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Chemical, physical, and biological techniques to remove microplastics
Summary
This review covers the chemical, physical, and biological techniques available for removing microplastics from the environment, comparing their effectiveness and practical limitations. Researchers found that while each approach has strengths, no single method is sufficient for complete removal across different environmental settings. The study suggests that combining multiple techniques offers the most promising path toward effective microplastic remediation.
Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles with a size of less than 5 mm that pose a global threat to ecosystems. They originate from various sources, including the degradation of macro plastics, resin pellets used in plastic manufacturing, and microbeads found in health and beauty products. These contaminants are generated during the use and disposal of plastic products, leading to a widespread presence of MPs in the environment. Due to their high specific surface area and strong hydrophobicity, MPs could absorb hazardous microorganisms and chemical contaminants from the environment, causing irreversible harm to humans. Numerous studies have demonstrated that treated MPs can act as carriers of pollutants, potentially impacting animals, and human beings through the adsorption of contaminants in the environment. Therefore, it is crucial to develop efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly methods for the removal of MPs from both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This chapter provides insights into different remediation approaches, including membrane filtration, adsorption, chemically induced coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation, bioremediation (such as enzymatic degradation and microbial degradation), construction of wetlands, and advanced oxidation processes such as UV/H 2 O 2 , O 3 , UV/visible light-induced photocatalysis , UV photolysis. These approaches aim to decompose MPs of various sizes as well as to mitigate MP pollution in the environment.