Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Electrified membranes for microplastic fouling mitigation

This study explored electrified membranes as a solution to the severe fouling of water treatment membranes caused by microplastics. Applying electrical current to membranes can repel negatively charged microplastics, reducing clogging and improving the efficiency of microplastic removal from drinking water.

2023 Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Performance of Electrified MXene Membranes in Real Wastewater Applications

Researchers investigated the performance of electrified MXene-based membranes for nanoplastic removal from real wastewater, finding that applying an electric field significantly improved nanoplastic rejection through electrostatic repulsion and electrocoagulation mechanisms while also increasing water flux compared to non-electrified conditions.

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

An assessment of the impact of structure and type of microplastics on ultrafiltration technology for microplastic remediation

Researchers assessed ultrafiltration technology for microplastic removal from water, finding that membrane performance varied based on microplastic structure, size, and polymer type, with implications for optimizing tertiary treatment in water purification systems.

2023 Science Progress 30 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 25 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

Mechanistic insights of nanoplastic-rich water treatment using multi-layer Ti3C2Tx electro-membrane filtration and performance prediction

Researchers developed an electro-membrane filtration system using Ti3C2Tx MXene membranes for removing nanoplastics from water, achieving high rejection rates. They applied machine learning models to predict system performance under varying feed conditions, with random forest showing the best predictive accuracy. The study demonstrates that combining advanced membrane materials with data-driven optimization could make nanoplastic removal from water more efficient and scalable.

2024 Chemical Engineering Journal 12 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
Article Tier 2

Toward Scalability: Fe‐MOF‐Based Ultrafiltration Membrane for Effective Microplastics Removal from Drinking Water at Point‐of‐Use

Researchers developed a metal-organic framework composite membrane for removing microplastics from drinking water at point-of-use. By integrating an iron-based MOF onto a commercial ultrafiltration membrane, they achieved enhanced removal of PET microplastics while maintaining water flow suitable for practical use. The study demonstrates a scalable approach to reducing microplastic exposure from bottled and tap drinking water.

2026 Global Challenges
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

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.

2025 Desalination and Water Treatment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Chemical Engineering Journal 12 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

Fabrication of dual-charged MOF-based ultrafiltration membrane to remove charged nanoplastics from wastewater

Researchers developed a new type of water filter membrane that can remove over 99% of nanoplastics from wastewater while maintaining high water flow. The membrane uses metal-organic framework nanoparticles that repel plastic particles through electrical charges and physical filtering. This technology could help prevent nanoplastics, which are too small for conventional filters, from reaching drinking water sources.

2025 Journal of Water Process Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 ACS ES&T Water 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Release of microplastics from polymeric ultrafiltration membrane system for drinking water treatment under different operating conditions

Researchers discovered that the plastic membrane filters used to purify drinking water can actually release microplastics into the treated water. The particles came not just from the membrane itself but also from plastic equipment in the system, meaning that water treatment technology designed to remove contaminants may inadvertently be adding new plastic particles to our drinking water.

2024 Water Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis, assessment, and application of two-dimensional ferromagnetic nanocomposites for the removal of microplastics from drinking water and wastewater effluent

Researchers synthesized ferromagnetic 2D nanocomposites and evaluated their effectiveness at removing microplastics from drinking water and wastewater effluent, finding they offer a promising technological innovation for addressing MP contamination in water treatment systems.

2025
Article Tier 2

Best of Both Worlds: Adsorptive Ultrafiltration Nanocellulose‐Hypercrosslinked Polymer Hybrid Membranes for Metal Ion Removal

Researchers developed an adsorptive ultrafiltration membrane combining nanocellulose and hypercrosslinked polymer to achieve high removal of both microplastics and dissolved contaminants, demonstrating dual-function performance in water treatment.

2024 Small Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Resilient forward osmosis membranes against microplastics fouling enhanced by MWCNTs/UiO-66-NH2 hybrid nanoparticles

Researchers developed improved forward osmosis membranes by incorporating hybrid nanoparticles made of multi-wall carbon nanotubes and metal-organic frameworks to resist microplastic fouling. The modified membranes showed enhanced performance and greater resistance to clogging by microplastic particles. The study presents a promising approach for improving membrane-based water treatment systems that need to handle microplastic-contaminated wastewater.

2024 Chemosphere 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Defect-engineered metal organic framework thin film nanocomposite membranes for enhanced forward osmosis performance and microplastic antifouling

Researchers engineered a new type of water filtration membrane by embedding specially designed metal-organic framework (MOF) particles into a thin film, achieving a three-fold increase in water flow rate while also becoming significantly more resistant to fouling by microplastics compared to standard membranes. The MOF particles were given controlled structural defects that created additional water transport pathways and made the membrane surface more water-attracting, reducing plastic particle adhesion. More efficient, fouling-resistant membranes could improve the viability of advanced water treatment systems for removing microplastics.

2026 Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Article Tier 2

Reduction of Ultrafiltration Membrane Fouling by the Pretreatment Removal of Emerging Pollutants: A Review

Researchers reviewed pretreatment methods such as coagulation, adsorption, and advanced oxidation for reducing ultrafiltration membrane fouling caused by emerging pollutants including microplastics and antibiotics. The study suggests that while these pretreatments show promise, the mechanisms by which emerging pollutants contribute to membrane fouling still need further investigation.

2023 Membranes 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable control of microplastics in wastewater using the electrochemically enhanced living membrane bioreactor

Researchers evaluated a novel living membrane bioreactor for removing polyethylene microplastics from wastewater and found it achieved 95% removal, comparable to conventional membrane bioreactors. Adding an electrochemical enhancement slightly decreased microplastic mass removal but significantly improved the consistency of nutrient removal even in the presence of microplastics. The study suggests that electrochemically enhanced living membrane systems offer a sustainable approach to simultaneous microplastic and conventional pollutant removal in wastewater treatment.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics-resistant FO membranes: Zwitterionic MOF nanoparticles for superior fouling control

Researchers developed a new type of forward osmosis membrane modified with zwitterionic metal-organic framework nanoparticles to resist fouling by microplastics. The modified membranes showed a 73 percent improvement in water-attracting properties and only a 17 percent decline in water flow during fouling tests, compared to 60 percent for unmodified membranes. The technology could improve the efficiency of water treatment systems that need to handle microplastic-contaminated water.

2025 Journal of environmental chemical engineering 10 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Figshare
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