Research highlights
► Industrial wastes have been investigated for heavy metals removal from wastewaters. ► Fly ash, waste slurry, red mud, lignin, sugar beet pulp, blast furnace slag, tea industry waste, and sugar cane bagasse have been proven to be a promising material. ► For efficient utilization of these industrial wastes as potential adsorbents newer technology should be developed. ► To find out the practical utilization, more research should be conducted in this direction.