Some Well-Known Alginate and Chitosan Modifications Used in Adsorption: A Review

Abstract

Owing to environmental pollution and increasingly strict regulations, heavy metals have attracted the attention of many researchers in various disciplines. Alginate and chitosan derivatives have gained popularity as biosorbents for water treatment. An increase in the number of publications on modified biosorbents for the biosorption of toxic compounds reveals widespread interest in examining the requirements and positive contribution of each modification type. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of using alginate and chitosan for adsorption. Well-known modifications based on chitosan and alginate, namely, grafting, functionalization, copolymerization and cross-linking, as well as applications in the field of adsorption processes, especially amino acid functionalization, are reviewed. The selection criteria for the best biosorbents and their effectiveness and proposed mechanism of adsorption are discussed critically. In the conclusion, the question of why these adsorbents need modification before use is addressed.