Production and environmental applications of gelatin-based composite adsorbents for contaminants removal: a review

Industrial activities generate considerable volumes of wastewater containing organic and inorganic contaminants. Adsorption is an efficient method for wastewater treatment due to its ease of operation, convenience, and efficiency. However, finding suitable adsorbent materials that are abundant, cheap, and efficient remains a challenge. Gelatin is considered a promising adsorbent due to its abundant surface of active groups, water solubility, non-toxicity, and biodegradability. Also, gelatin allows the addition of other compounds in the gel network, overcoming some disadvantages such as low mechanical resistance to temperature and humidity. Here we review the production of gelatin-based composites including beads/spheres, hydrogels, aerogels, and films, and their use to remove toxic metals, dyes, nitrate, phosphate, and oily contaminants from aqueous matrices. Considerations Economic, environmental, and real applications aspects are also discussed.

Automated summary

Gelatin is considered a promising adsorbent due to its abundant surface of active groups, water solubility, non-toxicity, and biodegradability. It can be used to produce various gelatin-based composites for the removal of toxic metals, dyes, nitrate, phosphate, and oily contaminants from wastewater matrices.