Advances in Surface Modification of Biomass and its Nanostructuring for Enhanced Environmental Remediation Applications

Abstract

The growing concerns over environmental pollution and resource sustainability have encouraged considerable interest in valorizing biomass waste as functional materials for environmental remediation. Owing to its abundance, renewability, and diverse surface functionalities, lignocellulosic biomass holds immense potential as a cost-effective adsorbent and a catalyst. However, its practical application is hindered by limitations such as low surface area, limited porosity, and insufficient reactive sites. This review systematically compiles, and critically analyzes the recent advances in surface modification, and nanostructuring strategies aimed at enhancing the physicochemical properties of biomass-derived materials for water and wastewater treatment. The article covers a broad spectrum of modification approaches, including physical (pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonization, microwave heating), chemical (acid/alkali activation, oxidative treatments), and physicochemical techniques, alongside emerging nanocomposite fabrication methods involving metal and metal oxide nanoparticle immobilization. Key focus is placed on how these modifications improve surface area, porosity, functional group distribution, and catalytic activity, thereby augmenting the adsorption and degradation capacities of biomass materials. Mechanistic insights into contaminant removal processes - adsorptive, degradative, and synergistic pathways are elaborated, thus correlating material properties with their pollutant removal efficiencies. Additionally, the review outlines the characterization techniques essential for evaluating structural, morphological, and surface chemistry alterations in modified biomass materials. By bridging fragmented literature and integrating mechanistic perspectives with material design principles, this review highlights the potential of engineered biomass-based materials as sustainable alternatives for environmental remediation. It also identifies research gaps, proposing future directions focused on scalable, eco-friendly modification techniques, performance optimization, and comprehensive environmental impact assessments. This work aspires to guide the development of next-generation biomass-derived materials for advanced, sustainable, and economically viable pollutant remediation technologies.