From Waste to Value: Applications of Nanocellulose Obtained From Biomass and Municipal Waste in Line With SDGs

ABSTRACT Biomass valorization has received immense attention recently as an eco‐friendly route to utilize biomass waste to upcycle to valuable chemicals. Biomass, derived from agricultural residues, forestry waste and other organic materials, represents an abundant but under‐utilized resource for green chemistry. By recycling, upcycling, and re‐purposing this biomass, we can convert it into value‐added products to address global challenges such as waste management, pollution reduction, and the ever‐growing need for sustainable materials. These products obtained from the valorization of biomass range from biofuels to biopolymers, one of them being cellulose. Being the most versatile and abundant biodegradable polymer on earth, cellulose and its derivatives have recently received significant attraction in both industrial and research areas. This review focusses on the various routes of the production of nanocellulose from various lignocellulosic biomass sources. It also explores various techniques through which cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibrils, and bacterial nanocellulose can be obtained. Furthermore, we have explored the potential applications of nanocellulose in several areas, such as energy storage, biomedical, food packaging, waste‐water treatment, and sensors. From an economic‐technological perspective, nanocellulose‐based materials offer environmentally friendly, outstanding alternatives that can help mitigate industrial pollution and effluents. As such, this review directly addresses the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs) of clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) and climate action (SDG 13). The novelty in this review lies in its waste‐to‐value approach, encompassing diverse feedstocks from tropical, equatorial, temperate, and Mediterranean regions, as well as municipal waste. The focus is on the sustainable applications of nanocellulose derived from this kind of waste, in energy storage, food packaging, water purification, and biomedical materials, to achieve the UN's sustainable development goals.