Recent advances in eco-friendly composites derived from lignocellulosic biomass for wastewater treatment

In recent decades, the greatest challenge facing the world has been protecting the environment from various forms of pollution. Water pollution is one of the most crucial environmental problems threatening living organisms’ lives and human health. Mostly anthropogenic, it undoubtedly originates from diverse sources, including agricultural, domestic, and industrial activities. Therefore, adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices constitutes an ideal solution for purifying contaminated water to be further used in industrial activities and so on. The valorization of lignocellulosic biomass for the production and conception of value-added products is an attractive and environmentally friendly way of preserving the environment. Lignocellulosic biomass, such as crops, agricultural wastes, forest residues, etc., is a sustainable and plentiful resource that can be valorized and used as robust material for eliminating different pollutants from sewage, including organic pollutants, heavy metals, inorganic compounds, and microorganisms. Indeed, the valorization of biomass wastes is among the most intelligent strategies. It is like killing two birds with one stone: reducing the quantity of biomass waste and benefiting from its physicochemical properties. Feedstocks are rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which have already been proven efficiency in removing persistent pollutants. Moreover, it can undergo physical, chemical, and thermal to prepare cellulose nanocrystals and biochar with high removal ability. The current review discusses the exploitation of lignocellulosic biomass to produce composite materials in the applications of wastewater purification, especially for the removal of different persistent organic and inorganic contaminants. It highlights the recent research studies and the mechanisms involved in eliminating pollutants using lignocellulosic-based materials.