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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Policy & Risk
Remediation
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Understanding and Improving Microplastic Removal during Water Treatment: Impact of Coagulation and Flocculation
Environmental Science & Technology2020
424 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Mathieu Lapointe,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Mathieu Lapointe,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Mathieu Lapointe,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Mathieu Lapointe,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Laura M. Hernandez,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Jeffrey M. Farner,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Laura M. Hernandez,
Laura M. Hernandez,
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Nathalie Tufenkji
Summary
Researchers systematically tested coagulation and flocculation for removing microplastics from drinking water, finding that removal efficiency depended strongly on plastic particle size and whether particles had been weathered, with smaller pristine particles being the hardest to remove.
The efficacy of plastic particle removal by municipal water treatment plants is currently uncertain, and the mechanisms involved in microplastic (MP) coagulation and flocculation have only been superficially investigated. The removal of pristine versus weathered plastic debris and the impact of plastic particle size on removal remain largely unexplored. In this study, coagulation, flocculation, and settling performances were investigated using pristine and weathered MPs (polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) microspheres, and polyester (PEST) fibers). Weathering processes that changed the surface chemistry and roughness of MPs impacted MP affinity for coagulants and flocculants. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring was used to identify the mechanisms involved during MP coagulation and flocculation. Measured deposition rates confirmed the relatively low affinity between plastic surfaces and aluminum-based coagulants compared to cationic polyacrylamide (PAM). In every case examined, coagulant efficiency increased when the plastic surface was weathered. Removals of 97 and 99% were measured for PEST and weathered PE, respectively. Larger pristine PE MPs were the most resistant to coagulation and flocculation, with 82% removal observed even under enhanced coagulation conditions. By understanding the interaction mechanisms, the removal of weathered MPs was optimized. Finally, this study explored the use of settled water turbidity as a possible indicator of MP removal.