We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
[Research Progress on Removal of Microplastics by Filtration in Drinking Water Treatment].
Summary
This review examines how media filtration at drinking water treatment plants removes microplastics, evaluating filter types, operating conditions, and removal efficiencies reported in the literature. It identifies filtration as a scalable, cost-effective barrier for MP removal and discusses optimisation strategies to improve performance.
Microplastics （MPs）， as an emerging contaminant， have garnered significant attention in the field of drinking water research because of their widespread distribution in the environment and potential for biological toxicity. Currently， varying levels of MPs have been detected in drinking water treatment plants （DWTPs）， and media filtration， as a key barrier in the effluent of DWTPs， offers advantages such as easy scalability， low operating costs， green and sustainable purification， and potential for improved removal efficiency of MPs. Moreover， plastic particles can be effectively removed through mechanisms such as screening， filtration， interception， adsorption， size exclusion， cake formation， and electrostatic attraction/repulsion. Therefore， to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the efficacy of media filtration in removing MPs in DWTPs， a thorough investigation of the sources and current status of MPs in DWTPs was initially conducted， an in-depth analysis of the contribution of media filtration in removing MPs was performed， and a brief overview of the mechanisms of media filtration removal of MPs was presented. Additionally， a comprehensive evaluation of the various factors affecting the effectiveness of media filtration in removing MPs was conducted. The results indicate that wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs） are a significant source of MPs in surface and groundwater， that media filtration is notably effective in removing MPs larger than 10 μm， and that its effectiveness is limited for MPs smaller than 10 μm. The efficiency of media filtration in removing MPs is influenced by the properties of the MPs themselves， the nature of the filter media， and the hydraulic and aqueous chemical properties. Finally， future research directions were prospected from several perspectives， including the quantification and analysis methods of MPs， the development and optimization of efficient media filtration technologies for small-sized MPs， and the impact of micro-interface behavior during media filtration on the migration and removal mechanisms of MPs， with the goal of providing a theoretical foundation and technical reference for optimizing media filtration processes to remove MPs.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Removal of microplastics and nanoplastics in water treatment processes: A systematic literature review
Researchers systematically reviewed 103 studies across 26 water treatment plants in 12 countries to assess how well various technologies remove microplastics and nanoplastics from drinking water, finding that while coagulation, filtration, and advanced treatments help, significant gaps remain. The review identifies that no single process achieves complete removal, leaving microplastics as a persistent contaminant in treated water supplies.
Occurrence and removal of microplastics by advanced and conventional drinking water treatment facilities
Researchers evaluated the performance of both advanced and conventional drinking water treatment processes for removing microplastics, finding that advanced methods such as ultrafiltration substantially outperform standard coagulation and filtration. Most conventional treatment plants leave a meaningful fraction of microplastics in finished drinking water.
Fate of microplastics in the drinking water production
Researchers tracked the fate of microplastics through drinking water treatment processes, finding that conventional treatment steps like coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration removed the majority of microplastics but did not eliminate them entirely.
Removal of microplastics via drinking water treatment: Current knowledge and future directions
This review examines what is currently known about microplastics in drinking water systems and how well existing water treatment processes remove them. Researchers found that while conventional treatment steps like coagulation and filtration do reduce microplastic levels, significant amounts can still persist through to tap water. The study calls for more research into optimizing treatment processes and developing monitoring strategies specifically targeting microplastic contamination in drinking water.
What have we known so far about microplastics in drinking water treatment? A timely review
This review summarizes research on microplastic occurrence and removal in drinking water treatment, covering both laboratory and full-scale studies through August 2021. Researchers found that conventional treatment processes like coagulation-flocculation, membrane filtration, and sand filtration are generally effective at reducing microplastics in water, though results vary widely depending on conditions. The study identifies key factors influencing removal efficiency and highlights the need for further research on nanoplastics in drinking water.