Emerging technologies for mixed industrial wastewater treatment in developing countries: An overview

Abstract

AbstractTreatment of mixed industrial wastewater is a great challenge in common effluent treatment plants due to the complex nature of wastewater from different industries. This review outlines the emerging technologies adopted for mixed industrial wastewater treatment in developing nations. The potential for integrating two or more technologies to enhance treatment efficiency is also addressed. Major issues associated with mixed industrial wastewater treatment were found to be low biodegradable nature and presence of toxic compounds in wastewater. Moreover, the composition of wastewater fluctuates and differs significantly from the composition considered during the design of common effluent treatment plants. Biological methods, constructed wetlands, membrane separation methods, electrochemical methods, and advanced oxidation processes are some of the techniques that have been applied for the treatment of mixed industrial wastewater. Advanced oxidation process–based treatment methods were found to be very efficient as the process was able to improve biodegradability and reduce toxicity levels of wastewater along with a significant reduction in organic carbon. Among the biological methods and constructed wetlands, hybrid or integrated technologies were found effective to reduce the contamination level of wastewater. Implementation, operation, and maintenance of technologies mentioned above in a real field would be the thrust areas for future research.