Polyamidoamine dendrimer-based materials for environmental applications: A review

•PAMAM-based materials reviewed for environmental applications.•PAMAMs are effective in removing cationic and anionic pollutants.•PAMAM serves as excellent platforms for CO2 capture and conversion.•PAMAM-based sensors have very low detection limit for various pollutants. The development of efficient adsorbents for environmental applications has been prioritized, considering the increasing pollution worldwide. The continuous search for new and effective materials has led to the development of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer-based materials for their use in wastewater treatment, precious metal recovery, sensing, and CO2 capture. PAMAM with a three-dimensional branched architecture, accessible internal cavities, and easy surface functionalization are suitable for removing inorganic (radionuclides, heavy metals, and precious metal ions) and organic (dyes, drugs, and pesticides) pollutants. Moreover, a large number of terminal amines of PAMAM dendrimer serve as a suitable platform for CO2 capture and conversion. This review is intended to provide the readers with an updated overview of PAMAM-based adsorbents and their role in the removal and recovery of various inorganic and organic pollutants. PAMAM-based materials as a sensor for pollutants detection and quantification has been discussed. Also, environmental considerations related to the use of PAMAM-based materials have been included.