Advances in wastewater sludge treatment usingnatural materials and advanced oxidation processes

Significant concerns about increasing quantities of the biological excess sludge inwastewater treatment plants prompted efforts to develop novel technologies. In thisregard, one of the most important approaches in relation to the proper waste management,based on sustainable development goals, is the employing novel efficient methods likeadvanced oxidation processes (AOPs), and on the other hand, using natural and wastematerials as alternative to conventional most chemical synthetic materials comply withthe sludge treatment purposes. Therefore, in the last decade our research team hasconducted several experimental studies in that respect. In this review, besidesinternational research opportunities and approaches, the own researches results arepresented accordingly (AOPs performance: optimum volatile suspended solids removal =۷۴-۸۱%, sludge dewatering efficiency equals to above ۴۱%, and efficient heavy metalsremoval, e.g. chromium, molybdenum, copper, lead, zinc, and mercury. Also usingnatural bentonite and Kaolin, and their modifications). The results showed promisingadvancement considering the sustainable development goals (SDGs).