Enhancing wastewater treatment for industrial sludge remediation using nanomaterials

Industrial wastewater remediation remains a critical challenge due to the complex presence of dyes, heavy metals, and toxic surfactants. This study proposes an advanced nano-enabled treatment framework integrated with a secure data collection mechanism to enhance remediation efficiency and environmental transparency. Utilizing TiO2, ZnO, Graphene oxide (GO), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the research evaluates pollutant degradation across varying concentrations and contact times. Experimental results demonstrate that Zinc Oxide (ZnO) achieves a 96.2% removal efficiency within 30 min, while Fe3O4 nanoparticles provide rapid action with 94.7% removal in just 20 min. Notably, magnetic carbon composites reached a peak efficiency of 98.3%. Beyond chemical efficacy, the study incorporates the WSN-DS dataset and cryptographic hashing to forward treatment parameters to a blockchain network, ensuring immutable data integrity. Findings reveal that GO led in versatile pollutant removal, achieving 92% dye removal and 80% COD reduction, while successfully stabilizing pH levels from highly acidic (3.8) to neutral (6.9). Compared to conventional methods (60% efficiency), this approach satisfies USEPA standards and ensures compliance with BOD and TSS requirements. This synergistic integration of nanotechnology and blockchain offers a scalable, secure, and highly efficient solution for sustainable industrial sludge management.