We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Waste-Water Treatment Plants, Kashmir, India.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in wastewater treatment plants in Kashmir, India, which matters because these plastics can end up in our water supply and potentially harm human health. The good news: they tested a cheap, simple filter made from sand and charcoal that removed over 99% of microplastics, offering a promising low-cost solution for communities without access to expensive water treatment technology.
This study focused on detecting and removing microplastics (MPs) from wastewater using a low-cost filter. Microplastics are very small plastic pieces that pollute water and can harm both animals and people. For this study, water samples were collected from three treatment plants in Srinagar: Hariparbat STP, Laam STP, and Nishat WTP. The presence of microplastics was studied under stereo microscope, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Common microplastic shapes found were cross-network microfibres, fibres, films, fragments, and foams. Hariparbat STP had the highest number of microplastics, followed by Laam STP and then Nishat WTP. Biological treatment was most effective in removing microplastics (91.93%), followed by chemical (65.10%) and physical stage (41.05%) in STPs; however, in WTP, maximum removal efficiency was shown by Physical Stage (69.28%) followed by chemical stage (49.62%). As Nishat WTP does not have a biological stage, it showed lower removal. The main microplastic polymers found were PET, PP, PE, PVC, LDPE, HDPE and PAN. Overall removal efficiency was highest in Hariparbat STP (99.7%), followed by Laam STP (97.66%) and Nishat WTP (84.52%). For removal, a low-cost filter was developed using sand, charcoal, and activated charcoal in different combinations. Among all filters tested, the sand-activated charcoal filter showed the highest removal efficiency (99.5%), followed by the sand-charcoal filter (99%) and the plain sand filter (97.16%). The sand-charcoal filter was the most affordable and effective for wider use in low-resource areas.
More Papers Like This
Efficiency of a microplastic removal system from synthetic wastewater using a chemical process combined with simple filtration
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested a simple, low-cost way to filter tiny plastic particles (microplastics) out of wastewater by combining a water-clarifying chemical with basic sand filtration—the kind of setup treatment plants could realistically use. When tuned correctly, this combo removed over 99% of microplastics from test water, suggesting a practical path toward keeping these particles out of our rivers, drinking water, and ultimately our bodies, where their health effects are still being studied.
Performance of intermittent sand and coke filters for the removal of size-ranged microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested sand and coke filters at a laboratory scale to remove microplastics from water and found that coke-based filters achieved up to 92.79% removal efficiency, outperforming sand alone. These low-cost filtration systems could be added to wastewater treatment plants to significantly reduce the number of microplastics reaching rivers and oceans.
Rice Husk Biochar Filtration for Microplastic Removal from Raw Water at a Drinking-Water Depot in Aceh Besar, Indonesia
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles too small to catch with normal water treatment are turning up in drinking water, especially from small local water refill stations. This study found that filtering water through biochar made from burnt rice husks, a cheap, plant-based material, can effectively strip out these microplastics before the water reaches your glass. It's a promising, low-cost solution that could help reduce your exposure to microplastics without requiring expensive treatment upgrades.
Investigation of Microplastics in the drinking water treatment plant at Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated microplastic removal efficiency across the treatment stages of a drinking water treatment plant in Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India, collecting samples at each stage and analyzing them by microscopy, SEM, and XRD. Microplastics, predominantly fibers, were found in all stages including the final treated water supplied to households, indicating that standard treatment processes do not fully eliminate microplastic contamination.
Identification and characterization of Microplastics in the Kartamantul Water Supply System, Yogyakarta, and its Potential Human Exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked tiny plastic particles (microplastics) through a water treatment system in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and found that standard treatment removes about 94% of them—but some still make it through to household taps, adding up to an estimated 18.73 particles per kilogram of body weight consumed daily. This matters because it shows current water treatment isn't fully eliminating microplastics from our drinking water, meaning extra filtering steps may be needed to reduce what ends up in your glass.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.