Removing microplastics from aquatic environments: A critical review

Yusheng,Pan1,2; Shu-Hong,Gao2; Chang,Ge2; Qun,Gao3; Sijing,Huang2; Yuanyuan,Kang2; Gaoyang,Luo2; Ziqi,Zhang2; Lu,Fan4,5; Yongming,Zhu1; Ai-Jie,Wang2,6

2023

10.1016/j.ese.2022.1002222666-4984

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology   Impact Factor & Quartile

2666-4984

As one of the typical emerging contaminants, microplastics exist widely in the environment because of their small size and recalcitrance, which has caused various ecological problems. This paper summarizes current adsorption and removal technologies of microplastics in typical aquatic environments, including natural freshwater, marine, drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and includes abiotic and biotic degradation technologies as one of the removal technologies. Recently, numerous studies have shown that enrichment technologies have been widely used to remove microplastics in natural freshwater environments, DWTPs, and WWTPs. Efficient removal of micro -plastics via WWTPs is critical to reduce the release to the natural environment as a key connection point to prevent the transfer of microplastics from society to natural water systems. Photocatalytic technology has outstanding pre-degradation effects on microplastics, and the isolated microbial strains or enriched communities can degrade up to 50% or more of pre-processed microplastics. Thus, more research focusing on microplastic degradation could be carried out by combining physical and chemical pre-treatment with subsequent microbial biodegradation. In addition, the current recovery technologies of microplastics are introduced in this review. This is incredibly challenging because of the small size and dispersibility of microplastics, and the related technologies still need further development. This paper will provide theoretical support and advice for preventing and controlling the ecological risks mediated by microplastics in the aquatic environment and share recommendations for future research on the removal and recovery of microplastics in various aquatic environments, including natural aquatic en-vironments, DWTPs, and WWTPs.(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Aquatic environment Enrichment and removal Microplastics Wastewater treatment plants

SCI

English

Others

[52070060] ; [52230004] ; [20200518750C] ; [KQTD20190929172630447] ; [2021TS29] ; [KF2021006]

Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Green & Sustainable Science & Technology ; Environmental Sciences

WOS:000897649900001

ELSEVIER

Web of Science

1.School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
2.State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
3.State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
4.Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
5.Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
6.Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

Yusheng,Pan,Shu-Hong,Gao,Chang,Ge,et al. Removing microplastics from aquatic environments: A critical review[J]. Environmental Science and Ecotechnology,2023,13.

Yusheng,Pan.,Shu-Hong,Gao.,Chang,Ge.,Qun,Gao.,Sijing,Huang.,...&Ai-Jie,Wang.(2023).Removing microplastics from aquatic environments: A critical review.Environmental Science and Ecotechnology,13.

Yusheng,Pan,et al."Removing microplastics from aquatic environments: A critical review".Environmental Science and Ecotechnology 13(2023).