Wastewater remediation via combo-technology

Abstract The availability of safe water has been an ongoing problem and is becoming worse with increasing urbanization and population density. Only about 30% of the fresh water total is available on earth, in groundwater and surface water, for drinking and other daily human activities as well as industrial and agricultural activities. Further, 20% of the available fresh water is not available to humans living in remote areas, 60% of fresh water cannot be captured, as it comes at inconvenient times and places (e.g., monsoons and floods), and 18% of fresh water is contaminated by human activities. Only about 2% of fresh water is available for usage. Developed countries have advanced technology for water treatment and are thus able to manage the problem of water scarcity to a large extent, but advanced technology is largely unprocurable in developing and undeveloped countries due to cost. Based on the current population growth rate, it has been estimated that over 3.5 billion people will be in a water scarcity condition by 2025. The problem has become exacerbated due to the introduction of various recalcitrant, nondegradable compounds by agricultural and industrial activities. These compounds cannot be removed completely by any current available technologies. Thus, there is an urgent need of easily procurable technology with excellent efficacy in wastewater treatment.