Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Application of Iron Oxide-Coated Membranes in Permeable Block Systems for Advanced Removal of Micro- and Nanoplastics

This study evaluated iron oxide-coated membranes integrated into permeable block systems for removing microplastics and nanoplastics from aqueous media. The iron oxide coating enhanced MP capture through electrostatic and magnetic interactions, achieving higher removal efficiencies than uncoated membranes.

2025 Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Effective removal of Micro- and nanoplastics from water using Iron oxide nanoparticles: Mechanisms and optimization

Researchers developed a magnetic separation method using iron oxide nanoparticles to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water, achieving up to 95% removal efficiency within just 20 minutes. The technique works through hydrophobic interactions between the iron oxide particles and plastic surfaces, and was particularly effective for smaller nanoplastics. The method offers a relatively simple, rapid, and cost-effective approach to filtering plastic particles from contaminated water.

2025 Chemical Engineering Journal 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Testing an Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Based Method for Magnetic Separation of Nanoplastics and Microplastics from Water

Researchers tested iron oxide nanoparticles with hydrophobic coatings as a method for magnetically separating micro- and nanoplastics from water. The approach achieved 100% removal of larger microplastics and nearly 90% removal of nanoplastics using a simple permanent magnet, suggesting a viable method for water purification and environmental monitoring.

2022 Nanomaterials 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Magnetic Removal of Micro‐ and Nanoplastics from Water—from 100 nm to 100 µm Debris Size

Researchers demonstrated a magnetic method for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water using iron oxide nanoparticles that attract oppositely charged plastic particles. The technique was effective across a wide size range, from 100 nanometers to 100 micrometers, and worked with multiple plastic types. The study suggests that magnetic removal could help address the gap in current wastewater treatment, which struggles to capture the smallest plastic particles.

2023 Small 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficiency and mechanism of micro- and nano-plastic removal with polymeric Al-Fe bimetallic coagulants: Role of Fe addition

Researchers investigated polymeric Al-Fe bimetallic coagulants for removing micro- and nanoplastics from drinking water, finding that iron addition enhanced nanoplastic removal efficiency through improved charge neutralization and floc formation mechanisms.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics adsorption and removal by 2D ultrathin iron oxide nanodiscs: From micro to nano

Researchers developed ultra-thin magnetic iron oxide nanodiscs for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water. The study found that these nanodiscs achieved high adsorption capacity through electrostatic and magnetic forces, and maintained over 90% removal efficiency after five reuse cycles, offering a cost-effective approach for treating plastic-contaminated wastewater.

2024 Chemical Engineering Journal 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Retention and Transport of Nanoplastics with Different Surface Functionalities in a Sand Filtration System

This study tested how well sand filtration removes nanoplastics with different surface chemistries — a key question since nanoplastics are increasingly detected in drinking water sources. Surface charge strongly influenced whether nanoplastics were retained or passed through the filter, with negatively charged particles being harder to remove.

2023 Nanomaterials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from water by magnetic nano-Fe3O4

Researchers developed a method for removing microplastics from water using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that attach to plastic surfaces, allowing the particles to be pulled out with a magnet. The technique achieved removal rates above 80% for common microplastic types in environmental water samples including river water, sewage, and seawater, suggesting a practical approach for water treatment.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 276 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of particle size and oxide phase on microplastic transport through iron oxide-coated sand

Researchers studied how different types of iron oxide coatings on sand affect the movement of polystyrene microplastics through soil. They found that magnetite-coated sand retained the most microplastics, while goethite-coated sand retained the least, with results matching theoretical predictions. The findings suggest that naturally iron-rich soils could serve as effective barriers to prevent microplastic transport through groundwater systems.

2024 Water Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrostatic Interactions Override Surface Area Effects in Size-Dependent Adsorptive Removal of Microplastics by Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

This study investigated how the size and surface charge of magnetic nanoparticles affect their ability to adsorb and remove microplastics from water. Electrostatic interactions between particle surface charge and MP surfaces overrode simple surface area effects, providing design principles for more effective magnetic nanoparticle-based MP remediation.

2025 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and other pollutants in the aquatic environment: study of interactions and new removal strategies

Researchers evaluated iron magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with varying surface modifications -- bare Fe3O4, TEOS-coated, and TEOS+MPS-coated -- for removing four types of microplastics (Nylon 6, PTFE at two sizes, and PMMA) from water, assessing how surface chemistry and synthesis time affect removal efficiency.

2025 Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT)
Article Tier 2

Removal characteristics of microplastics by Fe-based coagulants during drinking water treatment

The removal of polyethylene microplastics from drinking water was tested with Fe-based coagulants under various conditions, finding that traditional coagulation alone achieved below 15% removal, while coagulation combined with ultrafiltration substantially improved performance. The study identifies the limitations of conventional water treatment for microplastic removal and highlights ultrafiltration as a necessary add-on for effective particle reduction.

