Chitosan based materials for environmental application

National Institute for Research and Development in Environmental Protection, 294 Splaiul Independenței Blv, 060031, Bucharest, ROMANIA

^* Corresponding author: diana.dumitru@incdpm.ro

Abstract

Known for their renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic nature, chitosan is a natural biopolymer. It is used in many fields, from the biomedical one for its biocompatibility, hemostatic, and antibacterial properties, to environmental remediation, where its biodegradability, good chelating capacity for heavy metals retaining, and cationic nature for organic pollutants chemisorption capacity are appreciated. This review summarizes the chitosan-based materials main physicochemical properties which qualifies it in environmental remediation and explores their applications in air purification, wastewater treatments, and soil remediation. Another essential aspect concerning the sustainability of chitosan-based remediation materials - regeneration and reusability was also approached in this paper. Future perspectives for chitosan-based materials in the context of drawback and them diminish measures were also highlighted. Their eco-friendly nature, combined with cost effective synthesis, makes chitosan-based remediation materials feasible natural material able to replace synthetic non- reusable polymers in environmental applications.