Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

The potential risks posed by micro-nanoplastics to the safety of disinfected drinking water

This review examines the risks that micro- and nanoplastics pose to the safety of disinfected drinking water. Researchers found that common disinfection processes like ozone, chlorine, and UV treatment can actually make plastics more harmful by promoting leaching of organic compounds and generating disinfection byproducts. The study suggests that enhanced treatment technologies such as advanced coagulation, membrane filtration, and improved detection methods are needed to effectively remove these contaminants and prevent secondary hazards.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on DBPs formation under the chlorination of natural organic matters

Researchers investigated how microplastics affect disinfection byproduct formation during chlorination of natural organic matter in water treatment, finding that the presence of microplastics can influence the generation of potentially harmful DBPs.

2022 Chemosphere 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insight into the role of typical microplastics in chlorination disinfection: Precursors and adsorbents of both MP-DOM and DBPs

Chlorination of polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics released dissolved organic matter that formed disinfection by-products, with PS-MPs being more susceptible to chlorination; the study found that even small MPs in drinking water can contribute to DBP precursor loads during treatment.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaching of organic matters and formation of disinfection by-product as a result of presence of microplastics in natural freshwaters

Researchers found that microplastics leach dissolved organic carbon into freshwater, and when combined with chlorine disinfection, this leached material promotes the formation of disinfection byproducts like chloroform in drinking water treatment.

2022 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics and organic matter leaching behavior during chlorination

Researchers studied how chlorination affects polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics and the organic matter they release, finding that chlorination promoted organic carbon leaching from microplastics at about 0.3 to 0.5 parts per thousand of the plastic mass. The leached organic matter showed significant potential to form trihalomethane and haloacetonitrile disinfection byproducts, raising concerns about chlorinated microplastics in drinking water systems.

2022 Chemosphere 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts in drinking water: complex interactions beyond adsorption

This study examined how microplastics in drinking water interact with nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (DBPs)—among the most toxic disinfection products—beyond simple adsorption. Researchers found that microplastics can modify DBP formation during water chlorination and alter their bioavailability, complicating risk assessment for treated drinking water containing both microplastics and disinfection byproducts.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics
Article Tier 2

Physicochemical changes in microplastics and formation of DBPs under ozonation

Researchers examined physicochemical changes in thermoplastic polyurethane and polyethylene microplastics during ozonation water treatment, finding that the process can alter microplastic morphology and potentially generate disinfection byproducts.

2023 Chemosphere 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the dynamic transformation properties of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter and its contribution to the formation of chlorination disinfection by-products

Researchers studied how dissolved organic matter released from microplastics transforms under UV light and how it contributes to the formation of harmful disinfection byproducts during water chlorination. They found that UV exposure changed the chemical composition of the microplastic-derived organic matter, affecting its reactivity during disinfection. The findings suggest that microplastics in water sources may indirectly increase the formation of potentially harmful chemicals during standard water treatment.

2024 RSC Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Leaching of organic matter from microplastics and its role in disinfection by-product formation

Researchers found that microplastics leach organic matter into water that subsequently acts as a precursor for disinfection by-products during chlorination, with polystyrene MPs generating the most leachate and producing the most by-products compared to polyethylene MPs.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of chlorine and UV/H2O2 on microplastics in drinking water

Using chlorine and UV/hydrogen peroxide at dosages realistic for actual drinking water treatment plants, this study assessed whether standard disinfection processes alter microplastics in tap water. The work addresses a critical public health question — whether the water treatment people rely on to make tap water safe actually removes or changes the microplastics that have been detected in treated drinking water.

2024 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Disinfection impacts: Effects of different disinfection treatments on common polymer types to guide the identification of polymers of concern in the water industry

Researchers tested how common water disinfection methods, including chlorination and chloramination, affect seven types of plastic particles at different doses and pH levels. They found that both treatments caused measurable physical and chemical changes to the polymers, with some plastics showing significant surface degradation and chemical alterations. The findings suggest that water treatment processes may unintentionally transform microplastics in ways that could affect their environmental behavior and potential health impacts.

2025 Cambridge Prisms Plastics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive assessment of chlorination disinfection on microplastic-associated biofilms

Researchers tested how well chlorine disinfection works against biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces in water. They found that while chlorination effectively killed bacteria on the microplastics, some resistant species survived and the process altered the microbial community structure. The findings suggest that microplastics in water systems may harbor bacteria that are harder to eliminate through standard disinfection methods.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Can microplastics and disinfectant resistance genes pose conceivable threats to water disinfection process?

This review examines how microplastics in water supplies interact with disinfection resistance genes (DRGs) in bacteria, creating a compounding threat to water safety. Microplastics provide surfaces where resistant bacteria can form biofilms and exchange resistance genes, and they can locally reduce the effective concentration of disinfectants — making standard water treatment less effective. The concern is that as both microplastic pollution and disinfectant use grow, we may be inadvertently breeding harder-to-kill pathogens in our drinking water systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic biofilms in water treatment systems: Fate and risks of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes

This review examines how microplastics in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants develop biofilms that harbor dangerous bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilm-coated microplastics can protect pathogens from disinfection processes, allowing them to survive treatment and potentially reach tap water. This raises concerns about microplastics serving as vehicles for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in our water supply.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nitrogenous dbps in drinking water: a complex interaction beyond adsorption

Researchers investigated interactions between microplastics and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts in drinking water, examining how plastic particles affect the formation and toxicity of these regulated chemical contaminants. The study identified complex interactions suggesting that microplastics in treated water may alter the risk profile of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Reassessing systemic blind spots in modern water disinfection paradigms

This meta-analysis found that micro- and nanoplastics in water disinfection systems hinder bacterial inactivation at higher concentrations, significantly increase horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, and promote formation of disinfection byproducts. Larger microplastic particles and polyethylene terephthalate showed the strongest effects on byproduct formation, revealing a blind spot in current water treatment approaches.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Insight into the effect of UVC-based advanced oxidation processes on the interaction of typical microplastics and their derived disinfection byproducts during disinfection

Scientists found that UV-based water treatment processes, while intended to clean drinking water, caused microplastics to release more organic matter and form more disinfection byproducts during chlorination. Up to 42% of the toxic byproducts formed were absorbed back onto the microplastic surfaces, creating contaminated particles. This concerning finding suggests that some common water treatment methods could unintentionally make microplastic contamination in drinking water more hazardous.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Ozonation and its Application in Wastewater Treatment

Not relevant to microplastics — this review covers ozonation and catalytic ozonation as wastewater disinfection and organic pollutant degradation technologies, with no focus on microplastic contamination.

2023 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Secondary risks induced by polyethylene microplastics during the disinfection processes of chlorination, UV irradiation, and ozone treatment

Polyethylene microplastics subjected to chlorination, UV irradiation, and ozone treatment at drinking-water-relevant doses showed minimal biotoxicity changes, suggesting that standard disinfection processes do not significantly increase the hazard posed by plastic particles in water.

2024 Water Science & Technology Water Supply 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nitrogenous dbps in drinking water: a complex interaction beyond adsorption

Researchers examined the interaction between microplastics and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts in drinking water, investigating how plastic particles may influence the formation or toxicity of these chemical contaminants. The study found that microplastics and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts interact in ways that go beyond simple co-occurrence, potentially altering chemical risks in treated water.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)