This comprehensive review presents a critical evaluation of thirteen distinct categories of adsorbent materials—raw bio-adsorbents, natural clays and minerals, synthetic chemical adsorbents, biochars, activated carbons, chemically modified materials, hydrogels, polymers and resins, synthetic carbon aerogels, nanoparticles, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), ionogels, and composites—through an innovative multicriteria framework that integrates technical performance, economic viability, circular economy principles, and sustainability indicators. Our systematic analysis reveals a fundamental performance-sustainability paradox: advanced materials like MOFs and carbon aerogels achieve exceptional adsorption capacities (50–1000 mg/g) but face scalability challenges and high environmental footprints, while natural adsorbents like agricultural waste offer ecological advantages but exhibit variable effectiveness. Intermediate materials, particularly waste-derived activated carbons and engineered biochars, emerge as optimal compromises, especially when integrated into circular systems through innovative regeneration and valorization pathways. This review introduces a novel classification system, develops integrated performance-sustainability metrics, and provides the first systematic assessment of adsorbent contributions to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular emphasis on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Our findings underscore the urgency of developing standardized evaluation protocols, appropriate regulatory frameworks, and industrial-scale validations. Future research should prioritize smart stimuli-responsive materials, optimization of hybrid composites exploiting material synergies, and comprehensive life cycle analyses to advance sustainable water treatment solutions aligned with global sustainability imperatives.
Meftah et al. (Thu,) studied this question.