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Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes
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Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 4567

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qili Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
Interests: adsorption; nutrient recovery; modeling; heavy metals; wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Liting Hao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environment and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: heavy metals; antibiotics; nutrient recovery; wastewater; soil; groundwater
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The process of adsorption plays a crucial role in water and wastewater treatment. It can effectively reduce the concentration of harmful substances in water by attaching the various pollutants (heavy metals, nutrients, organic matters, and dyes, etc.) to adsorbent surfaces. In practice, adsorption technology can not only improve the quality of drinking water and protect human health but also play an important role in industrial wastewater treatment, sewage reuse, and seawater desalination, etc. Adsorption has the advantages of being a simple operation, with relatively low cost, strong adaptability, and it even allows for the complete removal of micropollutants, making it extremely important in solving water pollution issues, ensuring water resource security, and achieving sustainable development. Through the continuous improvement and optimization of adsorbents, the efficiency and economy of adsorption technology are constantly improving, providing new opportunities for innovative development in the water treatment industry. The topics of this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. adsorption technology and its combination process;
  2. various water pollutants, regardless of organic or inorganic substances;
  3. surface water, groundwater, sea water, drinking water, industrial wastewater, etc.;
  4. emerging contaminants;
  5. various modification, optimization, modeling, regeneration methods;
  6. machine learning, artificial neural network, deep learning, etc.;
  7. novel adsorption materials and their characterization.

Dr. Qili Hu
Dr. Liting Hao
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adsorption
  • modeling
  • optimization
  • novel materials
  • emerging contaminants
  • recovery

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4012 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite Mulberry Stem Biochar Composites for Efficient Pb(II) Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions
by Dunqiu Wang, Xinyu Zhou, Meina Liang and Zimeng Wu
Water 2025, 17(9), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091389 - 5 May 2025
Viewed by 287
Abstract
In this study, two biochar composites, namely hydroxyapatite/mulberry stem biochar (HMp) and magnesium-doped HMp (Mg0.1-HMp), were prepared using mulberry stem as the major raw material using the sol–gel process. Characterization and batch experiments were carried out on HMp and Mg0.1-HMp to investigate the [...] Read more.
In this study, two biochar composites, namely hydroxyapatite/mulberry stem biochar (HMp) and magnesium-doped HMp (Mg0.1-HMp), were prepared using mulberry stem as the major raw material using the sol–gel process. Characterization and batch experiments were carried out on HMp and Mg0.1-HMp to investigate the Pb(II) adsorption mechanism and the factors affecting the adsorption, respectively. The results indicated that carboxylic compounds, phenols, and carbonyl functional groups were formed on the surfaces of HMp and Mg0.1-HMp. At an optimal pH of 5, an adsorption period of 6 h was achieved at an initial Pb(II) concentration of 100 mg/L and adsorbent quantity of 2 g/L. The maximum Pb(II) adsorption capacities of the HMp and Mg0.1-HMp were 303.03 and 312.50 mg/g, respectively, at 25 °C. The maximum Pb(II) adsorption capacity of Mg0.1-HMp was 2.55 times more than that of mulberry stem biochar (MBC). The adsorption of Pb(II) by HMp and Mg0.1-HMp is consistent with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, demonstrating a spontaneous, endothermic, and irreversible process dominated by monolayer chemical adsorption. These results show that the mechanisms of Pb(II) by Mg0.1-HMp mainly involved electrostatic interaction, complexation, precipitation, and ion exchange. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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16 pages, 3655 KiB  
Article
Performance of Powdered Activated Coke Produced by One-Step Rapid Process from Lignite: Phenol Adsorption from Synthetic Wastewater and Hydrothermal Regeneration
by Guifang Chen, Hao Xu, Shouyan Chen and Dachuan Zhao
Water 2025, 17(8), 1161; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081161 - 13 Apr 2025
Viewed by 204
Abstract
Low-cost powdered activated coke (PAC) produced by a one-step rapid method with lignite was used as an adsorbent for the advanced treatment of phenol-containing wastewater to evaluate the feasibility of replacing high-cost commercial powdered activated carbon. Characterization using infrared spectral analysis, SEM, and [...] Read more.
