Hemp-Based Materials for Applications in Wastewater Treatment by Biosorption-Oriented Processes: A Review

Abstract

Treatment of wastewater pollution is a critical issue in the context of growing population and industrialization. Actual treatment methods are expensive and not fully effective and rely on fossil fuel-derived chemicals, thus calling for alternative adsorption methods on natural materials such as hemp. Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa Linn) is a high-yielding annual industrial crop harvested for its fiber from the stem and its oil from the seeds. Hemp is a multi-purpose plant with great potential because of its many uses, such as building materials, textiles, paper, food and beverage, automotive, cosmetics, and medicine. Wastewater treatment is another innovative application. Indeed, the past decade has shown an explosion in the study of hemp-based materials for the biosorption of metal ions from effluents, demonstrating that industrial hemp is one of the most promising materials for environmental applications. Hemp products can be used as biosorbents in granular or felt forms or to prepare non-conventional activated carbons, both used in biosorption-oriented processes. In this chapter, after a brief description of biosorption, the use of different types of hemp-based materials that can be used as pollutant biosorbents is described.