Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review
Many tons of micro- and nano-sized plastic particles enter the aquatic environment every year, due to increasing plastic production, with the consequent risk of microplastics contaminating our environment. Addressing this multifaceted threat requires innovative technologies that can efficiently remo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Academy of Sciences
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Archives of Environmental Protection |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/125247/PDF/Archives%20vol48no4pp102_128.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797448449716649984 |
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| author | Michał Bodzek Alina Pohl |
| author_facet | Michał Bodzek Alina Pohl |
| author_sort | Michał Bodzek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many tons of micro- and nano-sized plastic particles enter the aquatic environment every year, due to increasing plastic production, with the consequent risk of microplastics contaminating our environment. Addressing this multifaceted threat requires innovative technologies that can efficiently remove microplastics from the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to study the efficiency of the removal of microplastics by different water and wastewater treatment technologies. After short overviewed the source, occurrence, and potential adverse impacts of microplastics to human health, we then identified promising technologies for microplastics removal, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. A detailed analysis of the advantages and limitations of different techniques was provided. According to literature data, the performance of microplastics removal is as follows: membrane bioreactor (>99%) > activated sludge process (~98%) > rapid sand filtration (~97.1%) > dissolved air floatation (~95%) > electrocoagulation (>90%) > constructed wetlands (88%). Chemical treatment methods such as coagulation, magnetic separation, Fenton, photo-Fenton and photocatalytic degradation also show moderate to high efficiency of microplastics removal. Hybrid treatment such as the MBR-UF/RO system, coagulation followed by ozonation, adsorption, dissolved air flotation, filtration, and constructed wetlands based hybrid technologies have shown very promising results in the effective removal of microplastics. Lastly, research gaps in this area are identified, and suggestions for future perspectives are provided. We concluded this review with the current challenges and future research priorities, which will guide us through the path addressing microplastics contamination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:10:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-28e0a606f60b498db05a885680221cea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2083-4772 2083-4810 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:10:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Environmental Protection |
| spelling | doaj.art-28e0a606f60b498db05a885680221cea2023-11-29T10:42:32ZengPolish Academy of SciencesArchives of Environmental Protection2083-47722083-48102022-12-01vol. 48No 4102128https://doi.org/10.24425/aep.2022.143713Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a reviewMichał Bodzek0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9534-7426Alina Pohl1Institute of Environmental Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze, PolandInstitute of Environmental Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze, PolandMany tons of micro- and nano-sized plastic particles enter the aquatic environment every year, due to increasing plastic production, with the consequent risk of microplastics contaminating our environment. Addressing this multifaceted threat requires innovative technologies that can efficiently remove microplastics from the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to study the efficiency of the removal of microplastics by different water and wastewater treatment technologies. After short overviewed the source, occurrence, and potential adverse impacts of microplastics to human health, we then identified promising technologies for microplastics removal, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches. A detailed analysis of the advantages and limitations of different techniques was provided. According to literature data, the performance of microplastics removal is as follows: membrane bioreactor (>99%) > activated sludge process (~98%) > rapid sand filtration (~97.1%) > dissolved air floatation (~95%) > electrocoagulation (>90%) > constructed wetlands (88%). Chemical treatment methods such as coagulation, magnetic separation, Fenton, photo-Fenton and photocatalytic degradation also show moderate to high efficiency of microplastics removal. Hybrid treatment such as the MBR-UF/RO system, coagulation followed by ozonation, adsorption, dissolved air flotation, filtration, and constructed wetlands based hybrid technologies have shown very promising results in the effective removal of microplastics. Lastly, research gaps in this area are identified, and suggestions for future perspectives are provided. We concluded this review with the current challenges and future research priorities, which will guide us through the path addressing microplastics contamination.https://journals.pan.pl/Content/125247/PDF/Archives%20vol48no4pp102_128.pdfwater and wastewater treatmentmicroplastics removalphysical treatmentchemical technologybiological process |
| spellingShingle | Michał Bodzek Alina Pohl Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review Archives of Environmental Protection water and wastewater treatment microplastics removal physical treatment chemical technology biological process |
| title | Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review |
| title_full | Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review |
| title_fullStr | Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review |
| title_short | Removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment: a review |
| title_sort | removal of microplastics in unit processes used in water and wastewater treatment a review |
| topic | water and wastewater treatment microplastics removal physical treatment chemical technology biological process |
| url | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/125247/PDF/Archives%20vol48no4pp102_128.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michałbodzek removalofmicroplasticsinunitprocessesusedinwaterandwastewatertreatmentareview AT alinapohl removalofmicroplasticsinunitprocessesusedinwaterandwastewatertreatmentareview |