Wastewater remediation using coal fly ash nanocomposites

Abstract

The rapid contamination of and drastic decrease in clean water sources have forced researchers towards the development and implementation of highly efficient wastewater treatment (WWT) technologies. Adsorption alone is an efficient approach for wastewater treatment. However, its disadvantages, such as major sludge generation, high cost of some adsorbents (e.g., activated carbon, zeolites, carbon-based nanomaterials, etc.), and regeneration of adsorbents, limit large-scale applications. Similarly, photocatalysis has some associated disadvantages, including high cost, process limitations, photocatalyst leaching, etc. In this scenario, the utilization of multifunctional materials (which serve the function of adsorbents as well as catalysts) is of great interest. Coal fly ash (CFA), an industrial waste product, can be used as a multifunctional material. CFA is an anthropogenic material and its disposal on open land or by dumping underground causes serious environmental issues such as respiratory problems and underground water pollution. CFA utilization instead of disposal is thus advantageous. In this chapter, the utilization of CFA nanocomposites in WWT is discussed. Furthermore, the composition, types, and properties of CFA and the factors that affect the properties of CFA nanocomposites are presented.