A REVIEW ON INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNIQUES

Abstract: Due to rapid growth in population, urbanization, and industrialization, the world is facing immense challenges in the access to safe and clean water, and huge volumes of wastewater come out as a by-product. Poor-quality treated or untreated wastewater also carries serious risks to public health and aquatic ecosystems. The current paper reviews wastewater treatment processes, classified as physical, chemical, biological, and advanced or tertiary methods. The conventional methods of treatment, including screening, sedimentation, coagulation, and biological treatment, serve to reduce organic and suspended pollutants, while emerging contaminants are dealt with by advanced membrane filtration, adsorption, and electrochemical methods. Results: The large quantities of wastewater, therefore, call for a requirement of integrated and sustainable treatment approaches only, which can assure high-quality effluent, water reuses, and accomplish long-term environmental protection.