Agricultural waste utilization and efficiency in the removal of heavy metals and dyes from water and wastewater: optimal absorption studies

Adsorption process is proven as one of the world''s best water purification technology according to its efficiencies and widespread usage. Up to now، very valuable efforts have been done to the application of municipal and industrial solid waste usage in wastewater treatment. The use of agricultural waste is appropriate as a low cost adsorbent، based on their effect on reducing the cost of waste disposal and on helping to protect the environment. In this study، the adsorption efficiency of various agricultural wastes in removal of hazardous pollutant، such as heavy metals and organic dyes from wastewater، have been investigated. Analyzing the respective literature، it seems that the agricultural wastes have a great potential for the removal of pollutants. The related studies about heavy metals removal showed that maximum absorption efficiency was obtained by the rice husk، green pistachio peel and orange peel with more than 99 percent efficiency، and the minimum performance occurs in the pomegranate peel with 55 percent efficiency. For dyes removal، the maximum absorption efficiency was occurred by hazelnut shell، maize stem، and pistachio shell with over than 99 percent and the minimum color removal efficiency was approximately 44 percent by removal of potato peel.