Sustainable Water Management: Chemical Methods And Green Chemistry Applications

The sustainable management of water resources has emerged as one of the most pressing global challenges due to increasing water scarcity, rapid population growth, industrialization, climate change, and escalating environmental pollution. Freshwater resources are under severe stress, making it imperative to develop adaptive and sustainable management strategies that ensure both water availability and quality. Within this framework, chemical-based water treatment and management approaches play a crucial role in enhancing water efficiency, reducing pollutant loads, and enabling the safe reuse of water in industrial, agricultural, and domestic applications. Various conventional and advanced chemical techniques, including coagulation–flocculation, ion exchange, adsorption, membrane-based processes, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), are extensively utilized to improve the physicochemical characteristics of water. These methods are effective in removing organic contaminants, heavy metals, nutrients, and emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and endocrine-disrupting compounds. Despite their effectiveness, many of these processes rely on hazardous chemicals, generate secondary waste streams, or require high energy inputs, which can limit their long-term sustainability. To address these challenges, the integration of green chemistry principles into water treatment technologies has gained increasing attention. Green chemistry emphasizes the reduction or elimination of toxic reagents, the use of renewable and biodegradable materials, and the design of energy-efficient and environmentally benign processes. In this context, natural and bio-based adsorbents, biodegradable polymers, eco-friendly coagulants, and low-energy chemical treatment methods have emerged as promising alternatives. This review critically examines current chemical approaches for improving water efficiency and highlights recent scientific advancements that incorporate green chemistry principles into sustainable water management strategies.