NATURAL SORBENTS: AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE FOR WATER TREATMENT

With growing pressure on water resources and stricter requirements for wastewater quality, increasing attention is being paid to the development of environmentally safe and economically viable purification methods. This review examines the potential of natural sorbents for the removal of various contaminants from wastewater. A comprehensive analysis of scientific studies on the use of natural sorbents in wastewater treatment is presented. Particular focus is placed on recent research concerning natural materials such as zeolites, bentonite, shungite, diatomite, and clays, and their interactions with pollutants. The methodological framework is based on an examination of domestic and international scientific publications over the past decade. The findings highlight the high adsorption capacity of natural sorbents and emphasize the potential of diatomite from Kazakhstan deposits for further application in wastewater treatment. This review contributes to advancing scientific understanding of sustainable water treatment technologies and may serve as a foundation for developing new solutions to enhance treatment system efficiency.