A review on green technologies for the rejuvenation of polluted surface water bodies: Field-scale feasibility, challenges, and future perspectives

Abstract

The global paucity of water resources and the degradation of water quality have necessitated a need for the restoration of water bodies for the last two decades. Due to increasingly stringent requirements in quality, reliability, economics and sustainability, treatment of polluted water employing traditional technologies has become a formidable challenge many a time in meeting the desired goals. Green technologies are identified as a sustainable method that can boost social and economic growth, conserve natural resources and reduce detrimental impacts on the environment and social wellbeing. However, less effort has been made to render a comprehensive overview from the perspective of the real-world application of these technologies and their underlying mechanisms. This review attempts to provide a critical insight into the frugal and eco-friendly technologies under three groups viz. microbial technologies, bio preparations and integrated eco-technologies by considering various factors such as optimum operating conditions, underlying mechanisms, efficiency, techno-economic viability, and potential challenges. Among these, integrated ecotechnologies have shown the best performance for the removal of a wide range of pollutants in the real-world scenario. These are superior in ensuring the consistency and durability of the efficacy of the systems. The present review is expected to aid in the selection of appropriate technologies for surface water rejuvenation under varying conditions and would lead to an addition in the existing knowledge base on surface water remediation methods enabling further research in this domain.