Review of zero-valent aluminium based water and wastewater treatment methods

Zero-valent metals (ZVM) are widely used to remove heavy metals, contaminants, toxicity, etc. from water and wastewater. Zero-valent aluminium (ZVAl) has large surface area and high surface reactivity. It has enormous flexibility for the in-situ application. ZVAl can be applied as either a single or a bimetallic system as well as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). It is observed that ZVAl is capable of generating hydroxyl and sulfate radicals in water medium, which remove non-biodegradable pollutants from aqueous solution. ZVAl-based processes can remove non-biodegradable organic contaminants from water medium within a short duration. ZVAl is also used as a reducing agent. It is efficient to reduce toxic hexavalent chromium to less toxic trivalent chromium. ZVAl, in various combinations in bimetallic system (Fe/Al, Pd/Al, Cu/Al), is able to remove various contaminants from aqueous medium. Overall, it can be concluded that ZVAl-based methods for water and wastewater treatment are promising environmental technologies.