Review Article on Cement Kiln Dust Based Low-Cost Adsorbents for COD Removal from Domestic Wastewater

Abstract

The increasing levels of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in domestic wastewater pose significant environmental challenges. Conventional treatment methods often prove costly and ineffective for large-scale applications. Cement Kiln Dust (CKD), a by-product of cement manufacturing, has emerged as a promising low-cost adsorbent for COD removal. This review explores the adsorption potential of CKD, its physicochemical properties, and its effectiveness in treating domestic wastewater. Various studies suggest that CKD exhibits high adsorption efficiency, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional adsorbents. However, concerns such as leaching of heavy metals and long-term stability require further investigation. This paper aims to provide an overview of CKD\'s applicability, optimization parameters, and future research directions for its integration into wastewater treatment systems.

Introduction

The reviewed text discusses the use of Cement Kiln Dust (CKD)—a by-product of cement manufacturing—as a low-cost and sustainable adsorbent for removing Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) from domestic wastewater. COD is a key indicator of organic pollution and must be effectively reduced to improve water quality and protect the environment. Traditional treatment methods are costly and inefficient under certain conditions, particularly in rural or resource-limited settings.

CKD, due to its high alkalinity, porous structure, and chemical composition, shows promise as an alternative adsorbent for COD and other contaminants like heavy metals and dyes. Utilizing CKD not only helps in wastewater treatment but also addresses the environmental issue of industrial waste disposal, aligning with sustainable development goals.

Literature Review Highlights:

Several studies demonstrate CKD’s effectiveness in treating wastewater:

1. CKD for Heavy Metal Removal (Elmaadawy et al., 2025): Achieved over 90% removal of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd using CKD with minimal sludge generation.

2. CKD and Water Treatment Residuals (WTR) (Esawy et al., 2020): Effective in COD and heavy metal removal from textile wastewater; WTR boosted COD adsorption up to 100 mg/g.

3. CKD as Alternative Coagulant (Hasaballah et al., 2021): Removed COD, BOD, TP, and heavy metals effectively; improved DO levels significantly.

4. Feasibility for Municipal Wastewater (Galagali & Salunkhe, 2015): COD removal with optimal CKD dosage of 2 g/L; confirmed cost-effectiveness.

5. CKD for Dye Removal (Syala et al., 2025): Successfully removed dyes like Methylene Blue and Congo Red from simulated wastewater using CKD.

6. CKD and Fly Ash Review (Elbaz et al., 2019): Advocated for CKD's role in various industries, especially in waste treatment and sustainable construction.

7. CKD as Coagulant (Pavithra & Rajkumar, 2021): Demonstrated CKD's capability to improve domestic wastewater parameters, suggesting its use as a substitute for traditional chemicals.

Proposed Methodology:

To evaluate CKD’s potential for COD removal, the study proposes the following steps:

1. Characterization of CKD using:

   • XRF (chemical composition)

   • BET (surface area)

   • SEM (morphology)

   • XRD (crystallinity)

2. Preparation of Adsorbent:

   • Physical or chemical modification of CKD

   • Sizing and preparation for batch studies

3. Collection of Domestic Wastewater:

   • Sampling from local sources

   • Baseline parameter analysis (COD, BOD, pH, TSS)

4. Batch Adsorption Experiments:

   • Varying pH, CKD dosage, contact time, and initial COD concentration

   • Measuring COD removal efficiency

5. Comparison with Conventional Adsorbents:

   • Using activated carbon and clay minerals for benchmarking

   • Evaluating performance, cost, and sustainability

Conclusion

The review highlights the potential of CKD as a sustainable and economical adsorbent for COD removal from domestic wastewater. Preliminary findings suggest that CKD exhibits promising adsorption efficiency, but further research is needed to address challenges such as leaching of heavy metals, long-term stability, and large-scale applicability. Future studies should focus on process optimization, pilot-scale investigations, and integration with existing wastewater treatment technologies to enhance the feasibility of CKD-based treatment systems.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Ms. Rina Kodape , Prof. Pranjali Karhade . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.