Recent Advances in the Adsorption of Copper(II) from Industrial Wastewater Using Crustacean Biomass

Abstract

Copper is a common heavy metal pollutant in industrial wastewater, posing serious threats to water environmental safety and human health. Waste crustacean biomass (such as crab shells and shrimp shells) is rich in the natural polymer chitin, widely available and low-cost, making it a highly promising "waste-to-waste" type bioadsorbent material. This paper systematically reviews recent advances in the adsorption of Cu 2+ from aqueous solutions using crustacean biomass. First, the chemical composition of such biomass and its adsorption mechanisms for Cu 2+ are discussed, with particular emphasis on key processes including coordination/chelation and ion exchange. Based on this foundation, the effects of raw materials, physical modification, and chemical modification on enhancing adsorption performance are categorized and analyzed, along with a summary of comparative adsorption capacities among different materials. Subsequently, critical influencing factors such as pH, coexisting ions, and desorption-regeneration are examined. Finally, current research limitations—such as reliance on simulated wastewater systems and lack of continuous-flow experiments—are highlighted, and future research directions are proposed.