Low-cost powdered activated coke (PAC) produced by a one-step rapid method with lignite was used as an adsorbent for the advanced treatment of phenol-containing wastewater to evaluate the feasibility of replacing high-cost commercial powdered activated carbon. Characterization using infrared spectral analysis, SEM, and BET showed that the PAC mesopores were well developed. PAC exhibited a high adsorption performance for phenol in static experiments. The adsorption was almost in equilibrium within 20 min, and the removal efficiency reached 85.4% with 1.5 g L−1 PAC and 99.9% with 4 g L−1 PAC. As common components in wastewater, NaCl and Na2SO4 did not exhibit significant competitive adsorption with phenol in PAC. The adsorption process occurred in accordance with the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Furthermore, the effects of hydrothermal regeneration on PAC adsorbing phenol were studied, and the adsorption capacity of PAC after five regeneration cycles was 86.1% of that of the new PAC, which still had good adsorption performance. PAC offers significant advantages in terms of adsorption capacity, economic feasibility, regeneration, and recycling, providing a practical solution to the problem of phenol-containing wastewater pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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13 pages, 7903 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Carbon/Hydroxyapatite’s Efficacy in Removing Heavy Metals from Groundwater
by Qihui Yu, Hao Liu, Guocheng Lv, Xin Liu, Lijuan Wang, Lefu Mei and Libing Liao
Water 2025, 17(7), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070914 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 350
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution in groundwater and the environment poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. In particular, heavy metal ions, such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn), in the leachate of metal mine tailings ponds have attracted much attention [...] Read more.
Heavy metal pollution in groundwater and the environment poses a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. In particular, heavy metal ions, such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn), in the leachate of metal mine tailings ponds have attracted much attention due to their high toxicity and bioaccumulation. In order to solve the problem of heavy metal pollution in groundwater caused by leachate from tailings pond of a polymetallic mine, carbon/hydroxyapatite (CHAP) prepared from animal bones was used as the medium material to systematically study its removal effect on heavy metal ions in water under static and dynamic conditions. The static experiment results showed that CHAP had excellent adsorption properties for copper, zinc, manganese and mixed ions, and the adsorption capacities were up to 80 mg/g, 67.86 mg/g and 49.29 mg/g, respectively. Dynamic experiments further confirmed the application potential of CHAP as a Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) medium material, which can effectively remove heavy metal ions from flowing water, having a long service life. This study provides a theoretical basis and experimental reference for the in situ remediation of heavy metal-contaminated groundwater and shows the application prospect of CHAP in the field of environmental remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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15 pages, 2596 KiB  
Article
Preparation of CS/PVA/POP Nanofiber Membranes and Adsorption Behavior for Hg(II) Ions
by Qunhua Zhou, Yu Sun, Ziye Li, Siqin Sun, Jianshe Hu, Zhangpei Chen and Aikebaier Reheman
Water 2025, 17(6), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060885 - 19 Mar 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
Chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber membranes were synthesized via electrospinning and used as supporting materials for powdered porous organic polymer (POP). These membranes were then crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, resulting in nanofiber membranes (CS/PVA/POP) [...] Read more.
Chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber membranes were synthesized via electrospinning and used as supporting materials for powdered porous organic polymer (POP). These membranes were then crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, resulting in nanofiber membranes (CS/PVA/POP) as an efficient adsorbent for Hg(II) ions. Characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy showed that the membranes effectively removed up to 92.9% of mercury ions at optimal conditions, with an adsorption capacity of 116.1 mg/g. The adsorption data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The efficient uptake of mercury ions was attributed to chemisorption involving active groups (C=S, -NH2, -OH), facilitated by mechanisms such as chelation, complexation, or electron exchange. The CS/PVA/POP nanofiber membranes demonstrated significant advantages in adsorption capacity, economic viability, and recyclability, providing an effective solution to mercury pollution in water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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23 pages, 7242 KiB  
Article
Novel Hybrid rGO-BC@ZrO2 Composite: A Material for Methylene Blue Adsorption
by Nusrat Tara, Elham A. Alzahrani, Naha Meslet Alsebaii, Poonam Dwivedi, Azza A. Al-Ghamdi, Reema H. Aldahiri, Hiep T. Nguyen, Seungdae Oh and Saif Ali Chaudhry
Water 2025, 17(5), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17050627 - 21 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 592
Abstract
This study reports the preparation of a novel hybrid composite and its application in adsorption. For this composite preparation, zirconia (ZrO2) was precipitated onto an integrated framework of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and black cumin (BC) seeds. Characterization using Fourier-transform infrared [...] Read more.
