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Advanced Wastewater Treatment for Mitigating Microplastics Contamination
Summary
This review examines advanced wastewater treatment technologies for removing microplastics from effluent, noting that treatment plants receive up to 372 billion microparticles daily and that primary and secondary treatment methods are insufficient to prevent environmental release.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) receive a significant amount of microplastics (MPs), ranging from 3.6 to 372,000 million microparticles daily. These data imply that WWTPs can serve as an important barrier to preventing the release of MPs into the environment. The primary and secondary treatment commonly employed in WWTP were not originally designed for the specific purpose of MP removal. Nevertheless, several studies have reported significant removal of MP by these systems, although the outcomes sometimes are divergent. The removal of MP in WWTP depends on the shape and size of the MP found in the wastewater. The reduced removal efficiency can be attributed to factors such as their slow settling rate and/or poor biodegradability. Despite WWTP with primary and secondary treatments can reduce MP, these facilities may be an important source of MP given the discharge of a high volume of effluent, added to the fact that the MP can adsorb and transport other contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants, trace metals, and “forever” chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This chapter provides an overview of the presence of MPs in WWTPs and compares the effectiveness of conventional methods, including settlers, biological reactors, coagulation-flocculation, and filtration, with advanced technologies such as electrocoagulation, membranes, advanced oxidation processes, and adsorption. The efficiency of advanced processes varies from less than 1% to complete MP removal. The advantages and limitations of each technology are discussed, with the literature emphasizing the need to integrate various advanced techniques to reduce MP discharge into the environment. There are also certain challenges that need to be addressed to promote the use of advanced technologies in WWTPs, including high initial costs, operational complexities, and concerns about the potential generation of secondary waste based on the technology used. Nevertheless, by implementing advanced technologies for MP, it is expected to enhance wastewater management and achieve more environmentally friendly disposal practices.