Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics fouling and interaction with polymeric membranes: A review

This review examined microplastic fouling of polymeric membranes used in water treatment, analyzing how MPs affect membrane permeability and rejection performance, and discussing strategies — including surface modification and pre-treatment — to mitigate fouling.

2021 Chemosphere 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent advances on micro/nanoplastic pollution and membrane fouling during water treatment: A review

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.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

The Potential Role of Membrane Technology in the Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater

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.

2021 Journal of Applied Membrane Science & Technology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Filtration Solutions for Microplastic Mitigation: Cutting-Edge Filtration Technologies and Membrane Innovations for Environmental Protection

This review focused on membrane-based filtration technologies—including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration—as strategies for removing microplastics from water. The authors evaluated removal efficiencies across membrane types and concluded that while membranes show strong performance, fouling and operational costs remain barriers to large-scale deployment.

2025 Applied Sciences
Article Tier 2

Remediation of Micro- and Nanoplastics by Membrane Technologies

This review examined how membrane filtration technologies can remove micro- and nanoplastics from water and wastewater, since conventional treatment plants cannot fully eliminate these particles. Researchers found that techniques like ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and membrane bioreactors are highly effective at capturing microplastics, though each has trade-offs related to cost, fouling, and energy use. The study also raises the concern that polymeric membranes themselves could potentially release plastic particles during the filtration process.

2025 Membranes 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigation of membrane particulate fouling by nano/microplastics via physical cleaning strategies

This study assessed physical cleaning strategies for removing nano- and microplastic fouling from membrane surfaces used in water treatment, finding that backwashing and chemical cleaning effectiveness varied by plastic particle size and surface charge.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Review Tier 2

A review of microplastic removal from water and wastewater by membrane technologies

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.

2023 Water Science & Technology 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Metal-organic framework membrane for waterborne micro/nanoplastics treatment

Researchers reviewed the potential of metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes — materials with highly tunable pore structures — to filter micro- and nanoplastics from water more effectively than conventional filtration. MOF membranes showed promise due to their adjustable surface chemistry and resistance to biological fouling, though challenges like particle clumping and structural stability still need to be resolved.

2023 Chemical Engineering Journal 60 citations
Article Tier 2

An evaluation of microplastics fate in the wastewater treatment plants: frequency and removal of microplastics by microfiltration membrane

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.

2021 Water Practice & Technology 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Membrane Filtration Technique for Remediation of Microplastics

This chapter reviews membrane filtration as a technique for removing microplastics (plastics smaller than 5 mm) from water environments, examining how various membrane types and configurations intercept plastic particles during treatment. The authors discuss the advantages, limitations, and scalability of membrane-based approaches for microplastic remediation.

2024 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Recent Studies of Membranes for Liquids Separation and Water Treatment

This review surveys recent advances in membrane technologies for liquid separation and water treatment, covering the growing challenge of removing diverse pollutants including inorganic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and microplastics generated by rapid urbanization and industrialization. The authors evaluate membrane performance, fouling challenges, and emerging modifications aimed at improving selectivity and durability for various wastewater treatment applications.

2023 Membranes 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Membrane processes as a highly effective and eco-friendly technology for treating municipal water contaminated with micro- and nanoplastics.

This review assessed membrane filtration processes as a method for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water, evaluating their effectiveness and environmental footprint compared to conventional treatment approaches. Membrane technologies showed high removal efficiency for both micro- and nanoplastics and were identified as among the most promising eco-friendly treatment options.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Review of New Approaches for Fouling Mitigation in Membrane Separation Processes in Water Treatment Applications

This review examined new antifouling strategies for membrane separation processes in water treatment, analyzing how organic matter including nano/microplastics, inorganic particles, and biological matter cause membrane fouling, and evaluating nanomaterial-based and other emerging mitigation approaches.

2021 Separations 140 citations
Article Tier 2

A review on metal organic frameworks (MOFs) modified membrane for remediation of water pollution

This review covers how metal-organic framework (MOF) materials can be incorporated into membranes to improve filtration of pollutants from contaminated water. The technology shows promise for removing microplastics and chemical contaminants, though most applications remain at laboratory scale.

