Wastewater remediation for reuse through emerging technologies

The presence of enormous numbers of contaminants in wastewaters and their potential risks has drawn much attention from various scientific groups and global politicians within the last decade. Freshwater quality and distribution, particularly for domestic and industrial consumption, are deteriorating, with contamination threats from water resources. Multiple technologies have been used in conventional wastewater treatment (WWT) settings to purify water to a desirable quality. However, the design and selection of suitable cost-effective and environmentally friendly treatment processes for wastewater are essential and have many considerations, including availability of land, energy sources, effluent quality, and operational simplicity. This chapter focuses on the application of advanced and widely used molecular tools and technologies for water remediation. Membranes, activated carbon, composites materials, ozonation, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are reviewed to assess their efficiency and safety in the elimination of contaminants from wastewater effluents. The main applications, basic principles, merits, and demerits of the aforementioned technologies are addressed in relation to their current limitations and future prospects in terms of renewable energy to overcome the current global water and energy crisis.