A Review on Green Porous Composites Made of Cellulose and Chitosan Derivatives for Water Treatment

Abstract

Water pollution is one of the alarming issues with many common cases such as oil spills from oil tankers on the sea, and wastewater containing high levels of heavy metals and dyes, especially in the textile industry. These situations seriously affect the development of the water ecosystem and the health of the surrounding population, flora, and fauna. Recently, porous materials have been considered an effective solution in dealing with water problems because of their ability to absorb large amounts of pollutants when properly activated. In this study, we provide an overview of the porous composites made of cellulose and chitosan, which are the two huge resources in agricultural and fishery by-products in developing countries. The foams, hydrogel beads, membranes, and aerogels blending cellulose and chitosan, illustrate the efficient absorption of oils, solvents, dyes, and heavy metals in wastewater. This review introduces the status of the mentioned water pollution problems; the abundance of the two natural ingredients extracted from the bio-wastes; analysis and comparison of different methods to synthesize the cellulose/chitosan porous composites along with their physico-chemical characteristics. Finally, applications and a forward-looking view of the porous composites in water treatment are discussed to show a promising research direction in developing advanced and functional materials.