Pyrite-based materials for heavy metals wastewater remediation: progress and challenges

Highlights

	● The mechanisms underlying heavy metal removal by pyrite were explored.
	● Pyrite modification methods and their enhancement mechanisms were investigated.
	● The applications and performance of pyrite were comprehensively summarized.
	● Future research directions for pyrite-based materials were critically identified.

Abstract

The heavy metal pollution in water, largely driven by human activities, has become a significant concern in China. Pyrite has gained attention for treating heavy metal wastewater due to its excellent adsorptive and redox properties, affordability, and environmental compatibility. However, the inherent limitations of natural pyrite, such as its small specific surface area, inadequate active sites, and tendency to agglomerate, hinder its effectiveness in removing heavy metal ions. To address these shortcomings and optimize pyrite’s performance in practical applications, various modification strategies have been developed. In this paper, the oxidation, reduction, and adsorption capabilities of pyrite with respect to different heavy metal ions have been systematically reviewed by the comparison of the underlying mechanisms. We also discussed pyrite modification strategies and their corresponding enhancement mechanisms. Finally, the paper systematically reviews the current application status and future research trends of pyrite and its modified composites in heavy metal wastewater treatment. Basically, this work provides a systematic review on pyrite-based materials for heavy metal removal, from theoretical insights to practical applications and future modification strategies.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Pyrite / Modification / Heavy metal / Redox / Adsorption

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Conflict of Interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFC1802300) and Special Project for Basic Scientific Research Operations of Public Welfare Research Institutes at the Central Level (Self-supporting Projects of Institutes) (China) (PM-zx703-202406-192).

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