Valorization of food waste as adsorbents for toxic dye removal from contaminated waters: A review

ABSTR A C T Industrial contaminants such as dyes and intermediates are released into water bodies, making the water unfit for human use. At the same time large amounts of food wastes accumulate near the work places, residential com-plexes etc. polluting the air due to putrefaction. The need of the hour lies in finding innovative solutions for dye removal from wastewater streams. In this context, the article emphasizes adoption or conversion of food waste materials, an ecological nuisance, as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from wastewaters. Adsorption, being a well-established technique, the review critically examines the specific potential of food waste constituents as dye adsorbents. The efficacy of food waste-based adsorbents is examined, besides addressing the possible adsorption mechanisms and the factors affecting phenomenon such as pH, temperature, contact time, adsorbent dosage, particle size, and ionic strength. Integration of information and communication technology approaches with adsorption isotherms and kinetic models are emphasized to bring out their role in improving overall modeling performance. Additionally, the reusability of adsorbents has been highlighted for effective substrate utilization. The review makes an attempt to stress the valorization of food waste materials to remove dyes from contami-nated waters thereby ensuring long-term sustainability.

Automated summary

This article emphasizes the potential of using food waste as dye adsorbents and discusses the factors affecting adsorption efficacy, while also highlighting the importance of integrating information and communication technology approaches with adsorption isotherms and kinetic models to improve modeling performance.