Advances in the preparation of hydrogel for wastewater treatment: A concise review

[Display omitted] •Application of hydrogels in wastewater treatment is reviewed.•Modified hydrogels using different techniques have been developed.•Alteration in hydrogel composition and subsequent functionality improvement are summarized.•Adsorption capacities and removal mechanism by hydrogels is discussed. Hydrogels are being investigated recently for wastewater treatment. These polymeric networks permit their functional group alterations imparting high binding affinity for different contaminants in wastewater. Their innate ability to imbibe huge volume of water qualifies it for a smart material for water remediation. In this review recent advancements in the modifications and types of hydrogels with particular emphasis on adsorption capacity of metal ions and dyes is presented. In addition, through a comparative approach, adsorption mechanism, kinetic, isotherm and related thermodynamics parameters of the modified hydrogels have been discussed. It gives a detailed account of the work done by different authors on the synthesis, composition, functionality and contaminant removal mechanism. It also provides an in-depth perspective on the advantages and limitations in the application of hydrogels for wastewater treatment.