Valorization of Unconventional Hair Waste: Unlocking Opportunities in Materials and Chemical Engineering

The document highlights the potential of human hair waste as a valuable resource in materials and chemical engineering, emphasizing its applications in environmental, chemical, and biomedical fields. Human hair's unique properties, such as keratin content, tensile strength, and hydrophobicity, make it suitable for diverse uses, including oil spill remediation, concrete reinforcement, and pollution control. It can be transformed into sustainable bioplastics, films for drug delivery, and carbon materials for energy storage. The study underscores the need for systematic utilization systems and standardized protocols to minimize waste and enhance economic and environmental benefits, suggesting that human hair waste can significantly contribute to sustainable technologies and green chemistry initiatives.