Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Flocculation Properties of Acrylamide‐Grafted Tamarind Polysaccharide on Microplastics and Heavy Metals Ions

Researchers created a modified polysaccharide derived from tamarind — a natural plant material — that acts as an effective flocculant, clumping together PVC microplastics and lead ions from water so they can be removed. Under optimized conditions, the material removed over 91% of PVC microplastics and over 93% of lead ions, with even better performance when both contaminants were present together. This bio-based flocculant offers a sustainable option for treating water contaminated with both microplastics and heavy metals simultaneously.

2025 ChemistrySelect 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The utilization of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris in microplastic removal

Researchers investigated whether exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Chlorella vulgaris microalgae can facilitate the removal of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics from aquatic systems, while also examining microplastic effects on algal growth. The study demonstrates that EPS functions as a bioflocculant capable of binding microplastics, with implications for biologically-based water treatment.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced removal of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics through polyaluminum chloride coagulation with three typical coagulant aids

Researchers tested three coagulant aids — polyacrylamide (PAM), sodium alginate, and activated silicic acid — combined with polyaluminum chloride to remove PET microplastics from drinking water, finding that PAM at high dosage achieved up to 91.45% removal efficiency.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient removal of nano- and micro- sized plastics using a starch-based coagulant in conjunction with polysilicic acid

Researchers found that combining a starch-based coagulant with polysilicic acid efficiently removes nano- and micro-sized polystyrene particles from water, offering an eco-friendly coagulation approach for addressing microplastic pollution in water treatment applications.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic removal from wastewater through biopolymer and nanocellulose-based green technologies

Biopolymer-based coagulation and flocculation agents were shown to effectively remove microplastics from wastewater, offering a more sustainable alternative to synthetic chemical flocculants. The approach supports eco-friendly microplastic treatment that avoids adding further chemical pollutants to effluents.

2025 RSC Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Optimisation of Chitosan as A Natural Flocculant for Microplastic Remediation

Laboratory tests found that chitosan — a natural, biodegradable material derived from shellfish — can remove 68.3% of microplastics from water using a coagulation-flocculation process, with an optimal concentration of 30 ppm. Higher chitosan doses increased organic matter in the water (COD and BOD), suggesting a trade-off between microplastic removal efficiency and water quality parameters. Chitosan offers a promising eco-friendly alternative to synthetic chemicals for treating microplastic-contaminated water.

2023 Journal of Emerging Science and Engineering 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Removal of Microplastics and Natural Organic Matter from Water by Coagulation–Flocculation with Protein Amyloid Fibrils

Researchers developed a novel water treatment method using protein-based amyloid fibrils as a natural flocculant to remove microplastics and dissolved organic matter from water. The method achieved removal efficiencies above 97% for both microplastic particles and humic acid, outperforming conventional chemical flocculants at the same dosage. The approach offers a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to traditional water treatment chemicals for addressing microplastic contamination.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 160 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from water by coagulation of cationic-modified starch: An environmentally friendly solution

Researchers developed a cationic-modified starch bio-coagulant as an eco-friendly method for removing microplastics from water, achieving an average removal rate of over 65% for polystyrene particles. The starch-based treatment was effective across a wide range of water pH levels and performed well in natural water samples from China's Yangtze River Delta. The study offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach for addressing microplastic contamination in water systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Fenugreek and OkraPolymers as Treatment Agents forthe Removal of Microplastics from Water Sources

Researchers evaluated fenugreek and okra plant-derived polysaccharides as biodegradable, non-toxic flocculants for removing microplastics from water sources, positioning them as alternatives to conventional inorganic and synthetic organic flocculants. The study assessed their coagulation and flocculation performance for capturing fine microplastic particles that evade standard wastewater treatment processes.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Tailored cellulose-based flocculants for microplastics removal: Mechanistic insights, pH influence, and efficiency optimization

Researchers developed plant-derived (cellulose-based) flocculants that clump microplastics together so they can be more easily removed from water, finding that a low concentration of 0.001 g/mL was optimal and that both electrical charge and water-repelling interactions drive the process depending on the type of plastic.

2025 Powder Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced Removal of Polystyrene Microplastics from Water Through Coagulation Using Polyaluminum Ferric Chloride with Coagulant Aids

Researchers tested enhanced coagulation using modified coagulants to remove polystyrene microplastics from water, finding that surface-modified coagulants achieved significantly higher removal efficiencies than conventional alum. Removal reached over 90% under optimized conditions, demonstrating a practical upgrade pathway for conventional water treatment plants to reduce microplastic discharge.

2024 Environmental Engineering Science 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient Removal of Polyethylene UsingMagnesium Hydroxide and AnionicPolyacrylamide as Dual-Coagulant byCoagulation-Flocculation Processes

Researchers investigated the removal of polyethylene microplastics from simulated natural water using magnesium hydroxide and anionic polyacrylamide as dual coagulants, finding optimal conditions at 40 mg/L Mg2+, pH 12, and 20°C, achieving high removal efficiency via coagulation-flocculation.

