Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater by Biological Process

The pollution of ecosystems is one of the major environmental problems due to its impact on the biosphere and human health. The ecosystem is subject to numerous pollutions from direct discharges (urban and industrial effluents, etc.) and indirect discharges (fluvial and atmospheric inputs). The almost widespread pollution seriously threatens the existing natural resources in the environment. The xenobiotic substances likely to contaminate water are extremely numerous and diverse due to the multiple human activities that can be their source. Plastic wastes (Microplastics) are particularly considered as priority contaminants of aqueous ecosystems due to their low solubilization in aqueous media and their adsorption to solid particles. In addition, microplastics present a significant toxicological risk even at low concentrations, in particular through their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. In order to preserve and restore the environment and eliminate these pollutants, it is therefore necessary to develop reliable and effective pollution control methods. Physical and chemical methods are applied to immobilize the microplastics and destroy them to reduce their impact on health and the environment. Most of these techniques are expensive and environmentally unfriendly. However, a biological approach by bioremediation can be considered. It uses the purifying power of microorganisms in the environment, and has the advantage of being minimally invasive and less expensive. Current research is oriented towards the elimination of micro plastics by bioprocesses, the interest of these new techniques of which lies above all in the non-polluting and economically profitable aspect. In this chapter we will discuss the different biological processes currently followed to rid micro plastics of wastewater and highlight the economic interest as we can benefit from the case studies.