Recent advances in adsorbents for the removal of phthalate esters from water: Material, modification, and application

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are widely distributed in water reserves and also present in food, especially alcoholic beverage and edible oil, which has caused serious health and safety concerns recently. Development of efficient technologies for PAEs removal is urgent and highly desirable. The adsorption process is preferred for physical recovery of PAEs, and the characteristics of adsorbents determine the adsorption performance. In the last decade, many types of adsorbents have been developed for PAEs removal. However, the adsorption mechanisms and the design strategies of the adsorbents need further summary and discussion to guide practical applications. This review pays special emphasis on the recent progresses and challenges in the field of adsorbent materials and their application for PAEs removal. Herein, the characteristics of PAEs molecules and their adsorption interaction mechanisms with adsorbents are introduced. Then, the materials used as adsorbents and their modification strategies are reviewed and suggested based on the types of PAEs and adsorption mechanisms. Furthermore, the influencing factors including pH, humic acid, and ionic strength are analyzed. Next, the economic viability is discussed based on the regeneration and cost of adsorbents for the adsorption removal of PAEs. Finally, future research directions on adsorbents design, modification, and application are proposed. The review is expected to provide a valuable guideline for the design and application of the adsorbents for the removal of PAEs.