Recent advances in the chitosan-based nanostructured membranes for diverse environmental applications

The rising global concern about environmental pollution necessitates the provision of sustainable and eco-friendly solutions. The excessive use of synthetic polymers in water treatment systems causes environmental issues, which have sparked an interest in biodegradable matrices, such as chitosan-based membranes. Chitosan, an abundant, biodegradable, biocompatible, and low-cost biopolymer, offers unique physicochemical properties and active functional sites for structural modifications. Its versatility enables the formation of modified membranes with biopolymers, organics, and inorganics. The review provides a comprehensive framework on the chitosan chemistry and modification strategies, chitosan-based membrane fabrication approaches, and their applications in environmental remediation. It discusses composite systems with inorganic fillers and biopolymers, membrane fabrication methods, and potential uses in wastewater treatment, catalysis, and pollutant removal. The study bridges existing knowledge gaps to explore innovations that advance sustainable water purification systems using chitosan-based membranes. The review highlights current challenges and proposes future research directions for chitosan-based polymeric architectures.