ABSTRACT
Cyclodextrins (CDs) and CD-containing materials, including polymers, hydrogels, and nanoparticles, possess unique properties that have paved the way for the development of innovative and greener strategies for environmental remediation. These intrinsic structural and chemical properties, biocompatible and bioabsorbent character, and the ability to interact selectively with a wide range of molecules, forming inclusion complexes, and higher order supramolecular structures, make these materials highly attractive to remove persistent and emerging pollutants. The individual or simultaneous effective removal of inorganic, organic, and pharmaceutical active compounds derived from anthropogenic activities is still struggling with different technological, economic, and social issues. These include compound specificity, limited availability of environmental data and poor resource management, and lack of regulatory stringency for establishing the diversity of contaminants. This chapter provides a critical and timely compilation of the key contributions and advances in environmental remediation technologies based on natural/modified polymers and CD, with selected examples of adsorbents and target matrices and adsorbed compounds. Also described are the ( 1) benefits of CD-based polymers in outperforming conventional systems, ( 2) structural variations, ( 3) preparation strategies and conditions, ( 4) interaction mechanisms, and ( 5) removal performances.