2020 Environmental Engineering Research 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Materials to Prepare Mixed Matrix Membranes for Pollutant Removal in Water

This review examines how mixed matrix membranes made by embedding functional materials into polymer substrates can be used to remove various water pollutants including microplastics. The study highlights emerging nanomaterials such as metal-organic frameworks and carbon nanotubes that enhance membrane performance, offering a promising approach for advanced wastewater treatment.

2021 Membranes 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate and Behavior of Microplastics in Ultrafiltration Membrane Systems for Water Treatment: Fouling, Releasing, and Organic Leaching

Researchers investigated the fate and behavior of microplastics in ultrafiltration membrane systems used for water treatment, examining three key phenomena: membrane fouling caused by microplastic deposition, release of microplastics through membrane failure or bypass, and leaching of organic additives from microplastics. The work provides mechanistic understanding of how microplastics interact with ultrafiltration systems in drinking water treatment contexts.

2025 National University of Singapore
Article Tier 2

Membrane processes as a highly effective and eco-friendly technology for treating municipal water contaminated with micro- and nanoplastics.

Researchers evaluated membrane filtration as an environmentally friendly technology for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water, testing different membrane types and pore sizes. Membrane processes showed high removal efficiency for microplastics and outperformed conventional water treatment steps for the smallest particles.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Optimized Polymeric Membranes for Water Treatment: Fabrication, Morphology, and Performance

This review examines advances in polymer membrane design for water purification, focusing on how chemical functionalization and fabrication methods determine membrane performance. Researchers highlight promising developments incorporating metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and graphene into polymer membranes for selectively removing toxic metals and chemicals. The study emphasizes that choosing the right polymer chemistry and morphology is critical for developing efficient water treatment systems.

2024 Polymers 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Filtration Solutions for Microplastic Mitigation: Cutting-Edge Filtration Technologies and Membrane Innovations for Environmental Protection

This review covers advances in filtration technologies and membrane innovations for removing microplastics from the environment, examining the performance, limitations, and scalability of approaches including membrane filtration, coagulation, and combined treatment processes.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Ubiquitous microplastics, sources, impacts, and treatment: Importance of cost-effective ceramic membranes for MPs removal

This review examines the sources, environmental impacts, and treatment methods for microplastic contamination, with a focus on ceramic membrane filtration. Researchers found that while conventional treatment methods have limitations, ceramic membranes offer cost-effective and durable performance for removing microplastics from water. The study highlights the widespread presence of microplastics across environmental compartments and the urgent need for scalable removal technologies.

2024 Water Cycle 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Membrane Cleaning Technologies for Water Treatment: A Review

Membrane filtration is one of the most effective technologies for removing microplastics from drinking water and wastewater, but membranes clog over time and require regular cleaning to maintain performance. This review evaluates the full range of cleaning methods—from simple water backwashing to ultrasonic treatment, advanced oxidation processes, and electrochemical approaches—comparing their effectiveness at removing different types of fouling without damaging the membrane. Understanding optimal cleaning strategies is important for designing cost-effective, long-lasting filtration systems that can reliably remove microplastics at scale.

2026 Academic Journal of Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Advancements in Sustainable Membrane Technologies for Enhanced Remediation and Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

This review covers membrane filtration technologies—reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and ultrafiltration—as methods for removing contaminants from water, with relevance to microplastic and nanoplastic removal from drinking water and wastewater. Advancing membrane-based treatment is critical for reducing the microplastic load in treated water that humans and ecosystems are ultimately exposed to.

2023 Acadlore Transactions on Geosciences 10 citations
Article Tier 2

[Research Progress on Removal of Microplastics by Filtration in Drinking Water Treatment].

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.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Treatment technologies for the removal of micro plastics from aqueous medium

Researchers reviewed treatment technologies for removing microplastics from water, finding that while multiple methods including filtration, membrane processes, and coagulation show promise, their effectiveness depends on microplastic size, type, and concentration.

2022 AIP conference proceedings 4 citations