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<p>The increasing occurrence of refractory organic pollutants, toxic heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting compounds in wastewater has exposed the limitations of conventional treatment technologies, driving the development of advanced remediation materials. Among these, clay minerals have attracted significant attention because of their layered aluminosilicate structures, high cation-exchange capacity, tunable surface chemistry, natural abundance, and low cost. This review critically examines recent advances in functional clay-based materials for wastewater remediation, emphasizing the relationships between clay structure, modification strategy, and pollutant removal performance. Fundamental aspects of clay mineralogy, including structural classifications and physicochemical properties, are first discussed to establish their roles in adsorption and photocatalytic processes. Recent functionalization approaches, including acid/alkali activation, surfactant modification, organic grafting, metallic/nonmetallic incorporation, thermal activation, and membrane fabrication, are systematically compared. Particular attention is given to clay-based hybrid photocatalysts containing TiO₂, g-C₃N₄, and bismuth-based semiconductors, where clay supports enhance charge separation, pollutant accessibility, and structural stability. The mechanisms governing pollutant removal are comprehensively analyzed, highlighting the synergistic effects between adsorption and photocatalytic degradation pathways. Applications are evaluated for the removal of dyes, organic pollutants, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and pesticides. Comparative assessment indicates that functionalized and hybrid clay composites generally outperform pristine clays due to enhanced active-site density and multifunctional removal mechanisms. Finally, techno-economic feasibility, regeneration, scalability, and environmental sustainability are critically assessed. Current challenges and future research priorities are identified to support the rational design and large-scale implementation of next-generation clay-based materials for sustainable wastewater treatment.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

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A review on recent advances in functional clay-based materials for environmental remediation

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Vishwajit Chavda,
  • Veena Sodha,
  • Saptarshi Roy,
  • Pranjit Borah,
  • Yeong-Seo Lee,
  • Sapna Raghav,
  • Md. Ahmaruzzaman,
  • Woong Kim

摘要

The increasing occurrence of refractory organic pollutants, toxic heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting compounds in wastewater has exposed the limitations of conventional treatment technologies, driving the development of advanced remediation materials. Among these, clay minerals have attracted significant attention because of their layered aluminosilicate structures, high cation-exchange capacity, tunable surface chemistry, natural abundance, and low cost. This review critically examines recent advances in functional clay-based materials for wastewater remediation, emphasizing the relationships between clay structure, modification strategy, and pollutant removal performance. Fundamental aspects of clay mineralogy, including structural classifications and physicochemical properties, are first discussed to establish their roles in adsorption and photocatalytic processes. Recent functionalization approaches, including acid/alkali activation, surfactant modification, organic grafting, metallic/nonmetallic incorporation, thermal activation, and membrane fabrication, are systematically compared. Particular attention is given to clay-based hybrid photocatalysts containing TiO₂, g-C₃N₄, and bismuth-based semiconductors, where clay supports enhance charge separation, pollutant accessibility, and structural stability. The mechanisms governing pollutant removal are comprehensively analyzed, highlighting the synergistic effects between adsorption and photocatalytic degradation pathways. Applications are evaluated for the removal of dyes, organic pollutants, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and pesticides. Comparative assessment indicates that functionalized and hybrid clay composites generally outperform pristine clays due to enhanced active-site density and multifunctional removal mechanisms. Finally, techno-economic feasibility, regeneration, scalability, and environmental sustainability are critically assessed. Current challenges and future research priorities are identified to support the rational design and large-scale implementation of next-generation clay-based materials for sustainable wastewater treatment.

Graphical abstract