Carbonaceous Nanofibers for Environmental Remediation--A Review of Mechanistic Insights and Performance Optimization

Environmental contamination by gaseous emissions, toxic metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants continues to challenge both natural and engineered systems, while conventional remediation technologies often suffer from limited selectivity, high energy demand, or poor durability. This review critically evaluates carbonaceous nanofibers (CNFs) as a versatile material platform for environmental remediation, with the objective of clarifying how precursor chemistry, nanofiber architecture, and surface functionalization govern remediation performance across pollutant classes. A systematic analysis of recent peer-reviewed literature was conducted to compare CNFs derived from polyacrylonitrile, cellulose, polyethyleneimine, polyimide, and related precursors in removing gaseous pollutants (CO₂, SO₂, NOx), organic contaminants (dyes, antibiotics, volatile organic compounds), toxic metals and metalloids (Cr, Cu, As, U), and microplastics. Comparative evaluation reveals pronounced performance heterogeneity driven by solid–gas and solid–liquid interfacial mechanisms, where surface functional groups, environmental conditions, and matrix complexity often exert greater influence than intrinsic surface area alone. Cross-study analysis further indicates that adsorption kinetics, stability, and regeneration behavior vary widely due to differences in material design and testing conditions, limiting direct comparability and practical predictability. These findings highlight key barriers to real-world deployment, including insufficient selectivity, performance decay, and scalability constraints. By integrating structure–property–performance relationships with practical considerations such as durability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, this review provides a framework for the rational design and application of CNF-based technologies for environmental pollution control.