Hardened granular aqueous solution treatment media made from naturally-occurring, carbon-based organic materials that have partially decayed or decomposed over time in the ground, are plant or animal-based products that were subjected to a bacterial or thermal decomposition process to partially decompose the organic materials contained therein, or are fermented products not meant for human consumption, namely, hardened granular water treatment media for physical filtration and adsorption of aqueous phase heavy metal cations from waste waters, the treatment media being made from peat, composted media, plant by-products, crop by-product residues, distiller's grains, sileage, livestock manure, sewage sludge, lignite coal, charcoal, partially-decomposed wood, torrefied wood chips, Biochar, apatite (calcium phosphate), zeolites, and combinations thereof; Chemically-modified, hardened granular aqueous solution treatment media made from naturally-occurring, carbon-based organic materials that have partially decayed or decomposed over time in the ground, are plant or animal-based products that were subjected to a bacterial or thermal decomposition process to partially decompose the organic materials contained therein, or are fermented products not meant for human consumption, namely, hardened granular water treatment media reacted with an acid solution, salt solution, or other chemical reactants for adsorption of aqueous phase heavy metal cations from wastewaters or use as an ion exchanger for anions contained in wastewaters, the treatment media being made from peat, composted media, plant by-products, crop by-product residues, distiller's grains, sileage, livestock manure, sewage sludge, lignite coal, charcoal, partially-decomposed wood, torrefied wood chips, Biochar, apatite (calcium phosphate), zeolites, and combinations thereof

Carrier media for microbial cultures