Removal of Dyes from Waste Water Using Low-Cost Adsorbents

The principal objective of this article is a thorough analysis of the usage of inexpensive adsorbents to eliminate dyes from different aquatic environments. Dyes, commonly employed in industries—textiles, pharmaceuticals, and food, pose a significant environmental concern due to their persistence and potential toxicity. In response, researchers have explored the efficacy of low-cost adsorbents (LCAs) as sustainable and economical alternatives for dye elimination. An overview of the environmental effects of dye contamination and the difficulties in using traditional dye removal techniques is given at the outset of the paper. It then delves into the diverse range of LCAs, including agricultural by-products, waste materials, and natural substances, that have shown promise in adsorbing and eliminating dye contaminants. Examples of such adsorbents include activated carbon (AC) derived from agricultural residues, bio-adsorbents from various plant materials, and industrial by-products with inherent adsorption properties. Key mechanisms involved in the adsorption process, such as surface chemistry, pore structure, and electrostatic interactions, are elucidated to offer a fundamental understanding of the sorption capabilities of these materials. This comprehensive review consolidates the current knowledge on dye removal utilizing LCAs, offering insights into the challenges, advancements, and future directions in this environmentally significant field. The findings underscore the potential of harnessing readily available, sustainable materials as effective sorbents for mitigating the adverse impacts of dye pollutants in aqueous systems. The adsorption capacity is comparable to supplementary adsorbents suggested for the removal of dyes. The widely accessible adsorption properties of basic and acidic dyes do not significantly differ from one another.