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Review
. 2021 Aug 15;14(16):4581.
doi: 10.3390/ma14164581.

Valorization of Agri-Food Wastes as Sustainable Eco-Materials for Wastewater Treatment: Current State and New Perspectives

Ecaterina Matei  1 , Maria Râpă  1 , Andra Mihaela Predescu  1 , Anca Andreea Țurcanu  2 , Ruxandra Vidu  1   3 , Cristian Predescu  1 , Constantin Bobirica  4 , Liliana Bobirica  4 , Cristina Orbeci  4
Affiliations
Review

Valorization of Agri-Food Wastes as Sustainable Eco-Materials for Wastewater Treatment: Current State and New Perspectives

Ecaterina Matei et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

The paper addresses environmental protection by valorizing an important agri-food waste category, namely fruit and vegetables with focusing on the main characteristics regarding consumption, waste quantities, and ways for valorizing these materials. Thus, vast research was undertaken in order to emphasize the main commodities and their potential application as adsorbents for organic and inorganic pollutants. The main methods or treatment techniques applied for the valorization of eco-materials as adsorbents were presented and the principal efficiency results were indicated. The advantages and disadvantages of using these eco-materials as adsorbents in wastewater treatment were revealed and future recommendations were established. According to the international statistics, the most purchased and consumed five commodities were studied regarding waste generations as potential conversion into eco-materials with an adsorbent role for water pollutants. Thus, the performances for adsorbents based on fruit wastes (such as citrus, banana, apples, grapes, mango) and vegetable wastes (such as potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and/or broccoli) were studied and highlighted in this research.

Keywords: agri-food wastes; eco-materials; wastewater treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The main sources of agri-food wastes and their applications.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A way to minimize agri-food wastes by their conversion into valuable products.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Globally produced fruits (a) and vegetables (b).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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