Application of biopolymer composites in arsenic removal from aqueous medium: A review

Various sorbents have been used to remove arsenic from contaminated water which is one of the most toxic elements for mankind. In this review, concentration has been focused on the removal of arsenic from aqueous medium using natural, non-toxic, biodegradable and eco-friendly polymeric materials. Therefore, chitosan has been selected one of the most appropriate biopolymer to remove heavy metals form contaminated water particularly arsenic. The use of chitosan in grafting, blending, doping and biocomposite formulations with polymeric and/or activated inorganic materials have gained much attention. This review provides the relevant literature on the applications of polymeric biocomposites for removal of arsenic from aqueous medium. However, the literature survey reveals that very limited attention has been focused on the applications of biocomposites for the removal of arsenic in the past. The sorption capacities of sorbents and LD50 of the arsenic compounds have been compiled.