Use of biopolymers in wastewater treatment: A brief review of current trends and prospects

Abstract

Indeed, polymeric materials have thrived in worldwide sectors over the last five decades due to their versatility and durability, to the point that we can no longer envisage a product that does not contain them. However, many synthetic polymers that have been produced are mostly sourced from petroleum and coal as raw materials, making them environmentally incompatible because they cannot be integrated with what is a natural recycling system. One of the most important aspects of the transition to a circular bioeconomy (CBE) is the provision of more sustainable strategies for resource and waste management. Considering the environmental consequences associated with petroleum-based polymers (PBPs), natural biopolymers, originating from biomass, can be conceived as a promising solution to gradually replace the PBPs, and address, and resolve the potential challenges and prevailing research gaps in the PBPs. The biopolymers have significant advantages over PBPs in terms of low-cost/zero-cost precursors, environmental friendliness, and user-friendliness. The present review dissects the sources, synthesis pathways, structures, characterization, and employment of biopolymers and their composites in water and wastewater treatment applications via different scenarios. Furthermore, the CBE model framework proposes potential approaches to applying CBE principles in the wastewater management sector, with a heavy emphasis on not only technology but also organizational and societal reforms. To sum up, the reliance on biopolymers can be considered a crucial tool for assessing the global progress toward CBE, as well as future environmental management and planning.