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@article{210575,
        author = {Aparna Srivastava and Shafaque Aziz and Suman Kumari and Abhay Kumar},
        title = {Low-Cost Adsorbents for Landfill Leachate Treatment: A Systematic Review},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {6},
        pages = {2040-2062},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=210575},
        abstract = {Landfill leachate is among the most complex and hazardous wastewater streams generated by municipal solid waste disposal, carrying heavy metals, recalcitrant organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, and intense colour. Conventional treatments such as activated carbon adsorption, membrane filtration, and advanced oxidation are effective but often economically prohibitive for developing regions and small-to-medium landfills, which has driven interest in low-cost adsorbents derived from natural minerals, agricultural and industrial by-products, and waste materials. We conducted this systematic review to synthesize the evidence on low-cost adsorbents for leachate treatment and to benchmark them against commercial activated carbon. Six databases and search engines were searched, two independent reviewers screened records, and 75 studies were included. Zeolites, natural and modified, were most effective for ammoniacal nitrogen; carbonaceous materials, including activated carbons and biochars, dominated colour and COD removal; and engineered or modified clays, metal oxides, and biopolymer composites delivered the highest heavy metal capacities. Commercial activated carbon often achieves higher capacity per unit mass, but several low-cost alternatives reached comparable removals under optimized conditions at lower cost. Integrated treatment trains that couple oxidative, coagulation, or biological stages with adsorption outperformed stand-alone adsorption. However, reported optimal conditions are inconsistent, regeneration and long-term performance data are limited, techno-economic assessments are largely absent, and few studies reach pilot scale. Standardized protocols, techno-economic and life cycle analyses, and pilot-scale validation of hybrid treatment trains are priorities for future research.},
        keywords = {Landfill leachate treatment, low-cost adsorbents, natural and waste-derived materials, contaminant removal, systematic review.},
        month = {November},
        }