ABSTRACT
THE toxic effects of heavy metals in water, even in trace quantities, are well known. Trace elements, such as copper, lead, zinc, arsenic, etc., found in wastewaters are designated as priority pollutants by the U.S.EPA. Industrial sources of heavy metals include metal process ing and refining, metal plating, petroleum refining, chloroalkali production, battery manu facturing, steel production, pigment manufacturing, tanning, anodizing, photographic film manufacturing, automotive production, etc. Every year, in the United States, these industries produce billions of gallons of wastewater containing heavy metals. The release of these sub stances into the environment needs to be controlled to minimize effects on aquatic life and downstream uses. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations pertaining to discharges containing heavy metals necessitate the development of technically and economically feasi ble processes for the removal of these metals from wastewater.
