Microplastics removal technologies from aqueous environments: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Treatment Technologies
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Microplastic pollution poses a significant environmental threat due to the absorption of pollutants and metals, increasing ecotoxicity.
• Effective removal strategies are crucial for mitigating the adverse impacts of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems and human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify efficient methods for removing microplastics from aqueous environments.
• To analyze the effectiveness of various physical, chemical, physicochemical, biological, and integrated removal techniques.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.
• Searches performed on PubMed, Scopus, and ISI/WOS databases from 2017 to March 2022.
• Inclusion of observational, analytical, review articles, and meta-analyses focusing on microplastic removal from aquatic environments.

Main Results:

• Eighty eligible studies were included, categorizing removal methods into physical (12), chemical (18), physicochemical (27), biological (12), and integrated (11).
• Integrated methods demonstrated the highest average removal efficiency (88.63%), followed by physicochemical (80.44%), biological (75.23%), chemical (74.38%), and physical methods (73.76%).
• Polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the most studied microplastic types.

Conclusions:

• Physical, chemical, physicochemical, biological, and integrated methods can effectively remove microplastics from aquatic environments.
• Integrated methods show the greatest potential for efficient microplastic removal.
• These processes are readily applicable for reducing the environmental and health risks associated with microplastic contamination.