Cellulose-Based Composite Hydrogels for Heavy Metal Ion Removal: Recent Advances and Engineering Perspectives

作者：Xiaobo Xue, Jihang Hu, Panrong Guo, Liyun Wang, L.L. Wang, Youming Dong, Xiao Fei, Cheng Li, Shen Ding · 发表于：Gels · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3390/gels12050380 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal、Layered Double Hydroxides Synthesis and Applications、Fluoride Effects and Removal

With the rapid intensification of industrial and agricultural activities, water contamination by heavy metal ions has emerged as a critical global challenge, gravely imperiling ecosystem stability and public health. Among the various remediation technologies, adsorption has been widely adopted due to its high efficiency, low-cost water treatment, and simplicity of operation. However, conventional inorganic or synthetic adsorbents often exhibit poor degradability and pose a risk of secondary contamination, substantially limiting their sustainable application. Consequently, the development of environmentally benign and renewable adsorbent materials has become a central research focus in this field. Recently, cellulose-based composite hydrogels, derived from renewable resources and characterized by excellent eco-friendliness and highly tunable three-dimensional porous structures, have attracted considerable attention as promising green adsorption materials. These hydrogels demonstrate outstanding performance in the efficient sequestration of heavy metal contaminants from aqueous environments. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in cellulose-based composite hydrogels for heavy metal removal, to elucidate the structure-performance relationships linking material fabrication strategies, structural modulation, and adsorption efficiency. First, we outline the principal construction approaches, including physical crosslinking, chemical modification, and supramolecular...