Review: Phytate modification serves as a novel adsorption strategy for the removal of heavy metal pollution in aqueous environments

With the intensification of industrial and agricultural wastewater pollution, biotoxin heavy metals remain in the natural hydrosphere, posing a great threat to the ecological environment. In the ten methods for heavy metal removal in aqueous environments discussed in this paper, the adsorption method demonstrates greater flexibility and superior cost and environmental benefits. Phytate, with its abundant phosphate groups and good conductivity, is widely used in the modification process of various adsorbents. The report in this study shows that phytate-modified adsorbents generally improve the adsorption of heavy metals, such as the adsorption rate of cadmium and copper on nanofiltration membranes reaching nearly 100%, the adsorption capacity of magnetic particles increasing by 11.480 times, and even up to 17.233 times for biochar. In addition, a large number of adsorbents modified with phytate can maintain good adsorption performance after 2–5 cycles and are easy to regenerate. In this paper, we compare a wide range of remediation techniques for heavy metal pollution and the advantages and disadvantages of adsorbents, and analyze the structure and adsorption mechanism of phytate. The synthetic process and adsorption capability of the composite products regarding the application of phytate modification are highlighted. This paper focuses on several effective adsorbents for phytate modification, reflecting the benefits and potentials of phytate as a modifier, with the goal of enhancing the adsorption performance of raw materials and remediating heavy metal pollution in water environments.