The quality and quantity of freshwater resources are declining because of the pressures associated with human population increase. Heavy metals are among the most persistent and non-biodegradable pollutants associated with industrial discharges, mining activities and agricultural activities. However, a practical and affordable solution to the efficacious removal of heavy metals from wastewater prior to discharge into aquatic environments has yet to be implemented. Therefore, intensive research continues to address the sustainable use of materials from agricultural or industrial by-products in wastewater treatment. This review summarizes the properties of low-cost biopolymeric composite systems (including chitosan and hemicellulose) for the removal of heavy metals from aquatic systems. The materials presented in this review come from agricultural or industrial by-products which provide a twofold benefit of not only providing a means of treating water but also an effective method of utilization of these by-products which otherwise form an additional waste-stream.

由于人口增加带来的压力，淡水资源的质量和数量正在下降。重金属是与工业排放，采矿活动和农业活动相关的最持久和不可生物降解的污染物。然而，在排放到水生环境中之前从废水中有效去除重金属的实用且负担得起的解决方案尚未实现。因此，深入研究继续解决废水处理中农业或工业副产品材料的可持续利用。这篇综述总结了低成本生物聚合物复合系统（包括壳聚糖和半纤维素）从水生系统中去除重金属的特性。