Electrocoagulation as a Possible Treatment for Wastewater Contaminated with Microplastics - A Review

Microplastics (MPs) have arisen as an omnipresent pollutant that damages the aquatic ecosystem, raising serious concerns. It has become a massive challenge since MPs have the ability to biomagnify and thereby harm human health, biodiversity, aquatic species, and the environment. Therefore, innovative technologies are needed to efficiently remove MPs. Membrane technologies can be quite effective in the removal of MPs. Furthermore, hybrid membrane techniques such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), membrane fouling, electrochemical processes, and adsorption processes can be used to improve efficiency. Electrocoagulation is considered an effective wastewater treatment technique for MPs removal, with the advantages of low cost, independence of chemicals, and ease of operation. The main aim of this work is to demonstrate the potential of electrocoagulation to remove MPs from wastewater and provide an overview of the sources and toxicity of MPs found in wastewater. This study also evaluates various physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods for removing MPs from wastewater.