Nanomaterial-based biosorbents: Adsorbent for efficient removal of selected organic pollutants from industrial wastewater

The contamination of the environment by organic pollutants is a major risk factor, particularly for developing countries. Selected organic pollutants (SOPs) like the phenolic compounds, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and herbicides pose serious environmental and health issues owing to their toxic characteristics and poor degradability. Apart from their potential mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, tetragenicity and high body accumulation, these pollutants have become an increase concern worldwide. Biosorption is a promising alternative strategy for removing organic pollutants during water purification processes. Biosorbents have several advantages such as simplicity of operation, good sorption capacity, high recoverability and modifiability. As a result, the focus and novelty of this review is on recent trends in the use of biosorbents, with a particular emphasis on the removal of SOPs from wastewater. It also cover use of bacteria biosorbents, fungal, algae and chitosan/chitin biosorbents. Apart from that, we have also reviewed various classes of SOPs, their levels in the environment, classification and available characteristics techniques suitable for the adsorption experiments of these nanocomposites materials. In addition, we have provided comprehensive explanations and conclusions on possible future application of biosorbents and the mechanism of adsorption of these materials for removal of these SOPs from wastewater during water purification processes.