2025 Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastic Removal in Water System Using Porphyridium cruentum Microalgae

Researchers evaluated the ability of the red microalga Porphyridium cruentum to remove PET microplastics from water through a bio-aggregation process mediated by exopolysaccharides. The study found that while high microplastic concentrations reduced algal growth, the algae produced more exopolysaccharides in response, achieving up to 89% microplastic removal, suggesting a potential nature-based approach for water treatment.

2026 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Improving nanoplastic removal by coagulation: Impact mechanism of particle size and water chemical conditions

Researchers found that coagulation using aluminum chlorohydrate and polyacrylamide achieved up to 98.5% removal efficiency for polystyrene nanoplastics, with smaller particles being easier to remove, though humic acid in water competed for adsorption sites and reduced effectiveness.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Microplastics from Wastewater Treatment Plants by Coagulation

Researchers tested coagulation-based methods for removing microplastics from wastewater using polyaluminum chloride and polyferric sulfate, with and without polyacrylamide additives. The best results came from combining polyaluminum chloride with cationic polyacrylamide, which achieved 87.5% removal of polystyrene microplastics. The study suggests that cationic polyacrylamide works especially well because of electrostatic interactions with negatively charged microplastic particles.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Enhancing microplastic removal from natural water using coagulant aids

Researchers tested different chemical treatments for removing microplastic beads from natural water and found that polyaluminium chloride combined with polyacrylamide achieved over 95% removal across six common plastic types. The treatment worked on particles ranging from 10 to 1,000 micrometers, and natural organic matter in the water actually improved performance. The findings suggest that optimizing standard water treatment processes could be a practical way to reduce microplastic contamination in drinking water sources.

2024 Chemosphere 21 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Natural-based coagulants/flocculants for microplastics and nanoplastics removal via coagulation–flocculation: a systematic review

This systematic review evaluates how natural plant-based materials can be used to remove microplastics and nanoplastics from water through coagulation and flocculation processes. The findings show that these sustainable, nature-derived alternatives can effectively capture plastic particles during water treatment, offering a greener approach to reducing microplastic contamination in our drinking water.

2026 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Fenugreek and Okra Polymers as Treatment Agents for the Removal of Microplastics from Water Sources

Researchers tested plant-derived polysaccharides from fenugreek and okra as natural flocculants for removing microplastics from water samples collected from surface, ocean, and groundwater sources. The study found that a 1:1 combination of fenugreek and okra polymers at 1 g/L concentration was effective at capturing microplastics, offering a biodegradable and non-toxic alternative to conventional synthetic flocculants used in water treatment.

2025 ACS Omega 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Spirulina platensis as a natural biocoagulant for polystyrene removal from aqueous medium: performance, optimization, and modeling

Researchers tested Spirulina platensis, a type of blue-green algae, as a natural coagulant for removing polystyrene microplastics from water. By optimizing conditions like pH, contact time, and dosage, they achieved significant removal of the plastic particles from aqueous solutions. The study suggests that natural biocoagulants could offer an eco-friendly approach to addressing microplastic contamination in water.

2024 Scientific Reports 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic removal in coagulation-flocculation: Optimization through chemometric and morphological insights

Researchers optimized the coagulation-flocculation process — a standard water treatment step where chemicals cause particles to clump and settle — for removing three types of microplastics: polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Polystyrene was removed most efficiently, and adjusting pH, coagulant type, and dosage significantly improved removal rates, providing practical guidance for upgrading existing water treatment plants to better capture microplastics.

2026 Journal of Ecological Engineering
Article Tier 2

Synergistic removal of microplastic fibres: Integrating Chitosan coagulation in hybrid water pre-treatment systems

Microplastic fibers are the most common type of microplastic found entering water treatment plants, yet their elongated shape makes them especially hard to remove with conventional filters. This study investigated using chitosan — a natural, biodegradable material derived from crustacean shells — as a "green" coagulant to clump fibers together so they can be more easily removed, and also developed chemically modified versions of chitosan that work across a wider range of water conditions. The results showed that combining chitosan-based coagulation with microbubble aeration creates a synergistic pretreatment system that significantly improves microplastic fiber removal while avoiding the residual metal ions left by conventional chemical coagulants.

2026 Australasian Journal of Paramedicine
Article Tier 2

Utilizing Chlorella vulgaris algae as an eco-friendly coagulant for efficient removal of polyethylene microplastics from aquatic environments

Researchers tested the green algae Chlorella vulgaris as an eco-friendly coagulant for removing polyethylene microplastics from water. Using optimized experimental conditions, they achieved a removal rate of nearly 99% under the best parameters. The study suggests that algae-based coagulation offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to chemical methods for cleaning microplastic-contaminated water.

2023 Heliyon 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Biopolymer-based flocculants: a review of recent technologies

Researchers reviewed recent advances in biopolymer-based flocculants — water treatment agents derived from chitosan, starch, cellulose, and lignin — summarizing modification strategies and flocculation mechanisms, and highlighting their potential as environmentally friendly replacements for synthetic polymer flocculants that contribute to microplastic pollution in treated water.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Polysacharide-based Materials as Support for

Researchers developed polysaccharide-based scaffolds loaded with microplastic-degrading bacteria, using sodium alginate with calcium chloride cross-linking to create biocarriers that support microorganism activity and offer a biological treatment approach for removing microplastics from wastewater.

2025 Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology)