Abstract

Heavy metal pollution due to industrial effluents poses significant environmental and health risks. To address this issue, various techniques have been employed, among them electrogravimetric technique has emerged as a promising solution, effectively removing heavy metals through electrochemical precipitation. This review critically evaluates the technique’s principles, advantages, and applications, highlighting its effectiveness in removing most common heavy metals from various industrial effluents. The technique has demonstrated impressive removal efficiencies of above 90% under optimal operating conditions, as evidenced by case studies. However, challenges such as scaling up, electrode corrosion, and competing ions must be addressed to enhance its feasibility. Future research directions include exploring novel electrode materials, optimizing operating conditions, developing hybrid treatment approaches, and designing modular systems. The integration of electrogravimetric technique with emerging trends, such as sustainable technologies, water reuse, and advanced oxidation processes, holds great potential. By addressing the challenges and capitalizing on these trends, electrogravimetric technique can become a leading technology for heavy metal removal from industrial effluents, ensuring environmental protection, human health protection, industrial sustainability, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. Overall, this review underscores the significance of electrogravimetric technique in mitigating heavy metal pollution and highlights areas for future research and development. Recommendations include conducting thorough economic analyses, developing novel electrode materials, optimizing operating conditions, exploring hybrid treatment approaches, and establishing industry-wide standards.

Keywords:Electrogravimetry; Heavy metal removal; Industrial effluent treatment; Electrochemical precipitation, Wastewater remediation