Work

Fe–AC nanocomposites derived from agro-waste biosorbents: a systematic review of synthesis routes, adsorption mechanisms, regeneration, and environmental sustainability

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: -based binding, redox activity, and magnetic separation. This systematic review evaluates synthesis routes, physicochemical characterization, contaminant-specific adsorption mechanisms, regeneration behavior, and the available evidence on environmental and economic implications. Particular attention is given to differences between inorganic and organic pollutant removal, the molecular-level roles of Fe-OH/Fe-O sites and carbon-surface interactions, and the influence of pH, competing ions, natural organic matter, and experimental conditions on reported adsorption performance. The literature indicates strong laboratory-scale potential, but direct cross-study ranking of adsorption capacities is limited by heterogeneous test conditions. Major barriers to practical translation include iron leaching, loss of capacity during regeneration, matrix interference, limited continuous-flow and real-wastewater validation, and the absence of harmonized quantitative life-cycle and techno-economic assessments. These limitations define priorities for standardized benchmarking, mechanistic validation, long-term cycling, pilot-scale testing, and environmentally robust Fe-AC design.

Source: RSC Advances

DOI: 10.1039/d6ra07855a

Authors: Bijoylakshmi Boruah, Pratap Kumar Swain, Manash Ranjan Das

Institutions: National Institute of Technology Arunachal Pradesh, North East Institute of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,042