Review: The Development of Polymer Use as Adsorbents in Industrial Wastewater Treatment Processes
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polymer adsorbents, wastewater, adsorption, industrial wastewater, adsorption efficiency
Abstract
The utilization of polymers, both synthetic polymers and biopolymers, as adsorbents in industrial wastewater treatment has shown significant progress in recent years. Numerous studies have reported that natural polymers such as cellulose, chitosan, and alginate, as well as synthetic polymers including ion-exchange resins, porous polymeric materials, and polyaniline, exhibit high adsorption capacities toward a wide range of pollutants. These materials have been widely applied in the treatment of wastewater from various industrial sectors, including textile industries (dyes), heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage processing, and petrochemical industries containing hydrocarbon compounds. Adsorption occurs through several mechanisms, including ion exchange, complexation or chelation by functional groups such as –NH₂, –COOH, and –OH, hydrogen bonding, as well as π–π interactions and electrostatic forces. Biopolymers offer advantages in terms of sustainability, biodegradability, and relatively low production costs, whereas synthetic polymers are superior in mechanical strength, thermal stability, and higher selectivity toward specific pollutants. Although many studies have reported very high pollutant removal efficiencies, often exceeding 90%, large-scale implementation still faces several challenges, particularly related to process scalability, selectivity toward complex mixtures of pollutants, regeneration capability, and the long-term stability of adsorbents for repeated use. This article comprehensively reviews the literature on the classification and application of polymers as adsorbents, the underlying adsorption mechanisms, their physicochemical properties, and their practical implementation in industrial wastewater treatment. In addition, the challenges encountered, potential solutions, and future development trends of polymer-based adsorbents are also discussed.
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