Sustainability driven circular biomass valorisation for water treatment through modification and regeneration

Abstract

The escalating global water crisis demands innovative and sustainable remediation strategies. Biomass valorisation has emerged as a promising route, converting lignocellulosic residues into functional materials for contaminant removal, offering benefits such as cost-effectiveness, reduced waste, and the utilization of renewable resources. However, most existing studies treat material modification and regeneration independently, limiting the long-term sustainability and economic viability of biomass-based adsorbents. This review integrates these two perspectives by examining circular approaches to biomass valorisation for water remediation. It synthesizes recent advances in chemical, physical, and biological modification techniques, such as activation, functionalization, and composite formation, that enhance sorption efficiency and selectivity. Equal emphasis is placed on regeneration pathways, including thermal, chemical, and biological methods, which enable the recovery, reuse, and recycling of spent biosorbents. By bridging modification innovations and regeneration strategies, this review highlights opportunities to reduce waste generation, improve resource efficiency, and enhance the environmental performance of water treatment systems. The synthesis provides a framework for designing next-generation circular materials and identifies research priorities for achieving closed-loop, scalable biomass valorisation in sustainable water remediation.