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Paving roads with recycled plastics: Microplastic pollution or eco-friendly solution?
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This study assessed the capability of granular activated carbon filtration to remove nanoplastics from drinking water, finding approximately 85% removal efficiency for particles below 1 micrometer. Removal was lower for smaller, hydrophilic particles that resist adsorption.
Although plastic-modified roads are a promising approach to reducing the amount of landfilled and incinerated plastic and improving asphalt pavement performance, the contribution of plastic-modified roads to microplastic pollution is unknown. This study aimed to develop a new abrasion procedure to quantify the release of microplastics from recycled plastic-modified asphalt depending on environmental factors, the type and content of plastic used, and the incorporation method in bitumen/asphalt. A Wet Track Abrasion machine was used to simulate road traffic abrasion on a plastic-modified asphalt sample, and a novel microplastic extraction procedure was designed to extract the generated microplastics. Incorporating recycled plastic as a polymer modifier in the bitumen matrix resulted in an early release of microplastics compared to its addition as a synthetic aggregate substitute in the asphalt mix. Cold temperatures and low pH values favoured the generation of microplastics from plastic-modified asphalt. Due to the lack of universal thresholds for the release of microplastics into the environment, environmental agencies and local authorities could benefit from this novel laboratory-based microplastic assessment procedure to foster the sustainable use of recycled plastic in roads.
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Transport behavior of nanoplastics in activated carbon column
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Researchers investigated the transport and retention of nanoplastics through granular activated carbon columns used in drinking water treatment. Nanoplastics were partially retained in activated carbon but their behavior depended on particle surface charge and solution chemistry, with implications for drinking water safety.
Tracking microplastics in a drinking water supply system proximity to industrial facilities: Occurrence, source identification, and risk assessment
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Researchers comprehensively investigated microplastic occurrence, sources, and health risks in a drinking water supply system near industrial facilities, finding that a granular activated carbon filter removed 93.39% of microplastics at the treatment plant. However, microplastic abundance increased during distribution, highlighting post-treatment contamination as a critical but underappreciated exposure pathway.
Microplastics Removal from Wastewater Using Activated Carbon Adsorbent: A Case Study of Microplastics Pollution Control in Water System
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This chapter evaluates activated carbon as an adsorbent for removing microplastics from wastewater, finding it can be integrated into existing treatment plant infrastructure with minimal modifications. Improving microplastic removal efficiency at wastewater treatment plants is a critical intervention point because treated effluent is one of the largest pathways delivering microplastics into rivers, coastal waters, and ultimately drinking water sources.
Performance of activated carbon for polypropylene microplastic removal in wastewater
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Researchers tested the ability of granular activated carbon to remove polypropylene microplastics from wastewater and found it could capture over 90 percent of particles under optimized conditions. The carbon's effectiveness depended on factors like particle size, contact time, and water chemistry. The study supports activated carbon adsorption as a practical and efficient add-on treatment step for removing microplastics from water treatment systems.
Fate and removal efficiency of polystyrene nanoplastics in a pilot drinking water treatment plant
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Researchers investigated how effectively a pilot-scale drinking water treatment plant removes polystyrene nanoplastics. The study found that sand and activated carbon filtration alone achieved 88.1% removal, but adding a coagulation step dramatically improved removal efficiency to 99.4%, with most nanoplastics captured during the sand filtration process.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.