Role of Bio-filtration Techniques in the Removal of Pollutants from Wastewater

Unplanned urbanization, growing population, and unmanaged waste disposal exhaust the freshwater supplies by polluting them directly or indirectly. Discharging untreated drains directly into nearby streams has multifold increased the wastewater and thus reduced the clean water supply. Pharmaceutical, domestic, and industrial waste serve as contaminants in the water as they modify the chemical and physical features of freshwater. The recalcitrant nature of these contaminants and their adverse effects on plant and human health is severe. Therefore, techniques/tools for dealing with these pollutants have been explored and developed. Biofiltration is among the many wastewater remediation methods that work on self-renewal approaches where biological processes degrade pollutants. Biofiltration has proven effective in removing some volatile untreated chemicals alongside other conventional methods. Bacteria, fungi, yeast, and algae are often used for biofiltration that is cost-effective, and sometimes their biomass valorization into beneficial products proves the circular economy approach. Therefore, this chapter provides a comprehensive detail of biofiltration methods, their working, and the efficiency of the process in wastewater treatment.