Green Solutions for Heavy Metal Remediation: Unveiling the Potential of Agricultural Waste through Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

The global prevalence of heavy metal contamination presents formidable challenges to both environmental integrity and human health, underscoring the critical need for the implementation of efficacious remediation strategies. Utilizing agricultural waste as a viable and sustainable approach to address heavy metal pollution in contaminated environments, diverse agricultural waste materials, such as crop residues, animal manure, and by-products from food processing unit, are assessed for their efficacy in heavy metal sorption and immobilization. Through a holistic framework integrating techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), the study assesses the heavy metal sorption and immobilization capabilities of different agricultural waste materials. Comprehensive TEA investigates the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of implementing agricultural waste-based remediation techniques relative to conventional methodologies. Furthermore, LCA analyzes the environmental impact of these remediation techniques, including resource consumption, emissions, and waste generation throughout their entire life cycles. The chapter elucidates the promising potential of agricultural waste as a sustainable and economically viable alternative for heavy metal remediation, emphasizing the necessity of incorporating technological and environmental assessments for informed decision-making in environmental management practices. © 2025 selection and editorial matter Veer Singh, Ashish Kumar, Vishal Mishra and Sachchida Nand Rai; individual chapters, the contributors.