Removal of organic pollutants and antibacterial properties of modified chitosan and their composites

Abstract

As a non-toxic and harmless natural polysaccharide, chitosan was widely used in water treatment, food processing, and drug transmission due to its rich hydroxyl and ammonia groups. However, the practical application of chitosan was limited due to its low mechanical strength and low solubility in acidic mediums. The chitosan composites modified by magnetization, cross-linking, grafting and other methods have stronger stability, better adsorption capacity and other excellent properties. The advances in the application of these chitosan composites during the removal of environmental organic pollutants are the main aim of this current review. The review showed that composites of chitosan are versatile adsorbents of a variety of dyes, pharmaceutical residues, humic acid, and its antibacterial properties can be discussed. Moreover, conclusions and future recommendations are provided to inspire for further researches.