Adsorption-Based Pretreatment of Irrigation Water to Prevent Water Quality Issues

Abstract

Access to and the use of irrigation water of adequate quality and targeted nutrient supplementation have become more widespread in recent years. Both crop quality and the irrigation system lifetime are affected by the quality of the water used for irrigation. Micro-irrigation (e.g., drip and sprinkle) is becoming increasingly common alongside the more typical irrigation methods, but it requires expertise and pre-treatment to ensure a proper water supply. The most significant problem is clogging, which can greatly reduce irrigation efficiency. Treatment for irrigation purposes mainly depends on the contaminants that are present in the water. The main treatment options available are biological, electromagnetic and electrostatic treatments, but these have a wide range of effectiveness levels compared to membrane separation technologies. In addition, adsorption treatments are also available, which, depending on the adsorbent used, can greatly improve the pre-treatment of irrigation water. This work provides an overview of adsorbents suitable for the treatment of irrigation water and their effectiveness. The separation of interfering components via adsorption is effective and promising for future application as the expected irrigation demands increase.

Radionuclide Removal from Aqueous Solutions Using Oxidized Carbon Fabrics

“…There are many methods (e.g., reverse osmosis, precipitation) to remove pollutants, including radionuclides, from waste and process waters [18][19][20][21]. However, the low cost and ease of operation, as well as the wide spectrum of adsorbent materials available, make adsorption-based technologies very attractive regarding the removal of pollutants [22][23][24]. In this respect, lightweight nanoporous carbon-based materials, including activated carbons, have been suggested as a promising category of adsorbents for the removal of pollutants from water sources due to their large surface areas and pore volumes, tunable and hierarchical pore structures and high adsorption capacities [25].…”