Review on recent progress in chitosan/chitin-carbonaceous material composites for the adsorption of water pollutants

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 247; p. 116690
• Main Authors: Ahmed, M.J., Hameed, B.H., Hummadi, E.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Adsorption; Biopolymer; Carbon - chemistry; Carbonaceous materials; Chitin - chemistry; Chitosan - chemistry; Composite; Recycling - methods; Water pollutant; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Carbonaceous materials; Water pollutant; Composite; Adsorption; Biopolymer
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116690

•Chitosan/chitin biopolymer-carbonaceous material composites were reviewed.•Composites showed developed porous structures relative to their raw biopolymers.•Enhanced adsorption for various water pollutants was reported on composites.•NaOH was the most applied and high efficient eluent for regeneration purpose. Chitosan and chitin are categorized as low cost, renewable and eco-friendly biopolymers. However, they have low mechanical properties and unfavorable pore properties in terms of low surface area and total pore volume that limit their adsorption application. Many studies have shown that such weaknesses can be avoided by preparation of composites with carbonaceous materials from these biopolymers. This article provides a systematic review on the preparation of chitosan/chitin-carbonaceous material composites. Commonly used carbonaceous materials such as activated carbon, biochar, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and graphene to prepare composites are discussed. The application of chitosan/chitin-carbonaceous material composites for the adsorption of various water pollutants, and the regeneration and reusability of adsorbents are also included. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for the adsorbents applied for the adsorption of water pollutants are summarized.