Current insight into enhanced strategies and interaction mechanisms of hydrogel materials for phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater

Phosphorus plays a crucial role in modern society but often pollutes the environment through raising eutrophication and has particularly devastating effects on the water environment. As a promising material platform, the three-dimensional network structure and the tailorable nature of hydrogels provide infinite application possibilities. Thereinto, phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater using hydrogel materials have gained momentum since their rapid reactivity, ease of operation, low cost and simplicity of recovery compared to traditional techniques. In this review, current strategies for functional enhancement of hydrogel materials are systematically summarized from different perspectives. Following, based on the discussion of different interaction mechanisms between phosphates and hydrogels, the phosphate mass transfer and performance of hydrogels and their current application are critically reviewed. This review aims to present mechanistic insight into the recent development in phosphate removal and recovery using hydrogel materials and provides new ideas for constructing high-efficient hydrogels and laying the foundations for the practical application of this technology. • Hydrogel materials could remove and recover phosphate from wastewater effectively. • Functions and properties of hydrogels are significantly enhanced by various measures. • Proposed six interaction mechanisms for phosphate removal and recovery by hydrogel. • Knowledge gaps and future outlooks were proposed based on scientific and practical.