This study reports the preparation of a novel hybrid composite and its application in adsorption. For this composite preparation, zirconia (ZrO2) was precipitated onto an integrated framework of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and black cumin (BC) seeds. Characterization using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the successful incorporation of ZrO2 nanoparticles (5–20 nm) into the integrated carbon framework of rGO and seed powder. The microscopic analysis further revealed that the ZrO2 NPs were dispersed throughout the integrated rGO-BC framework. Using the rGO-BC@ZrO2 composite, methylene blue dye was decontaminated from water through a batch adsorption process. The rGO-BC@ZrO2 composite achieved 96% MB adsorption at an adsorbent dose of 2.0 g/L, and nearly 100% when the adsorbent concentration was 3.0 g/L. Modeling of the experimental adsorption values was also established to verify the adsorption viability and mechanism. Thermodynamic modeling confirmed the feasibility and spontaneity of the present batch adsorption process. Isotherm modeling, which showed its compatibility with the Freundlich isotherm, suggested multilayer adsorption. rGO-BC@ZrO2 demonstrated good persistence and reusability for methylene blue for up to five consecutive adsorption cycles. Thus, this study presents optimistic results regarding water purification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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21 pages, 5738 KiB  
Article
Natural Phenolic-Aromatic-Compound-Based Fe-Zr Binary Oxide Nanoparticles for Eosin Yellow Adsorption Application
by Reema H. Aldahiri, Naha Meslet Alsebaii, Azza A. Al-Ghamdi, Manoj Kumar Khanna, Sumbul Hafeez, Elham A. Alzahrani and Seungdae Oh
Water 2025, 17(4), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17040521 - 12 Feb 2025
Viewed by 679
Abstract
This manuscript explores the removal of eosin yellow dye, a toxic color substance contributing to water pollution, from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, iron-zirconia binary oxide (Fe2O3-ZrO2) was functionalized with eugenol oil, a natural phenolic aromatic compound [...] Read more.
This manuscript explores the removal of eosin yellow dye, a toxic color substance contributing to water pollution, from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, iron-zirconia binary oxide (Fe2O3-ZrO2) was functionalized with eugenol oil, a natural phenolic aromatic compound extracted from the clove plant. The functional groups developed in the binary oxide were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and its crystal structure was determined via X-ray diffraction (XRD). The grain size analyzed by the XRD pattern was found to be 45 nanometers. The morphological analysis revealed nanoparticles of quasi-spherical type with a size ranging from 4 to 5 nanometers. The consistency between SEAD and XRD further confirmed that the material formed was iron-zirconia binary oxide. The obtained material, which was insoluble in water, was used as an adsorbent. Through the adsorption study of eosin yellow dye, the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of approximately 91.0 mg/g at 27 °C and pH = 7.0 for the functionalized adsorbent was determined. The process was exothermic, feasible, and spontaneous. At a dose of 1.0 g/L, the adsorbent was responsible for removing more than 90% of eosin yellow with 10–70 mg/L initial concentration, while about 56% removal was achieved at a higher concentration of 150 mg/L at 27 °C and pH = 7.0. These results highlight the potential of functionalized Fe2O3-ZrO2 as an effective adsorbent for water purification applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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13 pages, 1986 KiB  
Article
Utilizing Cement Kiln Dust as an Efficient Adsorbent for Heavy Metal Removal in Wastewater Treatment
by Khaled Elmaadawy, Mohamed R. Hamed, Hussein Al-Hazmi and Gamal K. Hassan
Water 2025, 17(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17010040 - 27 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1095
Abstract
Cement kiln dust (CKD), a by-product of cement manufacturing, has been largely underutilized despite its potential as an eco-friendly adsorbent for wastewater treatment. This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding CKD’s effectiveness in removing heavy metals from wastewater residuals. A comprehensive experimental program [...] Read more.
Cement kiln dust (CKD), a by-product of cement manufacturing, has been largely underutilized despite its potential as an eco-friendly adsorbent for wastewater treatment. This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding CKD’s effectiveness in removing heavy metals from wastewater residuals. A comprehensive experimental program was conducted to optimize key parameters such as the pH (6–9), contact time, sorbent dosage, and initial heavy metal concentrations using a batch equilibrium technique. The results demonstrated that CKD can effectively remove heavy metals, achieving removal efficiencies of 98% for Pb, 94% for Zn, 92% for Cu, and 90% for Cd within just 4 h of treatment. Importantly, CKD not only provided high adsorption efficiency but also resulted in a significant reduction in the formation of hazardous solid sludge, a major concern in traditional wastewater treatment methods. The adsorption data closely matched the Langmuir isotherm model, further validating CKD’s potential as a sustainable, cost-effective solution for reducing heavy metal contamination in wastewater while minimizing the environmental impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adsorption Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Processes)
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