Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Utilization of chitosan as a natural coagulant for polyethylene microplastic removal

Scientists tested chitosan, a natural material derived from shellfish, as an eco-friendly way to remove polyethylene microplastics from water. Under the best conditions (pH 6.0 with 100 mg/L of chitosan), the treatment removed 81.5% of microplastics, offering a promising and environmentally safe approach to cleaning microplastic-contaminated water.

2025 Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the performance of electrocoagulation system in the removal of polystyrene microplastics from water

Researchers tested electrocoagulation, a water treatment method that uses electric current to clump particles together, for removing polystyrene microplastics from water. Using aluminum electrodes at neutral pH, they achieved over 90% removal efficiency. This technology could provide a practical and effective way to remove microplastics from drinking water and wastewater, reducing human exposure to these contaminants.

2023 Environmental Research 40 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

Efficient removal of polystyrene microplastics from seawater using a chitosan-activated carbon nanocomposite: Preparation of the adsorbent and optimisation of removal methods

Scientists created a new material that can remove up to 99% of tiny plastic particles (called microplastics) from seawater by mixing two natural substances - chitosan (from shellfish) and activated carbon. This filtering material can be cleaned and reused at least five times, making it a promising tool for removing plastic pollution from our oceans. Since microplastics can enter our food chain through seafood and sea salt, better ways to clean them from seawater could help protect human health.

2026 Next Materials
Article Tier 2

Enhanced flotation removal of polystyrene nanoplastics by chitosan modification: Performance and mechanism

Researchers improved removal of polystyrene nanoplastics from water using chitosan-modified air flotation, boosting removal efficiency from 3.1% to 96.7% by exploiting electrostatic attraction, enhanced hydrophobicity, and bridging adsorption to cause nanoplastics to aggregate into large, buoyant flocs.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 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

Coagulative removal of microplastics from aqueous matrices: Recent progresses and future perspectives

This review examines how coagulation, a common water treatment technique, can be used to remove microplastics from water. Researchers compared the effectiveness of different coagulants, finding that natural options like chitosan and protein-based coagulants achieved removal rates above 90 percent. The study highlights the promise of natural coagulants as a more sustainable approach to tackling microplastic contamination in water treatment systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics using PAC and FeCl3 coagulation: Performance and mechanism

Researchers studied how two common water treatment coagulants, PAC and iron chloride, remove polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics from water. They found that PAC was more effective than iron chloride, and that alkaline conditions improved removal rates. The study provides practical insights for drinking water treatment plants looking to reduce microplastic contamination in their supply.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 303 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of chitosan with nanoplastic in water: The effect of environmental conditions, particle properties, and potential for in situ remediation

Researchers tested chitosan — a natural polymer derived from shellfish — as a tool to aggregate and remove nanoplastic particles from water, finding it caused clumping at low doses but that high pH, dissolved organic matter, and surface chemistry of the plastics all affected its performance. The results suggest chitosan-based treatment has real potential for water remediation but requires careful tuning of environmental conditions.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
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

Revealing the removal behavior of five neglected microplastics in coagulation-ultrafiltration processes: Insights from experiments and predictive modeling

Researchers combined laboratory experiments with artificial neural network modeling to study how five commonly overlooked types of microplastics are removed during drinking water treatment. They found that coagulation alone removed 37-56% of the microplastics, while adding ultrafiltration removed virtually all remaining particles. The study provides new insights into the chemical and physical interactions that drive microplastic removal, which could help optimize water treatment processes.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic removal of microplastic fibres using hybrid pre-treatment: evaluation of Chitosan as a green coagulant

Researchers evaluated the capacity of existing water treatment pre-treatment methods to remove microplastic fibers and investigated chitosan — a low-molecular-weight, 75-85% deacetylated green coagulant — as an alternative to conventional chemical coagulants. The study assessed a hybrid pre-treatment approach, finding synergistic microplastic fiber removal efficiency when chitosan was combined with existing processes.

2024 Water e-Journal
Article Tier 2

The suitability and mechanism of polyaluminum-titanium chloride composite coagulant (PATC) for polystyrene microplastic removal: Structural characterization and theoretical calculation

Researchers developed a new coagulant (a chemical that clumps particles together for removal) that effectively removes polystyrene microplastics from water. The composite coagulant worked better than standard water treatment chemicals across a wider range of water conditions, using hydrogen bonding to capture the plastic particles. This technology could improve drinking water treatment plants' ability to filter out microplastics before water reaches consumers.

2023 Water Research 74 citations
Article Tier 2

The use of chitosan for water purification from microplastics

Researchers investigated chitosan as a sorbent for removing microplastics from water, analyzing its physicochemical properties and proposing an optimized purification method based on chitosan's sorption characteristics.

2025 Open MIND
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

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

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

Chitosan‐assisted magnetic coconut shell biochar for polystyrene microplastic removal: Mechanism and reusability

Researchers created a recyclable magnetic biochar material from coconut shells, modified with chitosan, that removed up to 91% of polystyrene microplastics from water. The material maintained its effectiveness through five consecutive reuse cycles, and water treated with the biochar actually promoted better plant growth, demonstrating practical potential for environmental cleanup.

2025 Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2 citations
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

Enhanced removal of polyethylene microplastics from water through polymeric ferric sulfate with laminarin

Researchers developed an enhanced coagulation technique using polymeric ferric sulfate combined with laminarin, a seaweed-derived compound, to remove polyethylene microplastics from water. The combined approach achieved a 93.8% removal rate compared to only 48.5% with the coagulant alone, by significantly boosting charge neutralization and adsorption bridging mechanisms. The study demonstrates that natural coagulant aids can substantially improve the effectiveness of microplastic removal during water treatment.

2024 Process Safety and Environmental Protection 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrated Chitosan-based coagulation and microbubble pre-treatment for improved microplastic fibre removal from water

Researchers developed a combined chitosan-based coagulation and microbubble pre-treatment system for removing microplastic fibres from water, finding that this approach overcame the limitations of conventional inorganic coagulants and improved removal efficiency for the morphologically challenging fibre fraction.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics removal from aqueous solutions by magnetic iron nanoparticles

Researchers tested magnetic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles for removing polystyrene microplastics from water, systematically optimizing concentration, dosage, contact time, and pH, and found effective microplastic removal through adsorption interactions that could be leveraged for environmental remediation.

2025
Article Tier 2

Efficient extraction of polystyrene nanoplastics from water using an ionic liquid

Researchers developed an ionic liquid-based extraction method for efficiently removing polystyrene nanoplastics from water samples. The technique achieved high recovery rates and demonstrated effectiveness for capturing particles at environmentally relevant concentrations. The study offers a promising analytical and remediation tool for addressing nanoplastic contamination in aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 1 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