Advancing wastewater treatment: chitin and derivatives for PPCP contaminant mitigation

There is a growing threat of wastewater pollution impacting human access to clean water. The surge in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in such water has reached alarming levels, posing an unprecedented threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Conventional wastewater treatment is not specifically tailored to address the presence of PPCPs. This paper examines the possibility of using nano-chitin and chitosan as effective and sustainable adsorbents for the removal of PPCPs from wastewater. The recent progress in functionalized nano-chitin or chitosan composites is reviewed with attention to enhanced adsorption capacity and selectivity toward different classes of PPCPs. Unique features of nano-chitin and chitosan, such as their large surface areas and biocompatibility making them a good choice for PPCP adsorption, are also discussed. Critical evaluation is given about how these nanomaterials absorb PPCPs by looking at various mechanisms like electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction, among others. Finally, future research directions provided for improving performance and scalability of such bio-based adsorbents are discussed. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)