methods of wastewater treatment keeping in mind effluent quality, energy efficiency, economic viability, land availability, operational simplicity, and effluent quality. This chapter delineates advancements in wastewater treatment technologies including various membrane technologies, modifications in advanced oxidation processes, photo-aided treatment technologies, etc. The application of newer methods like forwarding osmosis and nanotechnology for the treatment of industrial wastewater has also been discussed. These technologies are not only promising to provide efficient treatment but also produce minimal after-treatment residue and have been implemented globally to meet environmental-based treatment standards. The chapter delves into detailing of basic principles, applications, merits, and demerits of the aforementioned technologies with their limitations and future research needs.