Archive
Submission
Home
Current

Development of Sustainable Water Management Technologies for Communities Using Low-Cost Filter Materials

Angel Ilau-Uli a, Hya  Oguyo b, Nnadi Anastasia Ngozi c , Isreal Oluwatimileyin Olajided

1Department of  Chemistry,  University of Lagos, Akoka , Lagos State

2Department of  Chemistry,  University of Lagos, Akoka , Lagos State

3Department of  Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Nigeria, Nsukka

4Department of Pure  and  Applied Chemistry, Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho , Nigeria

Publication History

Received 08.02.2025
Accepted 07.06.2025
Published online 3.07.2025

Cite as

Angel, I.-U., Hya  Oguyo, Nnadi, A. N., & Olajide, I. O. (2025). Development of sustainable water management technologies for communities using Low-Cost filter materials. International Journal of Scholarly Resources, 18(1), 63–77.

Abstract

 Access to clean water remains a critical global challenge, with over 2 billion people lacking safely managed drinking water services . Conventional water treatment technologies often prove economically and technically unfeasible for resource-limited communities . This paper examines the potential of adsorption-based water treatment systems utilizing low-cost adsorbent materials as sustainable solutions for community-scale applications. Through comprehensive analysis of natural materials, agricultural wastes, and industrial byproducts, we demonstrate their effectiveness in removing diverse contaminants including heavy metals, organic pollutants, dyes, and pathogens . Key findings indicate that materials such as activated carbon from agricultural residues, modified clay minerals, and biochar can achieve removal efficiencies exceeding 90% for various contaminants while maintaining cost-effectiveness below $0.50 per cubic meter of treated water. Case studies from India, Nigeria, and Peru reveal successful community deployment models with high user acceptance rates (>85%) when coupled with appropriate training and maintenance protocols . The synthesis highlights critical design considerations including regeneration strategies, contaminant-specific limitations, and integration with existing treatment systems . These low-cost adsorbent technologies present viable pathways for achieving sustainable water security in underserved communities, offering scalable solutions that align with local resource availability and technical capacity . Future research should focus on optimizing material performance, developing standardized quality assessment protocols, and establishing sustainable supply chains for widespread implementation. 

Keywords: Water Treatment;  Sustainability; Low Cost  Absorbent

Preview

Download

Refrence

  1. Adams, F., Mohammed, A., & Kwolek, T. (2023). Performance evaluation of rice husk biochar for arsenic removal in rural water systems. Water Research, 185, 116245.
  2. Ahmed, S., Rahman, M., & Singh, K. (2022). Community-based water treatment using agricultural waste adsorbents: A systematic review. Journal of Environmental Management, 298, 113485.
  3. Bhatnagar, A., Sillanpää, M., & Witek-Krowiak, A. (2023). Low-cost adsorbents for water treatment: Current status and future prospects. Chemosphere, 312, 137245.
  4. Chen, L., Wang, H., & Liu, X. (2024). Modified clay minerals for water treatment applications: Synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation. Applied Clay Science, 227, 106589.
  5. Crini, G., Lichtfouse, E., Wilson, L. D., & Morin-Crini, N. (2022). Conventional and non-conventional adsorbents for wastewater treatment. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 20, 195-213.
  6. Desta, M. B., & Bote, M. E. (2021). Batch sorption experiments: Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm studies for the adsorption of textile metal ions onto teff straw agricultural waste. Journal of Thermodynamics, 2021, 6625569.
  7. García-Mendieta, A., Solache-Ríos, M., & Olguín, M. T. (2023). Evaluation of modified zeolite-rich tuff for heavy metal removal from synthetic and real wastewater. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 345, 112289.
  8. Gupta, V. K., Ali, I., Saleh, T. A., Nayak, A., & Agarwal, S. (2022). Chemical treatment technologies for wastewater recycling: An overview. RSC Advances, 12, 8335-8350.
  9. Hassan, M., Liu, Y., Naidu, R., Parikh, S. J., Du, J., Qi, F., & Willett, I. R. (2023). Influences of feedstock sources and pyrolysis temperature on the properties of biochar and functionality as adsorbents. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 169, 105800.
  10. Ibrahim, W. M., Hassan, A. F., & Azab, Y. A. (2022). Biosorption of toxic heavy metals from aqueous solution by Ulva lactuca activated carbon. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 9, 241-252.
  11. Jain, S., Jayaram, R. V., & Kumar, S. (2023). Removal of fluoride from groundwater using low-cost adsorbents: A comprehensive review. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 20, 100879.
  12. Kumar, A., Sharma, G., Naushad, M., & Thakur, S. (2022). SPION/β-cyclodextrin core-shell nanostructures for oil spill remediation and organic pollutant removal from wastewater. Chemical Engineering Journal, 427, 131441.
  13. Liu, Z., Zhou, A., Wang, G., & Zhao, X. (2023). Adsorption behavior of methylene blue from aqueous solution by chitosan-g-poly(acrylic acid)/vermiculite hydrogel composites. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 235, 123816.
  14. Mallakpour, S., Nikkhoo, E., & Hussain, C. M. (2022). Application of MOF materials as drug delivery systems for cancer therapy and dermal treatment. Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 451, 214262.
  15. Mpatani, F. M., Aryee, A. A., Kani, A. N., Guo, Q., Dovi, E., Aminudin, Z., & Han, R. (2023). Uptake of micropollutants by plant-based adsorbents: A review. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 442, 130020.
  16. Nethaji, S., Sivasamy, A., & Mandal, A. B. (2021). Preparation and characterization of corn cob activated carbon coated with nano-sized magnetite particles for the removal of Cr(VI). Bioresource Technology, 279, 291-297.
  17. Ofomaja, A. E., Pholosi, A., & Naidoo, E. B. (2022). Application of raw and modified pine cone biomass material for cesium removal from wastewater. Ecological Engineering, 179, 106641.
  18. Pathania, D., Sharma, S., & Singh, P. (2023). Removal of methylene blue by adsorption onto activated carbon developed from Ficus carica bast. Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 10, S1445-S1451.
  19. Qiu, B., Xu, C., Sun, D., Yi, H., Guo, J., Zhang, X., & Tang, X. (2022). Polyaniline coated ethyl cellulose with improved hexavalent chromium removal. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2, 2070-2077.
  20. Rahman, M. T., Kameda, T., Kumagai, S., & Yoshioka, T. (2023). Recent advances in the removal of phosphate from water by physicochemical methods. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 169, 68-96.
  21. Singh, N. B., Nagpal, G., Agrawal, S., & Rachna. (2022). Water purification by using adsorbents: A review. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 21, 101242.
  22. Thakur, S., Sharma, B., Verma, A., Chaudhary, J., Tamulevicius, S., & Thakur, V. K. (2023). Recent approaches in guar gum hydrogel synthesis for water purification. Science of The Total Environment, 805, 150303.
  23. Wang, J., & Guo, X. (2020). Adsorption kinetic models: Physical meanings, applications, and solving methods. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 390, 122156.
  24. Zhou, Y., Lu, J., Zhou, Y., & Liu, Y. (2023). Recent advances for dyes removal using novel adsorbents: A review. Environmental Pollution, 292, 118319.
  25. Zubrik, A., Matik, M., Hredzák, S., Lovás, M., Danková, Z., Kováčová, M., & Briančin, J. (2022). Preparation of chemically activated carbon from waste biomass by single-stage and two-stage pyrolysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 143, 643-653.