Starch is one of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature and has a high potential for application in several fields, including effluent treatment as an adsorbent. Starch has a unique structure, with zones of different crystallinity and a glycosidic structure containing hydroxyl groups. This configuration allows a wide range of interactions with pollutants of different degrees of hydrophilicity, which includes from hydrogen bonding to hydrophobic interactions. This review article aims to survey the use of starch in the synthesis of diverse adsorbents, in forms from nanoparticles to blends, and evaluates their performance in terms of amount of pollutant adsorbed and removal efficiency. A critical analysis of the materials developed, and the results obtained is also presented. Finally, the review provides an outlook on how this polysaccharide can be used more effectively and efficiently in remediation efforts in the near future.

The use of micro-/nanofibrillated celluloses (M/NFCs) is often considered for the enhancement of paper properties, while it is still challenging to use them in lower weight gain coatings. This work explores how they might be used on the paper surface to improve the printing quality. In this regard, M/NFCs were produced using different pre-treatment methods, including mechanical (m-MFC), enzymatic (e-MFC), TEMPO-mediated oxidation (t-NFC) and cationization (c-NFC), and uniform coating formulations were developed through the cooking of starch and M/NFCs simultaneously. The formulations, at 6–8% of total solid concentration, were applied to the paper surface by roll coating, resulting in a dry coating weight of 1.5 to 3 g/m${}^2$. Besides M/NFCs, other components such as starch betainate (a cationic starch ester; SB), Pluronics^® (a triblock co-polymer), precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and betaine hydrochloride (BetHCl) were also used in the M/NFC-based coating formulations to observe their combined influence on the printing quality. The presence of M/NFCs improved the paper printing quality, which was further enhanced by the increase in cationic charge density due to the presence of BetHCl/SB, and also by Pluronics^®. The cationic charge of c-NFC was also found to be effective for improving the gamut area and optical density of coated papers, whereas whiteness was often reduced due to the quenching of the brightening agent. BetHCl, on the other hand, improved the printing quality of the coated papers, even though it was more effective when combined with M/NFCs, PCC and Pluronics^®, and also helped to retain paper whiteness.