Environmental challenges and emerging strategies for sustainable removal of synthetic dyes from wastewater: A mini review

Abstract Synthetic dyes are among the most hazardous water pollutants because of their chemical structures, great stability, and resistance to natural degradation. Their common use in textile, paper, leather, and related industries contributes to profound ecological and human health risks, including toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity. Conventional physicochemical and biological treatments often display limited efficiency against such recalcitrant pollutants, requiring the development of sustainable alternatives. This review critically examines the major classes of dyes, such as anthraquinone, cationic, nonionic, anionic, and azo, and evaluates current biological, chemical, physical, and hybrid treatment methods. Biological methods, including microbial and enzymatic degradation, are eco‐friendly but restricted by dye selectivity and scalability. Chemical methods, such as advanced oxidation, Fenton reactions, and ozonation, achieve effective decolorization but remain cost intensive and generate secondary by‐products that require further treatment. Physical strategies, particularly adsorption and membrane filtration, provide high removal efficiency but face challenges of regeneration, fouling, and sludge generation. Emerging hybrid systems that integrate material innovations with biological or chemical pathways demonstrate synergistic performance, offering enhanced dye removal with reduced environmental burden. The review emphasizes that no single method is universally effective; instead, future wastewater treatment requires integrated, low‐cost, and eco‐compatible technologies to ensure sustainable effluent management and protection of environmental and public health. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).