We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Removal and Fouling Influence of Microplastics in Fertilizer Driven Forward Osmosis for Wastewater Reclamation
AI summary Read the abstract
Forward osmosis driven by fertilizer draw solution was found to efficiently remove micro- and nanoplastics while producing irrigation-quality water, though microplastics caused membrane fouling that reduced water flux over time, requiring further optimization for practical implementation.
Insufficient removal of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) may exert negative effects on the environment and human health during wastewater reclamation. The fertilizer-driven forward osmosis (FDFO) is an emerging potential technology to generate high-quality water for irrigation of hydroponic systems. In this study, the removal of MPs/NPs by the FDFO process together with their impact on FDFO membrane fouling was investigated, due to FDFO's low molecular weight cut-off and energy requirement by using fertilizer as draw solution. Plastic particles with two different sizes (100 nm and 1 μm) and extracellular polymers released by real wastewater bacteria were utilized as model compounds for FDFO performance comparison. Results show that FDFO membrane system could generate high-quality irrigation water with only fertilizer, completely removing extracellular polymers, MPs and NPs from wastewater. It was found that the MPs and NPs themselves do not cause a significant membrane fouling. Moreover, it could help to reduce the membrane fouling caused by extracellular substances. That is probably because MPs and NPs helped to form a loose and porous fouling layer. Therefore, the FDFO process could be a long-term stable (low fouling) process for the reclamation of wastewater with high-quality requirements.
More Papers Like This
Recent advances on micro/nanoplastic pollution and membrane fouling during water treatment: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed recent advances in understanding how micro- and nanoplastics contribute to membrane fouling during water treatment processes. The study found that while membrane separation effectively removes microplastics from wastewater effluent, fouling caused by plastic particles along with dissolved organics and extracellular polymers remains a key obstacle, and understanding the fouling mechanisms is critical for improving treatment efficiency.
The Potential Role of Membrane Technology in the Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines membrane filtration as a technology for removing microplastics from wastewater, finding it promising but limited by issues of fouling and chemical instability. Improving membrane technology could significantly reduce the amount of microplastics discharged into waterways from treatment plants.
A review of microplastic removal from water and wastewater by membrane technologies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how membrane filtration technologies can remove microplastics from drinking water and wastewater. Researchers found that advanced membranes like nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and membrane bioreactors are among the most effective methods for capturing microplastic particles that conventional treatment plants miss. The study compares membrane approaches with other removal methods and discusses the challenges of membrane fouling caused by microplastic accumulation.
An evaluation of microplastics fate in the wastewater treatment plants: frequency and removal of microplastics by microfiltration membrane
AI summary Read the abstract
This study assessed microplastic removal efficiency at a wastewater treatment plant in Iran and tested microfiltration membrane performance, finding that the membrane significantly improved microplastic removal beyond conventional treatment steps.
Microplastics separation in reject water from wastewater sludge treatment line using micro and ultrafiltration membranes
AI summary Read the abstract
Wastewater treatment plants can accidentally recirculate tiny plastic particles back into the water they're processing, meaning microplastics can build up over time instead of being removed. This study found that a specific filtering membrane (called UH050) can effectively strain out these microplastics while still allowing valuable nutrients to pass through for reuse as fertilizer, offering a practical way to keep more plastic out of treated water before it re-enters our environment and water supply.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.