The advancement of biopolymers provides a pathway towards attaining environmental sustainability through the reduction of dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels. Biopolymers (e.g., cellulose, chitin, and their derivatives) are known for their abundance, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Biopolymers and their synthesized composites can be developed for targeted removal of various pollutants such as organic dyes, pesticides/herbicides, pharmaceuticals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, radioactive substances, and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The ability of biopolymers to be modified for improved functionally allows for the optimization of performance and the mitigation of specific contaminants. Chitin has been explored as a precursor for alternative to petroleum-based ion exchange resins in numerous studies. Despite the widespread interest in developing and testing biopolymers for ion exchange, only a handful of studies have assessed the sustainability of these beads as an alternative to synthetic polymers in water treatment. Thus, a need exists to characterize the costs and environmental impacts of chitosan derived biopolymeric beads to develop sustainable water treatment methods.