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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Enhanced membrane fouling by microplastics during nanofiltration of secondary effluent considering secretion, interaction and deposition of extracellular polymeric substances
ClearRecent 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.
Evaluation of Membrane Fouling by Microplastic Particles in Tertiary Wastewater Treatment Processes
Researchers evaluated membrane fouling caused by microplastic particles during tertiary wastewater treatment, finding that microplastics contributed to fouling through pore blocking and cake layer formation, which reduced membrane performance and treatment efficiency.
Towards microplastics contribution for membrane biofouling and disinfection by-products precursors: The effect on microbes
Researchers found that microplastics in raw water increased microbial growth and altered community composition during ultrafiltration, promoting extracellular polymer production that accelerated membrane fouling and elevated disinfection by-product formation in treated water.
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.
New insights into the concentration-dependent regulation of membrane biofouling formation via continuous nanoplastics stimulation
Researchers investigated how different concentrations of nanoplastics affect membrane biofouling by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water filtration systems. They found that low nanoplastic concentrations actually promoted biofilm formation by enhancing bacterial communication and energy metabolism, while high concentrations inhibited it through oxidative stress. The study reveals that nanoplastic pollution can influence water treatment membrane performance in concentration-dependent ways.
Electro-coagulation pretreatment for improving nanofiltration membrane performance during reclamation of microplastic-contaminated secondary effluent: unexpectedly enhanced membrane fouling and mechanism analysis by MD-DFT simulation
Researchers evaluated electro-coagulation as a pretreatment step for improving nanofiltration membrane performance during treatment of microplastic-contaminated wastewater. They found that at low electrical current, the pretreatment unexpectedly worsened membrane fouling because residual microplastics provided habitats for microbes that secreted sticky metabolites. At higher current levels, however, electro-coagulation effectively eliminated the negative effects of microplastics, revealing the importance of optimizing treatment parameters.
Effects of microplastic accumulation on floc characteristics and fouling behavior in a membrane bioreactor
Researchers found that accumulating microplastics in membrane bioreactors over 124 days decreased sludge floc size, floc hydrophobicity, and extracellular polymeric substance molecular size while increasing EPS concentration and negative surface charge, altering microbial community composition and increasing membrane fouling severity.
Kinetic and mechanistic analysis of membrane fouling in microplastics removal from water by dead-end microfiltration
Researchers analyzed membrane fouling during microplastic removal by microfiltration, finding that polyamide particles caused more fouling than polystyrene due to higher hydrophobicity and smaller size, with pore blocking followed by cake layer formation as the dominant fouling mechanisms.
Effects of microplastics accumulation on performance of membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment
Researchers simulated the long-term accumulation of polypropylene microplastics in membrane bioreactors used for wastewater treatment. They found that while microplastic accumulation did not reduce the removal of key pollutants like COD and ammonia nitrogen, it did increase membrane fouling and alter the composition of microbial communities in the reactor. The study suggests that microplastic buildup in wastewater treatment systems may affect operational efficiency over time.
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.
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.
Nano/microplastics: Fragmentation, interaction with co-existing pollutants and their removal from wastewater using membrane processes
This review explores how nano- and microplastics fragment from larger plastic debris and interact with other pollutants like heavy metals and pharmaceuticals in water environments. Researchers examined how these tiny particles can adsorb hazardous substances onto their surfaces, potentially increasing health risks for humans and aquatic organisms. The study also evaluates membrane-based filtration technologies as promising methods for removing these combined contaminants from wastewater.
The factors affecting bacterial colonisation on microplastics and the impact of tertiary treatment of wastewater on the attached bacteria and microplastics
This study examined the factors that influence bacterial colonization on microplastics and tested how tertiary wastewater treatment affects the bacteria and microplastics discharged from a treatment plant. Microplastic-associated biofilms in wastewater can carry harmful and antibiotic-resistant bacteria into receiving water bodies.
Exploring the effects of polyethylene and polyester microplastics on biofilm formation, membrane Fouling, and microbial communities in Modified Ludzack-Ettinger-Reciprocation membrane bioreactors
Researchers investigated how polyethylene pellets and polyester fibers affect membrane bioreactor performance in wastewater treatment. They found that PE pellets increased membrane fouling rates 2-3 times faster, while polyester fibers reduced nitrate removal efficiency from 99.6% to 90.9% and decreased beneficial denitrifying bacteria. The study also found that microplastics in treatment systems can harbor pathogens and alter microbial community structures.
Synergistic effects of microplastics and organic foulants on the performance of forward osmosis membranes
Researchers found that microplastics and humic acid together cause greater fouling of forward osmosis membranes than either contaminant alone, with combined exposure producing a higher flux decline — a key consideration for designing wastewater treatment systems that use membrane filtration.
Fouling behavior of nano/microplastics and COD, TOC, and TN removal in MBR: A comparative study
This study tested a membrane bioreactor (MBR) — a combination of biological treatment and membrane filtration used in wastewater plants — for its ability to remove nano- and microplastics from wastewater. The system achieved 99.4% removal of organic pollutants and complete removal of nanoplastics, and found that more hydrophilic membranes were better at capturing microplastics. The study also examined how microplastics foul and clog membranes over time, which is a practical challenge for wastewater treatment operations. These results support MBRs as a promising technology for reducing microplastic discharges from treatment plants into waterways.
Fate and effects of microplastics in wastewater treatment processes
This review of microplastic fate in wastewater treatment plants found that secondary treatment removes ~98% of MPs from effluent, while MPs that remain can interfere with nitrogen conversion, increase chemical dosing requirements, and cause membrane fouling in advanced treatment systems.
Impact of microplastic fibres on direct membrane filtration of low-strength primary wastewater
This study examined how microfibres affect the performance and fouling mechanisms of track-etched membranes used for direct wastewater filtration. At 10 mg/L, microfibres did not degrade water quality but significantly accelerated cake fouling, with shorter fibres causing less fouling than longer ones.
Membrane fouling characteristics and mechanisms in coagulation-ultrafiltration process for treating microplastic-containing water
This study investigated how microplastics affect membrane fouling during a common water treatment process that combines coagulation with ultrafiltration. Researchers found that while microplastics initially worsen membrane fouling, adding the right amount of coagulant can actually turn the plastics into an advantage by creating a looser filter cake that improves water flow.
Analysis of membrane surface after the filtration of surface water containing microplastic
Researchers tested ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes on real river water containing microplastics and found both membrane types completely removed plastic particles from the filtered water, though the deposited microplastics reduced water flow through the membranes over time — confirming membrane filtration as an effective but imperfect water treatment strategy.
Wastewater treatment alters microbial colonization of microplastics
Analysis of microplastics and their biofilms across raw sewage, effluent, and sludge at two wastewater treatment plants found that >99% of influent MPs were retained in sludge, and that wastewater treatment substantially altered biofilm microbial composition, enriching bioflocculation-associated taxa.
The impact of PET microplastic fibres on PVDF ultrafiltration performance – A short-term assessment of MP fouling in simple and complex matrices
Researchers found that short PET microplastic nanofibers significantly foul polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes in wastewater treatment, with fouling effects amplified when combined with humic acid, highlighting a gap in current wastewater treatment plant removal capabilities.
Impact of Nano- and Microplastics on Membrane Technology Performance
This thesis investigated the influence of model microplastic fibers on membrane technologies used in wastewater treatment, specifically crossflow ultrafiltration and membrane bioreactor systems, finding that microplastics minimally affected performance during the initial start-up phase. The findings suggest these membrane technologies are relatively resilient to microplastic contamination in early operation.
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.