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Effect of Microfiltration Membrane Configuration in Microplastics Recovery from Wastewater Treatment Effluent
Summary
This study compared two microfiltration membrane spacer sizes and geometries — diamond and corrugated configurations — for removing microplastics from wastewater treatment effluents. Results showed that spacer geometry and size influenced microplastic removal efficiency, with implications for optimizing membrane-based tertiary treatment.
Water scarcity has driven the use of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents as reclaimed water, highlighting the need to overcome challenges such as the presence of emerging contaminants, particularly microplastics (MPs), which WWTPs are unable to effectively remove. Membrane-based processes, such as microfiltration, have demonstrated high efficiency in the removal of suspended solids, and their application for MP removal is currently under investigation. This study assesses the influence of microfiltration membrane spacer size (1 mil and 80 mil) and geometry-diamond and corrugated-on MP recovery performance, using synthetic wastewaters with varying MPs concentrations. The results indicate the superior performance of large corrugated and small diamond-shaped membranes, as both exhibited the highest and comparable permeate flux, with no MP retention within the membrane element. All microfiltration membranes achieved an 80% recovery of the influent as safe reclaimed water and demonstrated an MP recovery efficiency exceeding 99%, with 100% rejection for fragments and up to 98% rejection for fibres.