Recent advances in applications of activated carbon from biowaste for wastewater treatment: A short review

Rapid population growth and the resultant pollution of freshwater sources are expected to create water stress conditions on the world in the near future. Adsorption technique is a popular method in reducing the amount of pollutants that enter water bodies, and researchers are focusing on development of activated carbons from cheap sources to replace costly commercial activated carbons. Remediation of wastewater using activated carbon from biowaste (defined in this paper as waste material derived from living organisms or of organic origin, and capable of decomposing under anaerobic or aerobic conditions) is gaining attention among researchers, as such technology reduces the cost of activated carbon production while reducing the cost on biowaste disposal. This paper summarizes recent development and findings on application of activated carbon synthesized from biowaste in wastewater treatment. Adsorption efficiencies of newly developed activated carbons in treatment of different pollutants (including dyes, metal ions, pharmaceutical and personal care products, organic pollutants) in simulated and real wastewater are also tabulated for easy reference. The potential of activated carbons modified with magnetic materials is also discussed, followed by recent advances and challenges in applications of activated carbons derived from biowaste in wastewater treatment.