Dyes in water: characteristics, impacts to the environment and human health, and the removal strategies

Abstract

Global concern on environmental problems has intensified over years due to the non- stop generation of waste. Inevitable release of pollutants is mainly due to the improper management of industrial effluents. Of these, polluted effluent from the textile industries, namely dyes are declared as one of the major sources of wastewater in developing countries. The effluent laden with dyes affects not only the aquatic creatures but also human being who depends heavily on the water for daily uses. Because of the toxic nature of dyes, it is therefore imperative to treat the dyes-polluted water. The objectives of this chapter are to provide general overview on the types of dyes and their applications, to highlight their influence on the environment and human health, and to shed some light on the current removal strategies that have been employed to overcome the release of dyes in water. The advantages and disadvantages of some removal techniques are also discussed.