Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Microplastic removal using Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seed from aqueous solutions

Researchers explored using okra seeds as a natural material to remove microplastics from water. They found that okra seed powder effectively removed polyethylene and PVC microplastics through a combination of electrostatic attraction and other surface interactions. The study presents an affordable, plant-based approach that could help address microplastic contamination in drinking water supplies.

2024 Applied Water Science 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Pristine and UV-Weathered Microplastics from Water: Moringa oleifera Seed Protein as a Natural Coagulant

Researchers tested a natural plant-based coagulant from Moringa oleifera seeds for removing microplastics from water, comparing it to conventional chemical treatments. The natural coagulant effectively removed both fresh and UV-weathered polyethylene microplastics, performing comparably to synthetic alternatives. This approach offers a more eco-friendly and less toxic option for cleaning microplastics from water systems.

2024 Environmental Engineering Science 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing the remediation of polyamide microplastics: A comparative study of natural and synthetic coagulants

Researchers compared natural plant-based coagulants with the synthetic coagulant alum for removing polyamide microplastics from water. They found that alum was more effective overall, removing up to 94% of microplastics, while the natural coagulants achieved moderate removal rates and worked best with larger particles. The study suggests that coagulation-based water treatment can meaningfully reduce microplastic contamination, with natural alternatives offering a more sustainable option.

2025 Frontiers in Environmental Science 4 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

Sustainable coagulative removal of microplastic from aquatic systems: recent progress and outlook

This review examines how natural coagulants from plants, animals, and microbes can be used to remove microplastics from water as a greener alternative to conventional chemical treatments. These bio-based coagulants, especially when combined with nanotechnology, show promising removal rates while avoiding the toxic residues left by traditional chemical approaches.

2025 RSC Advances 20 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic Removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) by Natural Coagulation: A Literature Review

This review examines how natural coagulants, substances derived from plants and other natural sources, can be used to remove microplastics during wastewater treatment. Natural coagulants are safer and cheaper than chemical alternatives, and show promise for capturing microplastic particles. Since wastewater treatment plants are a major source of microplastics entering waterways, better removal methods could reduce the amount of plastic pollution reaching the environment and eventually human food and water supplies.

2023 Toxics 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficacy of Protein Extracts of Moringa oleifera and Benincasa hispida Seeds for the Treatment of Microplastics

Researchers tested protein extracts from Moringa oleifera and Benincasa hispida seeds as natural coagulants for removing microplastics from water. Moringa extracts achieved 94% removal efficiency at a dosage of 30 mL/L, while Benincasa hispida reached 88% removal at 40 mL/L under neutral pH conditions. The study suggests these plant-based coagulants could serve as effective, sustainable, and affordable alternatives to synthetic chemicals for microplastic treatment in water systems.

2025 Asian Journal of Chemistry 1 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

A brief review on utilizing natural adsorbents for microplastic removal from wastewater: A sustainable approach to environmental protection

Researchers reviewed natural materials like biochar, clay, algae, and agricultural waste as affordable alternatives to synthetic filters for removing microplastics from wastewater, finding some achieved over 80% removal efficiency in the lab, though scaling these methods to real-world treatment systems remains a significant challenge.

2025 Results in Engineering 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing the coagulation process for the removal of microplastics from water by anionic polyacrylamide and natural-based Moringa oleifera

Scientists tested improved water treatment methods using aluminum sulfate combined with either a synthetic aid or natural Moringa oleifera seed extract to remove microplastics from water. Both combinations achieved over 80-93% removal for certain plastic types, and the natural plant-based approach cut the required chemical dose in half -- offering a more sustainable way to keep microplastics out of drinking water.

2024 Chemosphere 23 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Utilizing nature-based adsorbents for removal of microplastics and nanoplastics in controlled polluted aqueous systems: A systematic review of sources, properties, adsorption characteristics, and performance

This systematic review evaluates how natural materials like agricultural waste and plant-based substances can be used to filter microplastics and nanoplastics from water. The research shows that these nature-based solutions offer a sustainable and effective approach to reducing plastic particle contamination in drinking water and wastewater systems.

2025 Next Sustainability 7 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

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

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

A critical review of microplastics and nanoplastics in wastewater: Insights into adsorbent-based remediation strategies

This review analyzes research on removing microplastics and nanoplastics from water using materials that absorb the particles, finding that adsorption is the most widely studied removal method. Carbon-based and metal-based materials currently dominate the research, but plant-based (biopolymer) adsorbents are gaining attention because they are biodegradable and non-toxic. Better removal technologies are critical because conventional water treatment often fails to capture the smallest plastic particles that pose the greatest risk to human health.

2025 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
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
Article Tier 2

Natural coagulants (Moringa oleifera and Benincasa hispida) based removal of microplastics

Researchers tested two plant-based coagulants — from Moringa oleifera seeds and white gourd (Benincasa hispida) — for removing microplastics from water, finding they achieved roughly 84–87% removal rates comparable to the commonly used chemical coagulant alum. This is the first study showing that natural, plant-derived coagulants can serve as sustainable, non-toxic alternatives for filtering microplastics from water supplies.

2024 Cleaner Water 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The Role of Biocomposites and Nanocomposites in Eliminating Organic Contaminants from Effluents

Not relevant to microplastics — this review evaluates biocomposite and nanocomposite sorbents for removing heavy metals, dyes, and hydrocarbons from industrial wastewater, comparing adsorption mechanisms and recyclability.

2023 Water 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics_Removal

Researchers evaluated the efficiency of a microplastic removal system for synthetic wastewater that combines a chemical treatment process with simple filtration, measuring removal performance across different microplastic types and concentrations.

2025 Open Science Framework
Article Tier 2

Insight into the removal of nanoplastics and microplastics by physical, chemical, and biological techniques

This review covers the health threats of nano- and microplastics in water, which can cause tissue damage, reproductive problems, neurological disorders, and DNA damage in living organisms. Traditional water treatment methods fail to remove these tiny particles effectively, so the paper evaluates upgraded physical, chemical, and biological treatment approaches and hybrid techniques designed specifically to filter out small plastic debris.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of Microplastics from Drinking Water by Moringa oleifera Seed: Comparative Performance with Alum in Direct and in-Line Filtration Systems

A study compared Moringa oleifera seed extract—a natural, plant-based coagulant—to conventional aluminum sulfate for removing microplastics from low-turbidity drinking water, finding both achieved over 98% removal efficiency, but the natural extract worked effectively across a wider pH range (5–8 vs. 5–7 for alum). Moringa-based treatment could offer a sustainable, lower-chemical-impact alternative for drinking water treatment in regions where aluminum chemicals are costly or controversial. This is relevant to global efforts to remove microplastics from tap water before human consumption.

2026 ACS Omega
Article Tier 2

Understanding and Improving Microplastic Removal during Water Treatment: Impact of Coagulation and Flocculation

Researchers systematically tested coagulation and flocculation for removing microplastics from drinking water, finding that removal efficiency depended strongly on plastic particle size and whether particles had been weathered, with smaller pristine particles being the hardest to remove.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 424 citations