ADSORBENTS NATURAL AS CONTROLLERS OF AQUATIC POLLUTANTS: A REVIEW

Abstract

In recent years the acce lerated industrial development has increased contamination by toxic metals into water resourc es . Due its low biodegradability and high toxicity, new adsorbents, cheaper and more efficient, are investigating on worldwide as a form of decrease the human health damage . On this way , this paper aims to present a bibliographic review on the main bioadsor bents used to toxic metals adsorption on aquatic environments, and also the main human healt h damage incidence when these metals are found on higher legislation permissible concentrati ons . The main toxic metals found on aquatic environments are Pb , Cr, Zn, Cu, As and Hg, highly toxic to human health , causing different types of cancers , brain damage and k idney , liver disease , lesions on bones and respiratory problems . Therefore , a variety of biomaterials are successfully be used as adsorbents of different metal ions around the world, like bio mass produced from different agricultural waste , chitosan and different cellulosic materials and hemicellulosics . Biomass es from different orig ins are excellent materials for the hydr ic pollution control . However , the use of biomass as natural adsorbent to environmental pollution control has been little explored at several countries, especially Brazil , a country rich on different biomass types . Thus , the use of these materials as adsorbents is an innovative technology on water pollution control .