2018 Journal of Environmental Sciences 446 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanonet trapping for effective removal of nanoplastics by iron coagulation

Scientists developed a new iron-based water treatment method that creates tiny net-like structures capable of trapping and removing nanoplastics that conventional water treatment cannot filter out. This approach works effectively in real-world water samples and could be adopted by existing water treatment plants, offering a practical way to reduce nanoplastic contamination in drinking water.

2025 Nature Communications 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into polystyrene nanoplastics adsorption mechanisms onto quartz sand used in drinking water treatment plants

This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics adsorb onto quartz sand — the filter medium used in drinking water treatment plants — primarily through electrostatic attraction, but only at low efficiency (up to 0.10 mg per gram of sand). This low adsorption capacity means conventional sand filtration is unlikely to reliably remove nanoplastics from drinking water, highlighting a gap in current treatment technology.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigations and comparison of a conventional sand filter and a modified sand filter for water purification.

This study compared the performance of conventional sand filters and modified sand filters for purifying drinking water. Improving the efficiency of sand filtration is relevant to microplastics research since enhanced sand filters have shown potential for removing microplastic particles from drinking water supplies.

2023 Sustainability Agri Food and Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Fe-Modified Sewage Sludge Biochar for Efficient Removal of Nanoplastics from Water: Mechanistic Insights and Multi-Pathway Adsorption Analysis

Scientists developed a new water filter material made from sewage sludge and iron that can remove 96% of tiny plastic particles (called nanoplastics) from water. These microscopic plastic bits are found everywhere in our water supply and may pose health risks, but this new filter works much better than existing methods. This research could lead to better ways to clean nanoplastics from our drinking water while also recycling waste materials.

2026 Molecules
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Filter Media Size and Loading Rate to Filter Performance of Removing Microplastics using Rapid Sand Filter

This study evaluated how filter media size and hydraulic loading rate affect rapid sand filter performance in removing microplastics from water. Smaller sand media (0.39 mm) and lower loading rates achieved greater MP removal, suggesting that optimizing these parameters can improve conventional water treatment for plastic particles.

2022 Journal of Engineering and Technological Sciences 12 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Recent advances in microplastic removal from drinking water by coagulation: Removal mechanisms and influencing factors

A meta-analysis and random forest model found that coagulation can effectively remove microplastics from drinking water, with particle shape being the most important factor affecting removal efficiency, followed by coagulant type and dosage. Charge neutralization is the dominant mechanism for small microplastics, while adsorption bridging and sweeping work better for larger particles.

2024 Environmental Pollution 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Addition of biochar as thin preamble layer into sand filtration columns could improve the microplastics removal from water

Researchers found that adding a thin biochar layer to sand filtration columns greatly improved microplastic removal from water, with biochar produced at higher pyrolysis temperatures performing better due to stronger electrostatic interactions with plastic particles.

2022 Water Research 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced removal of microplastics from wastewater treatment plants by a novel magnetic filter

This study developed a novel magnetic adsorption approach to enhance microplastic removal in wastewater treatment plant effluents, achieving high removal efficiency across a range of particle sizes and polymer types.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid Sand Filtration Technique for Remediation of Microplastics

Researchers tested rapid sand filtration as a technique for removing microplastics from water, evaluating particle removal efficiency across different plastic sizes, shapes, and filter media. The technique achieved meaningful microplastic reduction and was proposed as a practical water treatment enhancement.

2024 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Filtration of microplastic spheres by biochar: removal efficiency and immobilisation mechanisms

Researchers tested biochar as a low-cost filter material for removing microplastic spheres from water, finding effective removal and identifying electrostatic attraction and physical entrapment as the main immobilization mechanisms.

2020 Water Research 430 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of Surface-Modified Natural Magnetite as a Magnetic Carrier for Microplastic Removal from Water

Researchers modified natural magnetite — a common iron mineral — with a hydrophobic chemical coating so it would stick to plastic particles in water, then used magnets to pull everything out. When applied to six common plastic types including polyethylene and polystyrene, finely-ground treated magnetite removed over 90% of the microplastics. This low-cost, naturally-sourced approach could offer a scalable method for cleaning microplastics from water supplies.

2025 Minerals 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of aggregation behavior on microplastic removal by magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Researchers investigated how magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can remove nanoscale microplastics from water. They found that 83 to 93 percent of the plastic particles could be captured within one hour, with removal efficiency strongly linked to how the nanoparticles and plastics clump together. The study shows that water acidity and salt levels significantly influence the process, offering practical guidance for deploying magnetic cleanup technologies.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 60 citations