Enhancing wastewater treatment for industrial sludge remediation using nanomaterials

Industrial wastewater remediation remains a critical challenge due to the complex presence of dyes, heavy metals, and toxic surfactants. This study proposes an advanced nano-enabled treatment framework integrated with a secure data collection mechanism to enhance remediation efficiency and environmental transparency. Utilizing TiO₂, ZnO, Graphene oxide (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the research evaluates pollutant degradation across varying concentrations and contact times. Experimental results demonstrate that Zinc Oxide (ZnO) achieves a 96.2% removal efficiency within 30 min, while Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles provide rapid action with 94.7% removal in just 20 min. Notably, magnetic carbon composites reached a peak efficiency of 98.3%. Beyond chemical efficacy, the study incorporates the WSN-DS dataset and cryptographic hashing to forward treatment parameters to a blockchain network, ensuring immutable data integrity. Findings reveal that GO led in versatile pollutant removal, achieving 92% dye removal and 80% COD reduction, while successfully stabilizing pH levels from highly acidic (3.8) to neutral (6.9). Compared to conventional methods (60% efficiency), this approach satisfies USEPA standards and ensures compliance with BOD and TSS requirements. This synergistic integration of nanotechnology and blockchain offers a scalable, secure, and highly efficient solution for sustainable industrial sludge management.