A.S. Norfarhana, H.A.A. Azriena, H.S.N. Hawanis, Senthil Muthu Kumar Thiagamani, S. Silviana, R.A. Ilyas, Quanjin Ma, Kusmono, Dieter Rahmadiawan, Faris M. AL-Oqla, Kuzmin Anton
Water pollution from industrialization and urbanizationpresents an escalating global concern, necessitating advanced, sustainable treatment strategies. Nanocellulose, a renewable and biodegradable nanomaterial derived from lignocellulosic biomass, has emerged as a promising candidate for water and wastewater remediation due to its high surface area, tunable surface chemistry, and ability to be functionalized. This chapter provides an overview of nanocellulose types cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, and bacterial nanocellulose and their synthesis, functionalization, and application in water treatment. The mechanisms of contaminant removal, including adsorption, ion exchange, and filtration, are explored in detail, highlighting nanocellulose’s efficacy in removing heavy metals, dyes, oils, and emerging organic pollutants. Functionalization strategies, such as carboxylation, amination, and nanoparticle embedding, further enhance removal capacities and introduce antimicrobial and photocatalytic functionalities. The chapter discusses the development of nanocellulose-based membranes and composite materials, their regeneration potential, and their environmental impact, including toxicity and biodegradability. While nanocellulose holds immense potential for sustainable water treatment, challenges such as high production costs, scalability, and regulatory assessments must be addressed to enable commercial deployment. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Department of Petrochemical Engineering, Politeknik Tun Syed Nasir Syed Ismail, Pagoh Education Hub, Johor, Pagoh, Malaysia; Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor, Skudai, Malaysia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu, Krishnankoil, India; Centre for Advanced Composite Materials (CACM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor, Skudai, Malaysia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Kampus UNDIP Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia; Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Serdang, Malaysia; Centre of Excellence for Biomass Utilization, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Arau, Malaysia; School of Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Centre for Advanced Industrial Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pahang, Pekan, Malaysia; Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Negeri Padang, Sumatera Barat, Padang, Indonesia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan; Department of Mechanization of Agricultural Products Processing, National Research Mordovian State University, Saransk, Russian Federation; Scientific Laboratory of Advanced Composite Materials and Technologies, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation
