Phytoremediation: A Shift Towards Sustainability for Dairy Wastewater Treatment

Dairy processing industries are rising with excessive generation of wastewater. Traditional treatments do not offer energy-efficient removal and produce excess sludge. This review emphasises phytoremediation, a sustainable approach, with a comprehensive outline about the phytotechniques for remediating dairy wastewater with resource recovery and electricity generation by integrating microbial fuel cells.

Abstract

Dairy processing industries have emerged as the most swiftly evolving sectors with excessive wastewater generation containing proteins, fat, oils, greases (FOGs), etc. As there is rising strain on energy usage and dependence on water resources, sustainable research focuses on reduction in wastewater generation and developing value-added goods. An effective and widely explored sustainable technique for treating wastewater is phytoremediation, a plant-based process. This review aims to analyze phytoremediation as a sustainable alternative for dairy wastewater treatment. It initially briefs about dairy wastewater characteristics and treatment alternatives and discusses constructed wetlands and hydroponic system in detail with mechanism insights and influenced process parameters. Interconnected technologies with phytoremediation and their impact on contaminant transformations, nutrient reuse, and detoxification of pollutants are encompassed. Also, resource recovery and biomass utilization, feedstock enrichment along with the future prospects of integrated hydroponic systems for achieving sustainability with efficient resource recovery are featured.

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