Water matrices are deteriorating owing to the tremendous accumulation of pollutants from domestic and industrial wastes. Adsorption is a simple and promising technology, where plant biomass and agrowastes are utilized as biosorbents in alleviating toxic pollutants from wastewater. This chapter enumerates various pollutants that predominantly persist in the water bodies and their toxicity. Various plant biomasses in raw form, chemically and thermally activated forms, and their efficacy in removing water pollutants have been detailed. Lignocellulosic plant biomass has diverse surface functional groups, whereas activated biochars exhibit several advantageous properties, including high surface area and porosity, which are suitable for pollutant binding and decontamination. Being cost-effective and biodegradable, plant-based biosorbents are better alternatives for conventional pollutant treatment methods from water bodies. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
