Removal of heavy metals using cellulose-based materials: A mini-review

Heavy metals are the main inorganic contaminants, and their presence in aquatic bodies causes many health and environmental issues. Different man-made activities, such as agriculture, mining, industrialization, urbanisation, thermal power plants, and others, release heavy metals into the water system. These contaminants cause major health issues for humans and other organisms. Adsorption-based heavy metal removal from wastewater is a feasible, adequate, and suitable method for treating a large amount of wastewater. Naturally occurring cellulose is a potential candidate for various applications as a result of its excellent physico-chemical and mechanical features. Several experimental investigations have been conducted in the context of the use of materials based on cellulose for the adsorption-based removal of heavy metals from wastewater. These investigations attempt to determine the extent to which cellulose-based materials may adsorb heavy metals from wastewater or water. The use of nanocellulose-based materials in the adsorptive removal of heavy metals from aqueous media provides some advancements like enhanced surface area, biocompatibility, and superior mechanical features. The present article covers an adequate literature review for the potential of cellulose-based materials in the adsorptive removal of heavy metals.