Review on recent advancements in layered double hydroxides application for effective removal of heavy metals and organic micro-pollutants: Challenges and future perspectives

The rapid expansion of agricultural and industrial activities has led to the release of various pollutants, including heavy metals (HMs), organic pollutants (OPs), pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants, posing substantial risks to environmental and human health. Traditional remediation methods struggle with questions of efficiency, specificity, and sustainability. This review offers a comprehensive and critical analysis of recent advancements in adsorbent technologies, with a specific focus on the application of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) for the removal of HMs and OPs. LDHs are considered promising materials for pollutant removal because of their notable characteristics, including stable mineralization, low solubility product constants, anionic intercalation capacity, high surface area, and tunable surface chemistry. However, the review also addresses the challenges associated with large-scale LDH applications. While LDHs demonstrate significant potential as alternatives to conventional adsorbents, further research is required to enhance their surface modification, structural design, and post-treatment recovery processes for more effective applications. Finally, this review develops a foundation for future studies on the mechanical features and practical implementation of LDH-based remediation technologies, consolidating current knowledge and identifying critical research gaps.