Papers

20 results
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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
Article Tier 2

Eradicating microplastics in wastewater: microalgae as a sustainable strategy

This review examines the use of microalgae as a sustainable strategy for removing microplastics from wastewater, discussing biosorption mechanisms, removal efficiencies, and the limitations of conventional treatment plants that typically achieve only up to 90% MP removal.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
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

Removal of microplastic for a sustainable strategy by microbial biodegradation

Researchers reviewed which microorganisms — including Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and several fungi and algae species — show the greatest ability to break down microplastics, and highlighted how genetic engineering and combining multiple degradation methods could make biological plastic cleanup viable at larger scales.

2024 Sustainable Chemistry for the Environment 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Critical review of microplastics removal from the environment

This review evaluates technologies for removing microplastics from the environment, including physical methods like filtration, chemical treatments, and biological approaches using microorganisms. Each method has trade-offs between effectiveness, cost, and scalability, and no single technology can solve the problem alone. The authors emphasize that reducing human exposure to microplastics requires combining better removal technologies with policies that limit plastic production and waste at the source.

2022 Chemosphere 256 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

Microbial enzyme power: Breaking down microplastics for a cleaner planet

This review examines how microbial enzymes produced by bacteria, fungi, and algae can break down and degrade microplastic polymers. The study suggests that enzymatic biodegradation represents a promising and more sustainable alternative to conventional microplastic removal methods, though further research is needed to improve enzyme efficiency and scalability.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

Advancing bioremediation: biosurfactants as catalysts for sustainable remediation

This review examines how biosurfactants, natural cleaning agents produced by microorganisms, can help break down stubborn pollutants including microplastics. Unlike synthetic chemicals, biosurfactants are biodegradable and less toxic, making them a greener option for environmental cleanup. The research suggests these biological tools could play an important role in reducing microplastic contamination in soil and water, potentially lowering human exposure over time.

2025 Biodegradation 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Solutions To Battle Microplastics

This report reviews biological and nature-based approaches to fighting microplastic pollution, highlighting organisms and enzymes that can break down or capture plastic particles as potential tools for environmental cleanup.

2023 WIPO
Article Tier 2

A Cheap and Portable Solution for The Removal of Microplastics from Natural Waters

This paper reviews current and emerging strategies for removing microplastics from natural waters, including physical filtration, coagulation, magnetic separation, and biological approaches, evaluating their feasibility and limitations.

2024 Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Current status of microplastics and nanoplastics removal methods: Summary, comparison and prospect

This review comprehensively summarized and compared current methods for removing micro- and nanoplastics from water, covering physical, chemical, and biological approaches while identifying key challenges and future directions for improving removal efficiency.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable sponges made from chitin-cellulose nanofibers for sustainable removal of microplastics from aquatic environment

Researchers developed a biodegradable sponge made from chitin and cellulose nanofibers that can remove up to 93% of microplastics from water. The sponge maintained strong performance after four reuse cycles and naturally biodegraded in soil environments. The study presents a sustainable, eco-friendly approach to cleaning microplastic contamination from aquatic ecosystems without introducing additional persistent pollutants.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics in water: Technology progress and green strategies

Researchers reviewed existing technologies for removing microplastics from water, including filtration, magnetic separation, chemical coagulation, and biodegradation. Each method has significant trade-offs — filtration is costly, chemical approaches risk secondary pollution, and biological methods are slow — pointing to the need for integrated, environmentally friendly strategies that combine multiple approaches.

2022 Green Analytical Chemistry 144 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental impact and mitigation of micro(nano)plastics pollution using green catalytic tools and green analytical methods

Researchers reviewed the growing problem of microplastics and nanoplastics in the environment, then assessed enzyme-based strategies for breaking them down, finding that enzymes specifically targeting plastic polymer structures offer a promising, sustainable approach to degradation, especially when stabilized on nanomaterials to extend their activity.

2022 Green Analytical Chemistry 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Emerging Porous Materials for Adsorptive Removal of Microplastics and Nanoplastics from Aquatic Environments: A Review

This review summarizes recent advances in using porous materials, including sponges, aerogels, hydrogels, metal-organic frameworks, and carbon-based adsorbents, to remove microplastics and nanoplastics from water. Researchers found that adsorption using these materials is a promising, cost-effective approach that outperforms conventional water treatment methods for plastic particle removal. The study identifies key challenges and future research directions for developing practical adsorbents for real-world plastic pollution mitigation.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 1 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

Microorganism-mediated biodegradation for effective management and/or removal of micro-plastics from the environment: a comprehensive review

This review summarizes research on using microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae to break down microplastics in the environment. While some organisms can partially degrade certain plastic types through fragmentation and chemical breakdown, no single microbe can fully eliminate microplastics. The review highlights that biological degradation is a promising but still limited approach to addressing microplastic pollution, and more research is needed to develop effective microbial cleanup strategies.

2024 Archives of Microbiology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

An Innovative Sorption Technology for Removing Microplastics from Wastewater

This study developed a sorption-based technology for removing microplastics from wastewater using inexpensive natural materials, demonstrating high removal efficiency suitable for deployment as a tertiary treatment stage at wastewater treatment plants or for treating process and surface water.

2023 Water 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable and re-usable sponge materials made from chitin for efficient removal of microplastics

Researchers developed biodegradable sponges made from chitin, a natural material, that can effectively remove tiny microplastic particles smaller than 3 micrometers from water. The sponges achieved removal rates of up to 92% and could be reused for multiple cycles while remaining safe for aquatic organisms. This green approach offers a promising, environmentally friendly method for cleaning microplastics from water systems.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Solutions to Microplastic Pollution: Advances in Bioremediation Technologies

This review surveys bioremediation technologies, including microbial and plant-based approaches, as potential solutions for removing microplastics from the environment. Researchers highlight promising organisms and enzymatic pathways while noting that practical, scalable applications remain in early development.

2020 Environmental Reports.