Cactus material-based adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals and dyes: a review

Cactus is cultivated in many regions over the world. Because of its chemical composition and its valuable nutritional and biological characteristics, cactus finds applications in different sectors such as the pharmaceutical and the food industries. Interestingly, cactus materials (cladodes, fruit seeds, peel, etc) have been explored for their probable use as adsorbents for the removal of toxic heavy metals and dyes from wastewater. Various preparations methods were used to produce cactus material-based biosorbents. These biosrbents have been investigated and successfully used for the elimination ofboth heavy metal and dyes from aqueous solutions. Related results showed very promising pollutant removal efficiency associated with an interesting adsorption capacity similar to other materials from various origins. This paper explores various cactus biosorbents preparations. Furthermore, their efficiency in depollution and factors controlling the adsorption capacity will be discussed.