Heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment: efficient and low-cost removal approaches to eliminate their toxicity: a review

🤖 Plain-English Summary

Heavy metal contamination of water sources has emerged as a major global environmental concern, threatening both aquatic ecosystems and human health. It also examines recent advances in cost-effective and efficient techniques for removing heavy metals from wastewater, such as physicochemical adsorption using biochar and natural zeolite ion exchangers, as well as decomposition of heavy metal complexes through advanced oxidation processes (AOPs).

🔑 Key Findings

• Heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment is on the rise due to industrialization, climate change, and urbanization.
• Sources of pollution include mining waste, landfill leachates, municipal and industrial wastewater, urban runoff, and natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, weathering, and rock abrasion.
• Heavy metal ions are toxic, potentially carcinogenic, and can bioaccumulate in biological systems.

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