Global water scarcity and rising contamination from industrial effluents demand urgent, sustainable solutions. In response to this challenge, a review published in Green Chemistry by Halanur M. Manohara, Sooraj S. Nayak, Gregory Franklin, Sanna Kotrappanavar Nataraj, and Dibyendu Mondal highlights the rise of marine-derived materials—especially seaweed-based polysaccharides—as powerful, eco-friendly tools for water treatment.
For example, seaweeds such as Sargassum, Durvillaea potatorum, and Ecklonia radiata are rich in functional groups like hydroxyl and amine. Because of these groups, they can strongly bind toxic heavy metals including lead, copper, and cadmium. In addition, researchers have improved these materials by converting them into high-surface-area biochar or impregnating them with active metal oxides. As a result, they can rival commercial activated carbon in adsorption performance.
Key findings from the review include:
- High removal efficiencies for metals, fluoride, dyes, and other contaminants through adsorption, biosorption, and membrane filtration.
- Versatility in applications such as oil–water separation, advanced oxidation processes, and solar-driven water evaporation.
- Clear sustainability benefits from using abundant, biodegradable, and renewable ocean biomass instead of petroleum-based polymers.
If you want to understand how biochar works and its role in sustainability, you can read our related post: Biochar from Pyrolysis: Turning Agricultural Waste into Clean Energy.
The authors conclude that with targeted modifications, marine-derived biomaterials could replace costly, non-biodegradable conventional treatment systems. Consequently, these materials offer a scalable, low-cost, and environmentally safe solution for water purification worldwide.
Source: Halanur M. Manohara, Sooraj S. Nayak, Gregory Franklin, Sanna Kotrappanavar Nataraj, Dibyendu Mondal. “Progress in marine derived renewable functional materials and biochar for sustainable water purification.” Green Chemistry, 2021, 23, 8305–8331.
