Abstract
•The efficacy of lignocellulosic biomass-derived adsorbents for the removal of endocrine-disruptive estrogens from wastewater is elucidated.•Lignocellulosic biomass-derived adsorbents offer a paradigm-shifting alternative to traditional activated carbon.•An in-depth examination of the current state of knowledge, encompassing the sources and occurrences of estrogens is discussed.
The prevalence of endocrine disruptive estrogens in water systems raises significant environmental and public health concerns. This review provides an overview on the effectiveness of lignocellulosic biomass-derived adsorbents, focused on the potential of cellulose derivatives, for the removal of these microcontaminants from wastewater. The adsorption performance of lignocellulosic biomass-derived adsorbents varies, some have demonstrated notable adsorption capacities (0.8–133 mg/g) and removal efficiencies exceeding 90 %, positioning them as promising, sustainable alternatives to conventional materials such as activated carbon. The review highlights their physicochemical properties, renewability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. It further discusses the occurrence, sources, and impacts of estrogens, while critically examining the performance, challenges, and future prospects of biomass-derived adsorbents. This work serves as a seminal resource for advancing scalable, eco-friendly strategies for estrogen removal in wastewater treatment.
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