Potential of Agricultural Wastes as Alternative Biosorbents

Abstract

Agricultural wastes have excellent potential as substitute biosorbents to reduce pollution in the environment. These include organic contaminants, pesticides, dyes, heavy metals, and other impurities from soil and water. In the chapter, the authors focused on the adsorption capacity, remediation mechanism, and possible uses of agricultural wastes as biosorbents as well as their viability and efficacy. The biosorption capabilities of a variety of agricultural wastes, including crop residues, fruit peels, rice husks, and sugarcane bagasse, has been extensively studied. The processes of biosorption generally encompass ion exchange, complexation, physical adsorption, and chemical interactions between the target pollutants and the functional groups on the biosorbents. This study emphasizes the use of agricultural waste as an efficient alternative for artificial absorbents and promotes a circular economy by addressing environmental issues. Thus, the development of effective biosorption techniques using agricultural wastes is a pressing need for achieving environmental sustainability.