Adsorptive removal of hazardous dyes from industrial waste using activated carbon: an appraisal

Various industries, including textile, paper and pulp, printing, dying, leather, tanner, paint, pigments, and medical, consume a large volume of water during the dyeing process of their products and generate a large amount of colored wastewater, resulting in the continuous discharge of dye contaminants into bodies of water, causing water pollution. In this chapter, we reviewed various methods for producing activated carbon. Traditional wastewater treatment techniques are difficult to use to treat dye-contaminated water because light, heat, and oxidizing agents cannot disintegrate these. Adsorption is a popular, cost-effective, and efficient method for treating dye-contaminated wastewater. A thorough literature review revealed that activated carbon derived from various sources is environmentally friendly, with fast kinetics and significant adsorption capacities. Advantages and disadvantages of adsorbents are discussed, as well as favorable conditions for specific adsorbate-adsorbent systems and the adsorption capacities of activated carbon obtained from various sources and commercial activated carbons available in the literature. Conclusions have been drawn from the reviewed literature, and recommendations for future research are made.