Fruit Peel Derived Materials as Sustainable Alternatives for Wastewater Treatment: A Critical Review

ABSTRACT What if the fruit peels we discard daily could be used to effectively purify contaminated water? Fruit peel‐derived materials are critically examined in this review as sustainable wastewater treatment alternatives, emphasizing their various functions as biosorbents, coagulants, and eco‐enzymes. The compositions, mechanisms, and functional groups that remove dyes, heavy metals, and organic contaminants are examined in connection to several types of fruit peels, such as orange and banana. In addition, comparisons of fruit peel and other biosorbents such as algae and rice husk are discussed. Moreover, effectiveness‐influencing factors such as pH, contact time, and modification techniques are compared. Standardization, regeneration, and cost viability in terms of scaling up remain challenges in this potentially sustainable implementation. To improve efficiency and scalability, future research needs to explore various hybrid treatment strategies. The potential of fruit peels to promote circular, affordable wastewater treatment techniques is highlighted in this synthesis.