Valorization of coconut waste for facile treatment of contaminated water: A comprehensive review (2010-2021)

Water pollution is a grave concern in the 21st century. The challenge is to devise techniques to treat water that are facile, does not involve toxic resources or byproducts, and are not energy-intensive. Adsorption using agricultural wastes seems to be a promising approach. Parts of coconut palm such as shell, husk, coir etc in their native or modified form can be used for wastewater treatment. Several studies suggest that pollutants such as heavy metals, industrial dyes, pharmaceuticals, organic contaminants can be successfully adsorbed on to coconut biomass. The abundance in availability, renewability and high adsorption are the useful advantages conferred by coconut byproducts. This review has focused on all the valuable studies reported on the facile valorization of various coconut palm wastes such as shell, husk, coir etc. for remediation of pollutants from waste water since the year 2010. The chemical modifications of the adsorbents and their capacities for removal of various contaminants have been mentioned. Various computer software modelling studies and reuse of the bioadsorbents have been included. Most of the data has been given in tabulated form for ease of understanding. The important advancements, challenges and future prospective have also been discussed along with compilation of all the relevant scientific reports of the last decade on the potential of coconut refuse for waste water treatment. The main aim of this review is to highlight the importance of utilization of biomass, particularly those that lie waste, for remediation of environmental pollution in a sustainable manner. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

Coconut palm wastes as adsorbents for wastewater treatment show great potential in removing pollutants such as heavy metals and industrial dyes. Chemical modifications can enhance the performance of the adsorbents, and computer software modelling studies are widely used. The compilation of relevant scientific reports over the past decade highlights advancements, challenges, and future prospects in this area.