Metals removal from wastewater via biomaterials

Potable and safe water is required for all living organisms to thrive. Access to water has been ranked at the top among the requisites to define standard of life. There is a continuous decline in water quality due to anthropogenic and industrial activities, and poor water quality severely affects water resources, causing disasters. Globally, many initiatives have been taken to clean water. Researchers are now focusing on wastewater bioremediation protocols to decontaminate water from organic and inorganic pollutants. Water fortification requires the use of natural materials instead of non-biodegradable chemicals. Bioderived materials can be used to detoxify the high reactivity of metals in wastewater, considering selectivity and environmental benignity, over conventional technologies. Biomass-derived biomaterials are now used as alternatives for biosorption of heavy metals from wastewater as an innovative technology. The biotechnological exploitation of biomaterials depends upon the reusability of biosorption materials. This chapter specifically aims to provide information about the cheaper biomaterials that occur as natural adsorbents and biosorbents, to clean up heavy metals from wastewater. The metal binding properties and mechanisms of biosorbents are also discussed to elaborate the use of biomaterials for bioremediation and environment cleaning, along with their future prospects.