A scoping review of gaseous pollutant emissions from solid fuel combustion and vicennial advancement in adsorbent materials for their mitigation programs

Smoke generated from solid fuel combustion is typically composed of CO 2 (70–90%), CO (7–10%), CH 4 (1–3%), VOCs (2–5%), NOx (2–4%), and SO 2 (1–3%), as reported in earlier studies. Such harmful emissions necessitate the development of effective mitigation strategies. Among available mitigation methods, adsorption has gained prominence for its simplicity, high-efficiency in capturing these gases. This review highlights the most efficient adsorbent materials reported for the removal of gaseous pollutants, including CO 2 , CO, NO, NO 2 , SO 2 , and VOCs. For CO 2 capture, nanoporous carbon doped with nitrogen and sulfur, as well as silica platelets functionalized with polyethyleneimine, exhibited outstanding performance due to strong chemical interactions with CO 2 molecules. In the case of CO removal, spinel-type oxides such as CoCr 2 O 4 showed superior catalytic oxidation, while TiO 2 -based composites with graphene derivatives achieved high photocatalytic efficiency. For NO 2 adsorption, pitch-based activated carbon fibers and zirconium-based metal–organic frameworks (UiO-66) emerged as the most promising materials owing to their high reactivity and strong interaction with nitrogen oxides. In NO removal, manganese oxide–modified activated carbon fibers proved most effective, outperforming conventional activated carbons. Sulfur dioxide capture was dominated by activated carbon fibers and covalent organic frameworks (PI-COF-m), which facilitated both physical and chemical adsorption pathways. For VOC removal, graphene oxide modified by microwave irradiation and KOH activation demonstrated exceptional capacity, while multi-walled carbon nanotube composites and graphene quantum dot–MOF hybrids also achieved strong adsorption through π–π interactions and surface functional groups. Major challenges with these materials are also addressed. • Comprehensive overview of adsorbent materials for gaseous pollutant removal • Systematic review of gaseous emission factors from solid fuel burning practices • Recent advances in adsorbent modification and surface engineering • Mechanistic insights into adsorption processes • Mitigation properties of adsorbents for flue gases • Removal efficiency comparison of selected gaseous pollutants • Influence of key factors on adsorption capacities